Summary:
Confederate Colonel John Burbridge writes General Sterling Price in June, 1863,
with news of Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania. He reports that Chambersburg is in
Confederate hands.
Maj. Gen. STERLING PRICE,
Cmdg. Frontier, at
Jacksonport, Ark.:
Camp at Russell's Ferry
June 22, 1863.
GEN.:
I have just received a dispatch from Col. Kitchen, who saw the Saint Louis Republican of the 16th. Lee has invaded Pennsylvania with a force estimated at 90,000. Chambersburg, Pa., and Hagerstown, Md., are in our possession. Lincoln calls for 100,000 militia to repel the invasion. Federals are moving their supplies from Aquia Creek to Alexandria, and have changed their base of operations. A battle is daily expected there. No change in matters at Vicksburg. Rebel privateers are making sad havoc with Federal shipping on the Atlantic. My scouts report but few Federals at Rolla and Ironton. All the regular troops have been sent to Vicksburg. I have given strict orders to all my outposts to allow no one, under any circumstances, to pass north. I will use every precaution to prevent the movement of our army at Jacksonport from being known by the enemy. If an advance is made in this direction, I will harass and impede his progress as much as possible. I have built a good bridge across Black River at this point, and my wagons are now crossing upon it. If I should be ordered to leave this point, I think it should be sent to Jacksonport.
I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JNO. Q. BURBRIDGE,
Col., Cmdg. Outposts.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 22, Serial No. 33, Pages 880, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
