The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1862-08-23

rendered it unlikely, ordered Gen. Nc
Dowell to advance Ricketts, division to sup
port Gen. Banks's and directed : Gen. Sigel
to bring his men on the ground as soon as
possible. arrived personally on the field
at p NJ, and found the action raging furi-
ously. The infantry fire was incessant and
severe. l found Gen. Banks holding the
position he took up early in the morning.
His losses were heavy. Ricketts, division
was being pushed forward, and occupied the
advance of General Banks, the brigade of
Gen. German being directed to change their
positions from the right, and mass them
selves in the center. Before this change could
be effected it was dark, although the artil-
lery continued at short range without ter
mination. The artillery fire at night by the
Second and Fifth Maine batteries in Ricketts,
division of Med owell's corps was most de-
structive, as was readily observable the next
morning in the dead men and horses and
broken carriages of the enemy's batteries,
which had 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 two miles from our front, and etill fur
Their up the mountain. Our pickets at once
advanced and took possession of the ground.
The fatigue of the troops from long march
es and the excessive heat. made it impossi-
BILE for either side to resume the action on
The dead bodies of both armies were
found mingled together in masses over the
whole ground of conflict. The burying of
the dead was not completed until dark on
Monday, the heat being so terrible that Sc
we're work was not possible.
The men were therefore allowed to rest
and recruit the whole day, our only active
operation being that of the cavalry on the
enemy's flank and 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. EST
On Monday night the enemy fed from the
field. leaving many of his dead unburied,
and his wounded on the ground and along
the road to Orange Court House, as will be
seen from Gen. Buford's dispatch A cav
airy and artillery force, under Gen. Buford,
was Immediately thrown forward in pursuit,
and followed the enemy to the Rapidan, over
which he passed with hi is rear guard by 1OI
O'Clock 10 the morning.
The behavior of General Banks's corps
during the action was very fine. No great
er gallantry and daring could be exhibited
by any troops. ! cannot speak too highly
ofthe GOODNESS and intrepidity of Gen. Banks
himself during the whole of tue engagement
He was in the front and exposed as much
as any man in the command. z
His example was of the greatest benefit,
and he merits and should receive the com
mendation OF his Government Generals
Williams, Augur, German, Crawford,
Prince, Green and Geary behaved with con-
spicuous gallantry. Generals Augur and
Geary were severely wounded, and General
Prince, by losing his way in the dark while
passing from one flank to the other, fell into
the hands of the enemy.
desire publicly to express my apprecia-
ton of the prompt and skillful manner in |
which Generals Mcdowell and Sigel brought
forward their respective commands and es-
tablished them on the field, and of their
cheerful and hearty cooperation with me
from beginning to the end of the battle.
Brigadier General Roberts, Chief of Cav
airy of this army, was with the advance of
our forces on Friday and Saturday, and was
conspicuous for his gallantry and for the
valuable aid he rendered to General Banks
and Crawford
Our loss was about 500 killed, wound |
ed and missing, of whom 90 were taken
prisoners. AS might be expected from the
character of the engagement a very large
of those were killed The enc
my's loss in killed, wounded and missing,
we are now Satisfied, is much in excess of
our own. A full list of casualties will be
transmitted as soon as possible, together
with a detailed report, in which shall en-
deavor to do justice to all.
(Signed) JOHN POPE,
Major General Commanding.
From Washington.