July 23, 1862

July 23, 1862:  Gen. Buell, in a more intense panic mode than two days ago, fires off the following dispatch to Gen. Halleck in Washington:

HUNTSVILLE, ALA.,

July 23, 1862-1.30 a.m.                                  

General HALLECK, or
General THOMAS, Adjutant-General:

I cannot err in repeating to you the urgent importance of a large cavalry force in this district. The enemy is throwing an immense cavalry force on the 400 miles of railroad communication upon which this army is dependent for supplies. I am building stockades to hold from 30 to 100 men at all bridges, but such guards at best only give security to certain points and against a small force. There can be no safety without cavalry enough to pursue the enemy in large bodies. Twice already our roads have been broken up by their formidable raids, causing great delay and embarrassment, so that we are barely able to resist from day to day. I am concentrating all the cavalry I can spare to operate actively in force. I don’t pretend to know whether you have cavalry that you can spare elsewhere, but, if so, it can find abundant and very important service here.

D. C. BUELL,
Major-General, Commanding.

---Gen. John Pope issues orders that provide for arresting all males in northern Virginia who do not take the loyalty oath to the United States.  All who do may stay at home; all who do not take the oath are to be arrested and sent south behind Confederate lines, and if they return to be treated as spies.  He also gives orders to seize all horses and mules that are not absolutely necessary for farmers to maintain their farms.  These orders, in addition to orders to allow his men to live by foraging freely from the locals, convince Southerners that Pope is a barbarian and not a gentleman.