BATTLE OF CEDAR MOUNTAIN.

229

The public were kept ignorant of the true state of affairs, and those better informed became very anxious. Pope's army was chiefly stationed at Culpepper, and at Fredericksburg. On the 7th of August, he learned that the rebels in large force were crossing the Rapidan at several points. The Federal army, only twenty-eight thousand strong, extended along this river. The troops who had been sent out on reconnoissances, were now recalled to Culpepper. On Friday, the 8th, General S. W. Crawford's brigade, of General Banks' corps, was sent to Cedar or Slaughter mountain, to hold the enemy in check; General Crawford was joined early on Saturday morning by General Banks, with his corps of seven thousand men.

Čedar mountain is situated near Culpepper. On Thursday morning, August 7th, "Stonewall" Jackson, at the head of a large rebel force, having crossed the Rapidan, took up a strong position on this mountain. General Banks was sent to arrest his further advance, and General Sigel was hastening, by forced marches, to the support of the Union general. The heavy woods concealed the rebels in their strong intrenchments on the mountain, and on the afternoon of the 9th of August they emerged from the woods, and made an attack on General Banks in great force, with a terrible fire of artillery and musketry.

General Crawford's brigade, consisting of the Forty-sixth Pennsylvania, Tenth Maine, Twenty-eighth New York, and Fifth Connecticut regiments, was conspicuous in this bloody combat, in which the noblest heroism was displayed. General Crawford drew up his men in line of battle on the edge of the woods, looking to the south. Before them was a large wheat field newly harvested, and the shocks of grain yet standing. The ground toward the south sloped down gently to a ravine, beyond which rose abruptly the thickly wooded sides of Cedar mountain, which were swarming with the enemy, who occupied a position more commanding than that of the Union forces. The fight at first was with artillery alone, at the distance of a mile. The additional batteries which were brought to bear on the patriots, made the concentrated fire so deadly, that it was determined to attempt their capture by a bayonet charge.

At six o'clock he order was given, and the brave troops moved gallant'y en at a double-quick. A terrible fire from

230

BATTLE OF CEDAR MOUNTAIN.

the batteries swept their ranks. Onward they still pressed, beneath the grape and canister hurled upon them in their exposed position; the dead and wounded strewing the path behind them. Cheering, they gained the woods through the deadly volleys which assailed them, when up sprang an overpowering rebel force from the brushwood, pouring in a point blank fire so deadly, as to compel their retreat. Night ended the bloody struggle, in which seven thousand men had contended with fifteen thousand. Both sides claimed the victory. The Union loss was fifteen hundred; that of the rebels twenty-five hundred. In the beautiful autumnal night lay the combatants in line of battle, resting on their arms. Groans of agony rose from the poor wounded soldiers, who could receive no succor as they lay extended on that bloody field, while a full moon was illuminating a scene diversified by green fields, mountains, and woods.

The weak Union lines were reinforced at midnight. Generals Pope, Banks, and Sigel bivouacked on a hill, which commanded the scene of the late bloody conflict. The rebel sharpshooters annoyed their rest by a sudden attack, which forced them to leave the spot. Both armies were too much exhausted the next day to renew the battle, and reinforcements having arrived to support the Union troops, the enemy saw that the hope of breaking their line was desperate. Monday, the 11th, was spent in the sad office of burying the dead, and attending to the wounded. The enemy left many of their slain uninterred, and their wounded in the care of the Union soldiers. Their retreating columns were pursued by General John Buford, with cavalry and artillery, beyond the Rapidan.

The official report of General Pope speaks volumes for the gallant heroes of this fight. He says, "The behavior of General Banks' corps during the action, was very fine. No greater gallantry and daring could be exhibited by any troops. I cannot speak too highly of the ceaseless intrepidity of General Banks himself, during the whole of the engagement. He was in the front, and exposed as much as any man in the command. His example was of the greatest benefit, and should receive the commendation of his Govern ment. Generals Williams, Augur, Gorman, Crawford, Prince, Green, and Geary, behaved with conspicuous gallant"y. I desire to expres my appreciation of the prompt and

GENERAL LEE'S DESIGNS.

231

skilful manner in which Generals McDowell and Sigel brought forward their respective commands, and established them on the field, and for their cheerful and hearty co-ope ration with me from beginning to end. Brigadier-general Roberts, chief of cavalry, was conspicuous for his gallantry. Generals Auger and Geary were wounded in this fight, and General Prince and staff captured."

Among the patriots who fell, was Lieutenant Henry M. Dutton, son of Governor Dutton, of Connecticut. This young man, in early life, had become a disciple of the Saviour. History has presented to view few scenes more sad, than the vision of the venerable father of this young man, a few days after the battle, wandering over this field in the unavailing endeavor to find the remains of this, his beloved and only

son.

The enemy, by this advance across the Rapidan, had tested the spirit and discipline of Pope's army. It was the prelude to a movement of Lee with his whole force, numbering over one hundred thousand men. He had formed the design of destroying Pope, before McClellan could reinforce him.

