Headquarters Department of Pennsylvania,
Chambersburg, Pa., June 11, 1861.
Colonel Lewis Wallace,
Eleventh Indiana Regiment, Cumberland, Md.:
Sir: By direction of the commanding general I to-day telegraphed you in reply to your query, “What shall I do with prisoners?” “Tis well not to have many prisoners. Such as you take imprison and treat kindly. Success attend your calls.” Many prisoners would trammel you very much, and unless you succeed in capturing prominent or very troublesome opponents, the commanding general thinks a rout would be as effective as taking prisoners, by spreading demoralization in their ranks. It is desirable to save life, secure property, and disarm our oppenents. Since the receipt of your telegram, your letter of the 10th has arrived. The commanding general will not forget you, and would be pleased to have you, but unless a force strong enough to maintain itself comes to take your place he cannot call you from your present position, now daily becoming more and more important and essential to be held for the security of this force. Closson reports that the bridges which it was desired you should guard are destroyed. Can you not cause them to be repaired and the road in your reach made practicable? The commanding general desires you to be cautions, very cautions, that our forces shall receive no check or reverse. Either will swell the ransk of the enemy, fill their store-houses, and dispirit our own forces.
I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
F. J. PORTER,
Assistant Adjutant-General.