HdQrs near Leesburg–
2 p.m.  Octbr 12th 1862

General [Robert E. Lee]:

I have the honor
to report that I reached the
Va shore with my entire com-
-mand to-day.  My passage
of the Potomac was opposed
by Stoneman’s Brigade, but we
were without loss.  We captured
Chambersburg & destroyed
many stores..took one or 2
thousand horses–many vil-
lages & prisoners cutting
McClellans communications
at Newmarket on Balt. & Ohio
R.R. Mc’s Hdqrs are or were
on 10th at or near Petersville.
No material portion of the army
Has left since battle of Sh____g

page 2]
It is estimated that Mc
has rcd about 25000
in accession to his numbers
since. Stoneman has a mixed
force of Cav & Infy on
the River Hd Qrs at Poolesville.
I crossed at White’s ford,
I send late papers.  Shall
report in person as soon
as possible.

Yrs Resp–
JEB Stuart
MajorGenl

MSS 448

                    Jackson Miss Oct the 12th

My dear Father
                        You are doubtless under
the impression that I am now in Ky with
my chief but my luck “very bad” would
not permit that I should accompany
the army on the most beautiful campaign
of the War, And let us hope the most
successful, for I have every confidence in
the troops as well as the Genl commanding
though you are aware I am not as
sanguine as I would like to be strange
as it may appear in view of the above
I have every confidence that we shall
have peace before Christmas And that too
through intervention.  I know you will laugh
at this. We have had a desperate battle
in our front.  And met a heavy reverse though
not as bad as at first reported.  Our loss will
not exceed 4000. and one or two pieces of Art’y
with little or no baggage or stores.  The army
is not safe at Holly Springs where we are
preparing to receive the Enemy, which event
I trust we shall retrieve of  losses And
send the enemy headlong across the Tenn.—-

[page 2]
I received a letter from Chap Slaughter
the other day–he informed me that Unkle
Thomas has lost everything except Negroes and land.
this is much better than I expected, for I
thought the Scoundrels would’nt have left
a Negro.  I have heard nothing in regard
to yourself.  I supposed, however, that you lost
your crop, cattle, horses, &c.  I have been
imprudently expecting a letter from you in
but as I have neglected writing myself of
course I have chastized.  Now my dear Father
you must e in need of money, for even
with that it is hard to live and without
it I know not what you would do.  Write
me therefore and let me know our
condition as well as Aunt Eliza’s and Unkle
Jack’s direct your letter to Chattanooga Tenn
As soon as I can get through the business
here “reorganizing the returned prisoners”
I shall I think go to Richmond and see
if I can be ordered to the Rio Grande, I
don’t think my health will stand another
winter in this climate. Should I go to Richmond
I will try and pay you a visit Isaac Patton
is a QuarterMaster and stationed at

[page 3]
Vicksburg.  All the family are well
I have heard through him from Cousin Patton
and family.  It was rumored that Cousin
Jack Pendleton had be[en] murdered what of
it?  I suppose the Yankees made no distinction
between original Secessionist and others.
Give my love to your wife and kiss the children
poor little things theirs has been a hard
fate, thank God I am not married!
I had a presentiment some thing terrible would
happen to reduce me to poverty.  Poor Thom
Farish  you know committed suiside in
New Orleans last Summer blowing his
brains out with a pistol.  He had been
endeavouring to leave the city.  Alas!
a more generous, honorable, high toned
gentleman never lived.
        I am my dear Father in haste
                      Your Son
                                      Edwin
Daniel F. Slaughter
     Michels Station
            Culpeper County
                Virginia

Edwin Slaughter, 4th Regiment Tennessee Infantry (Neely’s)

MSS  14911

[from the diary of Lt. John Tyler, of Letcher’s Artillery]

