Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-02-12
Summary OF Gen. Pope's Official Report
of his YirriIia Camnaimn.


Gen. PORES official report of his cam
paign in Virginia has at length appeared
Its published in the New York papers,
and is of great length. The following is
a summary:
Gen. Pope was assigned to the command
Of the Army Of Virginia June 26, 1862
That army consisted of three corps: the
first under Gen. Fremont, the second I'M
der Gen. Banks, and the third under Gen.
Mcdowell These forces We're widely
scattered, ard more or less dem0Talizvd.
Gen. Pope's first lab0rs were directed to
partial reorganization OF his army, and to
the redistribution Of the separate corps in
such a way as to cover the Shenandoah
Valley, and at the same tine bring hem
within supporting distance Of each other.
About this time occurred the series Of
battles on the Chckahominy, which re
suited in the withdrawal of McClellan's
forces 10 james River. Gen. Pope was Of
opinion that Mcclellan should rather have
moved his army, if any change Of base
were necessary, toward Hanover Court
| House in order that the two might be able
to cooperate, and addressed letters to
that effect to the President and to Gen.
Mcclellan. It was apparent from the
latter reply that no harmonious cooper
alton was to be expected from him, and
Gen. Halleck was accordingly placed ia
command over both armies.
Before Gen. Pope took the field it had
been determined to unite the two armies
of Virginia and the Potomac. His mis-
sion was therefore to protect the front Of
| hn Of ~
| Shenandoah, and cover the retreat Of
enemy, as was feared, should throw his
whole force toward Washington, his ad-
vance was to be resisted at all hazards, to
give time for McOlellan's arrival on the
Rappahannock.
The campaign commenced with q sue
cession Of cavalry tOrays on the enemy's
lines, part of which were successful. but
the most important CT Which-against
Gordonsville and the railroad beyond
entirely failed, owing. says Gen. Pope, to
Gen. Hatch's disobedience of orders. The
general advance began on the 7th of Au-
| gust. Gen. Bayard was in front of Cul.
pepper Court House, to guard which place
Gen. Pope moved his whole force on the
Sth of August. On the 9th, Banks was
ordered forward toward Cedar Mountain.
His forces, represented at Ia, 600 men, did
| not IN reality exceed 5000, discrepancy
not yet explained. His orders were to
| hold the enemy in check until the main
army could come up. Gen. Banks, never
theless, believing himself stronger than
the enemy, under jackson, left the position
which he had at first taken up, attacked
the enemy and drove him some distance,
but vas in turn attacked by heavily supe-
riOr forces, and repulsed with severe loss
es. This action lasted about an hour and
half, and was the battle of Cedar Noun
tair. Pope came up at dusk with rein
torcements, drove the enemy back into
the woods with artillery, and held the po-
sition in readiness for battle next day.
Jackson, however, tell back, the next day
| was hot, and there was no conflict On
the night Of the 18th Jackson retreated
across the Rapidan.
On the 14th Of August, PoPe's army
was reinforced By the arrival OF Gen,
Reno with 5000 men, and he thereupon
moved forward toward the Rapidan, hold
ing this advanced position till the 18th,
when he became satisfied that the whole
force Of the enemy was in his front, and
bis position 20 longer tenable. lie deter
mined therefore to withdraw his whole
army behind the Rappahannock, and &C.
compi;shed this retreat in good order on
the 18th and 18th. The enemy followed
and during the 2lst and 22d endeavored
to cross the river at various points, but
was repeatedly toiled. Unable to cross,
the Rebels, while keeping a heavy force
} in front of the position at Rappahannock
~ /
the river toward Waterloo Bridge, with
the purpose of turning Gen. Pope's right
flank. The report details with great mi
: nuteness the position and movements OF
Gen. Pope's forces while this attempt was
progressing. Owing to the necessity OF
keeping up his communications with
! Fredericksburg, says Gen. Pope, he was
: unable to prevent the accomplishment oil
!, the enemy's plan, By the night of the
E 25th, however, he had abandoned his pur-
pose to mask the lower fords of the Rap.
> pahanhock, toward Fredericksburg, and
: determined to mass his forces on the War
e reD,On turnpike, and between Warrenton
: and Gainesville, and to give battle to the
+ enemy On his right or left "as he might
I choose" The celebrated raid on Oatletu's
d Station had already occurred on the night
J or Aug. p. Reintorcements were prom
c ised from Washington. but did not arrive
+; and jackson suddenly emerged from
2 Thoroughfare Gap, in the rear OF Gen
y PoPe's army, and entirely cut of his com
e munications with the capital
L On the morning of tie 9th, Gen. Pope
e forces, including Heintzelman and Porter
q who had reached Warrenton JUNCTION
:: Numbered 1900 men, and with thi
y strength Gen. Pope undertook to divid,
N the forces OF Gen. Lee from those Of Gen
lie jackson. Tie three days battles of th,
y, 18th, 18th, and 29th followed. Hooker
is division attacked Ewell on the Afternoon
ry OF the 2Ith, and defeated it with loss, bu
OF IN the effort nearly exhausted its own sup
N ply OF ammunition. Porter was therefor
he ordered forward at l o'clock on the morn
Of Ing OF tue 2Sth, but failed to comply wit
il the order. The right flank OF the ARIA
, be was, in consequence, left wholly uDprc
ny tected, but jackson, unaware Of if, pushe
'e: On by way OF Centerviile, and Pope dis
al trlbuted his force in pursuit, reachin
be Manassas Junction with Kesrney's djvi
es ion and Reno's corps about noon OF II
tie 25th, less than an hour after jackson ha
no retired. Hooker, Kear2ey, AID Reno wer
Immediately ordered forward, and late
ne ne the afternoon Kearney drove the enemy
its rear guard from Centreville and occupie
re- the river. Mcdowell and Sigel Inarchin
La "a toward Centreville encountered jackson
r. advance Tetreating toward Thoroughfa
al. Gap about six in the evening, and seve
TO action followed, each party maintainil
nd his ground. a general battle was ezpet