Of Maj. Gen. Winfield S. Hancock, U.S. Army, commanding Second Army Corps
June 16, 1863--3 a.m.
General BUTTERFIELD, Chief of Staff, Hdqrs. Army of the Potomac:
Have heard from General Warren at 10 p.m. He says he will have no difficulty in obeying your orders to hold on till further orders. He was at Potomac Creek at 8 p.m. with a locomotive. No enemy could be heard of. Everything but rolling-stock will be shipped to-night; that will be afloat to-morrow afternoon. General Warren says dispatches can reach him more rapidly and certainly, if necessary, by steamboats at Occoquan.
WINF'D S. HANCOCK,
Major-General.
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HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS,
Dumfries, Va., June 16, 1863--10 a.m.
General BUTTERFIELD:
My command is all here, excepting a small party of cavalry in rear. Three days' rations have been issued to the entire command, and the leading division is starting, via Dyer's Mills and Maple Valley, for Wolf Run. The artillery has plenty of forage. I patrol the roads to my left as far as possible with my cavalry in its exhausted condition. The telegraph station will be broken up when my rear guard leaves. I will notify you when I leave in person. Stragglers all up. Public property abandoned by this command destroyed or otherwise taken care of. Have 50 or 60 mules and horses. No enemy in sight up to this time.
WINF'D S. HANCOCK,
Major-General, Commanding.
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HEADQUARTERS SECOND CORPS,
June 16, 1863--10.45 [a.m.]
General BUTTERFIELD:
I am about leaving personally. Two divisions have already gone. I will go as far as it is possible.
Yesterday's heat caused a great deal of trouble; a great many men sunstruck, some of whom died. The men have lost so much sleep since the preparatory orders, that a large amount of sickness has been caused thereby, more than my ambulances can carry. I am trying to bring up all the stragglers of the Sixth and Second Corps, and that causes some delay.
There will be no public property left here. Telegraph will now close.
WINF'D S. HANCOCK,
Major-General.
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THOROUGHFARE GAP, VA.,
June 21, 1863--1.45 p.m.
General BUTTERFIELD, Chief of Staff:
I am well established here in a strong position. No sign of the enemy in front of the Gap. There is, however, a report that my cavalry pickets near New Baltimore have been driven in by about a regiment of cavalry. Two cavalrymen, reporting themselves as being cut off, brought the information. I have not yet seen them, though they have reported to some of my command
.
I think you need have no fears of this position.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WINF'D S. HANCOCK,
Major-General.
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HEADQUARTERS SECOND CORPS,
Thoroughfare Gap, June 22, 1863--6.20 [p.m.]
General BUTTERFIELD, Chief of Staff:
About 1 p.m. a squadron of my cavalry, sent from Gainesville toward New Baltimore, fell into an ambush 2 miles beyond Buck-land Mills; were driven to within 2 miles of Gainesville, with a reported loss of 30 men. The attacking force was about a regiment of cavalry.
Our cavalry, however, I have no doubt picket to within a mile of New Baltimore, as a squadron sent on the road from here to New Baltimore had a skirmish with the enemy near the junction of this road and the Warrenton pike, and held its ground.
WINF'D S. HANCOCK,
Major-General.
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HEADQUARTERS SECOND CORPS,
June 22, 1863--8 p.m.
Major-General BUTTERFIELD, Chief of Staff:
I have sent your dispatch to General Stahel, in duplicate, by different routes.
It is possible that the enemy's cavalry passed to my rear from Buckland Mills toward Hay Market yesterday, after driving in my small cavalry picket and before General Stahel came in. General Stahel's scout, who went from here to Aldie last night, by way of Hay Market, reports that he was passed on the way by about 85 rebel cavalry.
WINF'D S. HANCOCK,
Major-General.
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HEADQUARTERS SECOND CORPS,
June 22, 1863--8 p.m.
Major-General BUTTERFIELD, Chief of Staff, Army of the Potomac:
In reply to your dispatch of this date, informing me that there can be no danger to my rear or to my command while General Stahel is at New Baltimore, I have the honor to state that I have not been apprehensive of danger to my command, but simply wished to guard against what appears to have happened--the passage of cavalry from the Warrenton road to my rear; neither did I express any apprehension with regard to my command. When the dispatch was written, I did not know that General Stahel's cavalry, or any other, was moving toward New Baltimore. I suppose your dispatch was written in reply to my suggestion of yesterday, that more cavalry should be sent here
.
WINF'D S. HANCOCK,
Major-General.
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