Assistant-Adjutant General William D. Whipple to Edward McKenney Hudson, August 16, 1861

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA,

Baltimore, Md., August 16, 1861.

EDWARD McK. HUDSON, Aide-de-Camp:

SIR: I am directed by Major-General Dix to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 15th instant, addressed to Brigadier-General Dix, commanding Department of Baltimore, and inclosing paragraphs from newspapers published in this city.¹

He requests me to say that he is the major general commanding the Department of Pennsylvania, composed of the States of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and all of Maryland except the counties of Alleghany and Washington, which belong to the Department of the Shenandoah, and the counties of Frederick, Montgomery, and Prince George's, which belong to the Department of Washington. If any changes have been made in his command he has no information, official or unofficial, in respect to them. He received last evening a dispatch, signed Lawrence A. Williams, aide-de-camp, in the name of the commanding general of the division, and though it contained nothing more definite in regard to the authority from which it emanated, he assumed that it came to him by direction of the Government, and immediately sent for the agent of the Sun newspaper, The proprietor being absent, and he thinks the result of the interview will be to cause a discontinuance of exceptionable articles like those which have recently appeared in that paper.

Major-General Dix requests me to say to Major-General McClellan that his attention, since he assumed the command of this department, has been so engaged by official duties that the course of the secessionist papers in Baltimore was not noticed by him until the early part of this week. He has been considering whether the emergency would not warrant a suppression of the papers referred to, if, after warning them of the consequences of a persistence in their hostility to the Union, they should refuse to abstain from misrepresentations of the conduct and motives of the Government and the publication of intelligence calculated to aid and encourage the public enemy. It was his intention in a matter of so much gravity – one affecting so deeply the established opinions of the country in regard to the freedom of the press – to ask the direction of the Government as soon as he should feel prepared to recommend a definite course of action. In the mean time it will give him pleasure to do all in his power to suppress the publication of information in regard to the movements, position, and number of our troops, as Major-General McClellan requests, as it is possible that orders may have been issued affecting his command and by accident not have reached him.

Major-General Dix will be glad to receive any information you may have in regard to the modification, if any has been made, of General Orders, No. 47.²

I am, very respectfully, yours,

 WM. D. WHIPPLE,

 Assistant Adjutant-General.

_______________

¹ Not found.

² Of July 25, 1861. See p. 763, Vol. II, of this series.

SOURCES: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 5 (Serial No. 5), p. 562-3; Morgan Dix, Memoirs of John Adams Dix, Volume 2, p. 29-30

Adjutant-General Lorenzo Thomas’ General Orders, No. 47, July 25, 1861

GENERAL ORDERS, No. 47

WAR DEP’T, ADJT. GEN.'S OFFICE,

Washington, July 25, 1861.

I. There will be added to the Department of the Shenandoah the counties of Washington and Alleghany, in Maryland, and such other parts of Virginia as may be covered by the Army in its operations; and there will be added to the Department of Washington the counties of Prince George, Montgomery, and Frederick.

The remainder of Maryland and all Pennsylvania and Delaware will constitute the Department of Pennsylvania; headquarters, Baltimore.

The Department of Washington and the Department of Northeastern Virginia will constitute a geographical division, under Major-General McClellan, U.S. Army; headquarters, Washington.

By order:

 L. THOMAS.

Adjutant-General.

SOURCES: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 2 (Serial No. 2), p. 763

Major Wilder Dwight: August 8, 1861

department Shenandoah, Maryland Heights,

August 8, 1861.

I am in the midst of pay rolls and pay accounts, trying to get the regiment paid. Two days ago I went to Washington, made a flying visit to the Department, and, I think, got our pay business in shape. Spent several hours with William at his camp, found everything in good order there. I should think he would make a capital colonel. Wish I felt sure of making as good a major. Find no end of bother in this whole business. Keep up good courage, and, I believe, good nature. Am driven to death, as one might say, and yet it seems to me as if I was only driven to a livelier life. Can't help feeling very thankful for health and strength, which I pray for. The hill is steep, the way is long; I must be climbing: would much rather write to you,— shall get leisure soon. Those men who sit at home indulging their spleen had better come out here and work it off. Let us shorten this war, or it will shorten us. Washington is in the dumps. All will yet be well. Your letter, yesterday, was a god-send.

