The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-09-19

IDLY oy iAa turnpike upon Gainesville, SO as
to intercept any reintorcements coming to
jackson through >: h0roughIara Gap and
instructing Reno, with bis c0,nmand, and
kearny, With one di"ision Of Heinizalman's
TO march On GlecuWinh. SD as to support
Mcdowell in case OF necessity. | moved
back along the rlilrcad upon Manassas
junction. Near Kettle Run Hooker came
upon the advance Of Ewell's Division OF The
afternoon OF the 27tl. 4 severe action took
place, which termjne q at dark, Eweii be
ing driven from the ield win tie loss oil
his camp aid ti4re9 hundred killed and
wounded. Ihe unfortunate oversight OF
not bringing more than forty rounds of an.
snunlti0n b came at once ;liarCi,g. At
nigbtfa!i Ho0ke. lad but about i've rounds
TO tie man laj IS soOl as | ,earned tnis
| sent back ord rs tc Fitz-J0En Porter to
march with his corps at o'clock that night,
so as to be with Hooker at daylight in the
morning. 1he distance was only nine miles,
and be received the dispatch at $50 o'clock
next morning. He can probably explain
better than can the reason of this delay.
Fortunately Hooker had handled the
army SO severely the evening before, and
the movement of Mcdowell had begun to
be SO apparent, that the enemy, fearful OF
being surrounded, had retreated precipitate.
ly to Manassas Junction, directing his re-
treat through Ce1treville, as Mcdowell,
Reno and kearney had made the road
through Gainesville impracticable. l inn
mediately pushed forward to Manassas, and
thence to Centrevile, which was occupied
by Kearney that night only few hours
after the enemy had left it. Reno had
reached Manassas Junction, and Fitz John
Porter was Immediately ordered up from
Broad Run, where he bad stopped. Nc
Dowell's movement, conducted with vigor
and speed, bad been completely successful,
the enemy being intercepted at Gainesville,
and part of his forces driven back through
Ihoroughfare Gap Late in the evening of
the --, McDowell's advance (Gibbon's
Brigade) met the force OF jackson retiring
from Centreville, and about six miles from
that place. A very sharp skirmish took
place, ended by the darkness, in which the
brigades of Gibbon behaved very hand
s0mely, and suffered heavy loss.
Sigel was close at hand with his corps,
but did not join the action. l instructed
Kearney to move forward at early dawn
toward Gainesville, closely followed by
Hooker and Reno, and engage the enemy
thus placed between Mcdowell aud SigeI
on the west, and Ffz John Porter on the
south. also instructed Fitz John Porter
with his own corps, and Kings division of
McDowels corps, which had for some rea-
son fallen back from the Warrenton Turn.
pike toward Manassas Junction, to move
at daylight in the morning upon Gaines
vile, along the Manassas Gap Railroad,
until they communicated closely with the
forces under Heintzelman and Sigel, eau
toning them not to 60 further than was
necessary to effect this junction, as we
might be obliged to retire behind Bull Run
that night for subsistence, if nothing else
Heintzelman marched early from Centre
vile toward Gainesville, closely followed by
Reno Meantime, ehort!y after daylight,
Slgel's and Reynolds Division of Mellow
ellis corps had become engaged with the
enemy, who was brought to stand, and be
was soon joined by HeiD,z2lman and Reno,
when the whole line became actively en-
gagged.
Porter marched as directed, followed by
Kings Division, which was by this time
joined by Ricketts, Division, which had been
forced back from Thoroughflre Gap by the
heavy forces Of the enemy advancing to sup.
port jackson.
AS soon as | found that the enemy had
been brought to bait, and was being vig-
Orously attacked along the Warreuton Turn
pike, sent orders to Mcdowell to advance
rapidly cn the Iett, and attack the enemy IN
his flank, extending bis right to meet Rey-
nolds' left, and to Fitz.John Porter to keep
his right well closed on McDowell's left and
to attack the enemy 10 hlnk and rear, while
he was pushed 10 front. This would have
made the line OF Porter and Mcdowell at
right angles to that of the other forces
engaged.
The action ragged turiously all day, Nc
DoweIl, although previously 10 rear of Por-
ter bringing his whole corps on the field in
the afternoon, and taking conspicuous
part in that days operations. To my sur.
prise and disappointment, l received late in
the afternoon from Porter note saying
that his advance had met the enemy on The
flank in some force, ard that he was retir
ing upon Manassas Junction without en-.
gaging or coming to the assistance of our
other forces, although they were engaged in
furious action only two miles distant, and
in full bearing of him. A portion of bis
force fell back towards Manassas, and he
remained, as he alterward informed me-
where be was looking at the enemy during
the whole of the afternoon of Friday end
part of Friday night, passing over in plain
view 10 reinforce the troops unde: Jackson
without an effort to prevent it or assist US.
One at least of his brigades under General
Griffin, got round to Centrevil'e, and re-
mained there during the whole OF the next
days battle, without coming on the field
though in full view of the battle which was
| raging, whilst Gen. Grifen himself spent the