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Your despatch of this morning to the Sec. of War is before me. The forces you speak of, will be of no immagineable service, if they
can not go forward with a little more expedition. Lee is now passing the Potomac faster than the forces you mention are passing Carlyle. Forces now beyon[d] Carlyle, to be joined by regiments still at Harrisburg, and the united force again to join Pierce somewhere, and the whole to move down the Cumberland Valley, will, in my unprofessional opinion, be quite as likely to capture the Man- -in- -the- -Moon, as any part of Lee's Army A. LINCOLN
[1] ALS, RPB. A telegram from Lorenzo Thomas to Stanton was received at 10:45 A. M.: ``General [Charles] Yates, with three regiments and a battery of artillery . . . is beyond Carlisle. He will be joined by two regiments, ready to move from this place. This force can make a junction with [Lewis B.] Pierce, and move down the Cumberland Valley on the enemy's rear. Four regiments are nearly ready at Reading. These will also be pushed forward. We have no definite information this morning of the enemy's movements or position.'' (OR, I, XXVII, III, 612).
Upon receiving Lincoln's telegram, Thomas telegraphed Stanton, ``Telegram of the President received. It is a slow business to organize militia and put them in march. I am afraid the President supposed the troops in advance were to delay until those behind came up, but not so, as the orders are to press forward. . . .'' (Ibid.).