are closed to-morrow, and then to return to camp. Previous to this I had dispatched four companies of the Indiana cavalry as follows: One to White Horse Tavern and Piscataway, one to Leonardtown, one to Trappe, and one to Pleasant Hill. They will return the day after election. We have no news to report in our front. A few shots were fired by the rebels in the course of the day, but for what object is not apparent. I must call the attention of the Major-General Commanding to the condition of our land communication with the city. It was reported to me to-day that not less than twenty of my teams are on the road struggling to work their way through the mud, some of the wagons broken and the teams worried and exhausted. How they came there is more than I know; certainly without my authority or knowledge. If this should be continued, I shall not have a serviceable team in my train, nor will the depot quartermaster in Washington if he permits his teams to be put on the road. To-morrow orders will be issued forbidding all land communication with the city and vicinity except on horseback, and I request that the Quartermaster's Department may be informed of this circumstance, in order that proper facilities may be extended to my command by means of steamer. Is it not advisable to have regular days appointed for her to make her trips? We have now nearly if not quite exhausted this district for 30 miles around of all supplies except the new crop of corn, which cannot be fed to animals safely at present, and it will therefore be an easy problem to determine what amount of transportation will be required for our supplies. I trust that the proper Departments may speedily give this subject their attention. I have discovered that the transportation with which the Second Brigade moved to this point is not regularly assigned to it, but that the greater part of the wagons belong to the general train. I have directed them to be returned, and for requisitions to be sent in at once to provide each regiment with fourteen wagons, one to each company, one to the field and staff, and three to transport and shelter the 60,000 rounds of ammunition required to be kept on hand for each regiment. This I learn is in conformity with the rules of the Department. I hope that orders may be given for them to be provided without delay. As soon as they are received, and understanding from my instructions that it is the design of the Major-General, I propose to post my brigades in the order of battle along the shore of the Potomac and just beyond the reach of the rebel batteries, with the exception of one regiment, which is to locate in the vicinity of the landing on Mattawoman Creek. This will require less hauling for the supply of the division than posted as it now is. This arrangement will remove the regiment and battery from Hilltop and also from Port Tobacco, which, now that the election is over and the supplies nearly exhausted, are not needed there. The flotilla above and below protects the landing points on our wings. The line of telegraph will be completed to-morrow, but from some cause the person in charge informs me that it is not in working order. Whether the wires have been cut or trees fallen across it will soon be determined, as the party will follow the line on their return. Up to the time of writing I have heard nothing from Brigadier-General Sykes. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOSEPH HOOKER, Brigadier-General, Commanding Division. HDQRS. DEPT. OF HARPER'S FERRY AND CUMBERLAND, Maj. Gen. GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN, Commanding the Armies of the United States, Washington, D. C.: GENERAL: I reported to you by telegram my strength, position, &c. By reference to the map you will see at a glance the importance of holding this place. It is the key to the valley of the upper branches of the Potomac, and commands the counties of Hampshire, Hardy, Pendleton, and Highland, all of which would have been Union counties long since if the Federal troops could have been near them to protect them. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad forms almost a semicircle around this place, it being from 16 to 28 miles from this place to the two extreme points of the arc, comprising a distance of about 60 miles of the line of the road. From here to Winchester it is 40 miles, by the Northwestern turnpike, a very fine road. From here to Monterey, up the valley of South Branch, is about 70 miles, also a good road. Now, in order to afford protection to the Union population in this valley, as well as to protect the Baltimore and Ohio road, a force equal to that which I now have should be wintered here; and should you desire to strike an offensive blow either on Winchester or Monterey, this is the position to concentrate the force. If I had 8,000 or 10,000 men I could go up this valley and fall on the rear of the rebel forces at Monterey and Greenbrier, and cut off their supplies, and utterly destroy their whole force now in the mountains in front of General Reynolds. