Summary:
Union General George Ruggles forwards General Stoneman a telegram regarding Jeb
Stuart's October, 1862, capture of Chambersburg. In the telegram, Union General
William B. Franklin mentions information provided by a Union officer captured
and paroled by Stuart in Chambersburg.
Brig.-Gen. STONEMAN, Poolesvile, Md:
COMDG. OFFICER,
Frederick, Md.:
October 11, 1862
The following dispatch has just been received from Gen. Franklin:
HAGERSTOWN, October 11, 1862--7.45 p. m.
Brig. Gen. R. B. MARCY:
A discharged officer, named Hamilton, late quartermaster of Bartlett's brigade,
was taken prisoner by Stuart last evening at Chambersburg, and paroled. He had,
he says, a long talk with Stuart, who told him that he had 3,000 cavalry. Would
be in Gettysburg at 12 to day, and would cross the Potomac at mouth of Monocacy.
If he found too large a force there, would go lower. Hamilton says there are
about 1,900 cavalry. That a force of 300 was absent when they were counted this
morning.
W. B. FRANKLIN,
Maj.-Gen.
P. S.--Stuart desired to be
remembered kindly to Gen. S Williams. This makes it look authentic.
W. B.
F.
The cavalry, as counted this morning, referred above, by a Mr. McClelland, numbered about 1,644.
GEO. D. RUGGLES,
Col., &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 70, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
