Today in History:

264 Series I Volume XI-I Serial 12 - Peninsular Campaign Part I

Page 264 THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN, VA. Chapter XXIII.

The maps herewith exhibit, as nearly as practicable, the location of those signal stations established during the campaign of which it has been possible to obtain record. The sub-reports of the acting signal officers are also submitted for the information to be gained from them.

This main report has been drawn in the form of a narrative, in order that the general commanding may have laid before him the circumstances under which the duties of the corps were attempted and the labor which attended them. This has been necessary in a first report of this character.

The Signal Corps of the Army of the Potomac was not during the Peninsula Campaign so circumstanced as to be most effective. There was reason to regret in almost every battle and position the want of the field telegraph trains, so essential to the greatest usefulness of organizations of this kind. Appropriations for the other proper stores were first made by Congress at the end of February. The sums were not subject to the draft of the signal officer until May. The army was new. The duties of the corps were novel, and were understood by but few generals in the service. The acting signal officers were all of volunteers, without any experience in military usage. They had been hastily instructed and equipped, and were thrown upon their first campaign in a country very difficult for their duties and into battles and operations of unusual magnitude.

There were few at first who aided them, even when it was in their power. It was often difficult to obtain official information of contemplated movements. It was due to the good material selected from the State regiments for the corps that, so situated, the officers and men achieved on the Peninsula the success they did, and toiled willingly through unusual labor with a zeal and effort which attracted there the attention of the general commanding the army.

Very respectfully, general, your obedient servant,

ALBERT J. MYER,

Signal Officer, Major, U. S. A., and C. S. O. Army Potomac.

The ADJUTANT-GENERAL,

Army of the Potomac.


No. 13. Reports of E. J. Allen [Allen Pinkerton], Chief of Secret Service Division.


HDQRS. PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Washington, D. C., March 29, 1862.

GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following information relative to the forces and defenses at Yorktown and Gloucester Point, as extracted from a report of one of my operatives, made to you on November 15, 1861; the date of his visit to the above-named places being October 26, 1861:

That, as my operative was informed, General Magruder (whose headquarters were at Yorktown) commanded all the forces on the Peninsula bounded by James and York Rivers, and also those on Gloucester Point, his command at that time including twenty-seven regiments of infantry, 1,200 cavalry, and four field batteries, containing each from four to six guns, iron and brass, rifled and smooth bore. That Colonel Crump was in command of the forces at Gloucester Point, where were


Page 264 THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN, VA. Chapter XXIII.