The copy of Special Order 191 that was found by Sergeant
John Bloss and Corporal Barton Mitchell and put into the hands of General
McClellan is now on display at Monocacy National Battlefield in Frederick. I was privileged to attend the
ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new exhibit on Friday. On hand beside the bevy of V.I.P.s were
descendents of the Bloss and Mitchell families. They contributed a number of previously unseen letters and
artifacts to the exhibit. It was exciting for me to see such an important part
of history and something so key to the Maryland Campaign. We owe a debt of thanks to everyone who
made the exhibition possible.
On Sunday when I was working at the Antietam Visitor’s Center, a
sharp-eyed visitor asked why the copy of the Lost Order on display begins with
paragraph III. Look closely at the
order here. Was that a typo? Where are the “lost” paragraphs?
In its entirety, Special Order 191 does in fact have
paragraphs I and II. However,
these paragraphs, which dealt largely with administrative matters not important
for the combat commanders, were omitted from the copy written for D. H.
Hill. The copy, written out for
D.H. Hill by Jackson from his original, also does not contain these
paragraphs. Here are the “lost”
paragraphs:
I.
The citizens of Fredericktown being unwilling
while overrun by members of this army, to open their stores, to give them
confidence, and to secure to officers and men purchasing supplies for benefit
of this command, all officers and men of this army are strictly prohibited from
visiting Fredericktown except on business, in which cases they will bear
evidence of this in writing from division commanders. The provost marshal in
Fredericktown will see that his guard rigidly enforces this order.
II.
Major Taylor will proceed to Leesburg, Virginia
and arrange for transportation of the sick and those unable to walk to
Winchester, securing the transportation of the country for this purpose. The
route between this and Culpepper Court-House east of the mountains being
unsafe, will no longer be travelled. Those on the way to this army already
across the river will move up promptly; all others will proceed to Winchester
collectively and under command of officers, at which point, being the general
depot of this army, its movements will be known and instructions given by
commanding officer regulating further movements.