Another source: "Mosby's Rangers' The True Adventures of The Most Famous Command of the Civil War By Jeffry D. WERT Page 169 "Springtime of Change" -----------the struggle for Virginia was interworven with events in the great valley beyond the Blue Ridge. the presence of a substantial number of Confederate troops in the region resulted from Union Major General David HUNTER's fiery march into the upper Shenandoah Valley. When HUNTER replaced SIGEL after New Market, GRANT ordered the new commander to advance on Staunton, a Confederate supply base, destroy the facilities and from there, penetrate deeper into the upper Valley, moving either toward Lynchburg or Gordonsvill and Charlottesville east of the Blue Ridge. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HUNTER performed skillfully during the early phases of the operation. Sweeping aside a small Confederate force at the Battle of Piedmont on June 5, HUNTER's 8500-man army entered Staunton the next day. The work of destruction began immediately and when 10,000 additional troops under Brigadier General George CROOK joined HUNTERS on the eighth, the Federals marched southward. On June 11, the Yankees occupied Lexington, where HUNTER ordered the buring of the Virginia Military Institute buildings.----------------- The above was taken by the author from "Mosby, Memoirs" and "War Reminiscences" by MONTEIRO. **************Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch "Cooking with Tyler Florence" on AOL Food. (http://food.aol.com/tyler-florence?video=4&?NCID=aolfod00030000000002)