October 29, 1862 (Wednesday): Leesburg Falls

Fifty cent note-Town of Leesburg (http://www.leesburgva.gov/)

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, October 29, 1962-1.23 a. m. (Received 1.25 a. m.)
His Excellency the PRESIDENT:
We occupy Leesburg.


GEO. B. McCLELLAN,
Major-General, Commanding.


WASHINGTON, October 29, 1862-11.15 a. m.
Major-General McCLELLAN:
Your dispatches of night before last, yesterday, and last night all received. I am much pleased with the movement of the army. When you get entirely across the river, let me know. What do you know of the enemy?


A. LINCOLN.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
October 29, 1862--2 p. m.
His Excellency the PRESIDENT:
    In reply to your dispatch of this morning,* I have the honor to state that the accounts I get of the enemy's position and movements are very conflicting. A dispatch I have just received from General Kelley, at Cumberland, says three ladies, just in at Cherry Run from Martinsburg, report that Generals Hill, Jackson, and Hampton are encamped near there, with a regiment of cavalry at Hedgesville. General Pleasonton reports from Purcellville yesterday that information from Union people places Hill's command at Upperville, and that troops have been passing there for some days; that their pickets extend as far as the Snickersville and Aldie turnpike, over which they allow no one to pass, north or south. Pleasonton reports this morning that a Union Quaker, who escaped from the rebels yesterday, says he saw Longstreet at Upperville day before yesterday; that he had 18,000 men with him. Pleasonton also states that it is reported to him that Stuart with two brigades was at Berryville; that Walker's brigade was at Upperville. A union man told him that Longstreet was at Upperville, Bloomfield, and Middleburg. General Couch reports yesterday that a contraband who came into Harper's Ferry from beyond Charlestown says Hill's division came back from near Leetown on Sunday, and that the cavalry
told him Jackson was coming with his whole force to attack Harper's Ferry. He is confident that there is infantry back of Charlestown, as he heard the drums beating last night. General Porter reports last night that, through several sources, he is under the impression that R. E. Lee is not far distant from him, and that Stuart is within an hour's march; that there are the same number of cavalry regiments opposite him as usual, and that the enemy moved from Bunker Hill toward Shannondale yesterday. I ordered General Averell to make a reconnaissance to Martinsburg, but he has not yet reported his return. General Pleasonton has his scouts well out toward Middleburg, Upperville, and Aldie, and I will soon have more reliable information. In the meantime I am pushing forward troops and supplies as rapidly as possible. We will occupy Waterford and Wheatland to-day. There is now no further difficulty in getting supplies of clothing. Reynolds' corps and Whipple's division have been fully supplied, and are being sent forward. Couch's corps moves forward from Harper's Ferry to-day around the Loudoun Heights.


GEO. B. McCLELLAN,
Major-General, Commanding.

*See 11.15 a. m., VOL. XIX, Part II, p. 504. 

Official Records, Series I., Vol. 19, Part 2, Page 504 and Series I., Vol. 51, Part 1, Page 897.

Lincoln was pleased to see the Army moving, but McClellan was still lamenting shortages of cavalry and stated he did not have sufficient troops to detach to defend the fortifications of Washington.  As for Lee, his force was separated, Jackson's portion in the Valley and Longstreet's toward Culpepper. Lee used Longstreet's force to maintain pressure on Washington and Jackson's to cover the Valley.  Although it was dangerous to divide his army it was also not possible to subsist them from a single location.