General AUgur: HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, July 3, 1864. If two of the batteries ordered to Harper's Ferry can be mounted immediately, mount them; if not, send them all as infantry. H. W. HALLECK, Major-General and Chief of Staff. [Indorsement.] How soon can General Howe have these two batteries mounted? Major-General AUGUR, C. C. AUGUR, Major-General. WASHINGTON, July 3, 1864. Commanding Department: GENERAL: I think I can mount the two batteries to-morrow, if they report to me by daylight in the morning. Very respectfully, A. P. HOWE, WASHINGTON, July 3, 1864. Major-General AUGUR, Commanding, &c.: Batteries going as infantry must of course be armed and equipped as infantry. General Weber wants infantry for the trenches and mounted artillery, but no more heavy artillery. H. W. HALLECK, Major-General and Chief of Staff. HDQRS. DEPT. OF WASHINGTON, 22D ARMY CORPS, Lieut. Col. E. M. GREENE, July 3, 1864.. Chief Quartermaster, Department of Washington: COLONEL The major-general commanding directs that you furnish transportation from this city to Harper's Ferry by rail for three batteries (with men only), i. e., Battery A, Maryland Artillery, Battery F, Independent Pennsylvania Artillery, and Battery G, First Pennsylvania Artillery. These batteries will be at the Soldiers' Rest at or about 12 o'clock to-night for transportation. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, C. H. RAYMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General. HDQRS. HASKIN'S DIVISION, 22D ARMY CORPS, DEPARTMENT OF WASHINGTON, Colonel MARBLE, Second Brigade: The major-general commanding department directs that the First Battery, Ohio Light Artillery, Captain Gibbs, report to Brigadier * *Battery L, First Ohio Light Artillery. General Howe, inspector of artillery, for equipment. That the commanding officer report to General Howe at daylight to-morrow morning. Direct your quartermaster to furnish the transportation. Respectfully, yours, J. A. HASKIN, Lieutenant-Colonel, Aide-de-Camp, Commanding. WASHINGTON, July 3, 1864—4 p. m. Lieutenant-General GRANT, City Point, Va.: General Sigel reports that Early, Breckinridge, and Jackson, with Mosby's guerrillas, are said to be moving from Staunton down the Shenandoah Valley. I ordered General Hunter up to the line of the railroad, but he has replied to none of my telegrams, and has made no report of his operations or present condition. Sigel has been ordered to telegraph directly to him, to inform him of the condition of affairs, and to ask for instructions. It is possible that Hunter is marching by Beverly and Moorefield or Romney, which would account for his not answering dispatches. The three principal officers on the line of the road are Sigel, Stahel, and Max Weber. You can, therefore, judge what probability there is of a good defense if the enemy should attack the line in force. H. W. HALLECK, Major-General and Chief of Staff. CITY POINT, VA., July 3, 1864-5 p. m. Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, Chief of Staff: You can direct Sigel in answer to his dispatch of 10.30 a. m. of to-day better than I can. Early's corps is now here. There are no troops that can now be threatening Hunter's department, except the remnant of the force W. E. Jones had, and possibly Breckinridge. If there is anything threatening any portion of his department, however, you need not send him here. U. S. GRANT, CITY POINT, July 3, 1864-8 p. m. Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, Chief of Staff: Since telegraphing you to-day I have made inquiries to ascertain the grounds upon which Early's (Ewell's) corps has returned to our front. I find no prisoners have been taken from it since its reported return. Deserters, however, from other commands report that it returned about five or six days ago. U. S. GRANT, CITY POINT, VA., July 3, 1864. Major-General MEADE, Commanding, &c.: General Sigel telegraphs that Early, Breckinridge, Jackson, and Mosby are reported to be moving down the Shenandoah Valley. Is it not certain that Early has returned to your front? Lieutenant-General GRANT: U. S. GRANT, JULY 3, 1864-7 p. m. The only information I have as to Ewell's corps was derived from deserters, who said it had returned from Lynchburg. No prisoners have been taken from any of the divisions of that corps or any other information obtained than above. It was never reported as in our front, but only that it had returned from Lynchburg. GEO. G. MEADE, GENERAL GRANT'S HEADQUARTERS, July 3, 1864-3.30 p. m. (Received 8 p. m.) Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War: There is pretty good evidence that Early is now here, and all of Ewell's corps with him, but Breckinridge has not yet rejoined Lee's army. If he is moving down the Valley, as Sigel reports, it is possible that he may have with him 10,000 men of all sorts. Not more. C. A. DANA. [JULY 3, 1864.