[Circular to corps commanders.] HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF Virginia, Centreville, August 31, 1862-8.30 a. m. GENERAL: The major general commanding the army of Virginia directs me to instruct you to take measures immediately to bring forward and distribute ammunition for your command. 1. Men should be selected to guide the wagons to the troops to be supplied, to report to Lieutenant Colonel Smith, aide-de-camp, at these headquarters. 2. A report of the amount and kind of ammunition required in your command should be made to Lieutenant Colonel Smith. 3. Empty wagons should be collected and sent to report to Lieutenant Colenel Smith. With great respect, general, your obedient servant, T. C. H. SMITH, Lieutenant Colonel and Aide-de-Camp. A true copy: E. HAIGHT, Captain and Aide-de-Camp. [Circular.] HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF VIRGINIA, Commanding officers of army corps will send back to Alexandria all wagons appertaining to their trains, except those absolutely necessary to haul subsistence stores and ammunition from Fairfax Court House to this place for their respective corps. This movement will be under charge of Colonel Clary, chief quartermaster, army of Virginia. By command of Major General Pope: A true copy: GEO. D. RUGGLES, Colonel and Chief of Staff. T. C. H. SMITH, Lieutenant Colonel and Aide-de-Camp. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF VIRGINIA, Centreville, August 31, 1862-10.45 o'clock a. m. Major General HALLECK, General-in-Chief: Our troops are all here, and in position, though much used up and worn out. I think perhaps it would have been greatly better if Sumner and Franklin had been here three or four days ago; but you may rely upon our giving them as desperate a fight as I can force our men to stand up to. I should like to know whether you feel secure about Washington, should this army be destroyed. I shall fight it as long as a man will stand up to the work. You must judge what is to be done, having in view the safety of the capital. The enemy is already pushing a cavalry reconnoissance in front of Cub run, whether in advance of an attack to-day I do not yet know. I send you this that you may know our position and my purpose. A true copy: JOHN POPE, Major General Commanding. T. C. H. SMITH, Lieutenant Colonel and Aide-de-Camp. SPECIAL ORDERS HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF VIRGINIA, } Carrol's brigade of Ricketts's division will proceed at once to Fairfax station, and take post as a guard for commissary stores at that point. The commanding officer of these troops will report upon his arrival at Fairfax station to Colonel E. G. Beckwith, chief commissary army of Virginia. By command of Major General Pope: A true copy: GEO. D. RUGGLES, T. C. H. SMITH, Lieutenant Colonel and Aide-de-Camp. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF VIRGINIA, SIR: Major General Pope directs you at once to send two regiments of infantry and two pieces of artillery, to escort the wagon train now en route to Alexandria, as far as Cloud's mills. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, GEO. D. RUGGLES, COMMANDING OFFICER Forces at Fairfax Court House. A true copy: T. C. H. SMITH, Lieutenant Colonel and Aide-de-Camp. CENTREVILLE, August 31. DEAR GENERAL: Your despatch of 11 a. m. has been received, and I thank you for your considerate commendation. I would be glad to have it in such shape that the army might be acquainted with it. We shall fight to the last. The whole secession army engaged us yesterday. I had a letter from Lee this morning. Ewell is killed; Jackson badly wounded; other generals of less note wounded. The plan of the enemy will undoubtedly be to turn my flank. If he does so, he will have his hands full. My troops are in good heart. I need cavalry horses terribly. Send me ten thousand, in lots, and under strong escort. I have never yet received a single one. Major General HALLECK. A true copy: JOHN POPE, Major General. T. C. H. SMITH, Lieutenant Colonel and Aide-de-Camp. The enemy's cavalry appeared in force in front of our advance at Cub run, during the morning of the 31st, but made no attempt to cross, and no attack upon our troops posted there. A few pieces of artillery were fired, but with no result on either side. The whole force that I had at Centreville, as reported to me by the corps commanders, on the morning of the 1st of September, after receiving the corps of Sumner and Franklin, was as follows: McDowell's corps, 10,000 men; Sigel's corps, about 7,000; Heintzelman's corps, about 6,000; Reno's, 6,000; Banks's, 5,000; Sumner's, 11,000; Porter's, 10,000; Franklin's, 8,000; in all, 63,000 men. From these forces two brigades, as I before stated, had been sent to Fairfax station, to guard the trains and the depot at that place, which makes it necessary