(Oct 12th) Sunday. Feel quite unwell this
morning did not sleep well last night.  Cool &
cloudy, have a fire.  Optical delusion.  G.-O’Fancy
how wild thy vagaries, now here, now there, and ere
thou hast assumed shape.  O/visionary fabric/van-
-ishest, leaving not a trace: the consequence perhaps
a sigh-  Have heard firing a great part of the
morning.  Some say it is at Spinks ferry.  Miss L-
spent the morning with me.  Slept part of the time-
she very kindly fanning me.  She  brought me some of
her books with very fine engravings in, to look at,
which of course I enjoyed hugely.  I found in one
“Characteristics of Women,” a picture very much
like my own dear Jennie.- Mr Braden has at
last returned after tea, and without Mr. P-‘s horse, altho thinks
there is a probability of getting it tomorrow.  The fam-
-ily all went to Church this afternoon except Miss

Jeannette who passed the afternoon with me.  She
entertains very nicely.  It has been cloudy & raining slight-
-ly nearly all day.  Sat up this afternoon, feel a little better.
Miss L-& Jeannette pass the evening in my room, Do not
feel as well this evening.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6150

                  Post Hospital Oct 12th
Dear Mother
                            I am the same
as when I last wrote the doctors
here are doing noting for
me and they say they cant
here, so I shall stay here
till the regt. goes into winter
quarters and then join them
Gov Andrew was here yesterday
looking after the sick and
found considerable fault
with the camp here and
the treatment of the men
so that the col. in charge
has given orders for all
the Mass. troops to be
removed to better & cleaner
quarters close by we are to
move tomorrow. Nothing
of importance for news

[page 2]
has occurred here that I
know of Every day carloads
of troops go by here on their
way to reinforce Sigel
who expects to fight soon
at Thoroughfare Gap where
he is going to keepe the
rebels from coming through
to Manasses then look
out for stirring times all
round 60,000 men up the
Peninsula in front of them
Sigel at Thoroughfare Gap
& McClellan in their rear
will give them hot work
to get back to Richmond
I think.  Homer wants to
know if we are in
tents now of course we are
where else does he suppose we
are in the tent I am in
there are 6 of the 22nd.
Tell Homer to look out

[page 3]
and not get caught at
any college pranks but
play as many as possible
with safety.  I am glad
to hear that Maria is
better hope by the time
this reaches you she will
be well and there will
be no more cases in the
family.  Tell Homer it
will be a good thing
for him to drill if
they have a drill club
as it will strengthen
the muscles of is arm
more than anything
else though he will find
it hard work at first
I was over to the 11th
the other day to see John
Jewitt his company did
not know he had been
discharged they said he

[page 4]
had gone to the hospital.
I think if our sergeant
read Carrie Bunces letter
he must have enjoyed
it amazingly.  What was
the mans idea of cutting
down all the trees on
Mrs Tenneys place
I should have thought
he would have left the
large oak I suppose the
Doctors old seat has
gone with the rest
You speak about it being
a year since I left the state
it has been a short year but
the hardest ear I ever put in
Love to Aunt Abby & all the
rest
From your aff. son
Wm Wallace

William Wallace Smith, Co. B., 22nd Massachusetts

MSS 15360

[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton, musician and private in the 23rd Ohio]

Sunday, Oct. 12, 1862

This morning
lay about for
sometime. When
we were ordered
out Carried & put
[?] knapsacks & horns
into another–all of
the boys remained with
them but Phil Jef &
myself.  forded the
river. Marched down
the river 4 miles then
across into [Pa?]
marched in all about
15 miles Came up
a fine valley 1st
Brigade & [4?] pieces artillery
accompany us. People
very kind am now
snugly ensconced in
a bag now.  Cloudy Cool

MSS 10317

[from the diary of Captain William F. Hunter, Co. B., 97th Ohio]

     Oct. 12th, ‘62
We were roused
from our cold beds
upon the ground with
our feet to the fire,
& the starry heavens
for our only cover,
at 3 ½ o’clock A.M.
& ordered to fall
into line.
We will march at
6 o’clock this morn-
ing.
Marched 8 or 10 miles
across the fields & woods,
formed in line of

battle about 2 P.M. –
remained in line
about 2 hours, – faced
about & marched near
a mile directly back –
& encamped for the
night. We crossed
the pike to day mid-
way between Danville
& Harodsburg. Very un-
well to day; not, in fact,
able to march, but had
to walk or be left be-
hind. Rained several
times in the day & at
night. Very cold & chil-
ly & cloudy.

