p, and
operate against the guerillas in the district of country
bounded on the south by the line of the Manassas Gap
Railroad as far east as White Plains, on the east by the
Bull Run range, on the west by the Shenandoah River, and on
the north by the Potomac. This section has been the hot-bed
of lawless bands, who have, from time to time, depredated
upon small parties on the line of army communications, on
safeguards left at houses, and on all small parties of our
troops. Their real object is plunder and highway robbery. To
clear the country of these parties that are bringing
destruction upon the innocent as well as their guilty
supporters by their cowardly acts, you will consume and
destroy all forage and subsistence, burn all barns and mills
and their contents, and drive off all stock in the region
the boundaries of which are above described. This order must
be literally executed, bearing in mind, however, that no
dwellings are to be burned and that no personal violence be
offered to the citizens. The ultimate results of the
guerilla system of warfare is the total destruction of all
private rights in the country occupied by such parties. This
destruction may as well commence at once, and the
responsibility of it must rest upon the authorities at
Richmond, who have acknowledged the legitimacy of guerilla
bands. The injury done this army by them is very slight. The
injury they have indirectly inflicted upon the people and
upon the rebel army may be counted by millions. The Reserve
Brigade of your division will move to Snickersville on the
29th. Snickersville should be your point of concentration,
and the point from which you should operate in destroying
toward the Potomac. Four days' subsistence will be taken by
the command. Forage can be gathered from the country through
which you pass. You will return to your present camp, via
Snicker's Gap, on the 5th day."

In addition to Merritt's three brigades, Colonel Stagg was ordered to
send out four regiments.

[39]"The Federals separated into three parties, one of which went along
the Bloomfield road and down Loudoun in the direction of the Potomac;
another passed along the Piedmont pike to Rectortown, Salem, and
around to Middleburg, while the main body kept along the turnpike to
Aldie, where they struck th