Major-General John A. Dix to Abraham Lincoln, November 15, 1861

Baltimore, Md., November 15,1861.

Sit Excellency A. Lincoln:

My Dear Sir,—I enclose a proclamation which I have issued to the people of Accomac and Northampton Counties, Va. Its purpose, as will be apparent to you from its tone, is to bring about a peaceable submission on their part. If they resist, they are advised that they may expect severe chastisement.

The case of these counties is peculiar. They have not engaged in any active hostility to the United States. Their people have never crossed the Maryland line. Their greatest offences are sympathizing with the Richmond leaders, and carrying on an illicit trade with the Western Shore of Virginia. One of their captains fired on a barge belonging to one of our revenue steamers; but the act was disapproved by their leading men. If they can be reclaimed and induced to throw off their connection with the Confederates, it will be a great point gained, especially as the residence of Governor Wise, their former representative, is in Accomac. And I thought it worth while to make the effort by quieting their fears, in the first place — for they have got it into their heads that we want to steal and emancipate their negroes — and, by giving them the strongest assurances of kind treatment and protection, if they do not resist the authority of the Government, I trust — I ought to say I hope, rather than trust — that they may be gained over without bloodshed. As their case is peculiar I have endeavored to meet it with a remedial treatment adapted to the special phase of the malady of Secession with which they are afflicted.

I have sent an additional force since my return from Washington. The whole number will be 4500, among them about 3500 as well-disciplined troops as any in the service.

In my instructions to General Lockwood, who commands the expedition, I have directed him to disarm and make prisoners of all persons found with arms in their hands. I have also enclosed him a copy of the Act of Congress of the 6th of August last, entitled “An act to confiscate property used for insurrectionary purposes,” the last sentence of which concerns persons held to labor and service; and I have instructed him to enforce its provisions as far as practicable.

In all I have done in this matter I have had the best interest of the Government in view, and I shall be much gratified if it meets your approbation.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

John A. Dix, Major-general commanding.

SOURCE: Morgan Dix, Memoirs of John Adams Dix, Volume 2, p. 41-2

Major-General John A. Dix’ Proclamation To the People of Accomac and Northampton Counties, Virginia, November 13,1861

PROCLAMATION.

To the People of Accomac and Northampton Counties, Virginia:

The military forces of the United States are about to enter your counties, as a part of the Union. They will go among you as friends, and with the earnest hope that they may not, by your own acts, be forced to become your enemies. They will invade no rights of person or property. On the contrary, your laws, your institutions, your usages will be scrupulously respected. There need be no fear that the quietude of any fireside will be disturbed, unless the disturbance is caused by yourselves.

Special directions have been given not to interfere with the condition of any persons held to domestic service; and, in order that there may be no ground for mistake, or pretext for misrepresentation, commanders of regiments and corps have been instructed not to permit any such persons to come within their lines. The command of the expedition is intrusted to Brigadier-general Henry H. Lockwood, of Delaware, a State identical, in some of the distinctive features of its social organization, with your own. Portions of his force come from counties in Maryland bordering on one of yours. From him and from them you may be assured of the sympathy of near neighbors as well as friends, if you do not repel it by hostile resistance or attack. Their mission is to assert the authority of the United States, to re-open your intercourse with the loyal States, and especially with Maryland, which has just proclaimed her devotion to the Union by the most triumphant vote in her political annals; to restore to commerce its accustomed guides, by reestablishing the lights on your coast; to afford you a free export for the products of your labor, and a free ingress for the necessaries and comforts of life which you require in exchange; and, in a word, to put an end to the embarrassments and restrictions brought upon you by a causeless and unjustifiable rebellion.

If the calamities of intestine war, which are desolating other districts of Virginia, and have already crimsoned her fields with fraternal blood, full also upon you, it will not be the fault of the Government. It asks only that its authority may be recognized. It sends among you a force too strong to be successfully opposed — a force which cannot be resisted in any other spirit than that of wantonness and malignity. If there are any among you who, rejecting all overtures of friendship, thus provoke retaliation, and draw down upon themselves consequences which the Government is most anxious to avert, to their account must be laid the blood which may be shed and the desolation which may be brought upon peaceful homes. On all who are thus reckless of the obligations of humanity and duty, and on all who are found in arms, the severest punishment warranted by the Laws of War will be visited.

To those who remain in the quiet pursuit of their domestic occupations the public authorities assure all they can give — peace, freedom from annoyance, protection from foreign and internal enemies, a guarantee of all constitutional and legal rights, and the blessings of a just and parental government.

John A. Dix, Major-general commanding.

Head-quarters, Baltimore, November 13,1861.

SOURCE: Morgan Dix, Memoirs of John Adams Dix, Volume 2, p. 40-1

Orders of Major-General Meade, Commanding of the Army of the Potomac, June 28, 1863

ORDERS.]                                  

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

June 28, 1863.

The army will march to-morrow as follows:

4 a.m. – The First Corps, Major-General Reynolds, by Lewistown and Mechanicstown, to Emmitsburg, keeping to the left of the road from Frederick to Lewistown, between J.P. Cramer's and where the road branches to Utica and Creagerstown, to enable the Eleventh Corps to march parallel with it.

4 a.m. – The Eleventh Corps, Major-General Howard, by Utica and Creagerstown, to Emmitsburg.

4 a.m. – The Twelfth Corps, by Ceresville, Walkersville, and Woodsborough, to Taneytown.

4 a.m. – The Second Corps, by Johnsville, Liberty, and Union, to Frizellburg.

4 a.m. – The Third Corps, by Woodsborough and Middleburg (from Walkersville), to Taneytown.

The Fifth Corps will follow the Second Corps, moving at 8 a.m., camping at Union.

The Sixth Corps, by roads to the right of the Fifth and Second Corps, to New Windsor.

The Reserve Artillery will precede the Twelfth Corps, at 4 a.m., and camp between Middleburg and Taneytown.

General Lockwood with his command will report to, and march with, the Twelfth Corps.

The engineers and bridge train will follow the Fifth Corps.

Headquarters will move at 8 a.m., and be to-morrow night at Middleburg.

Headquarters train will move by Ceresville and Woodsborough to Middleburg at 8 a.m.

The cavalry will guard the right and left flanks and the rear, and give the commanding general information of the movements, &c., of the enemy in front.

Corps commanders and commanders of detached brigades will report, by a staff officer, their positions to-morrow night, and all marches in future. The corps moving on the different lines will keep up communication from time to time, if necessary.

The corps will camp in position, and guard their camps.

Corps commanders will send out scouts in their front as occasion offers, to bring in information.

Strong exertions are required and must be made to prevent straggling.

By command of Major-General Meade:

 S. F. BARSTOW,

 Assistant Adjutant-General.

SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George Gordon Meade, Vol. 2, p. 9-10; The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 27, Part 3 (Serial No. 45), p. 375-6