tongue. The horses, which are still sound, are absolutely broken down from fatigue and want of flesh. I will also remark that the men in my command are much in want of clothing.

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,

Major-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, October 24 [25?], 1862.

Major-General McCLELLAN:

I have just read your dispatch about sore-tongued and fatigued horses. Will you pardon me for asking what the horses of your army have done since the battle of Antietam that fatigues anything?

A. LINCOLN.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, October 25, 1862-6 p. m.

(Received 9 p. m.)

His Excellency ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
President of the United States:

In reply to your telegram of this date, I have the honor to state, from the time this army left Washington, on the 7th of September, my cavalry has been constantly employed in making reconnaissances, scouting, and picketing. Since the battle of Antietam, six regiments have made a trip of 200 miles, marching 55 miles in one day, while endeavoring to reach Stuart's cavalry.

General Pleasonton, in his official report, states that he, with the remainder of our available cavalry, while on Stuart's track, marched 78 miles in twenty-four hours.

Besides these two remarkable expeditions, our cavalry has been engaged in picketing and picketing and scouting 150 miles of river front ever since the battle of Antietam, and has made repeated reconnaissances since that time, engaging the enemy on every occasion, and, indeed, it has performed harder service since the battle than before. I beg that you will also consider that this same cavalry was brought from the Peninsula, where it encountered most laborious service, and was, at the commencement of this campaign, in low condition, and from that time to the present has had no time to recruit.

If any instance can be found where overworked cavalry has performed more labor than mine since the battle of Antietam, I am not conscious of it.

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEFENSES OF HARPER'S FERRY, Pleasant Valley, Md., October 25, 1862.

Major-General SLOCUM,
Commanding Twelfth Army Corps:

GENERAL: By direction of the commanding general, I have the honor to communicate to you the following dispatch:*

* * * * * * *

The commanding general directs that early to-morrow morning you

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*See dispatch to Burnside, p. 484.

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