Summary:
Confederate Adjutant General Samuel Cooper writes General William Loring in November, 1861, concerning the defense of the Shenandoah Valley, and the movement of troops from Staunton.

---

Brig. Gen. W. W. LORING,
Cmdg., &c., Huntersville, Va.:

RICHMOND,

November 20, 1861.

GEN.:

I have received your telegram of the 19th instant, and, referring to you letter of the 9th, I have to inform you that Special Orders, No 222, was not intended to control your discretion in retaining such amount of force as you might find necessary for defensive purposes, &c., but only to make provision for such regiments as you might send from you command to Staunton. It is hoped you may yet be enabled to spare some troops from your command after making all your arrangements; but of this you must judge for yourself. Troops are much wanted both at Manassas and in the Valley District, commanded by Maj.-Gen. Jackson; but other points must be looked to as well.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. COOPER,
Adjutant and Inspector 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 965, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.