June 10, 1863

June 10, 1863

---Union scouts and escaped slaves have found a pattern of information: Gen. Pleasonton is convinced that two of Lee’s infantry corps are at Culpeper, which indicates movement. He passes this on to Hooker to persuade the commanding general that Lee is on the march. Indeed, Gen. Ewell’s II Corps makes a good 15 miles on the march today, toward the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah Valley.

—Gen. Hooker writes to Lincoln, suggesting that if Lee is indeed moving north, then the way to Richmond is open. He asks the President to consider his plan. Lincoln’s answer returns right away:
WASHINGTON, June 10, 1863--6:40 p. m.

Major-General HOOKER:

Your long dispatch of today is just received. If left to me, I would not go south of Rappahannock upon Lee's moving north of it. If you had Richmond invested today, you would not be able to take in it twenty days; meanwhile your communications, and with them your army, would be ruined. I think Lee's army, and not Richmond, is your sure objective point. If he comes toward the Upper Potomac. follow on his flank and on his inside track, shortening your lines while he lengthens his. Fight him, too, when opportunity offers. If he stays where he is, fret him and fret and fret him.

A. LINCOLN
　
—Stephen Minot Weld, of the Army of the Potomac, writes home and gives a rather inflated version of the Battle of Brandy Station:
Yesterday our cavalry had a real hand-to-hand fight with the rebels near Kelly’s Ford. Our men behaved splendidly, and drove the rebels 5 miles. We captured all Stuart’s private papers, and found that he was to have started this morning, with 25 guns and 12,000 cavalry, to make his raid into Pennsylvania.

Confederate cavalryman with his sabre

—The Democrat Party of Ohio nominates the still-exiled Clement Vallandigham for Governor of Ohio.