The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-03-10
ARMY .! Of THE ,!!!E Z. POTOMAC ITO

ther 20 hls left b. Amisaville. crossed the
Ipper kappahannock- called the
HedeeMan .Rivsr-at Henson's Mtu
turned pope's right, and moving BY -
cans. bivouaeked at. Salem. .-asser :
forced march Of 20 miles. Next day t18th,
eastward ut Salem. he crossed the Bull
Gun Mountain through Thoroughfar
Gap, and passing Gainesville. ne. ut sun
-et, reached Bristoe Station. ON the Or
lnge & Alexandra Railroad: This III
proceeded ia destrey, while hs :: AZ
same tins dispatched Stuart with his cav
Try and a force Of infantry to Manassa,
Junction. seven miles nearer Washington
Here stuart took several hundred prison
ers, eight. guns, and immense supplies OF
.ommissary and quartermaster's stores
lsckson's instructions from his chief has
been to. throw his command between
Washington City and the army of Gen
fope and to break up his railroad commu
nications with the Federal Capital."Q7l
That energetic lieutenant had carried
hem ont to the letter. 1t is now time I,
look to P0Pe's movements.
While JacksOn's column was executing
this flank movement to the rear of Pope
Lee retained Longstreet's command in hi
front to divert his attention. and learning
that Pope was about to receive reinforce
ments from Mcclellan, he ordered for
ward the remainder of his army from,
Richmond.1S) Nevertheless, the stealthy
march of Jackson did not pass unnoted
by the Union commander, who received
very precise information respecting his
movement northward, though ne was IN
able to divire its aim. 40 Bewildered by
his antagonists manuvers. Pope made q
series OF ridiculous tentatives; but finally.
on the 18th. he determined to fall hack
from the Rappahannock nearer to Wash
lngton. During the day he learned that
jackson was already on his rear at
Manassas and had cut his railway commu-
nications with Washington.
PoPE's PULLING POSITION.
1t must be admitted the situation was
difficult one, but it was one that afforded
vigorous commander opportunity for a
decisive blow. Lee had in fact committed
an act OF unwonted rashness, and volun-
tariiy placed himself in such position
that when Jackson had reached Bristoe
Station and Manassas, Longstreet. with
the van OF the main column, moving by
the same route taken BY that officer, was
sun distant two marches. Pope was
therefore left free to place himself be-
tween the two. and beat them in detail
Such piece Of temerity IS only justiiable
when General has great and we'll
grounded CONTEMPT for his adversary
Pope was at this time in a condition to
undertake bold stroke; for he had al
ready been REINFORCED by a considerable
body of the Army of the Potomac arriy-
ing from the Peninsula. Reynolds's Divi-
sion of Pennsylvania Reserves had Joined
him at Rappahannock Station on the 23d:
the corps OF Porter and Heintzelman at
Warrent0n Junction, on the 26th and
9th: and the remainder Of the Army of
the Potomac corps Of Sumner and Frank
linz was en- route from Alexandria.
POPE PLANS FOR THE EMERGENCY.
The measures taken by Pope to meet
the new turn Of affairs showed an appre-
citation Of the line of action suited to the
circumstances; but he was incapable of
carrying ii out, for he had completely lost
his head. The obvious move was to throw
forward his left so as to seize the road
by which Longstreet would advance to
join Jackson. With this view. he, on the
morning of the 9th, directed Gen. Nc
Dowell, with his own and Sigeps Corps
and the division of Reynolds. upon Gaines
vilic-a movement that would plant that
powerful force of 10000 men on the road
by which Lees main column, moving
through Thoroughfare Gap, must advance
to join Jackson. This force was to be
supported by Reno's Corps and Kearny's
Division OF Heintzelman's Corps. which
were directed on Greenwich, while he
moved with Hooker's Division along the
Orange e. Alexandria Railroad towards
Manassas Junction. po.ter's Corps
(when relieved at Warrenton Junction by
II. Jackson's Report: Reports Of the
Army of Northern Virginia. vol. ii. p. ~.
Is. This force consisted Of ID. Fl. Hills
and McLaw's Divisions. two brigades un-
der Gen. Walker, and Hampton's Cavalry
Brigade.
10. The information was derived from
Col. j. 8. Clark. of the staff OF Gen.
Banks. That officer remained all day in
a perilous position within sight of Jack
sons moving column, and counted its
force, which he found to be SO regiments of
infantry, with the proper proportion of
batteries and considerable cavalry force