Abandonment of the Peninsula.—Arrival at Acquia
Creek.—Disembarkation at Alexandria.—Pope’s Operations.—Death
of Generals Stevens and Kearney.—Retreat to the
Fortifications.—Responsibility for the Disaster.—Fitz-John
Porter.
On the following day, the Thirty-third and other Regiments of the Third
Brigade embarked at Fortress Monroe, on board the steamers Vanderbilt
and Empire City, and came to anchor the same evening at Acquia Creek.
The design in sending them here was to reinforce General Burnside, who
had already arrived, and held Fredericksburg with a large force. As
affairs were assuming a threatening attitude around Washington, it was
deemed best, however, to withdraw all the troops from Fredericksburg and
vicinity. General Burnside, therefore, commenced evacuating the region
the same day that the Thirty-third arrived. The three bridges constructed
over the Rappahannock, the railroad, Quartermaster and commissary
buildings at Falmouth, were destroyed, the Fredericksburg machine-shop
and foundry blown up, and various other property laid in ruins. As the
last of the forces were leaving, a woman appeared, with three little
children clinging to her side, whom General Burnside recognized as a
prominent Union lady. He immediately remarked to her: “Have you anything
down to the bridge, madam?” “Only a bed and a few small articles, sir.”
Turning to one of his wagon-masters, he said, “Send down an ambulance,
wagon-master, and have them brought up and carried to the depot.” The
lady afterwards had the pleasure of being landed safely in Washington
with her children and effects. This was a little incident in itself, but
illustrates the character of the man.
The Thirty-third did not disembark, but proceeding on up to Alexandria,
went into camp near Fort Ellsworth, on the 24th, just five months from
the day it left for the Peninsula. Five months of active campaigning had
brought with it all the fortunes of war. Victory and defeat had anon
perched on our banners. New Generals had come and gone. Brave spirits
innumerable had been shot to death on the field, lain down in sickly
swamps to die, or breathed their life away in northern hospitals or
homes. The retrospect was not a cheerful one.
The other Regiments of Franklin’s Corps arrived during the same day, on
the Daniel Webster and other transports.
General Pope’s army was in the meantime actively engaged.
Saturday, August 9th, the battle of Cedar Mountain was fought between
Generals Banks and Jackson, which can hardly be claimed as a victory for
the Federal arms, though the subsequent retreat of the enemy left us in
possession of the field.
Wednesday, 13th, General Buford’s Cavalry pushed on further south, as far
as Orange Court House, capturing many wounded who had been abandoned.
Sunday, 17th, the army encamped along the banks of the Rapidan.
Wednesday, 20th, General Pope and his entire command crossed to the north
bank of the river, and during the same day Jackson, who had been heavily
reinforced from Lee’s army, appeared at several of the fords, and opened
a brisk and lengthy artillery fire. Opposing batteries were planted
along the river at different points for a distance of fifteen miles. No
advantage resulted to the enemy from this prolonged artillery duel. They
succeeded, however, in throwing a body of cavalry across one of the fords
at the extreme left of our lines, which was met by a corresponding force.
A severe conflict ensued, neither party being the victors.
Saturday, 23rd, the rebels made a spirited attack on Rappahannock
Station, compelling us to abandon it. The bridge over the Rappahannock at
that point was burned, and the abutments blown up.
Monday, 25th, the entire left wing of the rebel army crossed the river at
Warrenton Springs, and General Pope immediately decided upon abandoning
the line of the Rappahannock.
Tuesday, 26th, Ewell, with a part of Jackson’s command, appeared
at Bristow Station, in Pope’s rear, and destroyed two bridges, two
locomotives, and fifty cars, en route back to Alexandria from Warrenton
Junction, whither they had conveyed General Hooker’s Division a few
hours previous. Leaving Bristow Station, Ewell proceeded to Manassas
Junction, and burnt one hundred more cars, heavily laden with ammunition
and supplies. He also destroyed the bridge over Bull Run, and retreated
to Hay Market, closely pursued by Hooker and Kearney. About the same
time Longstreet’s corps forced a passage through Thoroughfare Gap, after
meeting with a stubborn resistance from General King’s Division.
On abandoning the Rappahannock, General Pope had marched rapidly back,
in three columns, from Warrenton and Warrenton Junction, and disposed
his forces in the following manner. The Corps of McDowell and Sigel and
the Pennsylvania Reserves, under Reynolds, were moved to Gainesville.
