[from the dispatch book of General Alfred Pleasonton]

      Hd. Qrs Cav. Brigade
        Purcellville, Oct 29, 9 am
To General R. B. Marcy
       Chief of Staff

 My pickets report the rebels were
making signals throughout the
night from the mountain area
Snickersville Gap-
      Yesterday below Aldie
the women on Fairfax place
threw stones at my command
& waved a secesh flag–this
was a little too much so the
officer made them give up
the flag much to their disgust.
      This side of Union
a rebel foraging party of one
regiment of infantry & one
of cavalry was turned back
making up this way—
     I hear this morning there is
another brigade with Walker
near Upperville—
         Very respectfully
            A. Pleasonton
               Brig. Gen.

[page 2]

An officer from picket has
just come in to report that a
Union Quaker who escaped yesterday
from the rebels, told him he saw
Longstreet at  Upperville day
before yesterday–that he had
18,000 men, & that his soldiers
said they were going to
Manassas—
         A. Pleasonton
               Brig. Gen &

MSS 495

[from the dispatch of General Alfred Pleasonton]

Hd. Qrs. Cav. Brigade
Purcellville, Oct 29. 8.15 P.M.

To General R. B. Marcy
    Chief of Staff
        a citizen of Maryland from
Winchester today has just been
brought in by my pickets who
states he escaped from prison this
morning as they were releasing
some Federal prisoners–&
crossed the Shanandoah below Snickers
Gap –He reports the rebel
army moving from Winchester
to Staunton–that there is now
only two hundred infantry
& three regiments of cavalry
now in Winchester doing
provost duty over prisoners-
  The rebel Army he says
is in [?] condition
that provisions were very high
& bread & beef are the daily
issues–(over)

  [page 2]
  I think this man is a
deserter from Stuarts cavalry
who probably joined him in
his late raid & is tired of
his bargain—
     A Union gentleman from
Waterford–told me today that
he was in Winchester some ten
days ago–& that he saw a
provost guard called to arrest
a suspected person & that out
of the ten men of the guard
six were bare footed & that
this was the average condition
of their Army–he thought
the soldiers looked dispirited.
         Very respectfully
             A. Pleasonton
                Brig. Genl

MSS 495

[from the dispatch book of General Alfred Pleasonton]

Hd Qrs,  Cav. Brigade
Purcellville Oct 29, 2. P.M.

To General R. B. Marcy
     Chief of Staff
My pickets on the Catochin Moun
tain, saw the rebel camp fires
at Middleburg last night–they
were about a mile long–a
Quaker (Union) told them this morning
there was abbout[sic] 1200 infantry
& cavalry at Middleburg–The
fires were put out in a short time.
      A negro who came thro’
Snickersville gap on Monday when
my advance was driven back says
it was well we did not try to go
on-as they had cannon all the
way up the Gap & were bringing
more under the impression
our Army intended to cross at
that point–The force there,
he says was infantry-
      It looks as if the force
at Middleburg was making its way
to Aldie to go to Manassas–
   I shall send in that
Quarter tomorrow & will find out
my force today is too [occupied?] to
[?]  it–very respectfully
               A. Pleasonton
                       Brig. General

MSS 495
 

   Hd. Qrs. Cav. Brigade
   Purcellville Oct 29:  1 P.M.
To General R. B. Marcy
    Chief of Staff
   A negro boy has just come in
who has run away–his master
being about to send him off to the
rebel Army–This boy was at
Winchester last Thursday–says
the soldiers talked about falling
back towards the Rappahannock
Heard his young master say there
would be a move of rebel Army
soon–The soldiers had a hard
time at Winchester, did not
get anything to eat sometimes
for several days–getting tired
of the war–Soldiers said that
Gen. Lee would not exchange
any more Loudon county
soldiers they were so worthless
     Shall send him to Hd. Qrs–
My pickets captured a spy this
morning, who if guilty ought
to be shot–for this is the
only way to make these people
[behave?] themselves
          A. Pleasonton
                Brig Genl

MSS 495

[from the diary of John Ward of the 102nd Pennsylvania]

Oct 29th
Camp Nere Williamport
the Regt Was
Inspected to Day
By Col Rusall of
the 7th Mass.
Whe Recivd orders
to march at 2 oclock
and Whe march
to Downintwon 4
miles and in Camp
Col Rowley got
to the Regt to Day

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12913

Oct 29

Father
We have not recd orders yet
to pack up but expect to every
minute.
I just recd those stamps you
sent.
If you see Martin will you
pay him 25 cts.  I could not
make change when I bought
dinner when I came home—
 Shall carry that comforter
with me as we put all our
luggage into boxes and
mark them Hospital Stores.
  If you think best you
can continue my Life Policy
I will pay half the cost
             Your Affectionate son
                   C.P. Morrill
        In hurry

Charles Plummer Morrill
24th Maine

MSS 11031

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

Wed 29.  Fine day, little unwell – wrote – fixed up , camp, tents &c
returned early.  stove draws well.  how much depends on little
circumstances – have reduced P[ost]. office business to more system –

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

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

     Oct. 29th, ’62.
Still cold and
clear. Ordered to
be ready to march
at 6 o’clock to-mor-
row morning.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 10547-bm

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

Wednesday, Oct. 29, 1862

This morning I
started to Savannah
Had to stop by the
way some
Called at Thomas Hogs
also to see Ed &
Mrs Scotts  had dinner
there went up to see
mrs Sloneckers Bob[?]
came down home
with me to see
some [?]
Clear fine  day
Father & the boys
making cider.

MSS 10317

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Last night Pa had two lights burned all
night to prevent the soldiers stealing–but this
morning he found that two bee  hives have gone,
strange to tell-we-all , slept more soundly than
usual=Jacque, & I, did not awake during
the night which is very strange.
   This morning early the soldiers moved, but
much to our astonishment, during breakfast a
guard appeared, said that a large force were
in the woods=Pa was very sorry for it, but determined
to make the best of it & did not complain-
went up & invited Generals A. P. Hill, Pender,
Archer, Dr. Hoyt, Capt Williams colonel Thomas
to dinner.  We enjoyed seeing them very much.
General Hill is an exceedingly pleasant gentlemanly
person.  Company was coming in all day-
Pa saw Willie Dallam, but he could not see
[Chinn?],= I feel that it has been an
unprofitable day, I would not spend
another such, I have not enjoyed reading
& I could not sew. O when will I learn to
follow the right path unwaveringly?
I was very negligent several times to day & I might
so easily have avoided it by not [seeing?]
two gentleman were seen by B[ertie] and F[annie] to take a bottle
of whiskey from the pantry=I am so angry
at this=couldnt have believed it.
Capt. Grenshaw, Lieut Holsum took tea here also
[Turpin?] Beale & Smith.

MSS 15406