Today in History:

467 Series I Volume XXXVII-II Serial 71 - Monocacy Part II

Page 467 Chapter XLIX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. -UNION.

WASHINGTON, July 27, 1864-12. 30 p. m.

Major-General HUNTER,

Harper's Ferry, W. Va.:

Please state how many available men you have for the field, after leaving on Maryland Heights a force sufficient to resist a coup de main.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

HARPER'S FERRY, W. VA., July 27, 1864-3 p. m.

(Received 3. 10 p. m.)

Major-General HALLECK, Chief of Staff:

General Crook, who is now in Pleasant Valley, reports that he has not over 7,000 men who will fight. The dismounted cavalry he states are perfectly worthless. I am not yet informed of General Wright's numbers.

D. HUNTER,

Major-General.

WASHINGTON, July 27, 1864-9 p. m.

Major General D. HUNTER,

Harper's Ferry, W. Va.:

What we wished to know of you was, how many men belonging to your department (not Wright's command, which is not yet in your department) you will have available for the field, after securing Maryland Heights from a coup de main, not from a siege. Do you wish me to report that you can bring only 7,000 men who will fight for active operations in the field?

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

HARPER'S FERRY, W. VA., July 27, 1864-11 p. m.

(Received 11. 30 p. m.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK, Chief of Staff:

I am very sorry to say that 7,000 men with General Crook, and about 1,500 with General Averell, in all about 8,500, are all that are fit to take the field. The cavalry and the dismounted men in the late fights behaved in the most disgraceful manner, their officers in many instances leading them off, and starting all kinds of lying reports, tending to demoralize the whole command, and it was only owing to the steadiness and good conduct of the infantry which came with us from the Kanawha that the army was saved from utter annihilation. Muligan's brigade is not reported to have been efficient; was soon broken, and 500 or 600 of them fled toward Cumberland. The refuse force sent from Washington, representing twenty-seven different regiments is said to have done more injury than service. Averell's command is guarding the fords above, but it is not sufficient for the purpose, and he is most earnestly asking for its increase. He reports a brigade of the enemy's infantry at Falling Waters and skirmishing to-day at Williamsport.

D. HUNTER,

Major-General.


Page 467 Chapter XLIX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. -UNION.