New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-09-11
THE RECENT BATTLES BN v1H-
GINA.
u.nnrt Of Mnior.-Gcr1. Pope.

GENERAL: / have the honor 10 submit Tue 'Vi'O
Ing brief sketch OF the operations oil this army ''"'
the 9Th OF August: ,:,o, ord
moved from Sperrvville Little Washington any
Warrenton with the corls Of Banks ana cibeil "uI
one division Of Mcdowell corps Dumoeilns ~ an
tbirty-two thousand men, TO meet tbe ensny, WV
had crossed the Rapidan ana was "u'ap'l"s ~"
CnLenr.r nh. movement toward GOrdOnsvlle
hal completely succeeded in drawing on laFge
force from Richmond aud 10 relieving the army Of
the Potomac from much Of the Danger winch Unreal
a tia withdrawal from the Peninsula.
On, .,,oo g A,g o o; Cedar Mountain. with the
Co.,. nvder jackson which compelled hls retreat
$50 the Raj idau made necessary stl llrlber re-
.rsorcemsuts Of The enemy from Richmond; anu oy
his time il being apparent That the army q, 'ne
Potomac was evacuaing the Peninsula, the whoe
force Of the enemy concentrated around Richmond
was pushed forward with gteatTapIdty TO crush the
Army Of Virginia before the forces evacuating the
Peninsula could be united with it. | remained al
Cedar Mountain, and still threatened to cross the
Rapid4n until the l7th OF August, by which time
Gen. Robert Lee had assembled in my front, and
within eight miles, nearly the whole Rebel army.
Az as ascertained this fact, and knew that the
Army Of the Potomac no longer IN danger,
drew back nv whole force across the Rappah2n-
mock, the night of the 18th and day Of the 18th,
without loss OF any kind, and one day in advance OF
Lees proposed movement against me. The enemy
Immediately appeared 10 my front at Rappahannock
Station, and attempted TO pass the rlver at that
bridge, and the numerous fords above aud below,
but without success.
The line Of the upper Rappahannock which had
been ordered to hold, that the enemy might be de-
lsyed long enough III bis advance upon W Washington
~ enable the forces from the Peninsula to land and
effect junction with me- was very weak, as II could
be crossed at almost any point above the railroad
bridge by good fords.
BY constant vigilance and activity, and much
severe fighting for three days, the enemy gradu-
ally forced around from the railroad crossing TO
Waterloo Bridge, west Of WarTenton. Meantime
ny force had been much diminished by actual loss
IN battle, and by fatigue and e4posuEe-so that
elthOugh had been joined by a detachInent under
Gen Reno aud the other division of Mcdowell
corps my force barely numbered ~ thousand men.
On the - heavy rain fell, which rendered the
fords impossible for twenty-iour hours AS soon az
/ discovered this, | concentrated my forces, and
mar 4ed rapidly upon ulphur Springs and Waterloo
Bridge 10 drive back the forces of the enemy, which
had succe,ded in crossing at these points. This WAS
successfully DONE and the bridges destroyed.
passed one day-or rather part OF one-at War
renton and beyond. The enemy still continued to
move slowly around along the river, masking every
ford with artillery and heavy forces OF infantry,
that it impossible for me TO attack him. even
with the greatly inferior forces under my command,
without passing the river fords strongly guarded
In the face of superior numbers.
The movement of Jackson toward White Plains,
All in the direction of Thoroughtare Gap, while the
main body OF the enemy confronted NE at Sulphur
81 hinge and Waterloo Bridge, was well known TO
4
had been assured would be sent from Alexandria.
ana one stray division Of which had ordered TO
TAX post on the works at Manassas Junction. was
en- ~ under the belief that these would be there,
sId not until found my communicated in
ter D'od that was undeceived | knew that this
b. yrueDt was no raid, and that il was made by not
Les han twenty-five thousand men, under Jack on.
B. this time the army CORPS Of Heintzelman, about
IL, 900 strong had reached Wsrrenton Junction. one
division of Il, | think on the very day of the raid;
A,ts i.r forfx
rounds Of ammunition TO the man, without wagons,
and even the field and general officers without
horses Fltz John Porter also arrived at Brle'ow
Station, near RappshaDnock, with one of his divls-
ions, 400 strong, while bis other division was
still At Barnetts and Kelly's Ford. directed that
corIs, about $500 strong, 10 concentrate inmedi-
siely at Warreuion Junction, where Heintzelman
already This WAS accomplished on the
evening # the til. As soon az it became known 10
me that Jackson was on the railroad, II became ap
parent that the upper Rsppahannock 10
longer tenabe. could not detach sufficient force
~ meet jackson, and at he same time attempt to
confront the main oody Of the enemy. l accordingly
q. once evacuated Warrenton and Warrenton June
ton directing Mcdowell, with his own corps and
Sigels and the division Of Reynolds to march rap
ioly by the turnpike upon Gainesville, 40 az to
intercept any re-enforcements coming to jackson
through rhOroughiare Gap; and instructng Reno,
with his command, and KeaTpey, with one divi-
sion of Heintzelman's, to march on Green
WITCH 90 as 10 support Mcdowell III case Of
necessity. l moved back along the railroad upon
Manassas Junction. Near Kettle Rum Hooker came
upon the advance Of EwelIs DIVISION on the
afternoon of the 9th. severe action took place,
which terminated at dark, Ewell being driven from
the field with the lo.s Of his camp and 800 killed and
wo aided. The unfortunate overnight OF not bring
in more than forty rounds Of ammunition became At
once alarming. At nightfall Hooker had but about
fvt rounds TO the man left. AS soon as learned
th cent back orders TO Fitz John Porter 10 march
viii his corps at o'clock that night, 20 ae 10 be
win Hooker at daylight III the morning The DIS
tance only nine niles and he received The us
patch at $50 o'clock, bat did not reach the ground
untl after 10 O'Clock next morning. lie can proba-
bly, explain better than l ca8 the reason OF this
de8y.
Fortunately Hooker had handled the army 20 Sc
verely the evening before, and the movement OF
Mcdowell bad begun 10 be apparent, that tbe
epemv. fearful of being surrounded. had retreated
precipaiely from Manassas Junction, directing ms
retreat through Centreve, as Mcdowell, Reno aud
Kearney had made the road through Gainesville I'M
practicable | immediately pushed forward to
Manassas, and thence 10 Centrevie, which was
occupied by Kearney that night only few hours
after the enemy had left il. Reno lad reached
Nana.sas Junction, and Fitz John Porter was I'M
nedately ordered up from Broad Run, where he
bad stopped McDowells movement, conducted
with vigor and speed, bad been completely success
ful, the enemy being intercepted at Galnesyie, ana
part Of hs forces driven back through IhOroughiare
Gap. Late in the evening Of the -, McDoweiTs
advance Gibbons Brigade) met the force OIL jackson
retiring from CeniTevllle, and about SIX miles from
that place very sharp skirnish took place, ended
by tie darkness, In when the Brigade OF Glb5on
behaved very handsomely, and suffered heavy oss
Sige was close at hand with hls corps. but oid
not JOIN the action. / instructed heaTney 10 move
forward at eariy dav dawn toward Gainesville,
clo.ely followed by Hooker and Reno, and engaged
the enemy thus placed betw zen Mcdowell and 81,
gel the west aud Fz JohI Porter on the south.
al-o Instructed Fitz john POtei with bis own corps
nd 81 MI IA "