...l blame of the ignominious failure upon the incompetence of Hunter himself. The obvious cause of Hunter's failure was that he did not reach Lynchburg on the 16th, the day upon which, according to Averell 's plan, he was due. Had he reached his destination on the 16th he could have occupied the town without opposition. General Breckinridge was there, an invalid, and his troops were there in small num...