1862 October 29 Purcellville 8.15 P.M.

[from the dispatch of General Alfred Pleasonton]

Hd. Qrs. Cav. Brigade
Purcellville, Oct 29. 8.15 P.M.

To General R. B. Marcy
    Chief of Staff
        a citizen of Maryland from
Winchester today has just been
brought in by my pickets who
states he escaped from prison this
morning as they were releasing
some Federal prisoners--&
crossed the Shanandoah below Snickers
Gap --He reports the rebel
army moving from Winchester
to Staunton--that there is now
only two hundred infantry
& three regiments of cavalry
now in Winchester doing
provost duty over prisoners-
  The rebel Army he says
is in [?] condition
that provisions were very high
& bread & beef are the daily
issues--(over)


  [page 2]
  I think this man is a
deserter from Stuarts cavalry
who probably joined him in
his late raid & is tired of
his bargain---
     A Union gentleman from
Waterford--told me today that
he was in Winchester some ten
days ago--& that he saw a
provost guard called to arrest
a suspected person & that out
of the ten men of the guard
six were bare footed & that
this was the average condition
of their Army--he thought
the soldiers looked dispirited.
         Very respectfully
             A. Pleasonton
                Brig. Genl


MSS 495