The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-23 00:00:00

7HE BATTLES IN VIRGINIA.

GENERAL POPE'S REPORT.
The following official report of General Pope has
been published :

" Head-quarters, Army of Virginia, Sept. 3, 1862.
" General,—l have the honour to submit the fol-
lowing brief sketch of the operations of this army
since the 9th of August. I moved from Sperryville,
Little Washington, and Warrenton, with the corps
of Banks and Sigel, and one division of M'Dowell's
corps, numbering in all 32,000 men, to meet the
enemy, who had erossed the Rapidan, and was ad-
vancing on Culpepper. The movement towards
Gordonsville had completely succeeded in drawing
off a large force from Richmond, and in relieving
the army of the Potomac from much of the danger I
that threatened its withdrawal from the Peninsula.
The action of August 9, at Cedar Mountain, with the
forces under Jackson, which compelled his retreat
across the Rapidan, made necessary still fur-
ther reinforcements of the enemy from Richmond ;
and this time, it being apparent that the army of
the Potomac was evacuating the Peninsula, the
whole force of the enemy concentrated around Rich-
mond was pushed forward with great rapidity to
crush the army in Virginia before the forces eva-
cuating the Peninsula could be united with it. I
remained at Cedar Mountain, and still threatened to
cross the Rapidan, until the 17th of August, by
which time General Robert Lee had assembled
in my front, and within eight miles, nearly the
whole rebel army. As soon as I ascertained this
fact, and knew that the army of the Potomac was
no longer in danger, I drew back my whole force
across the Rappahannock, on the night of the 17th
and day of the 18th, without loss of any kind, and
one day in advance of Lee's proposed movement
against me. The enemy immediately appeared in
my front at Rappahannock Station, and attempted
to pass the river at that bridge, and the numerous
fords above and below, but without success. The
line of the upper Rappahannock, which I had been
ordered to hold, that the enemy might be delayed
long enough in his advance upon Washington
to enable the forces from the Peninsula to
land and effect a junction with me, was very
weak, as it could be crossed at almost any point

