Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1862-12-05


/ his corps be not turned over TO General Porter,
but that he be allowed 10 have II himself.
Ithsn sent o Joint order TO Generals Porter
and Mcdowell, directed to them o. Manassas
junction, specifying In detail the movements
that wished to Be made BY the troops under
corps, which had understood TO be, during the
greater part Of the night Of the 28th, on the
Warrenton turnpike and west Of the troops
under jackson, had withdrawn to Manassas,
and had, therefore, i feared, left open Jackson's
retreat in the direction Of Thoroughfare Gap, TO
which point the main portion Of the army Of
Lee was then tending to reinforce him. l did
not desire to pursue Jackson beyond the town
of Gainesville, as we could not have done 80 on
account of supplies of rations for the men and
forage for the horses. Ny order, therefore, to
Generals Porter and Mcdowell directs them to
pursue the route to Gainesville until they effect
a junction with the forces which were march,
ing upon Gainesville from Centreville, under
Heintzelman, Sigel, and Reno. That when that
junction was formed, as expected 1t would
have been very near to Gainesville, the whole
command should halt, It being, as / said before,
not feasible for my command In the condition
il then was to pursue Jackson's forces further.
During the whole morning, the forces under
sigel and Heintzelman had kept up diminishing
with the rear of Jackson's forces, they retiring
in the direction of Gainesville. They were
brought to a stand at Grovetown, think, about
eight miles from Centreville, perhaps five or
six for Gainesville.
When rode on. the battle field, which was
about noon, having been delayed at Centreville,
found that the troops had been sharply en-
gagged, and were still confronting each other.
Gen. Sigel reported to me that he needed rein
forcements in the front, that his lines were
weak, and that the condition Of his troops re-
! quired their withdrawal from the action. / told
him, as told Gen. H., who was present on the
ground, that I only wished them to maintain
their positions, as the corps of Mcdowell and
Porter were then on the march from Manassas
Junction towards the enemy's right flank, and
ought In very short time to be In such posi-
tion as to fall upon that portion Of his line. /
desired them, therefore, only to maintain the
!. val Of Gems. Mcdowell and Porter. About hall
past four in the afternoon, finding that neither
Mcdowell nor Porter had made their appear
ance upon the field, I sent an order to General
Porter informing him of the condition Of things
on the field, and stated to him that desired
him to push forward and attack the enemy on
! the flank, and II possible, in the rear, without
/ Any delay. This was on the 2Sth.
q As to the orders that were sent on the 18th
! finding that Gen. Porter did not comply with
i this order, and receiving dispatch which he
! sent to Gems. Mcdowell and King, stating that
. ne was ABOUT 10 DhCh 10 Mduhssdb juno
; ton, because he saw clouds of dust, showing
that, in his Judgment, the enemy was advancing
on the road that he was occupying, and stating
that il appeared to him, from the fire that HI
2 had been listening to on the battlefield, thai
4 our forces were retreating and the enemy ad
yancing, he had determined to fall back to Ma
nassas Junction, and recommended Gems. Nc
: Dowell and King to send back their trains also
Shortly after receiving this note, purporing tt
y be from Gen. Porter TO Gems. Mcdowell ant
King, sent an order to Gen. Porter, directing
him, Immediately upon the receipt Of the order
4, to march his whole command to the field o
: battle, and to report to me in person for orders
stated to him that expected him to compl.
|, strictly with that order. put II IN such form
u perhaps, as was not entirely courteous, becaus
y / had understood Gen. Porter, upon two severa
: ; occasions previous, TO have disobeyed the order
= that sent him. The first Of these orders wa
!; superseded by the one issued to Gen. Mcdowell
4 subsequently.
!, !, O. At what hour was the second order nd
= dressed to Generals Porter and McDowell2
n A. think It was between and O'Clock I
r the morning. -
2 @. Was there an engagement then pending
h 4. Yes, sir; sharp fighting was going on o
II the turnpike leading from Centreville to Wal
A renton.
u u o. Did the march of Gen. Porter's command
a indicated in that order, lead him towards this
q battle2
= A. 1t did. Porter's entire command al III
a time, numbered about IL, 500 men.
Q. What was the distance from Manassas I
"A the scene of this engagement
W A. Between and miles; with roads In e,
cellent condition.
Q. You state that Gen. Mcdowell obeye
er that order, so far as to appear upon the battl
IN field with his command.
~ ~ A. Yes, sir. He arrived on the battle-f ielt
is think, about o'clock and later pushed HI
~ 10 corps to the 'front.' the division of Gen. Kin
- having had sharp engagement with the en-
,o my, along the Warrenton turnpike, in advant
y I Of the positions that we had occupied durin
IL the day.
:, Q. To reach the battlefield had not Gel
Ia Mcdowell as great a distance to march as Gel
ie Porteri
A. l should think fully as great.
Q. Did not Gen. Mcdowell, In obeying thi
n, order issued at II o'clock pass Gen. Porter ar
nv nv his command on the way2
VI A. I so understood.
-, Q. will ask you now as to whether Gener
n n Porter obeyed the last order issued, which W,
about $50 p. m, on the Goth of August
or A. Gen. Porter appeared himself on the tie
he the next morning, with portion of his COZ
re- and Piats, were not present, but were report
IRE being at Centreville. will say of the latt
brigade that, learning battle was going on
Ike the advance, they marched forward witho
orders from anybody, and made their appea
ed ance on the ground, and took part in the actit
late in the afternoon of the 30th.
ear Q. Did Gen. Porter obey this orderi
A. He did not certainly obey II fully. II
ect had obeyed 1t, he would have been brought
to the enemy before Al O'Clock in the evenin
IN but at that time no one on the battlefield knt
where Porter was.
ith Q. Did he obey the second order, issued
he 430 p. M, on the Goth of August, directing hi
rs, to engage the enemy in the flank, and If pc
The sible, in the rear
TO A. He did not; nor did he make any attem
yed TO do 60, as far as my knowledge extends.
nv. Q. viii you state the condition Of the bait
ed, field at that hour, and the Importance of
hal obedience Of this order for the success of 20
en- troops.
nd A. Late In the afternoon of the 29th, perha
INV towards halfpast five or six O'Clock, about I
time that hoped that Gen. Porter would be
ave his position and be assaulting the enemy on
ask flank, and when Mcdowell had himself arriy
en-, with his corps on the field Of battle, direct
as an attack TO be made on the left OF the enem
,rts line, which was handsomely done by Heintz
mans and Reno's corps. The enemy "
driven back In all directions, and left a lal
OBJ part of the ground, with his dead and wount
upon it, in our possession. Had Gen. Por
the fallen on the flank Of the enemy at any time up
,int eight O'Clock that night, as i0ds hoped he poi
~ II IL mn firm, couyictioU that iHe should Ldye