, 1862-09-12

Of tie same night, passing down in plain view
to reinforce he troops under Jackson, with
One of bis brigades, under Gen. Grit1n. got
round to Centrevi'le, and remained thers dur
the wtole OF the next days bartle, without
coming on the field, though in full view Of The
bafte which vas raging; while Gen. Grifia
s1tlcturts upon the general commanding, in
the pr sence Of promiscuons assembiage.
Dark net closed the action on Friday, Ice
tDtny beinE drivt n back from his position by
Heinfzelman's and Reno's corps, and by fa-
vision aid McD0welrs Corps, the enemY
leaving his dead and wounded on the battle
field.
T do not hesitate to say thdt if tbs corps Of
c5ternoom Of Friday, as he hAd my acrittea Or
dt7s 10 do, are Sloutd hare crushtI the eneoy
1+fore the forces uut}e4 Lee could haas joined
thin Wty he did no, Go SO, I cannot uader-
stand. Our ulep, much worn down By hard
service att CONTINUED fighting, for u my pre-
visions, rested On their arms. Our horses had I
Aot hud Jo,age for te74 days.
/ had teiegrAphed and written frequently /
for Ta1ions aud forage to be sent us; out on /
Saturday morning, before the action @as re-
SUM 1, received a lett=r from Gen. FrAuk- |
lin, w,i11e the day prerions from at-1lu
dria, Stating that HE HAD BEEN D1asCTED Be |
GEN. MCCLELLAN TO INFORM Ms THAT ia |
TioSs AND FORAGE FOR Nj CoAAAND WOULD |
1sE Loaded INTO CARS AND AVAILABLE WAC
ONS AS SOON AS WOULD FORWARD 4 CANAL
RI ESCORT TO ALEXANDRIA TO BRING TEEN
Cr. All hope Of being able to mat1t 4in my
position, whether yic:orlous.or not. Vanished
with th1. information
My cavalry was utterly broken down by
long and constant service in the face Of the
ENEMY, and, bad as they we're, could nos bs
spared from the front, even if there had been
time to 90 back thirty miles to Alex 1ndria
ard await the loading Of the trains. at once
understood that We must if possible, finish
whatever We had to do that day, or night
would ind Us behind Bail Run. if ~e wished
to >aas .ne7a and animals from stzrvdtion. Tae
e,ltny's large selufo1ceu1ents having reached
him OIL Friduy afs fsernoon and night, he began
to mass on his right, for the purpose, Of crash
ing our 1eft and occupy ing the rOad leading
| to Centrevile, in our rear.
His heaviest assault Was made about
o'clock in the afternoon. When> afier
| overwhelming General Fitz John Porter's
forces, and driving him back on the center
aid lett, mass after mas5 Of the enemy's
forces were pushed against our left. 4 ter
Tiic contest, with great Slang hte1, was carried
| on for several hours, our men behaving with
tirpress aDd CALAMITY under the immediate
cummand of General Mcdowell. Waen
night closed, our left was forced back about
broken. while the right held its graund
! Gen. Franklin, with his corps, arrived after
dark st Ceptreyille, six miles in our rear;
whilst Gen. 6uGner WAS tour miles behind
| Franklin. l could have brought up tdese
| corps Ia the morning in time to have renewed
| The acLi n, but men and horses were com-
p1r'ely exhausted tor want OF sufficient flod.
accordingly retired to Crntreville that
night in perfect order. Neither on Sunday
or Monday nid the enemy make any advance
upon u. Oa Monday / sent to t5s array
ce.rrs ccmmarderF for their effective strength; !;
which, a'1 told fell short OF TO 900 men.
The enemy, during Monday, again began to
move slowly around to our right, for ths pur-
pose Of possessing Fairfax Courthouse, aud
thus tu'utrg our resr. L portion OF 81 n
r+r'e civis ion had been left there, aud [ sent
Grbe1al Hooker, on Monday afternoon, to
tske command and post himself 3: or in trout
If Germantown; at the same time dire ing
| Mcdowell to take position alongthe turnpise
| f1om Centreyitle to Fairfax Courthouse, aoout
ten miles west of the litter place. H.lnfzel-
man was directed to post himself in the rear,
and support Of Reno, who WAS pushed north
Of The read at pint about three miles east
Of Cenrevl1le, aud to cover the road,
1: vas my purpose in the course Of the
1''Elt to nass my command on the right, il
the direction Of GeruantoWn, where I fell
c'snElpc7d the next attack Of the enemy you'd
be made. Late in the af1eraoon on Monday
the enemy made his demonstrate up N 6 #
ma1town, but vas met by Hooker at tnA'
, place, and By Reno, reinforced by kelrGty
torsher west. The battle was very severe
+ though Of short duration, the eueaoy being
I drive tack one mile, with heavy loss. leaving
his dad and wounded. In this short act;ot
, we lost two Of our most valuable and distiu
| 2;li-hed officers, Generals K-arney aud Ste
| Eens.
i By morning the whole OF my command VA
nasse behind difficult creeks, between Fila
I Hill md the Warrentou turnpike, with tin
+ advance upder Hooker in front OF German
: town. HHh The reception of Gen. Sumner, tt
: commanders Of the ar'ny Of the P1fo.aac ha
continued to inform me that their commands ha
: ben df7aorui=ea f,~r since they hal left H1rri
= so"'x Landing. IhAt they had no spirit an
This latter statement their cnnduct in til
= various actions fully contradicted. Bat th
5 struggling in those corps was distressing.
rec=ived orders on Tue day afternoon to r
t tire to the intrenchments lear Washington
~ mhirh Was accordingly done, in good o~ds
ard Without the slightest loss. Cen 3 aux
r who had heen left with the railroad tratus. CT
il off 81 Bristow, By the burning Of the hridg'
p VS. ordered to Join me Gu Monday at Csute
a | rjlle, which he did on the afternoon OF th'
= day.
If This hrief summary Will explain sufficient
"a in detail the entire operations of the forcs
i. under my command, during sixteen days
n continuous lighting by day aud mlrching I
of right, to confront 4 poFerfnl enemy vii
IS day without the loss Of the army; to d-l
n and cmharrass his movements, and to for
sr him, by persistent resistance, to adopt lo'
Il and cirslitons rontes TO his destination, a
~, t.; G duties Which have been imposed upon II,
k, They ar, Of all military operations, Il
he most difficult and the most harrassi ing, bo
I'd to comnlaHder aud to his troops. Ho1 f
at we have been successful, I leave to tds jad
"a ment Of my conutrymen. The armies
RI Virginia aud the Potomac, hare been unit.
As in the presence and sgaiust the cHorts OF
to wary and vigorous enemy. IN greatly SUPER
"a force, With no loss for which they did not e
r att full retribut!nn.
Among the officers whom I feel boun
ed mention with especial gratitude for their mi
u hearty, cordial aad untiring zsal ani {
.yt erey. are Generals Hooker, k"arney, II M:Do
.er I'll, Banks, Reno, Hriutzelmau, and ma
~ o1h.rs ~t inferior rank. whom sh I'LL ta
,e crest p.easrrs in bringing to tie notice
In. tie government. The troops have exhloi'
go "ofae:lAi Fst'Snee Aaes eoafaE Aa4 ! caoA
ng say 100 mucn 1or taem. JOHN IoPE,