The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-09-11

enemy hau l2t6 IL. RcnO bdu ~ tcV'i ~ I'll '0'd'
Junction, and Fitz John Porter w"s rrmea'hta'y
ordered up from Broad Run. where he nal
stopped. McDUwei's movement, c'"ductei
with vigor and spec +, has been completely sur
cessGul, the enemy being intercepted at Gaines
Vile. an part of his forces driven back through
ThorourhtAre Gap Late in the evening OF the
- Mcdowell S advance (G,bbon's Brigede) met
the force Of Jackson retiring from Cemervili2,
and about six miles from that place. a very
sharp skirmish took place, ended 5y the dark
ness, in which she brigade Of Gibbon behaved
very hands .mely and suffered heavy loss.
Sigel'w close at hand with his corps, but
di! not ioin the action | instructei. kearney
to move forward at early day dawn toward
Gainesville, closely followed by Hooker aud
Reno and engage the enemy thus placed be.
tween Mcdowell and Slgel on the west, ana
Fi,z-JohnPu Porter on the South. also instruct
ed Fitz JUs Porter with his own corps, ana
King S Division Of Mcdowell corps, which had
for some reason fallen back from the Harrenton
Turnpike toward Manassas junction, to move
at daylight Ia the morning upon GaintsVliie,
along the Manassas Gap Railroad. until they
communicated closely with the forces under
Hein,zeman and Slgc!, cIuti0nlnS them not to
go further than was necessary TO effecV this
junction, as W. might be obli-ed to retre be-
hind Bull run that night for subsistence, 1t
nothing else.
Heinziennau marched early from Centrevlle
towards Gainesville closely followed by Rene
Meantime, shortly Hitcr UayiIght, Sgels and
Reynolds Division .. AlcDon eli corps hat be-
come engaged with The eneiny. who was brought
~ u stand, and ne was soon joined 81 ilelnizel-
man and Reno. wrcI. tue whole line became ac
lively engaged.
Porter marched as a.rcc.c,i, followed by
Kings Division, Wacn was oy this lne joined
by Kickett' Division, winch mad been forced
back FROM InocoughlA Gap ~ the heavy tor
ces Of the enemy advancing e supper. jackson.
As soon as found that tho enemy nad been
brought u hAg, N. E4@ og!po " .0,.sly 1t
tackled along he Werrcnton Turnpike, scot
, orders 30 Med we'll " advance rapidly on The
left, and astA Il tnG ontmy in lis flank, extend
ing his rigut 20 me-. Reynolds juls, aa " W.
John Porter 10 keep his right wei! closed OF
McDoweIl's iuis, aud attack the enemy !" hang
| and rear, whlie NJ was pushed IN front. ihis
would nave made the Nnc u .hcDOwc!! and
Porter at right 5.ugies tV sn4t ot the other lor-
ces engaged.
rhe action ragged iurously al day, Mcdowell,
although p:evlousi} IN rear OF Porter hrlnstng
his wnoe corps On tlc ;td III The ,.t6;rhooh,
aud taking cons plcuous part 10 That IaJs op-
erations. 10 my surprise aud dlsappom5menG,
| received late in the afternoon from Porter 4
note saying Til .5 his advance dad met the enelsy
Un the hanK IN some iurc4. aud THAI was re-
ti.ing upon MANASSAS junction without eDgag
inr or coming TO the assistance Ut our other
forces, although they were engaged ma furious
action only ID lew miles distant, and III full
hearing vi him. \ pOI,!On OF his force Tell
back towards Manassas. ana he remained, as he
a!terward informed me, Where H. VS. looking at
the enemy during the whole VI lht 4IternOon Oh
Friday aud part VI Friday night, passing over
in plain view to reinforce The troops under Jack
son without an effort 10 prevent IL assist US.
! One al least OF his brlgades under Gen Griffin
! cot ruuId to EGntrevlilc, and remained there
during the whole OF the next days battle, With
out coming on the field, though 10 full view OIL
The battle which was raging, whilst Gen. Grlf-
fin himself spent the day III making Ill-natured
! structures upon the General COMMANDING the
action, in the presenc' OF Il prCmiscuous Assem-
blage.
Darkness CLOSED the action ON Friday, the
enemy being driven back, from his positions by
Heintzelman s corps and Reno, concluded by d
furious attack along the turnpike by Kings dl,
vision Of McDowell's corps, leaving his dead
AMI wounded on the field.
| do not hesitate to say that if the corps
of Porter had attacked the enemy in flank
on the afternoon of Friday, as he had my
written order to do, We should have utterly
crushed jackson before the forces under Lee
could have reached him. Why he did not
cannot understand. Our men, much worn on
by hard service and continual fighting 70. many
previous days, and very short OF provisions, rest
ed on their guns. Our horses had no foras,
for two days. | telegraphed and wrot, urgent
ly tor ratlonS and !Orage to he Sent us, but OF
Saturday morning before the action was re
sumed received II letter from Gen. Franklin
written the day before at 4 lexandria, stating t,
me that he had been directed by Gen. Mcclellan
to inform me that rations and forage for m
command would be loaded into the ears aut
wagons as soon as would send d cavalry escor
to Alexandria 10 bring them mp. All hopes Q
being able to maintain my position, whethe
victorious or not vanished with this letter
My cavalry Was Utterly broken down by lon!
and constant service 10 the face OF tho ena
and, bad they were, could moi be spared frol
the front, even if there had been time to =
back 80 miles tc Alexandria. At the tma th
letter was written, Alexandria was swarmn
with troops and my whole army interposed be
tween that place aud the enemy. | at once ur
derstood that We must, if possible. finish whs
we had to do that day, as night must see us be
hind Bull Run if we wished to save men an
animals from starvation.
Ou Friday night sen, peremptory order
Gen. Porter to bring his command on the fell
and report to me in person within three hou
after he received the order. A PARTON /
brought up. bat, AS before stated one Of h
brgades remained the who'e day at Centrevil