Robert C. Schenck to Henry W. Halleck, June 19, 1863

(Received 7.10 a. m.) Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, General-in-Chief : Will you send me a good engineer officer immediately to-day? I am going to throw up some earthwork defenses outside this city that may be useful in any future emergency, if not needed just now. The people are in the humor to do the work for us. Colonel Raynolds is on Maryland Heights. ROBT. C. SCHENCK, Major-General. ——_—__ MARYLAND HEIGHTS, M. D., June 19, 1863—9 a. m, Major-General ScHENcK, Baltimore, Md. : We have a heavy cavalry force in the vicinity of the wrecked train, and there should be no difficulty inremovingit. The railroad agents should understand that the road and its agents must take some risks, and should at least evince as much enterprise as they seem to exact of us. All these trains could have gotten off safely, but they divided the risk, and lost one out of three. DAN. TYLER, Brigadier-General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac, June 19, 1863—11.30 a. m. Major-General ScHENCK, Baltwmore: No answer to telegraphic inquiry concerning your troops. General Hooker desires to know what force you have to spare of artillery, infantry, and cavalry, to seize and hold the South Mountain passes, after holding Maryland Heights and the passage via Sandy Hook. DANL. BUTTERFIELD, Major-General, Chief of Staff. BALTIMORE, Mp., June 19, 1863. General BUTTERFIELD, Headquarters Army of the Potomac: The telegram referred to did not arrive. The forces that might be available to hold the South Mountain Pass are in Harper’s Ferry, and only enough to defend that place. The rest of my force is west of Cumberland, Md., and on the Kanawha. ROBT. C. SCHENCK, Major-General. —E JUNE 19, 1863—3.30 p. m. Major-General SCHENCK: The inquiry was, where your forces are, their numbers, localities, and arms. Please give it to us as soon as possible. DANL. BUTTERFIELD, Major-General, Chief of Staff. BALTIMORE, M. D., June 19, 1863. (Copy received, War Department, 10.45 p. m.) General BUTTERFIELD, Chief of Staff: I have the forts garrisoned Have one regiment outside, and exect two more by Sunday. Maryland Heights and Harper’s Ferry are. hole behind strong works by nearly 7,000 men, under General Tyler. Of other troops, I have west of Cumberland, onthe Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and at and below New Creek, under command of General Kelley, about 5,000 men, which includes the command of General Averell, part of which remains at Grafton, with a cavalry force at, Beverly guarding the mountain passes. Of General Averell’s brigade, two are regiments of mounted riflemen and one regiment of cavalry. General Scammon,on the Kanawha, has about 4,000 troops of all arms. At Bedford, in Pennsylvania, is a portion of Milroy’s command, escaped from Winchester; 600 cavalry and 1,500 infantry, much demoralized. ROBT. C. SCHENCK, Major-General, Commanding. MARYLAND HEIGHTS, June 19, 1863—1.10 p. m. Major-General Hooker, Major-General Commanding: Three intelligent men deserted from the Eleventh Tennessee Regiment* last night at Sharpsburg. They report the force there at about 8,000, of Ewell’s corps, which crossed the Rappahannock 25,000 strong. The men last night were ordered to prepare three days’ rations, to move this morning, as they were told, on Harper’s Ferry or Frederick City. One of the men was very intelligent, tired of war, and wants to go home. DAN. TYLER, Brigadier-General. BALTIMORE, M. D., June 19, 1863. (Received 2.20 p. m.) Major-General HALLECK, General-in-Chief : The following just received from Bedford, Pa. : General Milroy has not arrived at this point. Iam in command of the forces, and I am justin receipt of a telegram from McConnellsburg, 30 miles from this place, that the advance guard of the rebel forces passed that point this morning at 8 o’clock. Should General Milroy not arrive, and no orders to the contrary, I will advance to Bloody Run to-night, and give them battle with my forces here, some 600 cavalry, 1,200 infantry, and one regiment of mounted infantry. JAMES A. GALLIGHER, Colonel, Commanding Forces. ROBT. C. SCHENCK, Major-General. (Same to Couch.) * This regiment was in Tennessee at this date. 218 N. ©, V. A. W. V. A., M. D., P. A., ETO. (Caar. XXXIX. MarRYLAND HeEIcHTs, Mp. Jume 19, 1863. Major-General HOOKER: General Scammon has his headquartersat Charleston, W. Va. If Harper’s Ferry is to be attacked, it will probably be to-morrow morning. We have done all we can to be ready. DAN. TYLER, Brigadier-General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac, Jume 19, 1863—3.45 p. m. Brigadier-General TyLER, Sandy Hook: It is impossible to get any clear and connected idea of the position of the enemy or any of his troops on your side of the river. The newspapers say much more than we have ever learned from any other source. Can you make a concise statement of the position as it exists ; your troops, their character, number, and position; whose department they are in; and the position of the enemy, his actual advances into Maryland or Pennsylvania, and the force ? DANL. BUTTERFIELD, Major-General. JUNE 19, 1863—8 p. m. General TYLER, Harper’s Ferry. General Hooker desires to know how long you can hold your position, if attacked by 30,000 men; also if you are satisfied in your own mind that Ewell’s corps has crossed the Potomac and are now in Maryland. DANL. BUTTERFIELD, Major-General, Chief of Staff. MARYLAND Hereuts, Mp., June 19, 1863. (Copy received, War Department, 6.10 p. m.) Major-General BUTTERFIELD : I have reported everything ascertained as to the rebel troops and their position. Everywhere within my reach, I reported what I considered ascertained facts as to rebel positions at and near Sharpsburg. This morning my position and amount of troops you can obtain from Baltimore, ail I do not wish to enter into details for fear of accident, as I am not sure the rebels have not our cipher, as all the dispatches coming on to me are confused. I expect to hold this position very considerably longer than it was held last year. DAN. TYLER, Brigadier-General. BALTIMORE, June 19 1863—5.50 p. m. General Schenck has kindly furnished us with a copy of your dispaige to him of this morning, about clearing the wreck of our train urned by the enemy at Point of Rocks. Learning from your dispatch that protection would be afforded out men in the work, we sent an engine and the proper hands for the purpose, and the injured engine tender and one car have been removed, and the track repaired. We must report, however, that our advices show that your cavalry protection mate remained in striking distance some few minutes. One track of the road is now sufficiently clear to be worked, and the remainder of the wreck will be removed to-morrow, if it is safe to do so without the risk of losing additional engines and cars so employed. Permit me to correct an error in your dispatch, expressed in the following words: All these trains could have got off safely, but they divided the risk, and lost one out of three. You have been misinformed, inasmuch as the lost train was late at Harper’s Ferry, only to have its cars unloaded, and instead of the case being as you suppose, the probability, if not the certainty, is, that had we kept the other trains until this was ready, we should have lost them all. GraFton, W. Va., [June] 19, 1863. Major-General Brooks: Beverly ee all quiet. No news from other points. Guess the raid is played out. MARYLAND HEIGHTS, M. D., Jume 19, 1863. Major-General SCHENCK, Baltimore, Md. : We require six 24-pounder howitzers, with carriages only, for our batteries. They are important; absolutely necessary in case we are attacked. Itelegraphed General Ripley last evening. Will you press the matter? DAN. TYLER, Brigadier-General. BALTIMORE, June 19, 1863—7.50 p. m. Brigadier-General TYLER, Harper’s Ferry, W. Va.: General Ripley telegraphs from Washington that he will send you four howitzers as soon as some slight alteration can be made in the carriages.

ROBT. C. SCHENCK,