The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-08-18

/ peyOnu Inat point, ano IL attacked by the
enemy to defend his position and send
back timely notice. 1t was my desire to
have time to give the corps Of General
: Sigei all the rest possible, after their
forced march, and TO bring forward all the
force at my disposal. The artillery of the
enemy opened early in the afternoon, but
he made no advance until nearly s O clock,
at which timc few skirmishers were
, thrown forward on each side, under cover
OF the heavy wood ia which his force was
concealed. The enemy pushed forward a
strong force in the rear of his skirmishrs,
and Gen. Banks advanced to The attack.
The engagement did not fairly open till
| after 6 o'clock, but for an hour and half
was furious and upceasing. Throughout
the cannonading. which was at first desul
tory and directed mainly against the
cavalry, had continued to receive re-
ports from Gen. Banks that no attack was
apprehsnded, and that no considerable in
fanry force Of the enemy had come for.
ward.
Towards evening, the increase in the
artillery firing having satisfied me an en-
gagement might be At hand, though the
lateness of the hour rendered it unlikely.
l ordered Gen. Mcdowell to advance
Ricketts, division to support Gen. Banks,
and directed Gen. Sigel to bring his men
on the ground az soon as possible. | ar
rived personally on the field at p. m,
and found the action raging furiou,ly--
The infantry Ere was incessant and Sc
we're. found Gen. Banks holding the
position he took up early in the morning.
His losses we're heavy. Ricketts, division
was immediately pushed forward, and oc
cupied the advance of Gen Banks, the
brigade of Gen. Gordon being directed to
change their position from the right and
mass themselves in the center. Before
this change could be effected it was quite
dark, though the artillery continued at
short range. without intermission. The
artillery fire at night by the ed and 9Th
Maine batteries, in Ricketts, division of
Gen. McDowelPs corps, vas most destruc-
tive, as was readily observable the next
morning in the dead men and horses, and
broken gun carriages of the enemy's bat.
teries which had bes n advanced against
it. Our troops rested on their arms dur
ing the night in line OF battle, heavy
Smelling being kept up on both sides until |
midnight. At dayligh hi next morning the |
enemy fell back two miles from our front
and still higher on the mountain. Our
pickets At once advanced and occupied
the ground. The fatigue of the troops.
from long marches aud excessive heat
made it impossible for either side to re.
sumo the action on Sunday. The men
were therefore allowed to rest and recruit
the whole day. Our only active opera
ton being that of cavalry on the eneny's
Hank and rear. Monday was spent in
burying the dead and in getting off the
wounded. The slaughter was severe on
both sides, most of the fighting being
hand to hand. The dead bodies of both
armies were found mingled together in
masses over the whole ground Of conflict.
The burying Of the dead was not CON-
pleted until dark. On Monday the heat
being so terrible that severe work was not
possible. On Monday night the enemy
ned from the field leaving many of his
dead unburied and his wounded on the
ground and along the road to Orange
Court House, as will be seen from Gen.
Buford's dispatch. A cavalry and artil.
cry force under Gen. Buford was imme.
diately thrown forward in pursuit and fol.
lowed the enemy to the Rapidau, over
which he passed with his rear guard BY
III o'clock In the morning.
The behavior of Gen. Banks corps dur
ing the fight was very fine. No greater
gallantry and daring could be exhibited
by any troops. 1 can not speak too highly
Of the GOODNESS and intrepidlty of Gen.
Banks himself. During the whole of the
engagement he wasin the front. and ex-
posed ~ much ~ any man in the CON-
mand. His example was of the greatest
benefit, and be merits, and should receive
the commendation Of his government.-
Generals Williams. Augur, Gordon, Craw-
ford, Prince, Green and Geary behaved
with conspicuous gallantry. Generals
Augur and Geary we're severely wounded.
and Prince, BY losing his way in the dark.
while passing from one faux 10 the other,
fell into the hands of the enemy.
desire publicly to express my sppre-
citation Of the prompt and skiilful
manner in which Generals Mcdowell and
Sigel brought forward their respective
commands and established them on the
held and Of their hearty cooperation with
me from beginning to end. Brig. Gen
Roberts, chief Of cavalry of this army,
was with the advance Of our forces on
Friday and Saturday, and was conspicu-
Gus for his gallautry and for the valuable
aid ne rendered to Generals Banks and
Crawford. Our loss was about 1900
Killed, wounded and missing. Of whom
zOO were taken prisoners. As might be