The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1862-12-03
THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.

The Fighting from the Rappahannock to
Washington-G Generals Pope, Mellow
ell and Sigel Continuance of the
- War-Politics in the Army-Gratifca
tion at the Success of the Democracy
General Mcclellan and the. Army
Capture of a portion of Sigel's Body
guard. s. ee,ssaF ~. --...t5 r
We are permitted to make..the following
extract from "a private letter written by
one of. General Sigsrs. Body guard, to a
friend in the CITY, 1t is proper to re
mark that the writer, whose home is here,
went into the army Republican. n,..1f
s sn GAINESVILLE, VA, Nov.,9, 1862.
* h'k esaS / suppose you are we'll
aware nf our (Sigel's corps movements,
W hen we commenced falling back from
the e Robertson River Camp we had a
running fight, as it were, to the very gates
of Washington.i The rebels concentrated
a large force and moved against General
Pope, and would have had him in tight
place but for one of our men. He had
been In Richmond three weeks looking
up 'sitems," and was with General Hill
when the rebel army commenced moving
from Richmond He re remained with
him until the rebels were within about
ten miles e'of US, when he made his escape,
swan the river, got horse from one of
our cavalry pickets, .and made ssdouble
quick time to General Pope's headquar-
ters with the intelligence, that, in the
morning We would be attacked by an over
whelming force. The news was received
about o'clock, and the next morning we
had leftsand were twenty miles from the
river, and in position where we could
defend ourselves better. The 'srebs'' fol-
lowed u.s., and the fighting on the Kappa
hammock. Bull Run number two, Center
vile, Clautiila and our safe arrival at the
city of Washington are matters of history.
Gen. Pope wasinot competent to COM
mand as large an army as he had, and was
tooi"cussed' egotistical to receive advice
from snch men as Sigel, who knows more
in minute about military matters, than
Pope ever knew Mcdowell is-well, |
win not say. If he had held Thorough
fare Gapsas we think he could have done,
and prevented Lee from reinforcing Jack
son, the situation of things in this country
would to-day have been very different
from what they are. The ,.srebs" would
never have entered Maryland, and the
disgraceful surrender Of, Harper's Ferry
would not have occurred The rebel ar
my would have been routed, and there
would have been osome prospect of the
Stands now, lei likely to continue as long
as any one desires it. CIV q sa
Sigel'scorps did some splendid fighting
on the Rappahannock and at Bull Run
and if the others had done as. we'll, we
should have achieved one of the most
brilliantsvictories of the war, There were
thousands ofmen at Bull Run aoho aeve,
fred a gan. Had some of them been
brought to.reinforce the left flank, it never
would have been turned and the fight lost
But there is no use talking, as the girl
said, it's done and can't be helped, We
have got to fight the same ground over
again, ande if we succeed in driving the
rebels back, and can hold the ground we
gain, there is some salvation for US yet
But it don tssshow. y no sgf fg;h f...f...I
There is too much politics in this wal
to suit ME. saSpeaking about politics, al
low me to say that the people in America
have been doing sbully."s The Demo
crats arewalking into power like adose O.
Croton oil through asick1 niger. The
old Empire State has redeemed herself
and there lis ssome hope for the country
Three cheers for Seymour and the straight
haired unterrifed Democracy! "Things
lis working and I hope every thing vii
come out all right next spring-the wal
Eendeds and "me al, home. I an, tirec
|seldierings and my girls. girl is getting uneasy
aboutme. Itisgettingfo be cold weather
marching is sssdisagreeable, and hell is te
pay generally.