Unknown to Major-General Patterson, July 20, 1861
Washington, July 20, 1861.
Major-General PATTERSON, U.S. Army, Charlestown, Va.:
Five Pennsylvania regiments, Colonel Paine’s Fourth Wisconsin, now at Harrisburg, and four regiments from this city, are ordered to join your-army. ,
E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General.
HARPER’S FERRY, July 21, 1861. Col. E. D. TOWNSEND:
Icame here to-day. Yesterday Winchester and this county were aban- © doned by all armed parties. Johnston left for Millwood, to operate on McDowell’s right and to turn through Loudoun upon me. I could not follow. The only active troops I have are the Second Cavalry, Doubleday’s, Perkins’, Rhode Island Battery, Second Massachusetts, Third Wisconsin (not fully equipped), Fourth Connecticut at Hagerstown, &c., Twelfth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth New York. All others are barefooted. Their term expires in a few days, and I am required by General Orders, No. —, tosend them home. Five regiments have gone; four go to-morrow, and so on. The Third Wisconsin will be placed temporarily on the canal, which parties have lately attempted to destroy, and will remain till I am provided with troops for active service. I have ordered the hospital depot, &c., at Hagerstown to be transferred to this place, but if you order me to you, will countermand the order.
my supplies to Washington ? R. PATTERSON,
Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS, July 22, 1861—1.30 a. m. General BANKS, Baltimore, Md.:
Proceed to Harper’s Ferry and relieve General Patterson, turning over your present command to General Dix. WINFIELD SCOTT.
HARPER’S FERRY, July 23, 1861. Col. E. D. TOWNSEND, ~ Assistant Adjutant-General, Headquarters Army: My train is crossing the river, and I will go to join with all my available force unless I hear from you by immediate return dispatch. R. PATTERSON, Major-General, Commanding.
WASHINGTON, July 23, 1861—4.15 p. m. To General PATTERSON, Harper’s Ferry, Va.: Your force is not wanted here. It is expected you will hold Harper’s
Ferry unless threatened by a force well ascertained to be competent to expel you. WINFIELD SCOTT.
WASHINGTON, July 23, 1861—11.30 p. m. Major-General BANKS, U. 8S. Army, Commanding, &c., Harper’s Ferry:
I deem it useful, perhaps highly important, to hold Harper’s Ferry. It will probably soon be attacked, but not, I hope, before I shall have sent you adequate re-enforcements. A Connecticut regiment may soon be expected by you. Others shall to-morrow be ordered to follow.
WASHINGTON, July 23, 1861—11.30-p. m. Major-General BANKS, Harper’s Ferry :
The following information has just been received from A. N. Rankin, editor of Rep. and Transcript : There are nine 32-pounders, four 44-pounders, and two 6-pounders, and 1,000 stand
of arms at Winchester, with but 500 men, raw militia, to guard the same. There are also about 1,060 tents and a very large amount of powder, bajls, and shell.
HARPER’S FERRY, VA., July 23, 1861. Brevet Major-General CADWALADER, Hagerstown, Md. :
My DEAR GENERAL: I inclose an army order cut from a newspaper, which contains the only information on the subject which has reached these headquarters.* It is doubtless genuine, and under these cireumstances neither you nor I can make any movement towards Washington without being liable to the imputation of seeking service or thrusting ourselves upon the administration.
I have therefore to request that you will consider the order which you sent to Hagerstown rescinded.
Brigadier-General Williams will leave here to-morrow with the Tenth Regiment, and is ordered to take command of any troops he may find at Hagerstown and conduct them to Harrisburg.
I will follow you as soon as relieved.
With great regard, very sincerely, yours, kh. PATTERSON, Major-General, Commanding.
*Referenee is probably to General Order, No. 46, of July 19, p. 171.