WEST VIRGINIA
ADJUTANT GENERALS' PAPERS

Union Regiments
1861-1865
Ar382

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10th West Virginia Infantry
(Field and Staff, Companies A - K, Unassigned/Recruits)
Box 17, Folder 3

Transcription

Dear Sir,
I send you the resignation of Lt. Fluharty of Co. K. 10th Va. and desire that you would commission Benjamin Moats in his place.

Very Respectfully
Your Obedt. Servt.
T. M. Harris
Col. 10th Va
P.S.
Did you forward the letters which I sent you from New Creek to their proper destination. One containing an account for my personal expences in recruiting my Regt. The other in relation to pay due myself and officers
Ut Tupra
T. M. H.

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Benjamin Moats vice Fluharty resigned
10th Regt Va Vol Infy
Commission as requested
F. H. Pierpoint

Cumberland Jan. 9th 1863
F. P. Pierpoint
Adjt. Gen. W. Va.

Dear Sir
Please have 2nd Lieut Daniel Curran of Co. D 10th W. Va. commissioned 1st Lieut vice 1st Lieut J. G. Waldo dismissed and the Sergt. Major of the regt Joseph L. Ambrose commissioned 2nd Lieut vice Lt. Curran promoted. I think his name is Joseph L Ambrose. I am not absolutely certain about the L you can see by reference to the Rolls.

The Company's aggregate is 88, I am informed.

Very Truly + Respectfully
Your Friend
T. M. Harris
Col. 10th W. Va.

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Cumberland Jan 9th /63
T. M. Harris
Col 10th V. Vols.
Recommendations for Promotions

Winchester Va. Feb. 7th 1863
H. J. Samuels
Adjt. Gen. Va.

Dear Sir,
I received a communication from you some time since calling for complete Descriptive lists of my regiment which I placed at once in the hands of my Adjt, with instructions to furnish Same as soon as practicable. I called upon him after receiving your last call and was informed that the reason they have not been furnished was that he had no blanks. I have ordered that it be attended to without delay and will see to it that it is done.

Very Respectfully
Your obdt. servt.
T. M. Harris Col. 10 Va

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T. M. Harris
Col 10th Regt Va Infty
Winchester Va
Feby 7th 1863
In regard to a Descriptive List etc

Winchester Va. Feb. 10th 1863
H. J. Samuels
Adjt. Gen. Va.

Dear Sir,
I have information from sources considered reliable here that Col. Imboden has recently been promoted and has had the old 25th and 31st rebel regiments of Va. assigned to his command and that W. Va. is to be the field of his operations. Jones it is said is to be superceded and whether his present command is to cooperate with Imboden or not I am not informed but presume it will endeavor to do so at least to the extent of holding the upper part of the Shenandoah and the valley of the S. Branch as far at least as the latter is included in the Counties of Pendleton and Hardy, as this will be important to both commands in regard to supplies. Imboden has now been promoted to a generalship and this may be regarded as equivalent to the declaration of a purpose on the part of the rebel authorities to enlarge and render more formidable the scale of guerilla warfare in W. Va. Imboden is a man of courage, and some military ability; he is moreover ambitious and I fear unscrupulous and vindictive. He has now succeeded in getting under his command regiments made up entirely of refugees from W. Va. that have now been twenty months in the service and that have been in many a hard fought battle. These men have ever since their departure from their homes desired nothing so much as to be able to come back under circumstances that would make them the masters of the Country of their birth. They are moreover commanded by men who were in the habit of lording it over the people of their respective Counties in the capacity of politicians; men of some ability and who have staked their all of worldly hope on the game they are now playing. They will therefore come with that fiendish purpose of revenge which the disappointment of their hopes is calculated to inspire in such men. Imboden is now concentrating his forces in Augusta Co. and preparing vigorously for a Spring and Summer Campaign in W. Va. and from the above view of the character of the man taken in connection with the sentiments he is known to hold in relation to our new state and the material of which his army of invasion is composed it must be clear that if permitted to carry out his purposes W. Va. will suffer more during the coming season than it has yet done during the war.

What then in view of all these facts should be done? What measures be adopted? I answer that he should not be permitted to enter W. Va. at all but should be broken up, captured, routed, scattered, put to confusion and utterly ruined before he leaves this valley. He will be engaged until the opening of Spring in gathering or concentrating his forces and in equiping and providing supplies for his command and this will afford us plenty of time to plan and execute an expedition that will forestall and frustrate all his purposes. We could advance our forces in Upshur and Radolph so as to ocupy Pocahontas at the proper time and in conjunction with this movement advance a good strong column up the S. Branch Valley and a sufficient column of infantry cavalry and artillery up this valley managing so as to capture the posts now occupied by Jones at Woodstock and New Market and from the latter place advance on Imboden throwing a heavy force of cavalry around so that it shall get in his rear, when all these various columns moving on him as nearly as possible at the same time he would have no way of retreat, but let him turn which way he might he would be found to come in contact with our forces. If Milroy could be permitted to make an aggressive movement he would soon bring all this about but he is under imperative orders not to act on the offensive. Consequently his hands are tied. I write this in order that the Gov. may use his influence without delay to get these restrictions removed and I address it to you because I understand the Gov. is probably in Washington at this time. If he is not you will please put it into his hands; if he is and will probably remain there long enough to receive it you will please forward it to him. I cannot see any good reason why Imboden should not be attended to at once. It could not seriously endanger Gen. Kelly's safety and if he should be permitted to cross the mountains with his command he will not only ruin portions of W. Va. but will also spot Kelly where he does not expect it by destroying the R. R. from Cheat to Grafton at least. The Governor will recollect that I predicted what would happen to us in W. Va. last fall and urged upon Gen. Kelly but in vain the importance of providing against it, and that I was not even permitted to carry out measures of my own devising which if they had been carried out must inevitably have prevented the successful raid of Jenkins through W. Va. I hope he will therefore excuse the seeming impertinence of a subordinate officer in urging views founded on some personal knowledge and experience when he remembers that I am only prompted by the deep interest I feel in the welfare of my state.

