Brig. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston to Brig. Gen. Samuel Cooper on Need for Cavalry and Staff

CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, AND RETURNS RELATING TO OPERATIONS IN MARYLAND, PENNSYLVANIA, VIRGINIA, AND WEST VIRGINIA FROM APRIL 16 TO JULY 31, 1861

CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. – CONFEDERATE

O. R. – Series I – VOLUME 2 [S #2] CHAPTER IX, pp. 962-963

Headquarters,
Winchester, July 2, 1861.

General S. Cooper:

General: I become more convinced daily of the great value of cavalry, compared with infantry, for service on this frontier. The quantity we have is entirely insufficient for mere scouting and outpost duty. If you can send companies enough to make up another regiment under such an officer as Colonel Stuart, you will add vastly to the strength of this force. We cannot observe the river with one regiment.

Do send me Pemberton immediately, or, if he cannot be spared, Major Rhett. I have no adjutant-general. Can you not appoint and send to me two more such as Bee and Smith ? They are to be found—Pemberton, for instance.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. E. JOHNSTON,
Brigadier-General, C. S. Army.

Lieut. Col. George Deas on the Fitness of Brig. Gen. Gilbert S. Meem for Command

CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, AND RETURNS RELATING TO OPERATIONS IN MARYLAND, PENNSYLVANIA, VIRGINIA, AND WEST VIRGINIA FROM APRIL 16 TO JULY 31, 1861

CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. – CONFEDERATE

O. R. – Series I – VOLUME 2 [S #2] CHAPTER IX, p. 962

Headquarters,
Richmond, Va., July 1, 1861.

Brig. Gen. J. E. Johnston, Winchester, Va.:

General: I am directed by General Lee to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26th ultimo, in reply to my communication of the 24th, respecting the calling into service of the two regiments from the Third Division of the State Militia. The general desires me to say that it was far from his intention to cast any strictures upon you for any orders that you may have given upon that subject. The matter coming from the governor of Virginia in the form of an inquiry was submitted to you for reply, as none could be given from this office, and at that time it was not known that you had given any instructions on the subject. The latter part of my letter was simply intended to convey to you certain information, of a nature which might influence you if found correct. As a matter of course, your orders calling out the militia could only be conveyed through the regularly appointed officers, irrespective of their character or abilities.

Respectfully, &c.,
GEO. DEAS, Assistant Adjutant-General.

Brig. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston to Brig. Gen. Samuel Cooper on “Mustering” of Virginia State Troops into Confederate Service

CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, AND RETURNS RELATING TO OPERATIONS IN MARYLAND, PENNSYLVANIA, VIRGINIA, AND WEST VIRGINIA FROM APRIL 16 TO JULY 31, 1861

CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. – CONFEDERATE

O. R. – Series I – VOLUME 2 [S #2] CHAPTER IX, pp. 959-960

Headquarters,
Winchester, June 29,1861.

General S. Cooper:

General: Immediately after reading in a newspaper the proclamation of the governor of Virginia in relation to the transfer of troops, &c., from the State to the Confederate authorities, I inquired of General Lee if this transfer involved the necessity of “mustering” the Virginia troops into the service of the Confederate States, but received no answer. Lieutenant Washington was desired to obtain an answer to this question when in Richmond recently, and brought an affirmative verbal one.

An order in relation to the muster of the Virginia troops at the end of June, which followed him from General Lee’s headquarters, contained nothing on the subject, so that I am still uncertain.

If this form is necessary, be so good as to give me instructions. I have had no official information of the transfer of the Virginia troops to the Confederate Government.

Most respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. E. JOHNSTON,
Brigadier-General, C. S. Army.

Brig. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston to Brig. Gen. Samuel Cooper on Developments in His Command

CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, AND RETURNS RELATING TO OPERATIONS IN MARYLAND, PENNSYLVANIA, VIRGINIA, AND WEST VIRGINIA FROM APRIL 16 TO JULY 31, 1861

CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. – CONFEDERATE

O. R. – Series I – VOLUME 2 [S #2] CHAPTER IX, pp. 948-949

Headquarters,
Winchester, June 24, 1861.