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company are now reconstructing their bridges that the rebels have destroyed over the North Branch and over Patterson's Creek, east of Cumberland, so that in a few days the company will be enabled to run their trains to Green Spring, and distant from here only 16 miles, and to which point I have commenced today to construct a telegraph line, which will be done in three or four days. From that point east to a point opposite Hancock, Md., the road can be protected with a small force, if vigilant. So you will see that the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad can be opened for trade, travel, and the use of the Government within a few days if there can be a sufficient force at Harper's Ferry and Martinsburg to force the rebels back from its line. Respectfully, General, your obedient servant, B. F. KELLEY, Brigadier-General, Commanding. CUMBERLAND, November 7, 1861-10 a. m. A. V. COLBURN, Assistant Adjutant-General: My force consists of Second Virginia, Sixth Ohio, Third Ohio, and Seventh Indiana, and dismounted battery at Elk Water, under General Dumont; Ninth Indiana, Twenty-fourth Ohio, Twenty-fifth Ohio, Thirtysecond Ohio, and dismounted battery on Cheat Mountain, under General Milroy; Howe's battery, Fourth Artillery, one company cavalry, and one company infantry at Beverly, under Colonel Bosley; Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Seventeenth Indiana, with Loomis' battery, at Huttonsville, my headquarters; Robinson's Ohio cavalry, distrib. uted; Bracken's Indiana cavalry, resting. Eight regiments, the two dismounted batteries, one company cavalry, and one mounted battery are amply sufficient to hold these posts this winter. J. J. REYNOLDS, HEADQUARTERS HOOKER'S DIVISION, Camp Baker, Lower Potomac, Maryland, November 7, 1861. Brig. Gen. S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Potomac z My pickets report to me that the rebel steamer Page made her escapo at 3 o'clock this morning. The wind was blowing fiercely when she left, and it was so dark that any effort to check her with our battery would have been ineffectual. She passed to the southward, probably to Aquia Creek. Of the whereabouts of the flotilla during this time I am not informed. It is also reported to me that the troops on the opposite side of the river are withdrawing, and that the movement commenced on yesterday. They are moving to the south likewise. I have received reports from several of the precincts at which the election was held yesterday. So far as heard from it passed off quietly, and a much larger Union vote was polled than anticipated. One arrest was made at Port Tobacco, but after an examination of the case I found that he had been arrested on suspicion only. Finding no evidence against him, he was discharged. I have directed all the ambulances and wagons belonging to the general depot to be returned, including those which I had temporarily retained for the use of Lieutenant-Colonel Getty's command. Several regiments of the Second Brigade have remaining but three wagons, and it is out of question for that number to do the necessary hauling for the regiment. Lieutenant-Colonel Getty also informs me that he requires six additional wagons, and I concur with him. It is an illadvised economy to require two or three teams to do the work of six or eight. I have given directions for the brigade surgeons to select some cen tral point for the establishment of brigade hospitals, and if they should not be able to find suitable structures for their accommodation, I propose to put up log houses for that purpose. It requires but little time to do it, and it is better for the men to have employment than to be idle. The only difficulty I apprehend in their construction will be to find suitable timber for the roofing. The experience of the last week has satisfied me that the sick require something more than canvas to shelter them from the storms. As soon as the brigade hospitals are established I intend to break up those at Camp Union and Good Hope, and have the invalids transferred to them. I also propose to arrest the practice of sending them from here to Washington. I know of no reason why the sick cannot be as well cared for here as elsewhere, and in that opinion I am sustained by the senior medical officer of the division. Hereafter I intend to locate my encampments in the edge of the forests, when it can be done without the sacrifice of position, as they will afford shelter and protection to the tents, and will enable my command to supply themselves with wood without purchase. I can see no good reason for not supplying ourselves with fuel when we can help ourselves to it. Some regiments have made no purchase of this article since their ar rival here. I wish to call the attention of the Major General Commanding that I have twice made a requisition for the work on Bayonet Exercises-once while at Camp Union, and again since I reached this camp, Two of the regiments in my old brigade are proficient in that drill, and I desire to have them all; not that battles are often decided by the use of that weapon, but it inspires men with confidence in the use of their pieces in all service they may be called on to render. It is estimated that one bu is skilled in this exercise is equal to seven who are not. I deem it of great importance to impress on our soldiers this feeling of superiority at all times, and particularly when the remembrance of our reverses at Bull Run and Ball's Bluff are so vividly before them. They only consider the result, without reflecting whether those unfortunate fields proceeded from the absence of generalship on the field or the character and conduct of those engaged. The answer returned to my requests has been that the work would be furnished me as soon as printed. This was eight weeks since. The steamer arrived at noon to-day, and will be discharged as soon as possible. Who will be assigned as operator at this end of the wires? Have received your communication of the 5th instant, authorizing me to employ a person conditionally to collect information." Very respectfully, JOSEPH HOOKER, Brigadier-General, Commanding Division. P. S.