General Stahel to Burleigh, May 11, 1864

Captain BURLEIGH, Assistant Adjutant-General:

Captain: I have issued orders to my command in accordance with the telegraphic order from headquarters of May 9, viz: ‘”‘No

erson will be allowed to pass save on orders from Major-General

Ferry.” Since then several families of refugees, women and children, havecomein. My orders last winter from the War Department were to allow such persons to pass as were refugees from Southern tyranny and oppression, and were willing to take the oath of allegiance. This order was issued on account of representations made by me of the accumulation of such persons at this post whom we were obliged to subsist. The women and children who have arrived since I received the order of the 9th, and who were following their husbands, I permitted to go to Maryland. I desire to know whether I am right in my action, or whether refugees are to be turned back.

The second paragraph of your order of the 9th directs me ”to strengthen your (my) picket and police force as much as possible.” I beg to say that my whole force of infantry for duty is 195 men, that the details for picket and guard duty are daily 104 men, leaving

You will see that we are doing all we can. Last night, from information received, I had some reason to believe a raid might be attempted, and although I did not sufficiently rely on it to trouble the general with a dispatch, I thought it best to prepare for the possi- bility of its being made. These continual reports are harassing, from the fact that I know I am not very strong, and my certainty that the enemy know it also.

Upon hearing of the robbery of the horses yesterday, I sent Captain Walker, Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, from this place immediately in pursuit, and sent an engine to Kearneysville with orders to dispatch a party from there to cut off the thieves. They were successful. Captain Walker’s party recovered one man and the horses, and the Kearneysville party took the other man near Smithfield. zoey belong to Mosby’s command. One of them is named Oden, and he tells me that on Monday night he rode some distance with the train going out, in expectation of capturing something, but thought it rather too hazardous. I will examine these men thoroughly and make a further report. I think thereis good reason to believe that aconsiderable party of Mosby’s men have been within a short distance of this post, and that it has been thoroughly reconnoitered by them from the surrounding hills. The neighborhood affords facilities for concealing a large numberof men. Asthis place is the principal depot for the supplies of General Sigel’s column, it is undoubtedly an object of some importance to the enemy, and I assure you I should feel more comfortable with a few more men. The general may be assured, however, that I will not be surprised, if I have any cavalry at all. I inclose a copy of a communication from Lieutenant-Colonel Blakely, who was here this morning, and to which I referred by telegraph. I have not acted upon it, as I do not recognize it as official. I shall await the orders of the brigadiergeneral on the subject.

The report of the provost-marshal this morning shows twenty soldiers for court-martial under charges. Some of them are for drunkenness, disorderly conduct, &c. I think where the charges are not serious it might be better to send them to their regiments, to be

unished there. But there are a number of scoundrels who are unHe serious charges, horse stealing, desertion, &c., who ought to be tried as soon as possible. And there are ten prisoners of war and deserters who ought to be disposed of. Some of these are probably spies and some are undoubtedly deserters. In addition we have five citizen prisoners, arrested

by order of General Stahel, and a number