Summary:
Brig. Gen. John Buford commanded the First Division of the Army of the Potomac
which included the 17th Pennsylvania Cavalry. This report is part of a series of
correspondences by Buford about the day preceding the battle and the battle
itself.
Maj.-Gen. Reynolds.
Gettysburg
June 30, 1863
The Reserve Brigade, under Gen. Merritt, is at Mechanicstown with my trains. Gen. Pleasonton wrote he would inform me when he relieved it. To-day I received instructions saying it would picket toward Hagerstown and south. I am satisfied that A. P. Hill's corps is massed just back of Cashtown, about 9 miles from this place. Pender's division of this (Hill's) corps came up to-day--of which I advised you, saying, "The enemy in my front is increased." The enemy's pickets (infantry and artillery) are within 4 miles of this place, on the Cashtown road. My parties have returned that went north, northwest, and northeast, after crossing the road from Cashtown to Oxford in several places. They heard nothing of any force having passed over it lately. The road, however, is terribly infested with prowling cavalry parties. Near Heidlersburg today, one of my parties captured a courier of Lee's. Nothing was found on him. He says Ewell's corps is crossing the mountains from Carlisle, Rodes' division being at Petersburg in advance. Longstreet, from all I can learn, is still behind Hill. I have many rumors and reports of the enemy advancing upon me from toward York. I have to pay attention to some of them, which causes me to overwork my horses and men. I can get no forage nor rations; am out of both. The people give and sell the men something to eat, but I can't stand that way of subsisting; it causes dreadful straggling. Should I have to fall back, advise me by what route.
Respectfully,
JNO. BUFORD.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I., Volume 27. Part I Reports, Serial No. 43, Page 923, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
