Summary:
In this October, 1862, report, General George McClellan discusses cavalry
movements and skirmishes in Pennsylvania and Maryland. He mentions the date of
Jeb Stuart's departure from Chambersburg.
Maj.-Gen. HALLECK,
Gen.-in-Chief.
HDQRS. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
October 12, 1862
The rebel cavalry under Stuart, which left Chambersburg yesterday morning in the direction of Gettysburg, reached the Potomac, near the mouth of the Monocacy, at about 9 a. m. to-day, having marched about 100 miles in twenty-four hours. Gen. Stoneman, who was at Poolesville, near where the rebels passed, was ordered by telegraph, at 1 o'clock p. m. yesterday, to keep his cavalry well out on all the different approaches from the direction of Frederick, so as to give him time to mass his forces to resist their crossing into Virginia. As you will see from the dispatch of Gen. Pleasonton, just received and herewith transmitted, it does not appear that he complied with this order. He will be called upon for an explanation of this matter. It would seem that Pleasonton's forces, although within but a short distance of Poolesville, received but little assistance from Stoneman.
HDQRS. CAVALRY DIVISION,
Camp near Mouth of Monocacy, October 12, [1862]-
1.30 p. m.
Gen. R. B. MARCY, Chief of Staff:
This morning, after my dispatch of 1.30 my advance guard met Stuart, disguised in our uniform, and, before they were recognized, a fire was opened, and, very soon after, their guns began to play upon us. In consequence of the weakness of the battery horses, they having marched 78 miles in the last twenty-four hours, they could not move the pieces, and I had only two pieces that I could bring to bear on the enemy.
This continued for upward of an hour, when I succeeded in getting up my six guns
and soon silenced their battery. They retreated hastily and covered the ford, 3
miles below, with their guns on this side and some guns that were placed in
position for them on the other. I sent a regiment of cavalry and some infantry
down the towpath to intercept their crossing, and used every exertion to get my
guns to follow them, but horses could not pull up the hills, and I was obliged
to use men. This took time enough for the rebels to escape. There was no
artillery at this point, and, with the exception of a few infantry companies, I
had no assistance. I held Stuart in check for tho hours, but, for the reasons I
have assigned, it was necessary to have timely assistance to capture his party.
My men have behaved admirably.
A. PLEASONTON,
Brig.-Gen.
Six regiments of my cavalry had been sent to Cumberland to prevent the rebel depredations upon the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, which left us very deficient in cavalry here. As soon as Stuart's approach was known, however, one of these regiments was ordered back, but has not yet arrived.
GEO. B. McCLELLAN,
Maj.-Gen.
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 30-31, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
