Marsena R. Patrick to Co. H. C. Rodgers, April 16, 1863

Lieut. Co]. H. C. RoDGERS, Assistant Adjutant-General :

Colonel Duffié, commanding cavalry, has orders from headquarters Army of the Potomac not to relieve my pickets to-morrow. Out of 1,027 men, hehas only 95 armed with carbines. Made arrangements to start in the morning, but will have to wait until his men are armed.

CHAS. CANDY, Colonel, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, SIXTH CoRPs, April 16, 1863. Henry C. Jenckes, major Second Rhode Island Volunteers, states that he was in command of a detail of 340 men from his regiment on

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picket from April 12, 1863, to April 15, 1863; that his command had strict orders not to communicate with the enemy, and that, to his knowledge, they did not. That on April 12 it was reported to him that one of the enemy’s pickets called over to know what would be done with one of them who had deserted to us the night before, and if he would be forced into our army; that in reply one of our men shook his head, and the man then said he would come over himself. That on April 13, Lieutenants Bates and Beveridge, Second Rhode Island Volunteers, reported to him that early that morning Mr. Pollock told them that our cavalry had moved, and that Surgeon Wyncoop had told him so. This was the first I knew of it. Captain Halsted, of Major-General Sedgwick’s staff, informed me about five hours afterward that the cavalry had been withdrawn from our left, and we must look out for ourselves.

It was reported to me that on the night of April 13 a captain of the Second Rhode Island Volunteers challenged a man approaching the outposts from our lines, but that the man escaped back.

On April 14, it was reported to me that the enemy’s picket called across the river that the paymaster had come, meaning for us. This was reported to me not over fifteen minutes after I had heard from camp that the paymaster had arrived. The same day (April 14) they called across that ‘”‘ you need not be so still; we know ail about it; you have got orders to move.” This was provoked by one of our officers breaking up a small boat sent across to us, and his arresting one of our men apparently about sending back one in return. The same day, after some officers had ridden along the enemy’s picket line, they called out that it was Stonewall Jackson and his assistant adjutant-general.

On Monday, April 13, they called out that our cavalry had moved. This was after it had been reported to me that Surgeon Wynkoop had told Pollock. The reports made to me I fully believe.

HENRY ©. JENCKES, Major Second Rhede Island Volunteers.

{Indorsements. ] APRIL 16, 1863. Respectfully forwarded for the information of the major-general commanding the corps. This statement of Major Jenckes indicates that

important information concerning our movements is even now smuggled over to the enemy.

JOHN NEWTON, Major-General, Commanding Third Division.

HEADQUARTERS SixTH CORPS, April 17, 1863. Report forwarded for the information of the provost-marshal-general. JOHN SEDGWICK, Major-General.

PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL’S OFFICE, April 22, 1863. peste: returned to headquarters with accompanying [following] report. M. R. PATRICK, Provost-Marshal-General.

[Inclosure. OFFICE PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL, April 22, 1863.

Brig. Gen. S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Potomac:

GENERAL 2 I have the honor to report that on yesterday I made an examination in person of the picket lines along the river from Snowdon up to town, with special reference to the subject of the communication from Major Jenckes.

I learn at Mrs. Seddon’s and Mrs. Gray’s that the withdrawal of the cavalry was noticed by the families when they rose in the morning, and that such withdrawal was apparently noticed from the other side, as the Confederates had our cavalry pickets and some of the reserves in full view. I understood that several officers of Confederates in the early part of the day rode down the lines, apparently to see what changes had taken place. I find, from the persons living along the river, from servants, and from certain men of my own, posted along two or three points in the vicinity of the picket line, that communications are kept up between the pickets across the river much of the time. These informants do not like to say much about it, for fear of the consequences to themselves from the parties of whom they speak.

From April 9 to the 12th, Lieutenant Castle, Sixty-second New York Volunteers, had command of the pickets, and during that time both he and his men had frequent conversations with the enemy’s pickets by means of small sail-boats, the lieutenant assisting in rigging boats, and both night and day had conversation with them. The day before the lieutenant was relieved, I went down to the river and took a boat which had been used to send across the river, up to Morsson’s house, and broke it up. The lieutenant asked me what business I had to break the boat. He said he had sent sugar, coffee, and newspapers to the other side; said nothing about receiving anything in return.

On the night of the 15th, a conversation was carried on near Dr. Morsson’s house, after 9 o’clock, between the pickets of the One hundred and sixty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers and the rebels. The first part of the conversation was about rations. Secesh then asked, ”Any signsof a move?” Reply, ” Yes, we have got eight days’ rations, and expect to move in a few days. We have three days’ rations in our haversacks and five in our knapsacks.” Secesh then asked, ”Where is the move to be?” Reply, “Up to the right.” Secesh then asked how we were going to get transportation, or whether we would hold the railroad. Our picket replied that he thought the trains would be kept up by pack-mules. This ended the conversation. Has known of no conversation since the 15th instant between the pickets; had there been, should have known it.

The above is from a statement made me by Private Collins, Eighth Regulars, one of my own men on duty at and near Dr. Morsson’s, corroborated by the doctor himself.

The visit of Surgeon Wyncoop to Mr. Pollock’s was, as I understand, on the morning of the 14th, the cavalry pickets having been withdrawn on the 13th and an infantry guard from the Eighth sent down to Snowdon the same day, on the application of the signal officer, after the cavalry left. If this be so, Major Jenckes is in error as to the manner in which information of the cavalry move was obtained.

I may add that I have frequently made reports of the irresponsible manner in which picket duty is performed for some 4 or 5 miles down the river, but from the fact, I suppose, that these reports generally grew out of complaints made by citizens, the conduct of the company and regimental officers has not, in my opinion, received the attention demanded.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,