SOURCE: Elizabeth Amelia Dwight, Editor, Life and Letters of Wilder Dwight: Lieut.-Col. Second Mass. Inf. Vols., p. 68

Skirmish in the Shenandoah Department

WASHINGTON, May 17.

The following is extracted from a dispatch to the Secretary of War:

RECTORTOWN, Va., May 16.

A company of infantry of my command was yesterday ordered to Linden, to remain stationary there.  A detachment of seventeen men, guard to the company wagon, reached there a short time before the main body of the company, which was on a train.  They were attacked by a body of cavalry, variously estimated at from 300 to 600, coming upon them from four directions. – Our men resisted them, keeping up a sharp fire under shelter of the depot, which was riddled with bullets.  My men were overpowered.  One was killed and fourteen taken prisoners, three of whom were wounded, when the enemy hastily retired under fire, and I am informed that a portion of Gen. Shields’ command had a skirmish with them.

(Signed,)

JNO. W. GEARY,

Brig. Gen. Commanding.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, May 20, 1862, p. 2

Brigadier General George G. Meade to Margaretta Sergeant Meade, April 6, 1862

CAMP NEAR ALEXANDRIA, Sunday, April 6, 1862.

In my last letter I told you of the change in our destination, and surmised the causes. Yesterday the orders appeared creating the Departments of the Shenandoah and Rappahannock, assigning Banks to the command of one and McDowell to the other. Thus McClellan, at a blow, is deprived of two army corps on which he relied to carry out his plans. It is said an urgent telegram was received from him for McDowell to go down, just as the order was issued taking McDowell's corps from him. Many believe and hope he will resign; I trust he will not commit such a fatal error. He has over one hundred thousand men with him. This force, led by him and enthusiastic in his behalf, can accomplish much, and any success on his part will silence his enemies and reinstate him in favor.

SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George Gordon Meade, Vol. 1, p. 256-7

From the Shenandoah

Times’ Dispatch.

WASHIGNTON, April 29.

By advices from the department of the Shenandoah received to-day, we learn that Gen. Banks notwithstanding the bad roads is cautiously bushing his advance towards Staunton, being already within a few miles of that place.

It is considered doubtful whether the rebel Jackson will make a stand at Staunton, as he fears being flanked by a column from the mountain department.

Gen. Banks’ troops are in the best spirits.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 1, 1862, p. 1

Washington News

WASHINGTON, April 4. – Attorney General Bates has given his opinion that acts of January, and August, 1813, granting pensions for wounds or disabilities are applicable only to the forces thereby created, and will not cover the cases of those called into service by the acts of 22d July last, nor are their widows and orphans entitled to pensions under the act of 4th of July 1836.

Grave doubts may be suggested whether the existing laws make provision for pensions to the widows of those now in service who may die from disease or be killed in battle, and upon the whole question the Attorney General inclines to the opinion that there is no adequate provision of law by which such widows are entitled to a pension in addition to the bounties conferred by the acts of July last, the militia received under the Presidents Proclamation of the 15th of April 1861, which was in accordance with the law of the 2d August, 1813, and in cases of wounds and disabilities, entitled to pensions under its provisions.

Previous to adjournment to-day Senator Trumbull gave notice that he would call up the confiscation bill, and press it until disposed of.

An official war bulletin from the War Department creates two military departments.  First, that portion of Virginia and Maryland, lying between the mountains and the Blue Ridge, to be called the Department of the Shenandoah, to be commanded by Gen. Banks.  Second, that portion of Virginia, east of the Blue Ridge and west of the Potomac and the Fredericksburg and Richmond Railroad, including the district of Columbia and the country between the Patuxet to be called the Department of the Rappahannock, to be under command of Gen. McDowell.

WASHINGTON, April 4. – A military hospital has been ordered to be established and New Albany, Indiana, and Jefferson Barracks, near St. Louis, has been converted into a military hospital.

The Secretary of War has communicated to Congress his opinion that the present organization of the Medical Bureau is inadequate to the service.  He has authorized the Surgeon General, of New Jersey, under the direction of the Governor, to organize a Volunteer Surgeon Corps, to render medical aid when requested.

A similar organization has been made under the Governor of Pennsylvania, and valuable service has been rendered.

– Published in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 12, 1862, p. 4