Summary:
Union General Robert Patterson, commanding troops at Chambersburg, writes to
Secretary of War Simon Cameron to request that more regiments be sent to the
town. In June, 1861, Patterson was charged with advancing on Confederate-held
Harper's Ferry. Patterson requests the reinforcements for that reason, and also
discusses his apprehensions for the coming battle.
Hon. SIMON CAMERON, Secretary of War:
CHAMBERSBURG,
June 10, 1861.
DEAR GENERAL:
I have your note, and thank you for the attention. There is no use telegraphing Gen. Scott or the Department to stop troops at Harrisburg. Under authority from Gen. Scott I have ordered from New York regiments in succession to proceed from Harrisburg to this place, and in each case the colonels have refused to obey. If the Department will send orders to their camps to come here, they will probably obey; not else.
Remember, I beseech you, that Harper's Ferry is (as I have said from the first) the place where the first great battle will be fought, and the result will be decisive of the future. The insurgents are strongly intrenched, have an immense number of guns, and will contest every inch of ground. Under these circumstances I earnestly and urgently request that you order the regiments expected in Harrisburg and the three New Jersey regiments to proceed to this place with all dispatch. The commander of the Jersey regiments has served with me, and I can rely on him. The Jersey troops were put under my command by Gen. Scott, but Governor Olden says you have ordered them to go to Washington, not being aware, I suppose, that they had been assigned to me by the Gen.-in-Chief. Pardon me for pressing this subject. The importance of victory at Harper's Ferry cannot be estimated. I cannot sleep for thinking about it. Remember, my dear general, that my reputation and the reputation of our dear old State is at stake in this issue. I beseech you, therefore, by our ancient friendship, give me the means of success. You have the means; place them at my disposal, and shoot me if I do not use them to advantage.
With great regard, truly yours,
R. PATTERSON,
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 672, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
