Today in History:

428 Series I Volume XII-III Serial 18 - Second Manassas Part III

Page 428 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., AND MD. Chapter XXIV.

Just received a dispatch from General Wool, saying that the enemy, 4,000 strong, is within 35 miles of New Creek. Twenty-third Illinois, Colonel Mulligan, and a battery leaves here at 5 a. m. for that place. Another regiment follows from Baltimore.

General Banks will send a scouting party to Moorefield to-day.

LYON,

Captain and Aide-de-Camp to General Sigel.

STRASBURG, June 23, 1862.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

Many rumors of forces moving from southward. Among them a force of 4,000 reported moving toward Moorefield. Colonel Downey's spies, returned a few days since to Petersburg, report no enemy at McDowell or Monterey. To guard against chance of first-mentioned report proving true, have directed General Kelley to advance Eighty-fourth Ohio to Romney, and retire upon it the garrisons of Petersburg and Moorefield if threatened by superior force. Have also sent General Kelly a battery of rifled guns and sent four guns to Lieutenant-Colonel Harris. The rumor is that the Jackson force is largely strengthened by troops from Beauregard.

J. C. FREMONT,

Major-General, Commanding.


HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE SHENANDOAH,
Near Middletown, June 23, 1862.

Brigadier General LORENZO THOMAS,

Adjutant-General:

The commanding general directs me to report the following force present for duty:

General Williams' division: Infantry, 4,814 men; artillery, sixteen guns, 284 men; cavalry, 484 men. Aggregate, 5,582 men.

General Sigel's division: Infantry, 5,220 men; artillery, nine guns, 197 men; cavalry, 353 men. Aggregate, 6,050 men.

General Hatch's cavalry brigade, 1,979 men.

Aggregate: Of infantry, 10,034 men; artillery, twenty-five guns, 481 men; cavalry, 3,116 men. Grand total, 13,631.

A report has been weekly forwarded from this department. The monthly report for May was forwarded by mail, and was supposed to have been received.

R. MORRIS COPELAND,

Assistant Adjutant-General and Major.


HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE DEPARTMENT,
Baltimore, Md., June 23, 1862.

Brigadier General LORENZO THOMAS,

Adjutant-General U. S. Army:

In reply to your telegram of this date I send you the following statement of the troops in the department I command, which is correct as far as we have returns, to wit:


Page 428 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., AND MD. Chapter XXIV.