On the night of December 16, General Breckinridge and his troops moved out of Saltville, Virginia in an effort to stop Stoneman. Taking the regular troops with him, Breckinridge left Colonel Robert Preston in charge of the 500 militia men to defend the salt works. General Breckinridge sent Witcher and his men of the 34th on ahead of his main force and ordered them to harass the Union army.