By Why he did not do so I cannot understand. Our above the railroad bridge by good fords. b
stant vigilance and activity, and much severe fight- men, much worn down by hard service and conti-
ing for three days, the enemy was gradually forced nuous fighting for many previous days, and very
. short of provisions, rested on their guns. Our around from the railroad crossing to Waterloo
bridge, west of Warrenton. Meantime my force horses had had no forage for two days. I had tele-
had been much diminished by actual loss in battle, graphed and written urgently for forage and ra-
t and by fatigue and exposure, so that although I had tions to be sent us, but on Saturday morning before
been joined by a detachment under Gen. Reno and the action was resumed, I received a letter from
General Franklin, written the day before at Alex-
the other division of M'Dowell's corps, my force
andria, stating to me that he had been directed by
barely numbered 40,000 men. On the -- a heavy
rain fell, which rendered the fords impassable for General M'Clellan to inform me that rations and
24 hours. As soon as I discovered this I concen- forage for my command would be loaded into the
trated my forces, and marched rapidly upon Sul_ cars and available waggons as soon as I would send
phur Springs and Waterloo-bridge to drive back a cavalry escort to Alexandria to bring them up.
the forces of the enemy, which had succeeded in All hope of being able to maintain my position
whether victorious or not vanished with this letter.
crossing at these points. This was successfully
done, and the bridges destroyed. I passed one day, My cavalry was utterly broken down with long
and constant service in the face of the enemy, and or rather part of one, at Warrenton and beyond.
The enemy still continued to move slowly around bad as they were could not be spared from the
along the river, masking every ford with artillery front, even if there had been time to go back thirty
and heavy forces of infantry, so that it was impos- miles to Alexandria and await the loading of trains.
sible for me to attack him even, with the greatly At the time this letter was written Alexandria
' inferior forces under my command, without passing was swarming with troops, and my whole army
the river over fords strongly guarded in the face of interposed between that place and the enemy. lat
superior numbers. The movement of Jackson to- once understood that we must, if possible, finish
ward White Plains and in the direction of Tho.. what we had to do that day, as night must see us
roughfare Gap, while the main body of the army behind Bull Run if we wished to save men and
confronted me at Sulphur Springs and Waterloo- animals from starvation. On Friday night I sent
bridge, was well known to me, but I relied confi- a peremptory order to Gen. Porter to bring his
dently upon the forces which I had been assured command on the field, and report to me in person
would be sent from Alexandria, and one stray divi- within three hours after he received the order. A
sion of which I had ordered to take post on the portion he brought up, but, as I before stated, one
works at Manassas Junction. I was entirely under of his brigades remained the whole day at Centre-
the belief that these would be there, and it was not ville, and was not in the engagement. The enemy's
until I found my communication intercepted that I heavy reinforcements having reached him on Fri-
was undeceived. I knew that this movement was day afternoon and night, he began to mass on his
no raid, and that it was made by not less than right for the purpose of crushing our left and occu-
-25,000 men under Jackson. By this time the army pying the road to Centreville in our rear. His
heaviest assault was made about five o'clock in the of Heintzelman, about 10,000 strong, had reached
Warrenton Junction ; one division of it, I think,on afternoon, when, after overwhelming Fitz John
Porter, and driving his forces back on the centre and
il
the very day of the raid ; but they came without
artillery, with only 40 rounds of amunition to the left, mass after mass of his forces were pushed
man, without waggons, and even the field and general against our left. A terrific contest, with great
officers without horses. Fitz-John Porter arrived at slaughter, was carried on for several hours, our men
Bristow Station, near Rappahannock, with one of his behaving with firmness and gallantry under the
divisions, 4,000 strong, whilst his other division was immediate command of General *Dowell. When
still at Barnett's and Kelly's Ford. I directed that night closed, our left had been forced back about half 1
corps, about 8,500 strong, to concentrate imme- a mile, but still remained firm and unshaken, while
diately at Warrenton Junction, where Heintzelman our right held its ground. General Franklin,
already was. This was accomplished on the even- with his corps, arrived after dark at Centreville, six
ing of the —th. As soon as it became known to me miles in our rear, whilst Sumner was four miles
ap- behind Franklin. I could have brought up these
that Jackson was on the railroad, it became
Parent that the upper Rappahannock was no longer
tenable, corps in the morning in time to have renewed the
enable. I could not detach a sufficient force to
action, but starvation stared both men and horses in
meet Jackson,
body of the enemy. Ia cc and at the same time attempt to con- the face, and broken and exhausted as they were,
front the main
they were in no condition
centrteoviblleearthhatunngigerhtalinso.
por-
tion, at once evacntsd Warrenton and Warrenton Junc-
accordingly retired to
directing feet order. Neither Sunday
nor on Monday did
Wi'Dowell with his own corps andon
the enemy make any
Sigel's, and the
rapidly by the turnpike upon Gainsville, so as to I sent to the army corps commanders for their effec-
division of Reynold's, to marchadvance upon us. On Monday
ts coming to Jackson tive strength, which, all told, including Sumner and
intercept any reinforcemen
through Thoroughfare Gap; and instrusting Reno Franklin, fell short of sixty thousand men. Instead
with his command, and Kearney with one division of bringing up thirty thousand men, Franklin and
of Heintzelman s, to march on Greenwich, so as to Sumner united fell short of twenty thousand ; and
support 11 'I in case of necessity, I moved back these added to the force I had, already wearied out,
along the railroad upon Manassas Junction. Near and much cut up, did not give me the means to do
Kettle Run, Hooker came upon the advance of anything else than stand on the defence. The enemy
Ewell's division on the afternoon of the 27th. A during Monday again began to work slowly around
[
severe action took place, which terminated at dark, to our right for the purpose of possessing Fairfax
Ewell being driven from the field with the loss of Court-house, and thus turning our rear Couch's
his camp and 300 killed and wounded. The nnfor- division and one brigade of Sumner's had been left
tunate oversight of not bringing more than 40 theie, and I sent down Hooker on Monday after-
rounds of ammunition became at once alarming. noon to take command and post himself at or in
At rounds
nightfall
Hooker had about five to the front of Germantown, at the acme time directing