Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1862-09-12


rather have swept after the routed and flying
rebel army through the passes of Thorough
fare Gap. In either event there is hope =
let US not despair of the Republic!
THE LAST WEEKS EvENTs,-sUocINCTLy STATED.
l have always found it hard enough mat
Ter to describe battle after having been on
the ground, and having seen as much Of it as
one man could see. have not the remotest
intention, therefore, Of attempting 10 describe
the new battles of Bull Run. 1t were easy
enough TO seize upon the returned officers
from the field, get miscellaneous collection
of isolated particulars, fill up the gaps from
the imagination, and weave the whole into
graphic and thrilling account of the great
batiles' I'm not in that line, out what you
want of that sort of literature, the eastern
papers will soon be supplying in profusion.
Meantime there are certain facts. gathered
from the single visit have been able to make
on the ield, and from other sources that seem
10 be generally accepted. and serve to give a
connected idea Of the movements thus far in
the dreadful drama hat has been playing al
our very doors.
THE SITUATION OF THE RAPPAE4EE SHOCK.
At the outset it must be understood that
the whole rebel army was never lin all proba-
bility) massed in front of Pope. on the south
side OF the Rappahannuek, or even before be be
gun his retreat on the south side of the RapidanO
jackson had nques,iouabIy been very heavily
reinforced from Gordonsvlle (by rail from
Richmond) after the battle of Cedar Mouu-
tain But their manifest intention to over
Ill
him, having been detected in time, Pope fell
back from the RapidaD. through Culpepper,
and beyond the Rappahannock, before the
rebels had time TO Concentrate their forces on
his front No sooner had he taken his posi-
ton on the Rappahann0ck, with burnside
below him toward Fredericksburg, and por-
tion of McClellan's troops already landing at
the same place, then Lee must haze f0rmed
the plan Of slipping past Pope and getting in
his rear with the choice, then open, of pounc-
ing on Pope from an unexpected quarter,
dashing at Washington, or hurry ing over he
border into Maryland, and encouraging the
loug-expected uprising there.
The advance corps must have been diverted
at once. to begin its circuitous march behind
ihe Bull Ran mountains, AROUND Pupe's right
flank, and thence down through I'hornughare
Gap. Meantime a hVavy force was kept opo-
site Pope, and by slfillful handling and great
activity, they kept up the deIqsion that they !.
we're attempting to cross the river and attack /
us in front till the other divisions had got
well to our rear and the ruse was no longer /
needed. 1t is not true, therefore, land it is as
unjust AS it is fase) TO say that Pope was
watching an imaginary foe, while the read aqe /
was hurrying around him. He aras keeping
back large rebel fnrcc it was not his lanlt /
if with his comparatively small army h@ could
not assume ihe off 'nsive, and thFs ascertain
whether the whole rebel army was there, or
whether part of it was not off on other work.
So much fnr the situation on the Rlppa-
hammock. 1t lasted till Wednesday morning.
HOW JACKSON aor " THE REAR.
Meantime jackson had begun his detour TO
Gap, and thence down on
Manassas Junction on probably Sunday
morning. BY Tuesday evenipg he had reach
ed Manassas Junction. had scattered the iasig-
nifcant guards and taken possession of laFse
amounts OF army stores had pushed on to
Bull Run bridge and burnt it, and had taken
several railroad trains. Let it be remembered
that Pope had ordered division from Me
Celan's forces at Altxandria to ~ 1vc out to
Manassas two days before. to guuFd against
any such contingency, and that had not come
TUESDAY EVENING.
On Tuesday evening, then, Of last week The
situation was this: Stonewal jackson held
Manassas junction with thirty or forty thou,
saiid n..'n, and had completely cut of conan /
Iope's army still lay at the RappahanGocll -
Burnside WAS still on the same line, not far
from Fredericksburg. Some of McClellun's
troops were at Fredericksburg, the rest at
And in Washington it was sup-
posed that s1nle Struggling band of Stuart's
cavalry had made a reckless dash at Manassas
Junction, and lnat it would be necessary to
SEND ont Il few hundred troops to keep tn IN
from committing further depred4tions, and
srIre them away.
wEDENsDAYs WORK.
Wednesday was big with momentous matter
b eiore day bre.k Pope had discovered the true
import Of The rebel demonstration, and was
sweeping back with speed that promised TO
set all the calculations Of the rebels at leiilnce.
jackson was accommodating and providing his
from our stores. Lee was hur-
rying up the rest of the rebel army by the same
circuitous rout, through Thronghfare Gap in
Bull Run Mountains. And Washington was
sending out two brigades to drive away those
rebel cavalry from Manassas J Juuc-
lion.
The two brigades Jared badly. General Tay-
lor, in command, was severely wounded he has
since died. Our Eleventh and Twelfth Ohio
stood up TO their work manfully, and Col Scam
mon handled them skillfully, but what was one
against a hundred? OF course they were repuls-
edit was fortunate for us that it was no
worse.
Meantime Pope was getting up on the other
side in splendid style. Hooker, who had the
advance that afternoon, found a rebel body "
ing ut Kettle Run, some miles below Manassas
Junction, and after sharp action won deci-
sive victory over them. So ended the fight of
w edeusday.
THURSDAYS WORK.
jackson was not long in discovering What
this fire in the rear meant. Pope had detect
ed his plan and might fall upon him before the
remainder Of the rebel army had time to get up.
There was but one thing to do, he must get out
of the way. and fall bacS to meet his advancing
re-enforcemeuts. Early Thursday morning
Pope pushed on to Manassas Junction, but
Jackson "had gone three hours before" So
runs the Official dispatch. The truth is jack
son had been getting bis column off during
greater part Of the night, and his rear guard
had left three hours before Pope got in. He
took the road to Centerville, and thence west
toward Throughfare Gap, by which the rest of
the army was coming mn.