Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-02-13
Official Report of the Battle of Manassas, July 2tss
lsGl-J. Z. .Lolnaton. General commanding.


HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE PoToMAc,
FAIRFAX, c. H., October l4th, 1861 {
To the Adjutant and Inspector General
Confederate States Army:
SIR have the honor to submit the honorable secre
my command which terminated in the battle Of Manassas
assumed command at Harpers Ferry the 23d of May
The force at that point then consisted Of nine regiments
and two batalons OF infantry onr companies OF artillery
with sixteen pieces without cassons harness horse and
about three hundred cavalry They of unds
cpned several regiments without and with
an entirely inadequate supply of ammunition
lost time in making complete reconnaissance of the
now BrRadier Genera Whiting ably assisted The results
confirmed my preconceived ideas.
Inc poson Is unenaDle by any force not srong enough
to take the field against an invading army and to hold both
sides Of the Potomac 1t is triangle, two sides being
formed by the Potomac and the Shenandoah and the third
by Furnace Ridge The plateau thus enclosed and the end
Of Furnace Ridge itself the only defensibe position which,
however required for it's adequate occupation double
numbers eXpo'ed to enade and reverse fires of
lery from heights the Maryland side of the river
Within that line the ground favorable
tacking than defending force The Potomac be
silly crossed at many points above and below, that is
easily turned 1t is twenty miles from the great
the Valley of Virginia from Pennsylvania and Maryland by
which General Pattersons approach was expected Its
to prevent General McCleans junction with General Pat
ersOn these the obvious and important objects to
be kept view Besides being position for them
necessary to be abe on emergency to JOIN General Beau
regard.
suited the enemys views. We were bound to fixed point.
His movements unrestricted. These views sub
mitted to the military authorities The continued occupa-
tOn of the place was however, deemed by them inspen
sable. determined to hold it uutil the great objects of
! the Government required its abandonment.
The practicable roads from the West and Northwest
well as from Manassas meet the route from Pennsylvania
and Maryland at Winchester That poiDt therefore,
! il my opinion best position.
The distinguished commander of the army of the Poto-
mac convinced, like myself of dependence upon
each other, and promised to cooperate with of
need TO guard against SURPRISE and to impose upon the
enemy, Msj1r Whiting directed to mount few leavy
sition.
employed until the 18th of June in continuing what
had been begun by my predecessor Colonel (now Major
Genera Jackson, the organization instruction and equip
ment of the troops and providing of transportation
and artillery horses The river observed from the Point
of Rocks to tha Western part of the county of Berkeley
the most distant portions by the indefabie stuart with
his cavalry General Pattersons troops were within few
hours of Wiamsport and General McCelians in Western
Virginia supposed to be approaching to effect juno
ton with Patterson whose force reported by well
formed persons, to be eighteen thousand men.
On the morning of the 18th of June information
ceWed from winchester that Romney was occupied by
thousand Federal troops supposed TO be the vanguard OF
Mcclellan s army.
Colonel A. P. Hill with his own Q3th) and Colonel Glib
hons 0th) Virginia Regiments despatched by railway
Winchester He directed to move thence towards
Romney to take the best position and lest e
check the advance Of the He to add to his
command the Sd Tennessee Regiment which had arrived al
Winchester.
During that day and the the heavy baggage and
naming public property sent to Winchester by the
railway, ard the bridges the Potomac destroyed. Or
the morning of the l6th the army left Hapers Ferry fol
Winchester he torce had been increased by these eg
since the lst of June and byouacked four miles be
yond Charestown On the morning of the 10Th intelligence
received that General Patersons army had
the Potomac at Wiamsport also that the United states
force at Romney had fallen back. courier from Rich
mond brought despatch authorizing to evacuate Har
per's Ferry at my discretion.
The army ordered gain the Martinsburg Turnpike
by flank movement to Bunker's Hill in order place it
self between Winchester and the expected advance of Pat
terson On hearing of this the enemy recrossed the rve
preciptatey. ResumiDg my first direction aHd pan pro
ceeded Winchester. There the army in position tt
oppose either Mcclellan from the Vest Patterson from
the Northeast and to form junction with General Beaure
gard when necessary.
Lieutenant Colonel George Stewart, with his Maryland
Battalion sent to Harpes Ferry TO bring of some pub
lie property said to have been left AS Mcclellan wa
moving southTestward from Grafton, Colonel Illus Cum
mand withdrawn from Romney. The defence OF tha
region of country entrusted to Colonel BE
gment Of Cavalry Intelligence frem Maryland indicating