Reno and Kearney were directed upon Greenwich, while Hooker’s Division
was sent against Ewell along the railroad. These dispositions, General
Halleck tells us, were well planned, but were unfortunately too late,
as a large detachment of Lee’s army was already east of Thoroughfare
Gap. General Porter was ordered to be at Bristow Station by daylight on
the morning of the 28th, but not obeying the order, his Corps did not
participate in the battles of the 28th and 29th. Heintzelman’s Corps
pressed forward to Manassas on the morning of the 28th, and forced
Jackson to retreat across Bull Run by the Centreville turnpike. McDowell
had succeeded in checking Lee at Thoroughfare Gap, but the latter took
the road to New Market, and hastened to the relief of Jackson, who was
now in rapid retreat. A portion of McDowell’s corps encountered the
retreating column on the afternoon of the 28th, near Warrenton turnpike,
and a severe but successful battle ensued.
Friday, 29th, Jackson was again attacked near the old battle ground
of July 1861, when a heavy engagement ensued. Sigel, who had arrived,
held the extreme right of our lines. The enemy endeavored to turn his
position, but were repulsed three times. Fighting continued until dark,
at which time the rebels had been driven one mile. General Pope, in his
official report of this battle, wrote:
“We fought a terrific battle here yesterday with the combined forces of
the enemy, which lasted with continuous fury, from daylight until after
dark, by which time the enemy was driven from the field which we now
occupy. Our troops are too much exhausted to push matters, but I shall
do so in the course of the morning, as soon as Fitz-John Porter’s Corps
comes up from Manassas.”
Upon the following day our forces were arranged as follows: Heintzelman,
extreme right; Porter and McDowell, centre; and Banks, extreme left.
Sigel was held as a reserve in the rear of Porter. We renewed the battle
at 7 o’clock, A. M. Firing was kept up on both sides until one o’clock,
when the rebels charged in solid column upon our centre. They were at
first repulsed, but again advancing in six columns, McDowell’s troops
gave away. The centre now being broken, the wings were compelled to fall
back, when a perfect rout ensued. Officers and men, alike, rushed back,
pell mell, in the direction of Washington, as fast as their legs would
carry them. Reaching Bull Run they were temporarily rallied and held the
advance of the enemy in check, but again pushing on, they did not stop
until within sight of Centreville.
Returning to General Franklin’s command, the Thirty-third, together with
the other Regiments of the Corps, received marching orders on the 28th.
Tents were struck, rations provided, and everything got in readiness
to hasten to the support of Pope. But the movement did not commence,
and at sunset the tents were re-pitched. Orders came again, however, at
ten o’clock, to be ready to march on the following morning. The Third
Brigade was in readiness at six o’clock, but, proceeding on to the camps
of the remaining portions of the Corps, saw but little indication of a
move. Tents remained standing, unharnessed artillery horses were eating
their grain, and other evidences of an intended delay were apparent.
After the lapse of two hours, the Corps took up the line of march, and
proceeding through Annandale, halted at eleven o’clock _for the day_,
after having made a distance of _six and one half miles_. The next
morning the march was resumed at eight o’clock. On nearing Fairfax Court
House, the artillery firing of General Pope could be distinctly heard,
and the troops, knowing that he must be in need of reinforcements, were
anxious to push rapidly forward. But they were moved along at a snail
pace. Arriving at Cub Run, two miles beyond Centreville, large numbers
of wounded men, stragglers and wagons were met going to the rear. While
the Thirty-third was fording Cub Run, “we were ordered,” writes the
Lieutenant-Colonel, “to counter-march. Our army had given way and the
hellish intentions of some Generals had been accomplished. Pope had been
defeated.” The Brigade returned to Centreville, reaching there about ten
o’clock at night. Lieutenant-Colonel Corning was immediately ordered to
proceed with the Thirty-third and Seventh Maine, to a point two miles
to the rear, to stop the stragglers, who were now hurrying towards the
capital by whole Brigades. The Regiments were posted across the road,
where they remained until the following morning, halting and turning
back, at the point of the bayonet, a large number of the panic-stricken
fugitives. Being relieved, they returned again to Centreville, and took
up position in one of the lines of battle formed by the Corps to cover
the retreat. Under protection of a flag of truce, some sixty ambulances
proceeded to the battle-field and brought off about half of our wounded,
who had lain since Saturday in the open air, exposed to the broiling sun,
