The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-12-11

That OF Gen. Pnpe.s he evacuation 81
Harrisop's Landing, however, Sns.s moi
commeHssd tijf' the 18th, eleven days
after it Iwas ordered.
Greatly discouraged at The prospect q
timely aid from that qnarter sathorized
General FN "a order the main. forces Of
General Cox, IN Western Virginia, with
tau possible dispatch by railroad. 10 join
thim via Washington k#R
To facilitate the wisliaawM of the
Army of the Potomac from the PENN
suia. and TO gain time by demonstration
against the enemy, General Pope pushed
his. forces across the Rappaha nnpck, oc-
cupicd .Cplpepper. and thrsateasd Cor
donsyiilr.s Jackson's and Ewsll's forces
were hurried TO the Kapidan, and On The
9th of August encountered Banks corps
at Cedar Mountain A hard fought bat.
tie ensued, and on the arrival Of REIN
forcements from the corps of Mcdowell
and Siael, the enemy fell back upon the
Rapidan and Gordonsvillr.
On the l6.h, our cavalry surprised .
party of the enemy near Lonisa Court,
House and captured important dispatches,
showing that Lee was moving, by forced
marches, the main body o. the rebel
army to attack Pope before junction
could be formed between him and the
| Army of the Potomac. On the 18th, /
telegraphed General Pops not to cross the
Rapdan, and advised him to take posi-
ton in rear of the Rappahannock. whore
he could be more easily reinforced. He
| commenced this movement on the 18th,
and by the morning of the 18th had most
of his forces behind that river prepared
to hold its passes % long as possible.
lie had been reinforced by Kings divi-
sion, and part of Burnside's corps under
Gen Reno, flom Fredericksburg. also
directed Gen. Burnside TO occupy Rich
ards and Barreti,s fords, which we're
between him and Gen. Popc's main army.
II enemy made several attempts to cross
Al different points on the RAppahannock,
but it was always repulsed. and our troops
succeeded in holding the line OF the river
for eight days. TWAS hoped that during
that time sufficient forces from the Army
Of the Potomac would reach Acquia creek
to enable US to prevent any further adj
vance of Lee, and eventually with the
combined armies to drive him back upon
Richmond. On the morning of the Gath
be made flank movement. and crossed
a portion Of his forces at Waterloo bridge,
about twelve miles above the Rappahan-
mock railroad station. Pope directed an
attack upon the forces which had crossed
the river, hoping to cut them of, but the
enemy escaped with no great loss. The
annexed telegram from General Pope,
marked Exhibit No. 5, dated the Y5th,
gives bis views of the condition Of affairs
at that date.
The enemy, however, had not fallen
back, as he supposed, but, on being re-
pulsed at Waterloo Bridge, had moved
further up the river, and entered the val
ley which lies between the Blue Ridge
and Bull Run Mountains.
The object OF this movement was evil
IDENTIFY to Get in Pope's rear, and cut of
his supplies from Washington. Antici-
pating this danger, | had telcgraphed to
General Pope ON the Esd, "By no means
expose your railroad communication with
Alexandria. 1t is of the utmost import
ance In sending you supplies and rein
forcements. On the 26ih telegraphed,
elf possible to attack the enemy in flank,
do SO but the main object now is TO as
certain his POSITION
From this time to the 10th, l had no
communication with Gen. Pope, the tele-
graph lines being cut at Kettle Run by
part of Jackson's corps, under Ewsll,
which had marched around Pope's right
and attacked his rear
Finding it doubtful whether we could
hold the Rappahannock long enough 70
effect the junction Of the two armies, T.
had directed part Of the Peninsula forces
to land at Alexandra, and move out by
railroad as rapidly as possible. Az soon
as heard that the enemy had turned
Gen. Pope's right flank. and forced him
to change his front, / ordered the remain
der Of the Army Of the Potomac to Alex
andria, and directed Gen. Burnside to
prepare to evacuate Fredericksburg and.
Acquis Creek. / determined, however,
TO hold this position rs long IS possible
for base Of future operations.
General Pope's dispositions At this
juncture were well planned. The corps,
OF Mcdowell and Sigel, and tho Pennsyl-
vania Reserves under Reynolds, were
pushed forward 70 Gainesville. Reno
and Kearney vere directed upon Green
wich, while Hooker's division Was sent
against Ewell along the railroad. Unfor-
tunately; however, the movsmcst was
too late, 40 detachment Of Lees army
was already east Of Thoroughfare Gap.
i Hooker encountered tho enemy near
Kettle Ron. and sharp engagement on
sued. This gallant division drove Ewell