Headquarters of the
Army, WASHINGTON, April 25th, 1861
Brig’r. General B. F. BUTLER, Mass. Vols.
SIR: If this letter should find you not too far this side of
Annapolis, I will ask you to consider yourself, for a time, as the Commander of
that City, and retain a competent force to hold it. Next, I wish you to select
a regiment (one of your brigade, or any other) and string it, at convenient
distances, all along the Railroad by the Junction and towards this City – as
far as its numbers may suffice, to protect the road, its rails, bridges, and
cars, so as to keep the communication open for troops and travellers between
Annapolis and Washington by rail.
The principal points in the road to be occupied are: the
Junction, Bettsville, the bridges, cross roads, and a few of the other
stations. Some of the intermediate stations may also require detachments, and
every post ought to be instructed to throw out scouts to the right and left
frequently during the night and day.
If the regiment takes, in the first instance, cooked
provisions for a few days, the posts may afterwards be supplied by the trains
which will be passing daily. Tents and cooking utensils will perhaps be needed
at some of the posts or detachments. Send to this place all the spare troops
from Annapolis as fast as you may find means of transportation; and report
often.
Very Respectfully,
WINFIELD SCOTT.
SOURCE: Jessie Ames Marshall, Editor, Private and
Official Correspondence of Gen. Benjamin F. Butler During the Period of the
Civil War, Volume 1: April 1860 – June 1862, p. 42
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