1861 May 21 Staunton, Va.

[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell, civilian employee of the Quartermaster Dept.]

Wednesday night, May 21, 1862.

The town quiet all day. A report that Jackson is a-
bout to attack the enemy at Narrow Pass on the Valley turn-
pike, where they are fortifying. He has been reinforced by
a Louisiana Brigade — Ewell's division (or a part of it) moving
back towards Richmond. These are the reports — dont know how
much is true. The enemy have appeared at or very near Hanover
C.H. They are evidently trying to surround Richmond and cut
off supplies, avoiding a battle whenever possible. A letter from
Frazier, written this morning, says he hurried home (Rockbridge
Alum Springs) on Monday to get his family off to Lexington
as a place of safety — but he heard the enemy were in Bu-
chanan and threatening Lexington. Consequently he was
looking to Staunton as a place of refuge. The rumor of a small
body of the enemy being at Buchanan, had reached here by other
channels — not fully credited. Reports of further operations
in Giles co. highly advantageous to us. [I often mention rumors
which turn out to be untrue, and many details are incorrect as stated — but I do not gene-
rally correct such ones, principally because of the impossibility of obtaining perfectly
reliable intelligence.

[transcription by the Valley of the Shadow project]

MSS 38-258