-For Sigel to Adjutant-General, reporting action at Leetown, &c., see Part I, p. 175.] Hon. E. M. STANTON, CAMDEN STATION, MD., July 3, 1864. Secretary of War: (Received 9.15 a. m.) General Sigel telegraphs at 12.50 this a. m. that there are indications of the advance of the enemy down the Valley, and that his cavalry met ours at Winchester. He has ordered one hundred and fifty cars to be sent at once to remove this a. m. all Government stores from Martinsburg, and that all our rolling-stock in that region should be sent west. I apprehend the information recently sent you of heavy forces in the Valley is about to prove correct. I have advised General Sigel that if the road is to fall into the possession of the enemy and be destroyed, rolling-stock will be greatly needed for movements east of Harper's Ferry, and that, therefore, as there is a very large equipment west, he should allow as much as practicable to be worked east. Can you not make such movements as will prevent the success of the enemy? J. W. GARRETT, President. Hon. E. M. STANTON, CAMDEN STATION, MD., July 3, 1864. Secretary of War, and Major-General HALLECK: General Weber's chief of staff, H. M. Burleigh, telegraphs from Harper's Ferry at 12 o'clock, "the last news from Martinsburg was that the enemy, in a large force, supposed to be the same that fought with General Hunter, were two miles west of Martinsburg, and destroying track, &c., and advancing on Martinsburg. There has been fighting since 5 o'clock. We have sent out a party to obtain information, which has not yet returned. We are preparing for an attack. I do not think the military have left Martinsburg. General Weber is now in front, attending to the movements of troops." Our wires were cut west of Martinsburg about 11 a. m., and a few minutes after we lost communication with Martinsburg. Our operators reported that the enemy came in at North Mountain, seven miles west of Martinsburg, in force about 10 o'clock this a. m., cutting off all communication by rail and telegraph from that point west. In addition to the cars ordered for Martinsburg, one hundred were ordered for Harper's Ferry, and we have just received orders for sixty more. We have asked whether this means evacuation. Your instructions may be necessary to insure firmness on this point. The operator from Martinsburg has arrived at Sandy Hook, and reports that he left Martinsburg on last engine as the rebels were entering the town. He states that General Sigel and staff left about one hour before, retreating toward the river. I have seen General Wallace, who states he can give no aid to Harper's Ferry, but will at once send the regiment of Maryland 100-days' men to strengthen the line at Monocacy and vicinity. Cannot General Hunter's force be ordered from the west to such points east of Cumberland as may be most judicious? Appearances at present indicate a general abandonment of the road. We have through the night secured our trains, and up to this time we trust no rolling-stock has fallen into possession of the enemy. J. W. GARRETT, .President. WAR DEPARTMENT, July 3, 1864-4.40 p. m. JOHN W. GARRETT, Esq., Baltimore: Your telegram received. Measures have been taken, as far as within my power, to meet the emergency. The great difficulty is to know the exact truth, and to avoid being misled by stampede and groundless clamor, or being surprised by real danger. If you have any source of truthful information you had better resort to it. EDWIN M. STANTON, CAMDEN STATION, Baltimore, July 3, 1864. Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War: The information I communicated on June 29* was obtained by our officers from parties who had been connected with the movements of *See Part I, p. 694. 2 R R VOL XXXVII, PT II General Hunter. Breckinridge, Imboden, and Early, in command of Ewell's corps, are reported as having passed through Winchester north. The refugees from Martinsburg report the aggregate rebel forces at 15,000 to 30,000. A battle is reported as having commenced at 5 this morning at Leetown, which has continued throughout the day, Colonel Mulligan commanding our forces. It is stated that about half of the Government stores at Martinsburg have been abandoned to the enemy, and that a wagon train was captured this morning on the Williamsport road, five miles north of Martinsburg. Up to the hour at which the wires were cut we had no advices of General Hunter's-now General Sullivan's-forces reaching any part of our line, and fear it must be some days before they can reach a position to be effective. I annex a copy of our latest dispatch from Harper's Ferry, namely: We have as yet no communication with General Sigel. We are ready for a vigorous defense of this place, and shall destroy no public works, except as a last necessity, and will then consult your engineer as to the least damage that can be done. I can hold this point against cavalry, but not long against infantry, as I have but 400 for service as infantry. I will advise you of any danger threatening this point immediately. By order of Brigadier-General Weber: H. M. BURLEIGH, Assistant Adjutant-General. The force of infantry at Harper's Ferry is entirely too small. I trust you can re-enforce General Weber promptly. I find General Wallace has no advices whatever from General Sigel, nor can we obtain any knowledge of his position or movements since 10.35 this morning. Whilst the figures given of the enemy's force are doubtless exaggerated, yet it is scarcely credible that General Sigel would abandon so important a post as Martinsburg, with some 6,000 men under his command in that vicinity, unless he had reliably ascertained that the enemy was in decidedly superior numbers. JOHN W. GARRETT, President. JOHN W. GARRETT, Esq., WAR DEPARTMENT, July 3, 1864. Baltimore: General Hunter has been under orders three days ago to move his forces up to the threatened points. Sullivan's cavalry should have been up before now. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. GENERAL ORDERS, No. 1. HDQRS. ARMY OF KANAWHA, DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA, Charleston, July 3, 1864. In accordance with General Orders, No. 42, from headquarters. Department of West Virginia, the undersigned hereby assumes command of all the troops in the Department of West Virginia west of the Alleghany Mountains and south of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Commanding officers of separate posts and detachments will |