Summary:
Confederate Assistant Adjutant George Deas forwards to Major George Stevens
Governor Letcher's September, 1861, dispatch concerning recruiting in Nelson
County. Letcher threatens to call out the militia and order them to Staunton if
the County does not provide its quota of volunteers.
Maj. GEORGE S. STEVENS, Cmdg., Nelson Station, Va.:
Richmond, Va.,
October 3, 1861.
SIR:
I have the honor to submit to you the following remarks of Governor Letcher relative to your detailed report of the state of the militia in the county of Nelson, dated the 23d ultimo, viz:
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, September 28, 1861.
The county of Nelson not having
furnished her quota of volunteers, militia went into camp August 6, 1861. The
return of the colonel, one received at the office of the adjutant-general
(Richardson), on the 7th of this month, showed that he then had at Camp Mitchell
197. This return shows 163, a reduction of 34. Under the 10 percent regulation
they were short of their quota upwards of 150 men. While in the camp I proposed,
if they would furnish a company of 80 volunteers, I would accept them and
disband the balance. These men were to be furnished by a given day, which has
long since passed. I still indulged them, and told the officers and others who
called upon me that if the number of 80 was not furnished I would order the
militia to rendezvous at Staunton, where they would be attached to a regiment
being formed at that place. Finding they would do nothing, they were ordered to
Staunton. After the order was issued major Stevens came here to see me, and did
not pretend to justify their conduct. Among other things, he said, in the
presence of Col. Dimmock, that they did not think I would order them into
service; that I was not in earnest. I told him as the order had been given they
could now tell whether I had been jesting on so serious a subject, and that he
must return and execute the order without delay.
JOHN LETCHER,
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
GEO. DEAS,
Assistant Adjutant-Gen.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 5, Serial No. 5, Pages 888, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