[transcribed by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 10547-bm
                   

[from the diary of the Rev. Francis Butler, chaplain of the 25th New Jersey]

Sun 12.   At g. b Took Capt Mc Kennan to Young Board
man at Hospital.  he prescribed for him – At 9 A.M.
Regt. all marched with transportation wagons to East
Capitol Hill where whole of the raw cold day was
spent in encamping – at Eveg had short religious
exercise & Col & I returned to Browns Hotel.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

        Camp near Harpers Ferry Oct 12 1862
Dear Friend Binnacle
forgive my long delay In writing to you but the fact of
It I did not get yours until some after It had been sent
some 6 days however It came and I was pleased to recive
It from a hospittle (Beat) excuse the term If you please
how are you hospittle cadet does any more of the Fall river
als come to see you dont go near the woods with them It Is
dangerous they might take liberty with your person
In the mean time how Is the red legs are they still
around. well we have just Imerged from a hidous fight
and I didnt get Killed my Regt lost allmost half of Its
number among the rest our Colonel we were the first to
Occupy this place after Its Inglorious surrender but
now old Turnner[?] Is King and you need not expect
to hear of Its being given up without at least eleven rebs
being hurt the Engineers are hard at work poor fellow
building fortifications upon the various hills which
surround us talk about dead Rebells you should have
been with us on the 17th Sept Some of them asked us
to pray for them and we did In a manner they did not
like I am up to my eyes In buisiness making the pay
rolls for 4 camp camp[sic] I have recived no dough from
Same for 7 months and my purse Is dusty I must close
my best respects to all who ask for me Adieu write soon
to your old friend Geo B. Elmore 2nd Lt Co K 61st Regt engr
      Caldwells Brigade Hancocks Division

MSS 1255

 [from the dispatch book of General Alfred Peasonton]

           Hd. Qs. Cavalry Division
Mechanicstown,Oct 12 12:30 a.m.
To General R. B. Marcy-
       Chief of Staff
       Have just heard that the
rebels passed down through
a small town called Middletown
five or six miles east of this about
one hour ago on the road to
Woodsboro, so they said–
they were travelling at a
trot–& are evidently making
for the Potomac to cross–I
shall start at once for Frederick
& expect to hear further from
them at that point–They are
making for either Nolands or
Hamlings crossing at the Mouth
of the Monacacy
                           A. Pleasonton
                            Brig General
                               Comdg &c

MSS 495

         Hd. Qs. Cavalry Division.
                 Oct 12  6.P.M.
        Near Mouth of Monocacy
To General R. B. Marcy
        Chief of Staff–
       General Stoneman has asked
me for some cavalry to send over
the river after the rebels–I have
told him that my artillery & cavalry
are wholly unfit for service & could
not follow the enemy until recuperated-
My whole command today
of cavalry & artillery was not more
than 800 men–My cavalry force
was two regiments- & a half-both
regiments small–of the other regiments
ordered to report to me I have not heard.
        A force of infantry & cavalry
from Poolesville arrived after the
enemy had crossed the river–
Unless otherwise ordered
I shall move back to my camp
near Sharpsburg tomorrow–
           My horses need rest
& shoeing very badly–
            It appears that
a regiment of infantry stationed
near the ford where

[page 2]
rebels crossed did not engage
or attempt to stop them from
crossing–I do not know the
name of their regiment–
             Very respectfully
              A. Pleasonton
              Maj. General
                     Comdg—

MSS 495