Summary:
Army of the Potomac cavalry commander Alfred Pleasonton reports to General
Randolph Marcy on intelligence gathered in October, 1862. He discusses
Confederate troop strengths, and 2,500 men at Winchester destined for Staunton
with small-pox.
Gen. R. B. MARCY.
PURCELLVILLE,
October 28, 1862
Two young men have been brought in by my pickets, who say they left Martinsburg last Thursday, and passed through Winchester; that all the rebel army was at Martinsburg, except Jackson, Longstreet, and Hill, who were at Winchester; that at Winchester they saw 2,500 men with small-pox, who were to be sent to Staunton; Stuart's two brigades of cavalry were at Berryville, between Winchester and Charlestown; that yesterday morning Walker's brigade was at Upperville; that this brigade had been picked from the whole rebel army. At Snickersville they saw one company of Second Virginia Cavalry and one piece of artillery, Shall send them, with other prisoners, to headquarters, to be examined.
My scouts captured a rebel signal-sergeant this afternoon, near the mountain.
A Union man told me to-day that Longstreet was at Upperville, and occupied Paris, Bloomfield, and Middleburg.
My people are not yet in from Aldie. A part of Stoneman's force is at Leesburg.
Very respectfully,
A. PLEASONTON,
Brig.-Gen., &c.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 19, Serial No. 28, Pages 107, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
