Today in History:

898 Series I Volume II- Serial 2 - First Manassas

Page 898 OPERATIONS IN MD., PA., VA., AND W. VA.

Tennessee Regiment, now at this place, Colonel Turney, has also been directed to report to you as soon as practicable. With this re-enforcement, and such as you may be able to obtain from the valley, you may probably hold your position and prevent the passage of the Potomac by hostile troops until further troops can reach you. I think that no troops from Ohio have yet reached Grafton, as a special messenger from Colonel Porterfield reports the contrary, and that certain bridges on the Parkersburg road had been burned. Some little time must therefore elapse, in all probability, before a movement can be made against you from that direction. Information of the movements of troops in that direction might be obtained from friends in that region. Should you, however, be opposed by a force too large to resist, I can only repeat what is contained in my letter of this morning, viz, destroy everything that cannot be removed which may be of advantage to the enemy. Deprive them of the use of the railroad, take the field, and endeavor to arrest their advance up the valley.

I am, general, with great respect, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General, Commanding.


HEADQUARTERS VIRGINIA FORCES,
Richmond, Va., June 1, 1861.

Colonel DANIEL RUGGLES,

Commanding, &c., Fredericksburg, Va.:

SIR: Your telegraphic dispatch of yesterday to the governor of the State, for ammunition for Captain Walker's battery, was referred to the General Commanding, and the Ordnance Department has been instructed to supply it as far as practicable. The General regrets to have to remind an officer of your experience of the propriety of adhering to the usages of the military service in relation to official communications. Your application for ammunition should have been sent for his action. He feels constrained to call your attention also to the necessity of economizing the ammunition issued to the troops. The straitened means of the State are taxed to the last degree to provide for the first wants of the troops in this respect. As understood by him, the recent exchange of shots between your batteries on the Potomac and the enemy's vessels could have no other result than to waste ammunition and to expose our condition and the strength of the batteries, which was probably the object of his visit.

I am, sir, very respectfully,

R. S. GARNETT,

Adjutant-General.


HEADQUARTERS,
Harper's Ferry, Va., June 1, 1861.

Colonel GARNETT,

Adjutant-General Virginia Forces:

COLONEL: I respectfully transmit herewith Colonel Allen's last report, and a paper in relation to affairs near Grafton, for the information of the General Commanding-in-Chief.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. E. JOHNSTON,

Brigadier-General, C. S. Army.


Page 898 OPERATIONS IN MD., PA., VA., AND W. VA.