Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1862-09-19

L
mar without wagons, and even the field
andsgeneral officers without horses
Etz John Porter also arrived at Beal-
tom Station, near Rappahannock river,
with one of his divisions, four thousand
five hundred strong; whilst his other
.tldivisI6n was still at Barrett's and Kelly S
I Ebras. directed that corps, about
feIsAt tannsahd strong, to concentrate
fiiaaIaediately at Warrenton Junction,
where Heintzelman already was. This
was accomplished on the evening of the
26th As soon as it became known to
me that Jackson was on the railroad, it
became apparent that the Upper Rap
pahannock was no longer tenable.
I could not detach sufficient force
to meet Jackson, and at the same time
attempt to confront the main body of
the enemy. [ accordingly at once
evacuated Warrenton and Warrenton
Junction, directing Mcdowell, with his
own corps and Sigel:s and the division
at Reynolds, to march rapidly by the
turnpike upon Gainesville, so as to in
tercept any reinforcements coming to
the enemy by the way of Thorough fare
Gap, and instructing Gen. Reno, with
his command and kearney, with one
division of Heintzelman $, to march on
Greenwich, so as TO support Mcdowell
in case of necessity.
With Hooker's division of Heintzel-
man corps, [ moved along the railroad
upon Manassas junction, near Kettle
Run. Hooker came upon the advance
Of Ewell's rebel division on the after
noon of the 9th. A severe action took
place, which terminated at dark, Ewell
being driven from the field with the
loss of his camp and three hundred
killed and wounded. The unfortunate
Oversight of not having more than forty
rounds of ammunition, became at once
alarming. At niehtfalI Hooker had
but about five rounds to the man left
| As soon as learned this, sent back
orders to Gen. Fitz John Porter to
march with his corps at one o'clock that
night so as to be with Gen Hooker at
daylight in the morning.
| The distance was nine miles, and he
received the dispatch at $50 o'clock,
but did not reach the ground until after
ten O'Clock next morning. He can
probably explain better than I can the
reason of this delay. Fortunately Gen
eral Hooker had h: ndled the enemy so
severely the evening before, and the
movement of NJ cDowell had began to be
SO apparent.s that the enemy, fearful of
being surrounded, had retired preoipi-
lately from Manassas Junction, direct
| ing his retreat through Ccnterville, as
Reno, Mcdowell and kearney, had
made the road through Gainesville i'm
practicable.
Immediately pushed forward to
which place was occupied by hearney
that night, only few hours after the
enemy had left it. Gen. Reno had
reached Manassas Junction, and Gene
raj titz Jchn Porter was Immediately
ordered from Broad Run, where he had
stopped. McDowells movement, con-
Quoted with speed and vigor, had been
completely successful, the enemy being
intercepted at Gainesville, and part of
his forces driven back through Thor
oughfare Gap.
| With Kings Division and Sigel's
Corps, Mcdowell continued his march
along the turnpike toward Centervile,
leaving General Ricketts,, with his divi-
sion, in observation of Thoroughfare
Gap. Late in the evening on the 23th,
Mcdowell advanced Gibbons Brigade
near the force Of the ene1 y retiring
from Centerville, and about six miles
from that place. A very sharp skirmish
here took place, ended by the darkness,
in which the brigade of Gen. Gibbon
behaved very handsomely, and suffered
heavy loss. General Sigel was near at
hand with his cops, but did not join the
action.
l Instructed Gen. Kearney to move
forward at early dawn Of day toward
! Gainesville, to be closely followed by
Hooker and Reno and engage the en-
envy thus placed between Mcdowell and
iSigel; Heintzelman and Reno on the
east, and Fitz John Porter on the south
[ also instructed Gen. Porter, with his
own corps, and Kings division, which
hal for some reason fallen back from
the Warrenton turnpike toward Manas-
sas Junction, to move at daylight in the
morning upon Gainesville, along the
Manassas Gap railroad, until they cor><
municated closely with the forces under
tGenerals Heintzelman and Sigel; eau
tioning them not to go further than was
necessary to effect this junction, as we
might be forced to retire behind Bull
Run that night, for subsistence, if
nothing else.
Gen. Heintzclman marched early from
Centervllle toward Gainesville, closely
followed by Reno. Meantime, shortly
after daylight, Sickles' and Reynolds
Divisions of McDowell's corps, became
engaged with the enemy, who was
brought to a stand. Teintzelman and
Reno soon after came up, when the en-
tire line beca me actively engaged. Por-
ter marched as directed, followed by
Kings Division, which was, by this
time, Joined by Ricketts, Division,
which had been forced back from Thor
oughfare Gap by the heavy forces of
the enemy advancing to the support of
jackson.
AS soon as [ found that the enemy
had been brought to halt, and was
being vigor ously attacked along the
Warrenton turnpike, 1 sent orders to
Gen. Mcdowell to advance rapidly on
our left and attack the enemy on his
flank, extending his right to touch Rey-
nolds' left; and to Gen. Porter to keep
his right well closed on McDowell's lie et
and to attack the enemy in flank and
rear, while he was pushed in 'front.'
This would have made the line of bat