Summary:
Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston writes to General William Whiting in
November, 1861, to discuss troop movements to Fredericksburg and elsewhere,
including regiments from Staunton.
Brig.-Gen. WHITING:
Centreville, HDQRS.,
November 16, 1861.
DEAR GEN.:
A regiment left Richmond on the 14th for Fredericksburg, and another is to do so to-day and another to-morrow, all unarmed. I directed the quartermaster to send you these regiments, beginning with the Texans, twenty-four wagons, which will start to-day, should the Occoquan be fordable. They are to take 1,600 muskets (perhaps 1,800) and about 60 boxes of cartridges for the regiments of the 14th and 16th-dates of leaving Richmond. All these new troops are unarmed, and as I said that two could be armed at Manassas, they send fife to use the muskets-these people in Richmond.
I requested Gen. Holmes to procure permanent transportation for these troops about Fredericksburg, if possible; I shall therefore wait to hear for him before sending more wagons.
When I hear of the last regiment, arms shall be sent for it, too, if they can be found.
I have had a brigade over the Occoquan begun on the road from Dumfries to Manassas, and am asking for labors to improve the road.
I have desired Gen. Homles to have such field works as can now be made begun on the heights at Evansport. Will you advise in the case?
No Staunton regiments are to join Wigfall. His brigade consists of the three Texas regiments belonging to your command. The three regiments to come, also to be under your command, are new, I suppose being unarmed. Brigade them at you discretion.
Col. Walker is, I doubt not, a very competent officer. I knew him as an excellent captain.
If the new regiments can serve where there are breastworks it will be well to so place them, by exchanges if necessary. I wish the dividing lines between the districts considered obliterated.
Yours, truly,
J. E. JOHNSTON.
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 958, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