and fierce storm which prevailed Sunday evening. The poor fellows were in
a terrible condition, having been deserted by the surgeons, who, like the
rest of the army, were panic-stricken and had fled. Nearly two hundred of
them were left, the flag of truce expiring before they could be brought
away. Just at nightfall (Monday) a portion of the enemy succeeded in
getting in our rear, between Centreville and Fairfax, and fell upon the
supply trains, which were withdrawing to Alexandria. General Stevens was
immediately sent back from the former place, and succeeded in driving
the enemy away, though losing his own life. He fell at the head of his
Brigade, pierced through the breast by a minie-ball. Later in the evening
the lion-hearted Kearney was also killed. It was his habit, like that
of Stonewall Jackson’s, to ride round his lines after the troops were
asleep, and inspect them closely, satisfying himself that the pickets
were doing their duty. Not unfrequently he would start off in this manner
alone, and be absent for hours, making himself fully acquainted with
everything that was transpiring along the lines. It was while out on such
a tour of inspection, Monday night, that he was shot dead by a rebel
picket, who observed him riding along, from a distance. His death, as
well as that of General Stevens, was universally lamented.
[Illustration: Vienna, 15 miles from Alexandria.]
The entire army now fell back to the fortifications around Alexandria.
The Thirty-third left the front about seven o’clock Monday evening,
halting at two o’clock on the following morning, one mile west of Fairfax
Court House. The roads were full of troops and wagon trains, and the
night was intensely dark, which added to the confusion. After sleeping
two hours, the Division again moved back to the front, and constituted
the rear guard of the retreating forces. About ten o’clock it was
withdrawn and proceeded towards Alexandria, reaching the old camping
ground at ten o’clock in the evening.
So ended the second series of Bull Run engagements. Owing to the timidity
and lack of confidence in the people, which have led the military
authorities at Washington, from the commencement of the war, to withhold
unfavorable intelligence, the country has never comprehended the extent
of the disaster which resulted from this week of battles. Our arms
unquestionably suffered the severest reverse which has yet befallen them.
In addition to the loss of seventy-five cannon and large quantities of
small arms, equipments, supplies, etc., there must have been fully twenty
thousand Federal troops killed, wounded and taken prisoners.
Neither has the country comprehended the rightful causes of this
disaster. We believe that it was occasioned solely by the jealousy of
military officers, and not through incapacity on the part of Gen. Pope.
No sooner was he appointed to the command of the Army of Virginia, and
large forces placed under him, than an emulous spirit manifested itself
among the Generals of the Army of the Peninsula. When he issued the
injudicious address to his troops, announcing that his headquarters were
to be in the saddle, and that they were not to be employed in seeking out
lines of retreat, this spirit was still further developed. Finally, when
the Peninsular forces were recalled to the capital and placed under Pope,
and Gen. McClellan left in command of the fortifications simply, several
of his Generals deliberately, we believe, plotted the new leader’s ruin.
Gen. Porter was unquestionably the most guilty one of the number, and
merited a severer punishment than has been meted out to him. This was
the general opinion entertained in the army, outside of his own Corps.
However much they loved and admired Gen. McClellan, the troops came to
regard his pet, Gen. Fitz-John Porter, with distrust and suspicion. Had
he obeyed orders, Gen. Pope informs us that the enemy would have been
completely routed.
No satisfactory reasons have ever been given for the late advance and
slow march of Gen. Franklin’s Corps from Alexandria to the scene of
operations, when it was so much needed. The fact of his never having been
called to account for it, is, however, sufficient reason for asserting
that Gen. Franklin was not responsible for the delay. He was too much
of a patriot, too much of a soldier, to be guilty of any machinations
against a brother officer and his country. Great injustice has been done
him by associating his name with Gen. Porter’s.
The conduct and correspondence of Gen. McClellan all go to prove that
he neither shared in nor countenanced that spirit of rivalry which
cost the country so much blood and treasure. Gen. Pope’s plans were
well conceived, and if they had been carried out, would doubtless have
resulted in a substantial victory. However questionable his veracity, we
cannot withhold from him the meed of having displayed good generalship in
the East as well as in the West.