The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-09-11
GREEN FOUNTAIN FREEMAN, SEPT. H. 1862

while our right held its ground.
Cen. Franklin with his corps, arrived alter
dark at Centreyille. six miles IN our rear whilSt
Samoer Was four miles behind Franklin.
could nave brought up these corps IN the morn
jns il iime to have renewed the acuon 'ut
>tlfyaron stared hoih rlen and horses IN Tie
lace and BY oxen and exhausted ~ lhey were,
thew were in no condition TO bear munger also
accordingly retired 10 Centrevllie that night
IN perfe;t order. Neither on Sunday nor On
Monday did the enemy make any advance %
Ms On Monday | sent to the army corps com
manders Tor their effective strength which. all
told, including Sumner and Franklin, tell short
OF sixty thousand men. Instead Of bringing up
thirty thousand men, Franklin and Sumner uE:-
ted fell short of twenty thousand, and these.
added TO she force had. already wearied out,
and much cut up did not give me the means to
do ANYTHING else than stand on the defense.
The enemy during Monday again began to
to work slowly around to our right Tor the pur-
pose of possessing Fairfax Court House, and
thus turning our rear.
Couch 8 division and one brigade OF Sumner s
had been lett, and sent down Hooker on Mon
day afternoon to take command and post him.
sell at Or In front of Germantown. at tine same
time directing Mcdowell to axe position along
the turnpike from Centrevlle to Fairfax Court
house, about two miles west OF the latter place.
+ iielntzeimnn was directed to post himself IN
rear and support Of Reno who was pushed north
OF the road, at point two and halt mie8
east OF Cenlreville, and to cover that road 1t
being my purpose, in the course OF the night,
to mass my command ON the right, III the direc-
ton of Germantown where | felt convinced the
next attack OF he enemy would be made
! Lite in the afternoon Of Monday, the enemy
made his demonstration upon Germantown, but
was met by Hooker at that place, and by Reno
reirtorced by kearney, further west The bat
tie was very severe. though short, the enemy be-
ing driven back a mile with heavy loss, leaving
{ h: 1cu4 andswounded, In this short action We
lo,t two Of CUR mJst valuable aud distinguished
officers, Gems. Kearney and Stevens
BY NOV ng, the whole Of my command was
nlassed behind difficult creek, between Flint
! Hill and the Warrenton junction, with the ad-
vance, under Hooker in front of Germantown.
With the exception Of Sumner, the com-
nanders OF the army corps Of the army of the
, Potomac had continued TO inform me that their
commands we've and had been demorazing ever
since they left Iarrisons Landing that they
had Ito spirit and no disposition to fight. This
latter Statement their conduct IN the various
actions fully contradicted but the straggling
10 those corps was distressing.
Ihe full facts have been reported, on
Tuesday afternoon to retire to the ntrench-
meets near Washington, which was accordingly
done On that day and the next, IN good order
and without the slightest loss
Banks who had been left with the Railroad
trains, cut off ut Bristol by the burning of the
bridge, was ordered to oln me Oh Monday at
Cenreville, which he aid on the afternoon OF
that day.
This brief summary will explain sufficiently
IN detail the whole OF the operations OF the
force under my command, during sixteen days of
continuous Sighting by Gay and marching by
night.
70 contrAr powerful enemy with greatly
inferior forces and fight him day by day without
losing your array; to delay and embalrass his
movements, and to force hl.", by persistent resis-
lance, TO adopt lenS and crcuitous routes to his
destination are the duties which have been i'm
posed upon me. Fhey are, vi all military ope-
rations, the most difficult and the most harass-
ing, both to the Commander and his troops,
How far we have been successful leave to the
Judgment of my countrywen. The armies OF
Virginia and o. the Potomac have been united
IN the presence and tgalnst the efforts of II wary
and vigorous enemy in gre ltly superior force to
either, with no loss for which they did no, exact
full retribution.
Among the officers whom feel bound to men
ton with especial gratitude, for their mos,
hearty, cordial, and untiring zeal and energy
are Gems. Mcdowell, Banks, Reno. iieintzeman
Hooker and kearney. and many others If In
ieflor rank, whom l shalt take great satisfaction
in b lngng to the notice OF the Government
The troops nave exhibited wonderful patience
and courage, and cannOJ saw TOO m.ct tOr
them