Summary:
Union General Robert Patterson, commanding at Chambersburg, writes Assistant
Adjutant E. D. Townsend in June, 1861, regarding movements of regiments in
preparation for an advance into Maryland.
Col. E. D. TOWNSEND,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Washington
City:
CHAMBERSBURG, PA.,
June 7, 1861.
SIR:
On the 24th ultimo I was notified by the Gen.-in-Chief to make use of the New Jersey quota on this line. I called upon the governor of that State to ascertain when they would be ready, and was informed that they would, at the request of the Secretary, go to Washington.
Before daybreak this morning a New York regiment passed through Harrisburg, claiming orders of later date than the 4th instant from the Gen.-in-Chief to move to Washington. I have ordered it to return, unless their last order from the Gen.-in-Chief is subsequent to the one to me.
To-day I commenced placing on the road to Hagerstown the brigades as prepared, Col. Thomas, Second Cavalry, leading off with five companies of horse; a battalion of two companies of the First Artillery; one of Eighth Infantry, and one of volunteers; the Sixth, Twenty-first, and Twenty-third Regiments Pennsylvania Volunteers. He will encamp near Greencastle, and hold himself ready to move at any moment.
To-morrow morning Brig.-Gen. Williams, commanding the Seventh, Eighth, Tenth, and Twentieth Regiments, will encamp near him. If Col. Miles arrives by the time wagons will be prepared, he will be assigned to the command of a brigade, and placed in close proximity to Gen. Williams. The baggage train comes in slowly, but every one is working hard, intelligently, and cheerfully to be prepared at the earliest moment, and I expect that by the arrival of the Third Infantry and battery the whole command will be ready to move off together.
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 669-670, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