-I am just informed that my pickets were in error in regard to the departure of the steamer Page. She is still at her moorings in Quantico Creek. HEADQUARTERS HOOKER'S DIVISION, Camp Baker, Lower Potomac, Maryland, November 8,,1861. Brig. Gen. S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Potomac : This has been another day of uninterrupted quiet on both sides of the river. All appearances indicate that the rebel force has been considerably reduced within the last few days. They appear to be apprehensive of our crossing the river. For two nights in succession we have heard the long-roll, about midnight. Last night it was occasioned by the seizure of some boats along the shore of the Potomac by the First Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, and the removal of them to the Mattawoman Creek, where they could be used in discharging the steamer. I have not been able to complete my arrangements to ascertain in what force the rebels are, but hope to be able to accomplish it soon. All my cavalry have returned from the posts to which they were assigned on election day, and complied with their instructions to my satisfaction. The company ordered to Leonardtown did not reach their destination in time to be present while the polls were open, in consequence of having been lost, but did good service in making rapid and orderly marches through the settled districts of the Peninsula. This cavalry corps, with good arms and a little training, might be of great service, for it is filled with excellent men. I felt a little apprehension in dispatching them in troops, beyond supporting distance, with no arms of any account but their sabers, and they not skilled in the use of those. They had no disturbance with any one, and their presence at the polls seemed to have given satisfaction to the citizens everywhere. Perry Davis, the secession candidate for the legislature, was arrested at Port Tobacco and brought in to me for making treasonable speeches during the canvass, but on his assuring me that he made them while running for office in a secession district, and that in case of election, which was probable, he should vote against the ordinance for secession if an opportunity presented itself, I deemed it politic to give him his liberty. Besides, the election was over. The First Brigade has established its hospitals, which will be able to accommodate all of our sick; and I have given directions for the hospital at Camp Union to be broken up. It has been a source of some annoyance to have my command so much scattered. Shall expect to be able to make a like disposition of Good Hope in a day or two. These remote establishments are alleged as a reason for unusual absence of both my officers and men. Captain Williamson has returned. The Second Brigade are gradually concentrating in the vicinity of Sandy Point. In addition to the reason assigned for this disposition yesterday, I may state that discipline is so lax in some of the regiments of that brigade that it is necessary for me to see them oftener than I have heretofore been able to do, and, further, the roads are becoming so muddy that it is necessary for me to reduce the hauling as much as practicable to spare the teams. Very respectfully, JOSEPH HOOKER, Brigadier-General, Commanding Division. CAMP GAULEY MOUNT, November 8, 1861. Brig. Gen. H. W. BENHAM: The following came to me in cipher to-day: Brigadier-General ROSECRANS, for BENHAM : WASHINGTON, November 7, 1861. It was order of Scott for you to join Kelley at Romney with the two regiments named by you. Shumard not ordered. I think I was then to be put in charge of opening the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Am now wounded, and have no idea of my future destination. The report as to my promotion was a sand shell. Probably resign soon. The order is on its way. F. W. LANDER. W. S. ROSECRANS, Brigadier-General, U. S. Ármy. GENERAL ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Adjt. Gen.'s Office, Washington, November 9, 1861. The following departments are formed from the present Departments of the West, Cumberland, and Ohio: 5. The Department of Western Virginia, to consist of that portion of Virginia included in the old Department of the Ohio,* to be commanded by Brig. Gen. W. S. Rosecrans, U. S. Army. By order: JULIUS P. GARESCHÉ, * Which was so much of the State as lay north of the Great Kanawha, north and west of the Greenbrier, and west of a line thence northward to the southwest corner of Maryland, &c. G. O. No. 19, War Department, May 9, 1861. See Vol. II, p. 633, of this series, and G. O. No. 80, p. 604, this volume. |