Summary:
Union General Robert Patterson, commanding the Department of Pennsylvania, writes
Assistant Adjutant E. D. Townsend in June, 1861, to announce his arrival in
Chambersburg, and to discuss plans for an advance on Harper's Ferry.
Col. E. D. TOWNSEND,
Assistant Adjutant-Gen. U. S.
Army, Washington City:
CHAMBERSBURG, PA.,
June 3, 1861.
COLONEL:
I have the honor to report my arrival at this place. Previous to leaving Philadelphia, I arranged for the satisfactory working of the staff departments there and on this line, and in passing Harrisburg removed many inconveniences under which we have labored for the transportation of troops and supplies. Though this road is of very limited capacity, I expect to execute my designs as herein expressed. I am forced to adopt this mode of putting the column in motion, as not more than six regiments of infantry per day can be transported over the railroad. Wagons will be arriving and no inconvenience will be experienced, as regiments will be receiving accouterments while the troops are advancing to Hagerstown.
My impressions as to the point of attack indicated in my plan of operations have been confirmed by Capt. Newton, who has been industriously engaged gathering information, and I shall arrange to advance on Thursday morning. I request to be informed by telegraph if the Gen.-in-Chief has no objection.
Unless something should change my present design, I will direct Col. Thomas to pass through Hagerstown early on Saturday morning, and advance the whole or part, as circumstances indicate best, of his command to Williamsport, seize the ford, and throw pickets beyond.
As he passes through Hagerstown a company of cavalry will be detached from his advance guard to the road leading through Boonsborough to Harper's Ferry. The brigade under Gen. Williams (three regiments) will be directed to follow Col. Thomas, and will be close upon him. Other regiments will be thrown forward as rapidly as the capacity of the road will permit (six or seven per day, probably), and sent on the roads towards Boonsborough and Williamsport-the former to guard against forays from Harper's Ferry, the latter to sustain the main column. Some of these regiments will reach Hagerstown as soon as Col. Thomas. Of course I rely upon artillery arriving in time to permit the column to continue on towards Martinsburg.
On Monday morning I hope to have about fourteen regiments in advance of Hagerstown. I asked this morning by telegraph for the Second Infantry, which newspaper report placed at Pittsburgh. My design was to unite it to a brigade of volunteers, to command of which Col. Miles would be assigned, thus having two brigades under experienced officers of the Regular Army. The information I have received leads me to believe a desperate resistance will be offered at Harper's Ferry.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. PATTERSON,
Maj.-Gen., Commanding.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 2, Serial No. 2, Pages 660-661, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
