Summary:
Army of the Potomac Assistant Adjutant Seth Williams informs the commander of the
Eleventh Corps of Confederate troop positions, including forces in
Chambersburg.
Comdg. Officer Eleventh Corps:
Hdqrs. Army of the Potomac,
June 30, 1863.
The commanding general desires you to be informed that, from present information, Longstreet and Hill are at Chambersburg, partly toward Gettysburg; Ewell at Carlisle and York. Movements indicate a disposition to advance from Chambersburg to Gettysburg. Gen. Couch telegraphs, 29th, his opinion that the enemy's operations on the Susquehanna are more to prevent co-operation with this army than offensive. The general believes he has relieved Harrisburg and Philadelphia, and now desires to look to his own army, and assume position for offensive or defensive, as occasion requires, or rest to the troops. It is not his desire to wear the troops out by excessive fatigue and marches, and thus unfit them for the work they will be called upon to perform.
Vigilance, energy, and prompt response to the orders from headquarters are necessary, and the personal attention of corps commanders must be given to reduction of impedimenta.
The orders and movements from these headquarters must be carefully and confidentially preserved, that they do not fall into the enemy's hands.
By order of Gen. Meade:
S. WILLIAMS,
Assistant Adjutant-Gen.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 27, Serial No. 45, Pages 415, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