Several despatches of the enemy, being intercepted on their way to General Stuart, disclosed the great strength of the rebels. Pope had but thirty thousand men to meet them. They were now advancing by forced marches on the Rapidan, and by the 18th, stood confronted with the Union army, in a line extending from Raccoon ford to Liberty mills. It was necessary for General Pope to manoeuvre, so as to gain time till the reinforcements which he expected should arrive. On the 14th, a portion of Burnside's command, under General Reno, came up from Falmouth. The enemy collected in such force on the Rapidan, on the 18th, as compelled the Union army to fall back to the Rappahannock, which was effected without loss. The Union position was behind the north fork of the river. The left wing held Kelly's ford, and the right rested on the Orange and Alexandria railroad, three miles above Rappahannock Station.

On the morning of the 20th, the enemy drove in the Federal pickets, and attempted to cross the river at Kelly's ford To keep up the communication with Fredericksburg was important, as by that route McClellan was expected with his divisions On the 21st and 22d, the enemy persistently attempted to cross. Their endeavors were successfully re

232

ENEMY CROSS THE RAPPAHANNOCK.

sisted, and they proceeded slowly up the river to turn the Union right, under General Sigel. On the 22d, they made a bold charge near Catlett's Station, in the rear of Pope's army, on part of the baggage and supply trains. The Purnell Legion and the Bucktail regiment bravely resisted awhile, but at last were compelled to give way. The enemy captured a passenger train, and a number of wagons containing the private stores of Generals Pope and McDowell. Some papers of General Pope's, of little importance, shared the same fate. They also captured a large number of horses. This raid of General Stuart, caused the Union officers great mortification. In this action, Colonel Kane, of the Bucktails, and Colonel Myers, of General Pope's staff, were distinguished; the former was captured, but ultimately escaped.

Meanwhile, the enemy was moving his main body across the Rappahannock. During the night of the 21st of August, great numbers crossed on the pontoon bridge which they had constructed, between Waterloo and Rappahannock Stations. The storm of canister from Sigel's guns destroyed hundreds of them in the passage, and compelled their retreat. The next morning, a brigade was ordered by Sigel to cross the river to drive in the enemy's pickets, and make an attack. Reinforcements came up on the side of the enemy, however, which compelled a retreat of the Union troops, with the loss of many killed, and a number of prisoners. In this unfortunate affair, the gallant General Bohlen was killed. The several skirmishes which thus took place, occasioned considerable loss of life on both sides; they were but the prelude to the more important engagements at hand.

The Confederate generals, notwithstanding the resistance with which they were encountered by portions of the Union army, transferred their troops gradually across the river, and marched on Manassas. The object of Pope in opposing the passage, was to give McClellan time to bring up his troops before a general action should take place. The Commander-in-chief ordered the latter to march forward at once, and not wait for transportation. McClellan, however, dis played great tardiness, and thus, without any assistance from the Army of the Potomac, Pope was obliged to encounter the immense rebel army massed against him.

Generals Lee and Longstreet had been occupying Pope's attention, until Jackson and Ewell should get in his rear.

POPE AT MANASSAS.

233

As soon as the Union commander perceived this design, he withdrew his forces from Warrenton, and ordered McDowell, with his own troops and those of Sigel, to march to Gainesville. Heintzelman and Reno were also ordered to proceed to the latter place, and Pope marched in haste, with the columns of Porter and Hooker, to Manassas. At Kettle Run, Hooker encountered the rebels, and defeated them in a spirited action.

Jackson, in the meantime, with Lee, Ewell, and Longstreet, had sent a large body of troops through Thoroughfare Gap, and taken a position in Pope's rear. The latter ordered McDowell and Sigel to attack the enemy in their front. Hooker was instructed to attack and drive back the forces at Bristow Station. Pope recovered his position, and once more gained the rebel rear, while his front faced Washington. He gained possession of Manassas on Thursday night, August 28th, and massed his troops, who were now fifty thousand strong, in such a manner as to enable him to assail the enemy with a prospect of success. A conflict of great magnitude was impending, and a victory on one side. or the other, was expected to decide the fate of the Republic. In all human probability, had McClellan cast the weight of his legions into the scale, at this juncture, it would have preponderated in a decisive Union victory, and a Waterloo defeat to the Confederate forces.

The troops now occupied the scene of the Bull Run battle field. Here the noble patriots had bled and died for their country. No one can witness this field without deep and mingled emotions. Another great battle on this hallowed ground, was now about to be fought. The most emphatic telegrams were sent by General Halleck to McClellan, to push forward reinforcements to the aid of Pope. One on Thursday the 28th, at three and a-half o'clock P. M., was as follows:

"Not a moment must be lost in pushing as large a force as possible toward Manassas, so as to communicate with Pope before the enemy is reinforced."

In answer to a telegram from McClellan, Halleck replies at about eight and a-half o'clock P. M., the same day:

"There must be no further delay in moving Franklin's corps toward Manassas. They must go to-morrow morning, ready or not ready. If there is a want of wagons, the men must carry provisions with them till the wagons come."