Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-09-18

| Sigel was close az hand with his corps, but did
not JOIN the action. instructed Kearney TO
move forward at early day dawn toward Gaines,
vile, closely followed by Hooker and Reno, and
engaged the enemy thus placed between Me.
| Dowel and Sigel on the west, and Fitz John
Porter on the south, also instructed Fitz John
Porter with his own corps, and Kings Division,
OF McDowelfs corps, which had for some reason
fallen back from the Warrentown Turnpike
| toward Manassas junction, TO move nj daylight
in the morning upon Gainesville along the
Manassas Gap Railroad, until they communi.
Gated closely with the forces under Heintzleman
and Sigel eautoning them not 10 20 further
than was necessary 10 effect this junction as we
might be obliged TO retreat behind Bull Run
that night for subsistence, If for nothing
| more,
Heintzleman marched early from Centreville
towards Gainesville, closely followed by Reno
Meanwhile, shortly after daylight, Sigel's and
| Reynolds Division of McDowell's corps had
become engaged with the enemy, who was
brought TO a stand, and he was soon joined by
Heint2leman and Reno, when the whole line be.
came actively engaged.
| Porter marched as directed, followed by
Kings Division, which was by this time Joined
by Ricketts, Division, which had been forced
! back from Thoroughfare Gap, by the heavy
forces ofthe enemy advancing TO support Jack
| son.
A. soon as / found that the enemy had been
broug ht to halt and was being vigorously at.
tackled along the Warrenton turnpike, sen, or.
ders to Mcdowell TO advance rapidly on the left
and attack the enemy in his flank, extending his
right to meet Reynolds left, and to Fitz John
Porter TO keep his right well closed on Mellow
ellis left and 10 attack the enemy in flank and
rear, while he was pushed in front. This would
have made the line of Mcdowell and Porter at
right angles to that of the other forces then en-
gagged
The action ragged furiously all day Mcdowell,
although previously 10 rear of Porter, bringing
his whole corps on the field in the afternoon, and
| taking conspicuous part in that days opera
lions, To my surprise and disappointment, |
received late in the afternoon from Porter note
saying that his advance had met the enemy on
the flank in some force. and that he was re.
firing upon Manassas junction without engage
ing or coming TO the assistance OF oui other
forces, although they were engaged in a furious
action only two miles distant and in full hear
ing of him. portion Of his force fell back tow.
/ ard Manassas, andh remained, as he afterward
informed me, where he was looking at the enc.
my during the whole of the afternoon IN Friday
and part of Friday night, passing over in plain
! view to reinforce the troops under jackson with
/ ID
One at least of his brigades, under Gen. Grit
fin, got round II Cenueville and remained
there during the whole of the next DAYS battle
without coming on the field, though ia full view
OF the battle which was raging while Gen Grit
fin himself spent the day in making ill-Datured
structures upon the General comm 4nding the ac
ton, in the presence Of a promscuous assem-.
blage.
Darkness closed the action on FRIDAY, the
enemy being driven back from his positions by
Heintzleman's corps and Reno, concluded by a
furious attack along the turnpike by Kings 'Di
vision of McDowell's corps, leaving his dead and
wounded on the field.
do not hesitate to say that If the corps of
Porter bad attacked the enemy in flank on the
afternoon of Friday, as he had my written order
TO do, we should utterly have crushed
Jackson before the forces uuder Lee could have
reached him Why he did not do so, cannot
understand
Our men, much worn down by hard service
and continuous fighting for .'uany previous days,
and very snort OF provisions, rested on their
guns. Our horses had had no arage Tor two
days. ! had telegraphed and writ. 'en urgently
for rations and forage to be sent as b. 1t on Sat
urday morning before the action was re- sumed,
received letter from Gen Franklin, WI 'tten
the day before at Alexandria, stating to me Il, ~
he had been directed by Gen Mcclellan TO in.
form me that rations and forage for my com.
mand would be loaded into the cars and avail
able wagons as soon as would send cavalry
ceSoiS " -'i~-A''' ~ " >'''S NN- ~ ali
hope of being able tG maintain my position,
whether victorious or not, vanished with this
letter. My cavalry was utterly broken down BY
long and constant service in the face of the enc
my, and bad as they were, could not be spared
from the front. even if there had been time 10 20
back 80 miles to Alexandra and await the load
ing OF trains. At the time this letter was writ !
ten Alexandria swarming with tronps. and |
my whole army inerposed between that place
and the enemy. l at once understood thai we /
must, if possible, finish what we had to do that
day, as night must see us behind Bull Run, if !
we wished to save men and animals rom star
vatOn /
On Friday night | sent q peremptory order |
To Gen. Porter to bring bis command on the |
field. and report TO me IN person within three
hours after he received the order A portion
brought up but, as before stated, one ofL;'
brgades remained the whole day at e ;,i
and was not in the engagement. 40 $3.50
heavy re-enforcements havin", reacbod b;nn ~
Friday afternoon and nigh he began 70 mass
on his right for the pu'. poss of crushipg orr left
ana occupying tn'- road to Cenreville in our
leaI MS "eT West assault was made about 5
o CLOCK III. the afternoon when, after over
wheiiD ,h'ng Fitz John Porter and driving his
lot aes back on the centre and left, mass after
mass of his forces we're pushed against our left.
A terrific contest with a ret slaughter, was
carried on for several hours, our men behaving
with tirmness and galIantry under the imm~d
date command of Gen. Mcdowell When
night closed our left had been forced back about
half mile, but still remained firm and un
shaken, while our right held its ground.
Gen. Franklin with his corps. arrived afer |
d8rk at Centreville six miles in our rear. whilst
Sumner was four miles behind franklin. |
could have brought up these corps in the morn /
ing in time TO- have renewed the action, hut star
walton stared both men and horses in the face, |
and broken and exhausted as they were, thew |
were limo condition to bear hunger also | ac-
cordngly retired to Centrevle that nigh m /
perfect order. Neither on Sunday nor on on
day did the enemy make any advance upon us,
On Monday | sent 10 the army corps command.
ers for their effective strength, which all lolu,
including Sumner and Franklin, fell short OF