IN CULPEPER DURING THE OCCUPATION BT POPE.
manded in person by General Sehenek, the division commander, and fought with supreme gallantry and tenacity. The enemy’s attack was repulsed several times with severe loss, but he returned again and again to the assault. . . .
Reno’s corps was withdrawn from our right center late in the afternoon and thrown into action on our left, where the assaults of the enemy were persistent and unintermitting. Notwithstanding the disadvantages under which we labored, our troops held their ground with the utmost firmness and obstinacy. The loss on both sides was heavy. By dark our left had been forced back half or three-fourths of a mile, but still remained firm and unbroken and still held the Warrenton pike on our rear, while our right was also driven back equally far, but in good order and without confusion. At dark the enemy took possession of the Sudley Springs road, and was in position to threaten our line of communication via stone bridge. After G o’clock in the evening I learned, accidentally, that Franklin’s corps had arrived at a point about 4 miles east of Centreville, or 12 miles in our rear, and that it was only about 8000 strong.
The result of the battle of the 30th convinced me that we were no longer able to hold our position so far to the front, and so far away from the absolute necessaries of life, suffering, as were men and horses, from fatigue and hunger, ancT weakened by the heavy losses in battle. About 8 o’clock in the evening, therefore, I sent written orders to the corps commanders to withdraw leisurely to Centreville. . . .
Franklin’s corps arrived at Centreville late on the afternoon of the 30th; Sumner’s the next day. What was then thought by the Government of our operations up to this time is shown in the subjoined despatch:
Washington, August 3lst, 1862. ll a. m.
My Dear General : You have clone nobly. Don’t yield another inch ii you can avoid it. All reserves are being sent forward. . . . I am doing all lean for you and your noble army. God bless you and it. . . .
H. W. Halleck, General-in-Chief.
enemy’s left flank. For a time Ricketts’s division of McDowell’s corps was placed in support of this movement. I was obliged to assume the aggressive or to fall back, as from want of provisions I was not able to await an attack from the enemy or the result of any other movement he might make.
Every moment of delay increased the odds against us, and I therefore pushed forward the attack as rapidly as possible. Soon after Porter advanced to attack along the Warrenton pike and the assault was made by Heintzelman and Reno on the right, it became apparent that the enemy was massing his forces as fast as they arrived on the right of Jackson, and was moving forward to force our left. General McDowell was therefore directed to recall Ricketts’s division from our right, and put it so as to strengthen our left thus threatened.
Porter’s corps was repulsed after some severe fighting, and began to retire, and the enemy advancing to the assault, our whole line was soon furiously engaged. The main attack of the enemy was made against our left, but was met with stubborn resistance by the divisions of Sehenek and Reynolds, and the brigade of Milroy, who was soon reinforced on the left by Ricketts’s division. The action was severe for several hours, the enemy bringing up heavy reserves and pouring mass after mass of his troops on our left. He was able also to present at least an equal force all along our line of battle. Porter’s corps was halted and re-formed, and as soon as it was in condition it was pushed forward to the support of our left, where it rendered distinguished service, especially the brigade of regulars under Colonel (then Lieutenant-Colonel) Buchanan.
McLean’s brigade of Schenck’s division, which was posted in observation on our left flank, and in support of Reynolds, became exposed to the attack of the enemy on our left when Reynolds’s division was drawn back to form line to support Porter’s corps, then retiring from their attack, and it was fiercely assailed by Hood and Evans, in greatly superior force. This brigade was com-
festal
Warren Lee Goss says: “At the end of the first day’s battle, August 29, so soon as the fighting ceased, many sought without orders to rescue comrades lying wounded between the opposing lines. There seemed to be an understanding between the men of both armies that such parties were not to be disturbed in their mission of ¡nercy. After the failure of the attempt of Grover and Kearny to carry the railroad embankment, the Confederates followed their troops back and formed a line in the edge of the woods. When the fire had died away along the darkling woods, little groups of men from the Union lines went stealthily about, bringing in the wounded from the exposed positions. Blankets attached to poles or muskets often served as stretchers to bear the wounded to the ambulances and surgeons. There was a great lack here of organized effort to care for our wounded. Vehicles of various kinds were pressed into service. The removal went on during the entire night, and tired soldiers were roused from their slumbers by the plaintive cries of comrades passing in the comfortless vehicles. In one instance a Confederate and a Union soldier were found cheering each other on the field. They were put into the same Virginia farm-cart and sent to the rear.”
almost continuously for many days, were greatly exhausted. They had had little to eat for two days, and artillery and cavalry horses had been in harness and under the saddle for ten days, and had been almost out of forage for the last two days. It may be readily imagined how little these troops, after such severe labors and hardships, were in condition for further active marching and fighting. . . .
Between 12 and 2 o’clock during the day I advanced Porter’s corps, supported by King’s division of McDowell’s corps, and supported also on their left by Sigel’s corps and Reynolds’s division, to attack the enemy along the Warrenton pike. At the same time the corps of Heintzelman and Reno on our right were directed to push forward to the left and front toward the pike and attack the
Every indication during the night of the 29th and up to 10 o’clock on the morning of the 30th pointed to the retreat of the enemy from our front. Paroled prisoners of our own army, taken on the evening of the 29th, who came into our lines on the morning of the 30th, reported the enemy retreating during the whole night in the direction of and along the Warrenton pike (a fact since confirmed by Longstreet’s report). Generals McDowell and Heintzelman, who reconnoitered the position held by the enemy’s left on the evening of the 29th, also confirmed this statement. They reported to me the evacuation of these positions by the enemy, and that there was every indication of their retreat in the direction of Gainesville. On the morning of the 30th, as may be easily believed, our troops, who had been marching and fighting