to deduct 4,000 men. It is proper for me to state here, and I do it with regret and reluctance, that at least one-half of this great diminution of our forces was occasioned by skulking and straggling from the army. The troops which were brought into action fought with gallantry and determination, but thousands of men straggled away from their commands, and were not in any action. I had posted several regiments in rear of the field of battle on the 29th of August, and although many thousand stragglers and skulkers were arrested by them, many others passed around through the woods, and did not rejoin their commands during the remainder of the campaign. I had telegraphed to the general-in-chief, from Rappahannock station, on the 22d, that this practice of straggling was very common, and was reducing our force considerably even at that time. I also sent orders on the same day to General Sturgis to arrest all stragglers arriving in Alexandria; to confine them in military prisons, and to bring them to speedy trial. The active and incessant movements of the army prevented me, during the whole of this campaign, from giving that attention to the subject, except in orders, which ought to be and must be given to it, to preserve efficiency and discipline among any troops. Our cavalry at Centreville was completely broken down, no horses whatever having reached us to remount it. Generals Buford and Bayard, commanding the whole of the cavalry force of the army, reported to me that there were not five horses to the company that could be forced into a trot. It was impossible, therefore, to cover our front with cavalry, or to make cavalry reconnoissances, as is usual and necessary in front of an army. I directed General Sumner, on the morning of the 1st of September, to push forward a reconnoissance of two brigades toward the Little River turnpike, to ascertain if the enemy were making any movements in the direction of Germantown or Fairfax Court House. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF VIRGINIA, Camp near Centreville, September 1, 1862–3 a. m. Major General SUMNER: The reconnoitring party of cavalry which you sent out yesterday morning, under Captain Haight, has, as I am informed, been captured by the enemy's cavalry. It is essential that your right be carefully watched. I desire you at daylight to push a reconnoissance of not less than one brigade, supported if necessary by a second, toward the north of your position, to the Little River turnpike, and beyond. The direction of your reconnoissance should be as nearly due north as practicable, and should be pushed not less than five miles. It is of great importance that this reconnoissance should be made at an early hour in the morning. The orderly whom you sent to me left me without any permission, so that I find it very difficult to find your headquarters. Please send him back. A true copy: JOHN POPE, T. C. H. SMITH, Lieutenant Colonel and Aide-de-Camp. [Circular.] HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF VIRGINIA, Centreville, September 1, 1862. GENERAL: The major general commanding directs me to inform you that a large supply of ammunition has arrived since yesterday-say one hundred and twenty wagons, and that near the earthwork, close in rear of Centreville, au officer will be found, charged with its distribution. The ammunition will be kept in the wagons in which it came, so as to be sent forward to the troops to be supplied immediately when required. Major general commanding, &c. With great respect, general, your obedient servant, A true copy: T. C. H. SMITH, Lieutenant Colonel and Aide-de-Camp. T. C. H. SMITH, Lieutenant Colonel and Aide-de-Camp. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF VIRGINIA, GENERAL: The reconnoissance is only designed to ascertain whether there is any considerable movement of the enemy's infantry towards our right and rear. We have no cavalry-not a horse that can possibly perform service, and it may be necessary, in order to obtain the information I desire, to drive off the enemy's cavalry. I do not care that the brigade shall be pushed further than the Little River turnpike, while skirmishers are thrown still further, in order fully to ascertain whether the enemy is making any movement toward Germantown and Fairfax Court House. I do not wish any engagement brought on at present on that ground, but when the information required shall have been obtained by the brigade, withdraw it. Major General E. V. SUMNER. A true copy: JNO. POPE, Major General Commanding. T. C. H. SMITH, Lieutenant Colonel and Aide-de-Camp. The enemy was found moving again slowly toward our right; heavy columns of his forces being in march toward Fairfax along Little River pike The main body of our forces was so much broken down and so completely exhausted, that they were in no condition, even on