Charles P. Stone to Irvin McDowell, August 19, 1861

Commanding Division Potomac, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: Your letter No. 1, of yesterday’s date, is just received. Ihave made and caused to be made the most careful examinations practicable of the opposite side of the Potomac in front of my position, and . believe that the only force in the immediate vicinity is a regiment of Mississippi troops at Leesburg and one of Mississippi or South Carolina troops on Goose Creek. The enemy appear to be throwing up additional intrenchments about 3$ miles back from Edwards Ferry, on the Leesburg road, in an excellent position for guarding the approach to Leesburg, but good for nothing for offensive operations. These works were commenced previous to the battle at Bull Run, and are now being extended, according to report. These works might be reached by shot from a rifled gun planted on the heights above Edwards Ferry. :

The troops of this command are now posted as follows, commencing on the right: Three companies of the Second New York Militia [Eighty- – second Volunteers] are stationed at the mouth of the Monocacy, with pickets thrown out 2 miles above and the same distance below, connecting above with pickets of the Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania, of General Banks’ command. This outpost is supported by the remainder of the Second Regiment, 300 strong only, stationed one-half mile from Poolesville, on the Monocacy road. A picket of cavalry patrols the vicinity of the Monocacy. The Tammany [Forty-second New York] regiment (Cogswell’s) is stationed 1 mile from Poolesville, on the road to Conrad’s Ferry, and has four companies detached to watch that ferry. The strength of this regiment is 531 in camp, besides the four companies on outpost. The outpost at Conrad’s throws out pickets to meet those from the Monocacy above and those from Edwards Ferry below. The Minnesota regiment (Gorman’s), 788 strong, is stationed 24 miles from

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.. Poolesville, on the road to Edwards Ferry, furnishing an outpost of E four companies to that ferry. . This outpost throws out pickets to meet .. those from Conrad’s on the right and those from Seneca on the left. – Seneca being 8 miles from this point, I have left an entire regiment – there at the crossing of the river road and the road from Rockville. – An outpost is kept on the river bank, throwing out pickets to meet

Gorman’s above and General McCall’s below. One section of Hascall’s

battery is stationed on the heights above Edwards Ferry. The road:

from Edwards Ferry to Seneca is very hilly and rough, almost impracticable for artillery or wagons. i

The constant rains for the past week must have made the roads very bad on the low grounds on the opposite side of the river and have made the fords at least a foot deeper. If there exists reliable information that a crossing is intended here, I would respectfully recommend that two additional regiments be sent here and a few long-range guns.

If I might be permitted to express a preference, I would ask for the

Fifteenth Massachusetts Regiment, now in Washington, and the Ninth

New York State Militia [Eighty-third Volunteers] now with General

Banks’ command had arrived near the Monocacy, but I was at the

oaks there about sunset, and could see nothing of troops, camps, or

A negro, who crossed yesterday from near the Monocacy, informed me that two regiments of Southern troops were Said to have passed up from Leesburg towards Hillsborough, Waterford, and Lovettsville on Wednesday and Thursday last, and this story was confirmed by a civilian belonging to Washington, who came yesterday from the Virginia side near the Point of Rocks.

Very respectfully, I am, general, your obedient servant, _