Max Weber to T. Melvin, May 2, 1864
Capt. T. MELVIN, Your telegram received. Your situation as described perfectly understood. Everything that I can do to sustain you will be done pee . You shall have Colonel Rodgers as soon as possible. eceived orders from Major-General Stahel to relieve our infantry and dismounted cavalry between here and Sleepy Creek by the Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry. Expected to get a cavalry regiment ‘intact, but when they report it is with about 10 men in each company mounted and 400 recruits. The latter good for nothing—worse than useless. If I should place dismounted men from other tegiments on the line of the railroad it would be of no use, as they might at any moment receive the order to join their regiments, and should I have to remove stores, as roposed: on whom can I depend to have the order executed with safety? The Twelfth Pennsyivania Cavalry is known as one of the worst in the service, and would run at the first alarm. Although I relieve Colonel Rodgers and his come mand as soon as these dismounted cavalry recruits have arms, yet I do so feeling that no confidence at all can be placed in them. I will form all the mounted men in one battalion and distribute them along the line as outpost pickets. Just received the following by telegraph from the Army of the Potomac: . Men are in from the Blue Ridge. Can hear of no infantry in the Vail – ment in that direction. a etree NY Captain Melvin will please forward the above to General Sigel by courier. MAX WEBER, Brigadier-General. May 2, 1864. Capt. J. McEn TEE, Harper’s Ferry: We have men in from the Blue Ridge this morning. Can hear of no infantry in the Valley, or movement in that direction. We do not believe there is anything there other than what our reports have heretofore shown. SHARPE, Col. R. S. RopGERs, Commanding at Martinsburg : Have the Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry yet left Martinsburg, or are they near there ? If they are there order them to await further orders, as they are to report to me, and I must send them back if they come down. Answer at once.
MAX WEBER,