The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1862-08-15
COMMUNICATIONS.
The Battle of Cedar Mountain.
FULL AND INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF THE
CONFLICT.

The editor of the Washington Star, who was
on visit to his home at Culpepper Court
House at the time of the battle near that place
on Saturday last, gives the following account
off which contains items Of interest we have
not seen mentioned in other accounts:
On Friday morning last Gen. Pope, staff and
escort, reached Cupepper Court House, from
his last encampment, near Washington, the
county seat of Rappahannock, having put the
corps ddrmee of Gen. Banks, encamped there,
in motion in the direction of Culpepper, and
passing the encampment Of Gen. Sigel,a Sper-
ryville, twenty miles from Culpepper Court
House, by the way. At Culpepper Court
House Gen. Pope found Brig. Gen. Crawford,
with his brigade of Banks corps d'drmee (pre-
viously Gen. Hatch's) and Gen. Bayard's brig
ade of McDowell's cavalry, the extreme ad-
vance OF his army of Virginia; also Brig. Gen.
Ricketts, division of Major Gen. McDowells
corps ddrmee, that had arrived two days be-
fore from Waterloo and Warrenton, Mellow
ell himself being present and in command of
all the forces then there.
AT noon on Friday Generals Pope and Nc
Dowel received intelligence from the gallant
Bayard-who, with the two regiments Of his
cavalry command doing duty Immediately un-
der him, New Jersey and Pennsylvania
regiment, had been in the saddle night and day
guarding the Rapidan for week. from the Rae
coon ford down to point fourteen miles be-
low and south of the railroad-that the enemy
at daybreak had crossed the river with two reg
iments 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, hisiorce, of eight hundred
tired out, cavalry only not being sufficient to
hold the ground in front of such a force. He,
hon tod Lx,. A..
emy, and succeeded in capturing about thirty
rebel prisoners, including major, a captain
and two leutenants on his retreat. His own
loss was not over three men. We hear that
he was publicly complimented by his superior
officer on the field on the next day (Saturday)
for the admirable manner in which he effected
his movement He retired to the north and
east side OF Robinson river, about eight miles
from Culpepper Court House, and there await
ed supporting force to arrive from the imme-
diate vicinity OF that point.
AT noon Of the same day Gen. Pope, on
learning these facts, instantly ordered Gen,
Crawford to march his brigade to that end. In
half an hour after receiving this order Craw-
ford was on the march. As his brigade the
Twenty-eighth New York, Tenth Maine, For
ty-sixth Pennsylvania and Fifth Connecticut.
and ten pieces Of artillery, filed rapidly through
the village Of Culpepper Court House to the
gay music OF its four splended bands its ap-
pearance was the theme of admiration of the
many experienced officers of the stats of Cen
erals Pope and Mcdowell, who went over from
their encampments near by to see it start out
They one and all declared that they never saw
troops with more reliable fight in them. and
predicted that should they engage the enemy
they would win name to endure as long as
the history OF the war itself. The result proved
the correctness of their judgment Crawford
proceeded rapidly to the front, and occupied
position about seven miles from Culpepper
Court House, Immediately in rear of the line
of Bayard's cavalry.
Shortly after ordering Crawford, Gen. Pope
also ordered the rest of Banks corps to move
rapidly from Hazel river bridge, near Grifiins-
burg, nine miles from Culpepper Court House,
where it had arrived the night BEFORE to the
scene of expected conflict.
BY eight O'Clock p. NJ. 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. Major 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 day
light.
Throughout Friday night and Saturday fore
noon Bayard continued skirmishing with the
enemys advance until the latter at two o'clock
+. M, had progressed to within long range of
Crawfords artillery. At four p. NJ. the enc
my developed 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 west ofthe Orange and Alexandria
Railroad, at Mitches station. Our front was
on much lower ground, with Cedar Run in our
rear and small wooded ridge behind that
Gradually, from four TO six p. NJ, the rebels
opened new batteries from the woods surround
ing the basin or plain lying between the fronts
of the two contending forces, each succeeding
one being nearer to our position than the for
mer. Thus they played cross fire from both
sides, as well as direct front one, upon our
troops, including the most of Gen. Banks in
fantry, that had been put in line for the con-
fict. So annoying was this fire that attempts
were made to take the batteries nearest at hand
by charges. Thus Bayard's cavalry, in gal
iant charge, is said to have succeeded in taking
TWO OF the rebel guns, with no loss to speak of.
subsequently, at six p. NJ, in pursuance OF or
ders, portions of Augur's and Williams divis-
ions OF infantry, including Crawfords and Cor
don's brlgades, made three most desperate bay
onet charges upon the rebel artillery They
were, however, each time received by a very
heavy infantry fire, slaughtering them fearful
ly. That they should have persevered to make