the 1st of September, for any active operations against the enemy; but I determined to attack at daylight on the 2d of September, in front of Chantilly. The movement of the enemy had become so developed by the afternoon of the 1st, and was so evidently directed at Fairfax Court House, with a view of turning my right, that I made the necessary disposition of troops to fight a battle between the Little River pike and the road from Centreville to Fairfax Court House. I sent General Hooker early in the afternoon to Fairfax Court House, and directed him to assemble all the troops that were in the vicinity, and to push forward to Germantown with his advance. I directed McDowell to move back along the road to Fairfax Court House, as far as Difficult creek, and to connect by his right with Hooker. Reno was to push forward to the north of the road from Centreville to Fairfax, in the direction of Chantilly. Heintzelman's corps was directed to take post on the road between Centreville and Fairfax, immediately in the rear of Reno. Franklin took post on McDowell's left and rear; Sumner was posted on the left of Heintzelman, while the corps of Sigel and Porter were directed to unite with the right of Sumner; Banks was instructed with the wagon trains of the army to pursue the old Braddock road and come into the Alexandria turnpike in the rear of Fairfax Court House. Just before sunset on the 1st the enemy attacked us on our right, but was met by Hooker, McDowell, Reno, and Kearney's division of Heintzelman's corps. A very severe action occurred in the midst of a terrific thunder-storm, and was terminated shortly after dark. The enemy was driven back entirely from our front, but during that engagement we lost two of our best and one of our most distinguished officers-Major General Kearney and Brigadier General Stevens, who were both killed while gallantly leading their commands, and in front of their line of battle. It is unnecessary for me to say one word in commendation of two officers who were so well and widely known to the country. Words cannot express my sense of the zeal, the gallantry and sympathy of that most earnest and accomplished soldier, Major General Kearney. In him the country has suffered a loss which it will be difficult, if not impossible, to repair. He died as he would have wished to die, and as became his heroic character. HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Washington, D. C., September 1, 1862. General POPE: Yours of last evening was received at 4 a. m. this morning. I want to issue a complimentary order, but as you are daily fighting, it could hardly be distributed. I will do so very soon. Look out well for your right, and don't let the enemy get between you and the forts. We are strengthening the line of defence as rapidly as possible. Horses will be sent to you to-day. Send despatches to me as often as possible. I hope for an arrival of cavalry today. Yours truly, H. W. HALLECK, General-in-Chief. P. S.-Acknowledge hour of receipt of this. A true copy: T. C. H. SMITH, Lieutenant Colonel and Aide-de-Camp. CENTREVILLE, September 1-8.50 a. m. Major General HALLECK, General-in-Chief: All was quiet yesterday, and so far this morning; my men all resting. They need it much. Forage for our horses is being brought up. Our cavalry is completely broken down, so that there are not five horses to a company that can raise a trot. The consequence is that I am forced to keep considerable infantry along the roads in my rear to make them secure, and even then it is difficult to keep the enemy's cavalry off the roads. I shall attack again to-morrow if I can-the next day certainly. I think it my duty to call your attention to the unsoldierly and dangerous conduct of many brigade and some division commanders of the forces sent here from the Peninsula. Every word and act and intention is discouraging, and calculated to break down the spirits of the men and to produce disaster. One commander of a corps who was ordered to march from Manassas Junction to join me near Groveton, although he was only five miles distant, failed to get up at all; and worse still, fell back to Manassas without a fight, and in plain hearing, at less than three miles distance, of a furious battle which raged all day. It was only in consequence of peremptory orders that he joined me next day. One of his brigades, the brigadier general of which professed to be looking for his division, absolutely remained all day at Centreville, in plain view of the battle, and made no attempt to join. What renders the whole matter worse, these are both officers of the regular army, who do not hold back from ignorance or fear. Their constant talk, indulged in publicly and in promiscuous company, is that "the army of the Potomac will not fight;" that they are demoralized by withdrawal from the Peninsula, &c. When such |