General S. Cooper,
Adjutant and Inspector-General, Richmond, Va.:

General: I was informed yesterday by a person just from Baltimore, and strongly recommended to me by a friend in that place for his principles and means of information, that General Patterson’s troops are still occupying Hagerstown and Williamsport, the main body being in the former place, and six or eight thousand men under General Cadwalader in the latter.

He says that General Patterson has been corresponding with the authorities of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in relation to repairing the road, and talks of occupying Harper’s Ferry. Should he do so with less than ten or twelve thousand men, an equal force attacking him would have the advantage of ground.

Colonel Jackson, who is in the neighborhood of Martinsburg to support the cavalry which is observing the enemy, has, according to his instructions, destroyed all the rolling stock of the road within his reach. I have directed him to have such of the large stock of coal as the inhabitants require sold to them, and accounts to be kept of the sales, and the proceeds to be used in purchasing provisions in the neighborhood. I have had the pleasure to receive the order for Capt. W. E. James to report to me with his company of cavalry. We require three or four more companies of that arm from the great extent of country to be observed. Another officer capable of commanding a brigade and four or five competent to the duties of quartermasters and commissaries are greatly needed. In this connection I recommend the appointment of Lieutenants Davis and Morgan as assistant quartermasters. They have proved themselves competent to the discharge of the duties of that position.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. E. JOHNSTON,
Brigadier-General, C. S. Army.

Brig. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston to Lt. Col. George Deas on the Fitness of Brig. Gen. Gilbert S. Meem for Command

CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, AND RETURNS RELATING TO OPERATIONS IN MARYLAND, PENNSYLVANIA, VIRGINIA, AND WEST VIRGINIA FROM APRIL 16 TO JULY 31, 1861

CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. – CONFEDERATE

O. R. – Series I – VOLUME 2 [S #2] CHAPTER IX, p. 956

Headquarters, Winchester, June 26, 1861.

Lieutenant-Colonel Deas, Richmond, Va.:

Colonel: I have just had the honor to receive your letter of the 24th instant. You ask on the part of the governor if Brigadier-General Meem has been authorized by me to raise two regiments from the Third Division of Virginia Militia. I respectfully reply he was ordered to do so by me. Permit me to remind you that in calling out the militia I am compelled to use the officers set over them, and in the absence of any means of knowing their character must suppose that in times like these none but competent persons are left in high military places. If General Meem is such a person as you describe, let me suggest that the authorities in Richmond hold the remedy in their own hands, not I. I think that the belief you express a that the population from which these regiments would be taken is by no means loyal” is erroneous. Your strictures upon my order to General Meem imply strong disapproval— I suppose that of General Lee. If I am correct in so understanding you, would it not be well to countermand the order in question at headquarters?

Most respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. E. JOHNSTON,
Brigadier-General, C. S. Army.

Lt. Col. George Deas to Brig. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston on the Fitness of Brig. Gen. Gilbert S. Meem for Command

CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, AND RETURNS RELATING TO OPERATIONS IN MARYLAND, PENNSYLVANIA, VIRGINIA, AND WEST VIRGINIA FROM APRIL 16 TO JULY 31, 1861

CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. – CONFEDERATE

O. R. – Series I – VOLUME 2 [S #2] CHAPTER IX, p. 948

Headquarters, Richmond, Va., June 24,1861.

Brig. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston,
Commanding Army of the Shenandoah, Winchester, Va.;

Sir: Brigadier-General Meem has informed Governor Letcher that he has authority from you to raise two regiments from the Third Division of Virginia Militia, and the governor requests to be informed whether such is the case. This inquiry is now submitted to you for your reply at your earliest convenience. If certain allegations in respect to the general’s habits and daily condition, which have been made to General Lee, are correct, he certainly would not be a fit person for this responsible duty. In addition to this, also, it is believed that the population from which these regiments would be taken is by no means loyal to the cause of Virginia in the present state of affairs.

Very respectfully, &c.,

GEO. DEAS, Assistant Adjutant-General.