Today in History:

207 Series I Volume XIX-II Serial 28 - Antietam Part II

Page 207 Chapter XXXI. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC-UNION.

until further orders. Shall I retain the train here, or let it go to Harrisburg? Answer immediately. I telegraphed General Halleck on this subject, but have received no answer.

JOHN E. WOOL,

Major-General,

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, September 7, 1862.

Major-General WOOL, Baltimore, Md.:

Regiments not required by you for defense of railroads should be sent here. Every new man here in the forts will supply an older soldier for the field. All the available troops are now motion.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

BALTIMORE, MD.,

September 7, 1862-7.30 p. m.

President LINCOLN:

The rebels, with 400 cavalry, attacked the pickets at Martinsburg,and were defeated, with the loss of 50 prisoners, horses and arms. Loss on our side, 2 killed and 10 wounded, including a captain and a lieutenant. The loss of the enemy in killed and wounded had not yet been ascertained.

JOHN E. WOOL,

Major-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, D. C., September 7, 1862.

Major-General WOOL, Baltimore:

What about Harper's Ferry? Do you know anything about it? How certain is your information about Bragg being in the valley of the Shenandoah?

A. LINCOLN.

GENERAL WOOL'S HEADQUARTERS,

Baltimore, Md., September 7, 1862-8.05 p. m.

President LINCOLN:

Your dispatch received. General Hill is menacing Harper's Ferry, but with what force is not stated. I think Harper's Ferry will be defended. Bragg is reported to be advancing through the valley of Shenandoah with 40,000 men-it is said for Pennsylvania.* More than 30,000 men were reported in and near Frederick yesterday, with three batteries, and more coming, and numbers of cavalry not stated and not included in the above estimate. Rebels proclaimed that they were going either to Philadelphia of Baltimore. All my information is second-hand. I have no doubt that the rebels have a large force in and about Frederick. They were much in want of supplies. This force was commanded by Stonewall Jackson and Johnson.

JOHN E. WOOL,

Major-General.

*For further correspondence in reference to Bragg's supposed movements in Virginia, see dispatches of Boyle, Duell, and Lincoln, in. Series I, Vol. XVI, Part II.


Page 207 Chapter XXXI. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC-UNION.