Head Qrs Va Forces
Richmond Va
May 7th 1861
Colonel Ph. St. Geo: Cocke
Commanding &c
Culpepper Court House
Colonel:
In my letter to you of May 3rd you were instructed to send an Officer to Lynchburg to muster into the service of the State, Volunteer Companies from the Counties of Campbell, Bedford, Roanoke, Bottetourt and Craig. Lieutenant Colonel, D. A. Langhorne[1] having been since ordered to muster these, together with Troops from other Counties into the service, you need not send an Officer to Lynchburg for the above purpose. After the Troops from the above named counties are mustered into service by Lieutenant Colonel Langhorne, you are requested to order them to such point on your line as you may deem most advantageous, & will notify him accordingly.
Very respectfully
Your Obt. Servt
R E Lee
Maj Genl Commg
Source: University of Virginia Special Collections
Transcribed by Colin Woodward, 2016 January 5
[1] Dr. Daniel Langhorne was born in Cumberland County, Virginia, 1825 July 25, the son of Maurice and Elizabeth (Allen) Langhorne, who made their home in Lynchburg when Daniel was two years old. The Langhorne family is of English origin, and Dr. Langhorne is a lineal descendant of William Langhorne, first earl of Greensboro. He was graduated in medicine at the Philadelphia (Pa.) University in 1848 and after two years of practice in Philadelphia, settled in practice in Lynchburg. He was resident physician at Warm Springs, Healing Springs, and Greenbrier White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. In Montgomery County, Virginia, February 15, 1853, Rev. J. D. Mitchell officiating, he married Virginia P. Kent. The bride was born in Montgomery County, 1833 August 13. Virginia was the daughter of Jacob and Mary (Buford) Kent. One son was born to Dr. and Mrs. Langhorne, December 22, 1853: Maurice Kent, who died on the 1864 April 10.
Dr. Langhorne entered the Confederate States army in April of 1861 with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He served as post commander and mustering officer at Lynchburg until July of 1861, then took the field assigned to the 42nd Virginia Infantry. With that regiment he served in the Valley Mountain and Sewell Mountain campaign under Gen. R. E. Lee. He was in the Bath and Romney expedition and in the Shenandoah Valley campaign under Gen. Jackson.
In May 1862, having been superseded in his command, he returned to Lynchburg, where he performed local military duty until the close of the war. For more on Langhorne, see Robert Alonzo Brock and Virgil A. Lewis, Virginia and Virginians, vol. 2, pp. 556-95. Information courtesy of Genealogy Trails History Group.
