Very intriguing....

Brig. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton

I spent about 2 hours combing through the Official Records tonight looking stuff up on a research project. I stumbled across telegraphs totally unrelated to what I was looking for. I found one really really cool thing. On June 12th 1863, there was a telegraph back and forth between Army of the Potomac Cavalry Corps commander Gen. Alfred Pleasonton to the Army of the Potomac Chief Quartermaster Gen. Rufus Ingalls.

Brig. Gen. Rufus Ingalls

 The exchange was about supplies and holding on to them around the various depots. CSA cavalry leader Col. Mosby was raiding and evading Union cavalry patrols even though Union cavalry was trying to pin him down into a trap. Mosby kept escaping. I don't know the exact particulars that precipitated this telegraph exchange but Pleasonton  wrote to Ingalls, 

"Your dispatch is received. Ask the General (don't know who this is) how much of a bribe he can stand to get Mosby's services. There is a chance  for him, and just  now he could do valuable service in the way of information as well as humbugging the enemy. 

There is no news. The Rebs are like that boy the Present tells about, who stumped his toe, and was too big to cry."

Gen. Ingalls replied, 

"I think your scheme can succeed in regard to Mosby, do not hesitate as to the matter of money. Use your own judgement, and do precisely what you think best for the public good."

Nothing in the Official Records that I can find follows this up. I don't know what they were talking about, what happened and who was this "General" in which Pleasonton speaks. Very intriguing....

Col. John Mosby, "The Gray Ghost"

Anyone have any ideas about this? I'd love to know more.