colonel, — Please
request the governor1 to order three thousand muskets to Staunton at
his earliest convenience for the militia of this district. None of the militia
beyond the county, except five hundred from Augusta, have yet arrived, but they
are turning out encouragingly. There are three religious denominations in this
military district who are opposed to war. Eighteen [men] were recently arrested
in endeavoring to make their escape through Pendleton County to the enemy.
Those who do not desert will, to some extent, hire substitutes, others will
turn out in obedience to the governor's call; but I understand some of them say
they will not “shoot.” They can be made to fire, but can very easily take bad
aim. So, for the purpose of giving to this command the highest degree of
efficiency, and securing loyal feelings and co-operation, I have, as these
non-combatants are said to be good teamsters and faithful to their promises,
determined to organize them into companies of one hundred men each, rank and
file, and after mustering them, with the legal number of company officers, into
service, assign them to the various staff departments without issuing arms to
them; but if at any time they have insufficient labor, to have them drilled, so
that in case circumstances should justify it, arms may be given them. If these
men are, as represented to me, faithful laborers and careful of property, this
arrangement will not only enable many volunteers to return to the ranks, but will
also save many valuable horses and other public property, in addition to arms.
. . . All I have pledged myself is that, as far as practicable, I will employ
them in other ways than fighting, but with the condition that they shall act in
good faith with me, and not permit persons to use their names for the purpose
of keeping out of service.
_______________
1 John Letcher, Governor of Virginia.
SOURCE: Mary Anna Jackson, Life and Letters of
General Thomas J. Jackson (Stonewall Jackson), p. 251-2
No comments:
Post a Comment