1861 May 25 Lynchburg [Virginia]

Colonel

I send you to morrow nine
companies of infantry armed with mus-
kets altered to precussion under the
command of Colonel Robert T. Preston--

There are about 640 non-commissioned officers
& privates, exclusive of commissioned officers.
It has been impossible for me to get accuratae
returns of the companies--I send
also 13,000 cartridges with caps--

The guns &c were only received on
yesterday without Belts, Bayonets
scabbards or cartridge boxes--of which
I learn by telegraph there are none [?]
in Richmond--I have been the
whole day issuing arms to the companies
having had to encounter great difficulties
on account of the disinclination on the
part of most of the men to take muskets--
I will send another company to


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complete the regiment in a day or two--
Three companies have been sent to
Richmond under instructions from
Head quarters, which has em-
barrassed me in the organization of the
regiment I wished to send you--I
have had to take very summary
steps to induce some of the companies
to take muskets-- But the men who [?]
now go to you go perfectly contented--
I will send you other troops as soon
as I can organize & arm them, but
my duties are very embarrassing--as
all the companies that come here
want rifles or artillery--

Very Respectfully

Your obt servt
J A Early
Col Commndg

Colonel P. St George Cocke
Culpepoer C. House

Jubal Early, 1816-1894, rose to command an infantry corps under Robert E. Lee. He was most noted for a daring raid on the outskirts Washington, D. C. in 1864. After the war he wrote numerous articles promoting the "Lost Cause" version of the Civil War.
MSS 640