Summary:
Union General Robert Patterson's Assistant Adjutant Fitz-John Porter writes from
Chambersburg in June, 1861, with orders for General George Cadwalader. Porter
instructs Cadwalader to prepare a scouting expedition to precede a main advance
on Harper's Ferry.
Maj. Gen. GEORGE CADWALADER,
Commanding First
Division, en route to Williamsport:
CHAMBERSBURG, PA.,
June 15, 1861.
GENERAL:
The commanding general desires you to give Capt. Newton the necessary aid to carefully reconnoiter the position of the enemy beyond Williamsport, to ascertain if he is really vacating the borders of the Potomac in your vicinity. If the has vacated, the commanding general wishes you to throw a portion, if not the whole, of your division over the river, and send parts well in advance to secure against surprise, and, if it can safely be done, to annoy their retreat. Capt. Newton will advise you of the wishes of the commanding general, and his advice you are desired to take into careful consideration for the purpose of acting upon. If you find the enemy gone, the general wishes Gen. Wynkoop placed as soon as possible near the river, on your line, and Gen. Williams advanced towards Sheperdstown.
I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
F. J. PORTER,
Assistant Adjutant-Gen.
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 687, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
