Camp near Halltown, Jefferson County
| September ??, 1861 |
| |
| Adjutant-General Cooper |
| |
| Sir, |
| Inclosed I send you invoice of
goods seized by my order from a store upon the Potomac, in Berkeley
County, belonging to A. R. McQulken, who has fled from the
Confederacy. He was a member of the Wheeling Convention. I would be
pleased to hear from you as to how to dispose of them. I send them
to-day to Winchester to be stored until I hear from you, which
directions will find me if directed to Charlestown, Jefferson
County. I think it proper to state to you my position. I am in
command of a detachment of Colonel McDonald's regiment, together
with a force of militia furnished me by General Carson, for the
purpose of protecting Mr. Sharpe, Government agent, now removing
engines, &c., from Baltimore and Ohio Road to Strasburg. There
are now stationed upon the Maryland side of the Potomac, opposite
this county, two infantry regiments, guarding the canal, which is
transporting coal and other supplies. I am within 1¼ miles of the
river, and watch their movements daily for the whole distance which
these regiments operate. I am confident, if not inconsistent with
the present policy of the Government, that I can move over at some
convenient point and break the canal, securing a large amount of
salt said to be now in depots opposite this place. The only force
above that mentioned by me on the river as far as the Hampshire line
is stationed at Williamsport, some 15 miles up the river--about one
and a half regiments. I had occasional skirmishes with the enemy in
this vicinity, they having crossed twice-- once at Harper's Ferry
and again at Shepherdstown. I have driven them back each time
without loss, having only 1 man wounded, and he doing well. I have
killed several of them each time. They fire at every man, woman,
child, or horse that passes the river upon this side. I have
sometimes allowed my men to return their fire with long-range
(small-arms) guns, with some known effect. |
| I write this to you owing to my peculiar
position, acting by order of Colonel McDonald, who is or is to be in
a different locality, too far to give his attention to the minutiae
of my movements, and, too, having under my command other forces than
from his regiment, with no defined instructions as to policy to be
pursued towards the enemy in this locality. Will you give them to
me?
|
| Respectfully |
| Turner Ashby |
| Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding near Harper's
Ferry |
|