Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-08-20
BATTLE OF CULPEPPER.
Gen. J Iopes OmciaI Report
HEAD-QUARIERs ARMY ~ Va. ,.
CAlar Mountain Anr II Eptr

Il
| Culpepper and Madison Court House. |
had established my whole force on the
turnpike between Cu!reppcr and Sperry-
VILE. ready TO concentrate at either place
a soon as the enemy'S plans were devel-
oped. Early on Friday il became appar-
ent that the n.ny" on Madison Court
House mere. leint 10 deceive the
armv orps Of Gen Sigel al Sperryville,
and II : the msin atiack "c the enemy
,.U9id - -. Culpepper, to which place
i'd thrown forward part of Banks and
McDowelPs corps.
Brig. Gen. Bayard wifi IarI OF the rem
Of Mcpowell's corps. VINO Was in the ad.
vance nesn the Rapidan. fell slowly back,
delaying and embarrassing the enemy :
advance a2 far as possible. ani capturing
| some O; las men
The forces of Banks and Sigrl and one
of the DIVISIONS Of McDnwclIs corps were
rapidlyconcrntriting At Culpeppcr during
Friday aud Saturday night. Banks corps
being pushed forward five miles south OF
| Culpeppe with Rickets' division of Ne
Dowell's corps three miles in his rear
| The corps of GEN Sigel which had march.
Ell all night, was halted in Culpeprcr 10
rest 4 tew hours.
On Saturday the rurmy advanced rap
idly 10 Cedar Mountain. the sides Of which
they occnpied in heavy force.
Gen. Banks was instructed To- take up
his portion on the ground occupied by
Crawford's brigades of his command, which
had been thrown out the day previous to
observe tAe enemy's movements. lie was
directed not to advance beyond that point
1 OFT H. rl,a i 4
his positlm and send back timely notice.
1t was my d->ire TO have time To give the
corps OF ti"n. SiGrl all the rest possible.
after their forced march. and to bring for
ward all the forces at my disposal.
The artillery of the enemy opened ear
" in the afternoon but he made no ad-
vance until early } o'clock. at which time
few skirmishers were thrown forward on
each side under cover of the heavy wood
in which his force was concealed The
enemy pushed forward q strong force in
the rear of his skirmisherS and Gen.
Banks advanced To the attack. The en-
gagement did not fairly open until after
& o'clock. but for an hour and a half was
furious and uncea>iHg, throughout the
cannonading which was at first desultory.
and directed mainly against the cavalry
had eAntinued 10 receive reports from
Gen. BaTlks that no attack was apprehend-
ed, and a1at no consideIa able Infantry for
ces of the enemy had come forward
Yet. towards evening the increase in the
artillery firing have satisfied ME an en-
gagement might be- at hand. though the
lateness of the hour rendered il unlikely,
| ordered Gen. Mcdowell to advance
IL to
and directed Gen. Sigei to bring his men
on the ground as soon as possible. | az
rived personally on the field at P. ".
and found the action raging furiously.
The infantry fire was iucessant and Sc
we're. found Gen. BANKS holding the pO-
sition he took up in the morning; his
losses were heIvy. Ricket's division was
Immediately pushed forward and occupi-
ed the advance Of Gen. Banks. The bri-
gade of Gen. S. and Gordon being direct
ed TO ch nge their position from the right
and mass themselves in the center. Be
fore 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 2d and
5th Maine batteries in Ricketts, Division
of Gen. McDowell's corps was most des-
tructive, as was readily observable the
next morning in the dead men and hor-
ses and broken carriages oT the enemy >
batteries which had been advanced against
it.
Our troops rested on their arms during
the night in line of battle, shelling be-
ing kept up on both sides until midnight.
At daylight the next morning the enemy
fell back two miles from our front and
still higher up the mountain.
Our pickets at once advanced and Occu-
pied the ground. The fatigue of the
troops from long marches and excessive
heat made 1t impossible for either side 10
resume the action on Sunday. The men
were therefore allowed to rest and recruit
the whole day, our only active operation
being that Of the cavalry on the enemy :
1ank and rear Monday was spent in bu-
rying the dead and getting of the woun-
ded The slaughter was severe on both
sides. most Of the fighting being hand 10
hand. The dead bodies of both armies
were found mingled together III masses all
over the whole ground Of conflict. The
burving of the dead was not completed
until midnight on Monday, the heat be-
ing so terrible that severe work was not
possible.
On Monday night the enemy fed from
the field, leaving many of his dead unbur-
led and his wounded on the ground and
along the road 10 Orange Court House, as
will be seen from Gen. Buford's dispatch.
cavalry and artillery force under Gen.
Buford was Immediately thrown forward
in pursuit and followed the enemy TO the
Rapidan, over which he passed with his
rear guard by 10 o'clock in the morning.
The behaviour Of Gen. Banks corps dur
ing the action was very fine No greater
gallantry and daring could he exhibited
by any troops.
l cannot speak TOO highly of the cool
ness and intrepidity of Gen. Banks him
self dnring the whole of the engagement.
He was in the front, and exposed as much
as any man in the command. His exam
pie was of the greatest benefit, and lie
merits and should receive the commend
alton of his Government.
Gems. Williams, Augur, Gordon, Craw-
ford. Prince. Green and Geary behaved
with conspicuous gallantry. Augur and
Gearv were severely wounded, and Prince,
by losing his way in the dark while pass
ing from one flank to the other. fell into
the hands of the enemy.
desire publicly to expess my apprecia-
ton of the prompt and skillful manner in
which Gems. Mcdowell and Sigel brought
forward their respective commands and
established them on the field, and of their
cheerful and hearty cooperation with me
from beginning 10 end.
Brig. Gen. Roberts, chief of cavalry Of
this army, was with the advance of our
forces on Friday and Saturday, and was
for his gallantry and for the
aid he rendered to Gen. Banks
and Crawford. --s..---
Our loss was about 1900 killed, wound
ed and missing, of whom 900 were taken
prisoners. As might be expected from
the character of the engagement q very
large proportion of these were killed
The enemy's loss in killed, wounded and
we are now satisfied is much in
excess Of our own. A full list of casuali-
ties will be transmitted as soon as posi-