Today in History:

999 Series I Volume XXXIII- Serial 60 - New Berne

Page 999 Chapter XLV. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.


HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
April 27, 1864. (Received 12 m.)

Captain McENTEE,

Harper's Ferry:

Longstreet's advance is at Wolftown, Madison County. He has two divisions of his old corps. General Polk lately here, but we cannot hear of his troops. We hear that Beauregard's advance is at Petersburg; also that Rosser is pushing down the valley.

GEO. H. SHARPE,

Colonel, Provost-Marshal.

POINT OF ROCKS, MD., April 27, 1864.

[General MAX WEBER:]

There was an effort made last night and this a.m. to cross the river with the cavalry, but it is impossible, as the river is too high.

Your obedient servant,

WALTER SAUNDERS,

Captain, Commanding Detach. 1st Md. Regiment Potomac Home Brigadier


HDQRS. DETACHMENT SECOND BRIGADE,
On the march, near Ravenswood, April 27, 1864-7 a.m.

Captain W. RUMSEY,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report my command at this point, ready again to resume the march. The transportation for forage, which was to have been furnished on the morning of the 24th instant, was not supplied until 1 a.m. on the 25th. At 7 o'clock, that date, I took up the march from Parkersburg with forty-three wagons and twelve ambulances. I moved as rapidly as the roads would possibly permit during the day, encamping for the night 1 mile from Belleville, on Pond Creek, all of the wagons arriving except the supply train of twenty-two six-mule wagons. These got fast on the mountain and it was not until 11.30 o'clock on the morning of the 26th that they arrived, after putting 10 mules to them and dragging them into camp one at a time. At noon on the 26th, after lightening the train by issuing the grain for one day, I moved forward again, reaching this point at 7 o'clock last evening. Lieutenant Wetmore, assistant adjutant-general, has arrived within half an hour with the train, after marching all afternoon and the entire night, leaving five wagons behind upset at the foot of a steep hill. There is a detail of 50 men and pulley-ropes getting them up, and the lieutenant informs me that they can be brought forward in two hours. I shall go back myself and assist in getting them forward. I never in my life saw such roads, or in such condition. I find it necessary at times to make entirely new roads and repair broken bridges. The mud in some places is so deep as to drag on the axles of the wagons, and the mules, who have been on the cars four days, taken out and hitched on the wagons, with no rest and but one feed, could not or would not pull at all, and the drivers, a greater portion of whom were hired at Parkersburg, knew nothing whatever of driving. Sixty, out with picket-ropes, have dragged the greater portion of the supply train from


Page 999 Chapter XLV. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.