The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-09-20


len back from The Wsrrentor turnn;ks. ts.s,d
Manassas Junction, to move a dayIiabt r. TIA
morning upon Gainesville, along s6S KlnS -
zap railroad, until they comusunicsted clOSely}
WIN she fosces under General Heintaleman and
Sgei; causooing them not togo further than was
nsoessaty 70 effect THE junction. "a we m;ohk ~
forced to retire behind Bull Run that MIX. for
subsistence, If for nothing elae. :" 80 81
0en. heinssleman marched early from Gen.
tseviiie toward Gainesville, closely followed bv
Hene. Meantime, shortly after DAYLIGHT Sickles,
and A Reynolds Divisions Of NcDo well's coma
became engaged with the enemy Who was
oroe8ns toe stand. Heintzlemsn7 and Reno
soon cisercame up, when the entire line became
scuveiy engaged. Porter marched as vas idi-
tec.eo, followed BY Kings Division, which had
Seen forced oack from Thoroughfare Gap by the
ne.vy 'olces OF the enemy advancing to the
. AZ soon a. found that the enemy had been
brought to halt, and was being vigorously A.
tackled along the Wsrrenton turnpiie. cent or.
GERS to Gen Mcdowell 70 advance rapidlv ON
our LETT and attack the enemy on his flank, |ex-
!en0lng MS right to reach Reynolds left; and
20 yen. Porter to keep his right we'll closed on
ncDoWehs lett and to attack the enemy in flank
snd rear, while be was puzzled in front This
w0oid nave made the line of battle of Mellow
ell and Porter at right angles to that of the 9th.
er forces engaged. This action ragged furiously
all Gay, Mcdowell, although previously in rear
OF Porter, bringing bis whole corps on the field
IN the afternoon, and taking . conspicuous part
10 the operations Of the day.
10 my surprise and disappointment, received,
late In the afternoon, from Gen. Porter. q note
saying his advance had met the enemy on the
nank, IN some force, and that he was retiring
-saI -
enemy, or coming to the assistance Of our other
forces, although they were engaged in furious
action, only two miles distant, and in full hear.
ing Of him. A, portion of his forces fell back
towards Manassas, while he remained, as he A.
forwards informed me, where hewas looking on
the enemy during the afternoon OF Friday and
part OF the same night, passing down in plain
view to reinforce the troops under jackson,
without an effort to prevent it or assist us. n 7
One of his brigsdss, under Gen. Griffin, got
round 70 Centerville, and remained there during
the whole of the next days battle, without
coming on the field, though in full view Of the
battle which was raging; While Cen Griffin
himself spent the day in making ill natured
structures upon the General COMMANDING, in the
presence Of . promiscuous assemblage. Dark
ness closed the action on Friday, the enemy
being driven back from his position BY Heiutz-
tack along the turnpike BY Kings division and
AcDowells corps, the enemy leaving his dead
and wounded on the battle field ~ ,E',r@
do not hesitate to Say that if the corps Of
Porter had attacked the enemy in flank on the
| afternoon Of Friday, az he had my written or
ders to do, we should have crushed the enemy
before the forces under Lee could have Joined
| them. Why he did not do se, could not under.
stand Our men, much worn down BY hard ser.
vice and continued fighting, for many previous
days and nights, and very short of provisions,
rested on their arms Our horses had not been
forged for ten days ei yn5as ~ ,ste'q
had telegraphed and written frequently for
rations and forage to be sent to US; but on Sat-
urdsy morning, before the action was resumed,
I received q letter from Gen. Franklin, written
the day previous from Alexandra, stating that
he had been directed by Gen. Mcclellan to il
form me that rations and forage for my COM
mand would be loaded into cars and available
wagons as soon as would forward cavalry es-
cort to Alexandrla to bring them up. All hope
of being able to maintain my position, whether
victorious or not, vanished with this information.
Ny cavalry was utterly broken down by long
and constant service in the face of the enemy,
and, bad as they were, could not be spared from
the front, even If there had been time to 20 back
thirty miles to Alexandra and wait the loading
of the trains. I at once understood that We
must, if possible, finish whatever We had to do
that day, or night would fad 10 behind Bull
Run, If We wished to ave men and animals from
starvation. The .euemy's large reinforcements
having reached him on Friday afternoon an
night, be began to mass on bis right for the pur-
pose of crushing our left and occupying the
road leading to Centerville. in our rear. ,,r--
His heaviest assault WAS made about : o'clock
| in In sc 1T
Gen. Fitx John Porter's forces, and driving him
back on the center and left, mass after mass of
the enemyS forces were pushed against our left.
A terrific contest With great slaughter, WAS car
ried on for several hours, our men behaving
with 6rmness and gallantry under the imme-
date command Of Gen. Mcdowell. When night
closed, our left WAS forced back about half a
mile, but still remained firm and unbroken, while
the right held it's ground.
Gen. Franklin, with his corps, arrived after
dark at Centreviile' six miles in our rear! whilst
Gen. Sumner WAS four miles behind Franklin
/ could::have brought up these corps in the NOR
ming, in time to have renewed the action, bat
men and horses were completely exhausted for
want Of sufficient food accordingly retired
to Centreviile that night, 40 psrfect order. Nei-
4 ther on Sunday or Monday did the enemy make
aoy advance upon US. On Monday sent to
strength, which, ali told, fell short Of go, oO0.
The enemy, during Monday, again began to
move slowly around to our right, for the purpose
Of possessing Fairfax Court House, and Tins
turning our rear. A portion of Summers division
had been left there, and sent Gen. Hooker, on
Monday afternoon, to take command and post
himself at or in front of Germantown; at the
same t,me:directirg Mcdowell to take possession
along the turnpike from Centreville to Fairfax
Court House, about ten miles west of the latter
plsco. Heintzelmsn vas directed to post him
self In the rear, and support lof Reno; who was
pushed north Of the road at point about three
miles east of Centreville, and to cover the road.
| It was my purpose, in the course Of the night,
to mass my command on the right, in the direc-
ton of Germantown, where felt convinced the
next attack of tho enemy would be made. Late
in the afternoon on Monday the enemy made biz
demonstration on Germantown, but was met by
Hooker at that place, and BY Reno, reinforced
by Kearney, further west The battle was very
severe, though of short duration, the enemy be-