The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-08-20

afternoon, Tut he made no advance until nearly
Eve o'clock, az which time q foW skirmishers
were thrown forward on esoh side. under cover
Of che heavy wood 10 which his force was con
cealed. The enemy pushed iorwArd strong
force IN the rear Of hia skirmishere. and Gen.
Banks advanced 70 the attack. The engage-
meut did not fairly open until after s o'clock,
but for an hour and half was furious and uu-
eeasing throughout The cAnnonading was at
fret desultory and directed mainy against the
cavalry. I had continued to receive reports
from Gen. Banks that no attack was apprehended
aud that no considerable infantry force OF the
enemy had come forward, Yet, toward eve
ming, the increase in the artillery firing having
satisfied me an engagement might be at hand,
though the lateness Of the hour rendered it un-
likely, I ordered General Mcdowell to advance,
Ricketts, division 20 support General Banks, and
directed General Sigel TO bring his men on the
ground A. soon as possible. arrived personally
on the feld at P. ~, and found the action
raging fercely. The infantry Are was incessant
aud severe. found Gen. Banks holding the
position he took up early In the morning His
losses were heavy. Ricketts, division was i'm
mediately pushed forward aud occupied the ad-
vance Of Gen. Banks. The brigade Of Gen.
aud Gordon being directed to chsnge their po-
sition from the right aud 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
Gre at night, BY the I'd and 5th Maine batteries
IN Ricktt's division of Gen. McDoweil's corps,
was most destructive, as was readily observable
the next morning ia the dead men aud horses
and broken Garages of the enemy's batteries,
which bad been advanced against it, Our troops
rested on their arms during the night, In
line of battle, heavy Smelling being kept up on
both sides until midnight. AT daylight next
morning the enemy fell back three miles from
our front, and still higher up the mountain. Our
! pckets at once advanced aud occupied the
/ ground. The fatigue of the troops from long
! marches and excessive heat, made it impossible
! for either side to resume the action on Sunday.
| The men we're therefore allowed to rest and re-
cruit the whole day, our only active operation
/ being that OF cavalry on the enemy's flank aud
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 we're found mingled together in masses
over the whole ground 0f conflict. The burying
OF the dead was not com mDleted until dark on
Monday, the heat being so terrible that severe
work WAS not possible. On Monday night the
enemy fed from the field, leaving many Of his
dead unburied, aud his wounded on the ground
and along the road to Orange Court House, us
will be seen from Gen. Buford's dispatch.
cavalry aud artillery force under Gen. Buford
was Immediately thrown forward in persuit, and
followed the euemy, to the Rapidan over which
he passed with his rear guard by 10 o'clock IL
the morning. The behavior of Gen. Banks
corps during the action was very fine. NJ
greater gallantry aud daring could be exhibited
by any troops. | cannot speak too highly of tht
intrepidity OF Gen. Banks himself during tn,
whole of the engagement. lie was in the front
and exposed as much as any man in the command
His example was of the greatest beueft, and h'
merits and should receive the Communications o
of his Government. Gems Williams Augur
German, Crawford, Prince, Green and Geary be
haved with conspicuous gallantry Augur an,
Geary were severely wounded, aud Prince, b,
losing his way in the dark while passing from on
flank to the other. fell into the hands of the en-
emy. | desire publicly to express my appteca
ton OF the prompt aud skilltnl manner in whicl
, Gems Mcdowell aud Sgel brought forward thei
respective commands aud established them o.
the field, and of their cheerful aud hearty coop
} Grafton with me from the beginning to end
| Brig. General Roberts, Chief of Cavalry of IN
army, was with the advance of our forces o.
Friday and Saturday, and was conspicuous 70
his gaIlautry, and for the valuable aid he render
= ed to Gems. Banks aud Crawford, Our loss wa
about 500 killed, wounded and missing, a
8 whom % were taken prisoners. As might b
= expected from the character of the engagement
very large proportion of those were killed
The enemy's loss in killed wounded and prison
era, we are now satisfied, is much in excess q
our own. A full list of casu at,es will be trans
mitted ~ soon aS possible, together with Il detail
: ed report, in which III al eudeavor to do justic
to all.
[Signedl JoHN PopE
Maior-Genera Commanding.