Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1862-08-20
VI a. AF Z W s.
The Battle of Cedar Mountain


at Culpeper Court House at the time of the
battle Of Saturday last, gives the following
account of it, containing items Of interest
not mentioned in other accounts:
At noon on Friday Gems. Pope and Nc
Dowell received intelligence from the gal
liant Bayard-who, with two regiments of
bis cavalry command, doing duty immedi.
at2ly under him, a new jersey and Penn
! sylvania regiment, had been in the saddle
all night and day guarding the Rapidan
for week, from the Raccoon ford down to
a point fourteen miles below and south of
the railroad-that the enemy at daybreak
had crossed the river, with two regiments
! of Louisiana infantry, two pieces of light
artillery, and three small regiments of cav
airy, and driven in his pickets. Bayard
retired slowly before them, his force of
| eight hundred tired out cavalry only, not
being sufficient to hold the ground in front
Of such force. He, however, disputed it
inch by inch with the enemy, and succeed
ed In capturing about thirty rebel prisoners,
including major, captain, and two lieu
tenants, on his retreat. His own loss was
not over three men. We hear that he was
| publicly complimented by his superior Off
Ger on the field on the next day Saturday
| TOR the admirable manner in which he eff
fected his movement He retired to the
north and east side of Robinson river, about
eight miles from Culpeper Court House,
and there awaited supporting force to ar
rive from the immediate vicinity of that
point.
At noon of the same day, Gen. Pope, on
learning these facts, instantly ordered len.
Crawford to march his brigade to that end.
In half an hour after receiving this order
Crawford was on the march. As his bri-
gade, the 28th New York, 10th Maine,
10th Pennsylvania, and 9Th Connecticut,
and ten pieces of artillery, filed rapidly
through the village of Cul pepper Court
House to the gay music of its four splen-
did bands, its appearance was the theme of
admiration of the many experienced off
GERS OF the stats of Gems Pope and Nc
| Dowell, who went over from their encamp-
ments near by to sec it start out Crawford
proceeded rapidly to the front, and occupi-
ed position about seven miles from Cul-
peper Court House, Immediately in rear Of
the line of Bayard's cavalry Shortly af-
ter ordering Crawford, Gen. Pope also Or
dered the rest Of Banks corps to move
rapidly from Hazel river bridge, near Grif-
finsburg, nine miles from Cupeper Court
House, where it had arrived the night be-
fore, to the scene of expected conflict.
by s o'clock p. M. the head of Gen
Banks column was deserted marching
around the village to its destination, which
it reached before midnight. That point
was Immediately in the rear of Crawford.
Maior General Sigel was, also, at the same
time ordered up from Sperryville, and, by
forced march of twenty miles, his advance
reached the village by daylight
Throughout Friday night and Saturday
forenoon, Bayard continued skirmishing
with the enemy's advance, until the latter,
at two o'clock p. M, had progressed to
within long range of Crawfords artillery
AT four p. M. the enemy developed a heavy
Increase of artillery, when portion of that
Of Gen. Banks came up, and went into the
action, there not being room enough in the
position occupied by our forces for bringing
the whole of it into play. The contending
forces, at the opening Of the battle, were
apparently about mile or more apart, the
rebels showing their front upon Slaughter's
| Mountain, a sugar, loaf eminence situated
| two miles to the vest Of the Orange and
! Alexandria railroad at MitchelPs Station.
Our front was on much lower ground, with
! Cedar run in our rear and small wooded
ridge behind that
Gradually, from 4 to six p m, the rebels
opened new batteries from the woods sur
rounding the basin or plain lying between
the fronts of the two contending forces,
each succeeding one being nearer to our
position than the former. Thus they play
ed cross fire from both sides, as well as
direct front one on our troops, including the
most Of Gen. Banks infantry, that had
been put in line for the conflict. So an
noying was this fire, that attempts were
made to take the batteries nearest at hand
by charges. Thus Bayard's Cavalry in a
gallant charge, is said to have succeeded in
taking two of the rebel guns with no loss
to speak of. Subsequently, at 6 p. ~, in
pursuance of orders, portions of Augur's
and Williams divisions of infantry, inclu-
ding Crawford's and Gordon's brigades,
made three most desperate bayonet charges
upon the rebel artillery. They were, how
ever, each time received by very heavy
infantry fire, slaughtering them fearfully.
That they should have persevered, to make
three successive charges, in the face of such
a deadly fire from so superior numbers, con-
cealed in woods, is really the wonder of the
war These charges developed the fact
that the enemy actually engaged greatly
outnumbered our forces, about seven thous
and in action.
Being thus informed of the location o.
the main body of the rebel infantry, oul