Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-02-04
forces. This saved one or two days time.

rather Jacksop's corps), bad passed Thor
oighfare Gap, on their march to Manassas
Junction, On that dsy asevere battle was
fought between the advance forces. The
gailant Kearney had already arrived within
reach, and Pope was concentrating hrs forces
near Manassas Junction, Mcdowell being
on the right, North On that day the
army numbered, including the corps Of
Heintzelman and Porter, $4,000 men, the
freshest troops being those Of Porter and
Heintzelmap. On the 9th the positions of
the two armies were these: jackson had
advanced through Thoroughfare Gap, and
in his zeal and rapidity of motion, had got
too Far in advance of Lee. Pope was con-
centrating his forces, to fight and beat lack
son separately; McDowell's, with Sigeps
corps and Reynolds divisions moved rapidly
on GAINESVILLE, (see the maps); Kearney and
Reno, with their divisions, on Greenwich,
(tbe places are near together); while Pope,
with Hooker's division, went to. Manassas
Junction. The battle, of the 9th, was be-
tween Hookers division and Ewelrs
Ewell was driven back, but at dark lay on
the banks OF Broad Run, near Manassas. =
Onlthe night Of the 9th, Mcdowell, Kear.
ney and Reno had reached their positions,
and the army of Pope had intcrposcd COM
pletely bet,ceen jackson and the main body of
Lees army. Here, the reader who follows
the positions will see that Jackson had made
a great blunder. His energy and zealmade
him good soldier but he never was much
of a general 1t was hero that the positive
disobedence of Porter put it in the power
Of Jackson to have retrieved the consequen-
ces of his blunder. Porter was ordered, at
dark on the 9th, to move up at o'clock
, at night to Bristow Station, which order he
, utterly disobyed, giving as reason that his
men were tired, and would straggle, and a
wagon train was in his way Jackson for
tunatcly did not know this and instead Of
. attacking Pope at Bristow Station, as he
might, retreated Northeast through Cen
treville. All the forces were Immediately
put on his trail and he would have been
+. obliged to fight at Bull Run, under very diff
fcult circumstances, but for several hours
! delay, both by Sigel and Porter. On the
2Sth, two engagements took place, with the
rear Of Jackson's corps; one with Kearney
y and one with Kings division. Jackson
made detour to the North and repossesset
> Thoroughfare Gap in safety. Pope thought
4 and so said, that he would be surely cut of
but the misdirection of forces near the Gal
>. left him room to escape. So far, this who'll
movement of jackson had accomplished
# nothing. .'-'t -'..''
- On the Goth Pope concentrated all hi
=. forces at Manassas, ready to attack the enemy
,e whose whole army was now united, as it ad
vanced. 1t was then that the following or
!, der was sent to Gen. Porter:
% HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF VIRGINIA.
>. In THE FIELD, near Bull Run,
81 August 20, 1862 $3.50 P. M.
ne MAJoR-GEN. L. j. PORTER: General
at Immediately upon the receipt Of this orde
the precise hour Of receiving which you wi
acknowledge, you will march your comman
n to the field o. battle Of to-day, and repol
ut to me in person for orders. You are to Ut
Ic- derstand that you are expected to compl
"a. strictly with this order, and to be presen
=. on the field within three hours after its re
~ ceipt or after daybreak tomorrow morning
to JOHN Pope,
e. Major General Commanding.
70 A true copy: T. G. Ii. SMITH, Lient
!, Col. and A. ID. q.
- This is clear, positive and peremptory.-
~ ~ Believing that there could be no question I
90 to Porter's corps coming up in time, GeI
-, Pope ordered an attack, and notwithstant
m ho ing the inferiority of numbers, the enem
IS was driven from the field. But whore WI
y Porter? He again disobeyed orders, on
10 lay idle ,oithta sight and sound Of the yfe
~ ~ Of battle! For this, as the reader know
~ he was justly cashiered By compete
+ court martial. ''
=. At this time the Army Of Virginia h,
- scarcely any cavalry capable Of the least Sc
~ vice. Yet when General Pope dispatch,
IL -; the General-in- Chief for rations and fora
NJ from Alexandria, he received the followi
H aIl reply:
re. AUGUST 20, 1868 P. NJ.
nd To Commanding Officer at Centreuille: :.
L nave D6tu IUstTuClcu ny oOuVTdi W
by Clellan to inform you that he will have
ire the available wagons at Alexandria load
,ic with rations for your troops, and all the ca
-, ~ also, as soon as you will send cavalry
~ oort to Alexandria as a guard to the trai
ID Respectfully, W. B. FRANKLIN,
Ter Major-Gen. Com. Sixth Corps
nd A true copy: T. q. II. SMITH, Lieu
.o. Col. and A. d. y.
,ur There was nice answer to send the e
ng hausted army at Bull Rum! Alsxandl
ol. was full Of troops and provisions, and Ge
k Mcclellan will send somo rations to 4
troops, when the army in the field will sci
some cavalry back to guard them 1t W
= fno idea, too, to guard railroad cars, RI
ar, by q locomotive, with cavalryl With I'M
na aS rior forces and exhausted men, it was no Ia
rec roe ger possible to maintain position so far
Jan front of tho Washington defenses, and
an the alst Pope withdrew his army on Co
treville, his right stretching toward Fairfa
II was soon discovered that the enemy we
N bearing toward Eairfax Court Houaa tr I,