Very Respectfully
Your obdt. servt.
T. M. Harris
Col. 10th Va

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T. M. Harris
Winchester Va
Feby 10th /63

Winchester Va. May 2nd 1863
Gov. F. H. Pierpoint

Dear Sir,
Learning that there is a vacancy in the 3rd Va. of the Colonels place to be filled and that there are objections to the promotion of Lieut Col. Thompson I would respectfully recommend to your consideration for the place Capt. J. B. McDonald of Gen. Milroy's staff.

Capt. McDonald altho he has been for some years a resident of the west is a native of Va. Rappahanoc County and a man who is intelligently and uncompromisingly loyal. He has both the natural and acquired abilities to enable him to fill that portion with credit to himself and advantage to the service. He acted as aid to Gen. Reynolds during all the time he was in W. Va. and after that to Gen Milroy in his Va. Campaign of last year - has established an undoubted character for bravery and cool courage in times of exigency and danger and has I believe the confidence of the Gen and all others who know him. I should be happy to see him promoted to the command of one of our Va. regiments and have no doubt if you should think proper to promote him he will do honor to the appointment.

Very Respectfully
Your obdt. servt.
T. M. Harris
Col. 10th Va

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Col T. M. Harris
Winchester Va
May 2nd /63

Head Quarters 10th Va.
Beverly July 16th 1863
F. P. Pierpoint
A. G. West Va.

Dear Sir,
I recd. a communication from you on Saturday last calling for certain information in regard to my regiment.

My Adjt. is sick at this time; as soon as he gets able I will have him furnish you the desired report.

He claims that he sent to the late Adjt. Gen. of Va. all the reports he ever called for: and I can say that I was under the impression that this was the fact having always handed to him all calls of this kind that came into my hands and according to my recollection they were all responded to. It may be however that I did not receive all that were sent. You will please commission Benjamin F. Shreve now 2nd Lieut Co. E 10th Va. as 1st Lieut and Charles B. McCollum as 2nd Lieut in place of B. F. Shreve promoted. I sent this request more than two weeks since but as the commissions have not yet come on I conclude either that you did not get my letter or that the rebs got the commissions in the mail which they captured when they had me surrounded here.

Very Respectfully
Your obdt. servt.
T. M. Harris
Col. 10th Va.

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Col T. M. Harris
Beverly Va
July 16th /63
Recommends officers for promotion
Commissioned

Head Quarters 10th Va.
Beverly Dec. 5th 1863
F. W. Pierpoint
A. G. West Va.

Dear Sir
Please commission Ausbin Willson 1st LIeut. Company A 10th W. Va. Vol. Infty in place of Joseph G. Bouse resigned.

Also commission Ignatius C. Burbridge 2nd Lieut vice 2nd Lieut Ausbin Willson promoted.
Willson's promotion should have taken place some time since. Please date his commission Oct. 1st 1863.

Very Respectfully
Your Obdt. Servt.
T. M. Harris
Col. 10th Va

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Beverly Dec 5th 1863
T. M. Harris
Col. 10th Va Infty
Recommendation for Promotion

Beverly W. Va. Dec. 5th 1863
Gov. A. I. Boreman

Dear Sir,
Will you be so good as to give me some information in regard to the prospects for filling up the existing regiments of W. Va.

I have not seen that West Va's quota of the 300,000 now called for by the President has been fixed neither have I seen that any definite arrangements have been made for securing her quota.

I think it highly probable that with the strong inducements in the shape of bounty etc to volunteers her quota could be secured without resorting to the draft, and I would like to make arrangements to secure enough of those who volunteer to fill my regiment as soon as the ball is put in motion.

I deem it hardly worth while to get permission to detach officer & sergeants on recruiting service until arrangements shall have been made to fill up the regiments or at least to secure W. Va's quota by drafting.

Very Respectfully
Your Obdt. Servt.
T. M. Harris
Col. 10th W. Va. Vols

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Beverly W. Va.
Dec 5th 63
T. M. Harris Col
10th W. Va. Vol. Inf.
Relative to assigning Recruits to his Regt

10th WV Infantry