Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-09-18
TME BATTLRs ERFORE WASH.
GNGTOE.
seneral -. oMelaE s.pag..

General E'oPe's OoieiaS Report
General Pope, ROW in the city, has farmishet
the following report for publication. The gov
eminent refused to publish it in an ofiicisl form
and General Pope makes it public, we suppose
in self deleuse.-Ed Cincinnati Gazeifs
OFFICIAL. REPORT OF GENERAL POPS on 1HE
OPERATIONS OF THE ARMY or YIRGIsIA
have the honor to submit the following brie
sketch of the operations of tha army, since tn,
9Th Of August:
l moved from Sperryville, Little Washington
and WsrrentOn, with the corps of Blnks and
Sigel and one division of MeD0well's corps
numbering in all thirty thousand men, to meet
the enemy, who had crossed the Rapidan, end
was advancing on Culpeper. The movement
toward G0rdoasville had completely succeeded
in drawing off large force from Ricamond, and
in relieving the Army Of the Potomac from much
of the dangers which threatesnd its withdrawal
from the Peninsula.
The action of August Oh, at Cedar Mountain.
with the forces under jackson, which compelled
his retreat across the Rspid2n, msde necessary
still further reiuforcsments Of the enemy from
Richmond, and by this time it being apparent
that the Army Of the Potomac was eyacu4ting
the Peninsula, the whole force of the enemy
around Richmond was pushed forward with
great rapidity to crush the Army of Virginia be-
fore the forces aelating the Peninsula could
be unite with it.
l remained at Cedar mountain, and still
threatened to cross the Rapidan, until the 18th
q August, at which Tins General R3bsrt Lee
had assembled IN cur Eont, and withii q gls
miles, nearly the whole of the rebel army As
soon as l sscertained this fact, aud knew that
the army of the Potomac was no longer in dan
ger l drew back my whole force across the Rap
pahannock, on the night of the 18th aud day Of
The 18Th, without loss of any kind, aud one day
in advance of General Lees proposed move.
meuts against me.
The enemy Immediately appeared in my front
at Rappahaunock Station, to pass the river at
that bridge and the numerous toFds above aud
below, but without SUCCESS. The line Of the
upper Rappahannock, which [ had been ordered
to hold, that the enemy might be delayed long
enough in his advance upon Washington, TO
enable the forces from the Peninsula to land and
effect q junction with me- was very weak, as it
could be crossed at almost any point above ths
railroad bridge, by good fords. By constant
vigilance and activity, and much severe fight
ing Tor three days, the enemy were gradually
forced around from the railroad crossing to
Water bridge, west Of WsrreutOn.
Meantime my force had been much reduced
by loss in battle, and by fatigue and exposure.
so that although l had been joined by detacl-
msnt under General Reno, and the other division
OF MeDJwells corps, my force barely numbered
forty thousand men. OA the 22d, heavy raia
fell, which rendered the fords of the river i'm
passsble f5r twenty-four hours As soon as |
this, / concentrated my forces and
marched rapidly upon Sulphur Springs and
Waterloo bridge, TO drive back the forces Of the
enemy which had succeeded in crossing at these
points. This was successfully done, and the
bridges destroyed. l passed one day, or rather
part of one, at Wacrenton and beyond
The enemy still continued to move slowly
around, along the river, masking every ford with
artillery aud heavy forces of infantry 50 that it
was impossible for me to attack him, even with
the greatly inferior forces under my command,
without passing the river over fords strongly
guarded, in the face of very superior numbers.
Fae movement of Jackson toward White Plans
and IN the direction OF Thorougfare Gap, while
the main body of the enemy confronted me al
Sulphur Springs and Waterloo Bridge was well
known to me, but relied confidently upon the
forces which l had been assured would be sent
from Alexandra, and one heavy division which
had ordered to take post in the woods at Ma
nassas Junction.
| was entirely under the belief that these
would be there, and 1t was not untiLI found my
intercepted, that | was unde-
deceived. | knew that this movement was no
raid, and that It was made By not less than
% coo mep. By this time the army eorps of
about 10000 strong, had reached
WarTenton junction 0ne division of it,
think, on the very day Of attack But they
came without artillery, with only forty rounds
Of ammunition to the man, without wagons, and
even the field aud general officers without horses
Fitz John Porter also arrived at Bealton Sta
ton, near Rsppahannoek River, with one If his
4,500 strong while his other division
was still at Barretts aud Kelley's fords di-
rected that corps, about s 900 strong, to cOneen-
Hate Immediately at Waufenton Junction,
where Heinizsman already as. This WAS se-
on the evening of the 26th As
soon as it became known to me that jackson
was on the railroad, 1t became apparent that the
Upper RsppahannOck was no le1ger tenable
could not detaeh = sufficient force to meet
Jackson, and at the same time attempt to con-
front the main body Of the enemy. | accord
ingly at once evacuated Warrenton aud War
renton Junction, directing Mcdowell with bis
own corps and Sigels and the division at Rsy-
nolds to march rapidly by the turnpike to
Gainesville, so as to intercept any rsinfJrcements
coming to the enemy by the way Of Thorough
fare Gap, and instrUcting General Reno with
his command, and Kearney with one division OF
to march on Greenwich, SO as 10
support Mcdowell IN case of necessity.
With HoekeIs division Of Heintz 3lman's
corps, moved along the railroad upon MAnas
sas Junction, near Kettle Run. Hooker came
upon ths advance Of EwelFs rebel division on
the afternoon of the 9th. A severe action
took place, which terminated at dark, Ewell
being driven from the field with the loss of his
camp and three hundred killed aud wounded.
The unfortunate oversight of not having more
than forty rounds OF ammunition became at
IL, IL l-,k
about I'VE rounds to the man left. As soon as
I learned this, l sent back orders to General
Fitz John Porter to march with his corps at
o'clock that night, so as TO be with General
Hooker at dayiightin the morning
The distance was nine miles, and he received
the dispatch at $50 o'clock, but did not reach
the ground until after ten o'clock tue next
morning. He can probably explain better than
can the reason Of this delay. Fortunately
General Hooker had handled the enemy 50 Sc.
verely the evening before, and the movement Of
Mcdowell had began TO be so apparent, that the
enemy, fearful OF being surrounded, had retired
from Manassas Junction; directing
his retreat through Centeryille, as Reno, Nc
Dowell and Kearney, had made the road through
Gainesville impracticable
Immediately pushed forward to Manassas
and thence to Centerville, which pacs was oc
cupied by Kearney that night, only few hours
after the enemy had left it. General Reno had
reached Manassas Junction, and General Fitz
John Porter was Immediately ordered from
Broad Run, where he had stopped McD0well's
movement, conducted with speed and yigor had
been completely successful; the enemy being
intercepted at Gainesville and part OF his forces
driven back through TheropghlaTe Gap.
With Kings division and Sigel's corps, Nc
Dowell continued to march along the turnpike
toward Centerville, leaving General Ricketts,,
with bis division, in observation of Thorough
fare Gap. Late in the evening, on the 2sth,
Mcdowell advanced Gibbons brigade near the
front of the enemy retiring from Centerville, and
about six miles from that place. A very sharp
skiFmish hers took place. ended By the darkness,
in which the brigade Of General GbbOn behaved
very handsomely. and suffered heavy loss Gen;
Sigel was near at hand with his corps but did
not join the action
instructed General Kearney to move forward
at early dawn Of day, toward Gainesville, 70 be
followed closely by Hooker and Reno. aud en-.
gage the enemy thus placed between McDoweA
~