Hazel Eiver and other tributaries of the Eappahannock, he reached
Jeffersonton in the afternoon. General Jackson s command lay between
that place and the [Warrenton] Springs Ford, and a warm cannonade
was progressing between the batteries of General A. P. Hill s division
and those of the enemy. The enemy was massed between Warrenton
and the Springs and guarded the fords of the Eappahannock as far above
as Waterloo. The army of General McClellan had left Westover. Part
of [it] had already marched to join General Pope, and it was reported
that the rest would soon follow. The captured correspondence of Gen
eral Pope confirmed this information, and also disclosed the fact that
the greater part of the army of General Cox had been withdrawn from
the Kanawha Valley for the same purpose. Two brigades of D. H. Hill s
division, under General Eipley, had already been ordered from Eich-
mond, and the remainder, under General D. H. Hill in person, with the
division of General McLaws, two brigades under General Walker, am
Hampton s cavalry brigade, were now directed to join this army and wei
approaching. In*pursuance of the plan of operations determined upon,
554 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., AND MP. [CHAP. XXIV.
Jackson was directed on the 25th to cross above Waterloo and move
around the enemy s right, so as to strike the Orange and Alexandria
Eailroad in his rear. Longstreet in the mean time was to divert his at
tention by threatening him in front and to follow Jackson as soon as
the latter should be sufficiently advanced.
BATTLE OF MANASSAS.
General Jackson crossed the Eappahannock at Hinson s Mill, about
4 miles above Waterloo, and passing through Orleans encamped on
the night of the 25th near Salem, after a long and fatiguing march.
The next morning, continuing his route with his accustomed vigor and
celerity, he passed the Bull Eun Mountains at Thoroughfare Gap, and
proceeding by way of Gainesville, reached the railroad at Bristoe Sta
tion after sunset. At Gainesville he was joined by General Stuart with
the brigades of Eobertson and Fitzhugh Lee, who continued with him
during the rest of his operations, vigilantly and effectually guarding
both his flanks. General Jackson was now between the large army of
General Pope and the Federal capital. Thus far no considerable force
of the enemy had been encountered, and he did not appear to be aware
of his situation. Upon arriving at Bristoe the greater pare of the guard
at that point fled. Two trains of cars coming from the direction of
Warrenton were captured and a few prisoners were taken. Notwith
standing the darkness of the night and the long and arduous inarch of
the day, General Jackson determined to lose no time in capturing the
depot of the enemy at Manassas Junction, about 7 miles distant, on the
road to Alexandria. General Trimble volunteered to proceed at once
to that place with the Twenty-first North Carolina and the Twenty-
first Georgia Eegiments. The offer was accepted, and to render success
more certain General Jackson directed General Stuart to accompany
the expedition with part of his cavalry, and as ranking officer to assume
the command. Upon arriving near the Junction General Stuart sent
Colonel Wickham, with his regiment, the Fourth Virginia Cavalry, to
get in rear of the enemy, who opened with musketry and artillery
upon our troops as they approached. The darkness of the night and
ignorance of the enemy s numbers and position made it necessary to
move cautiously, but about midnight the place was taken with little
difficulty, those that defended it being captured or dispersed. Eight
pieces of artillery, with their horses, ammunition, and equipments,
were taken. More than 300 prisoners, 175 horses, besides those be
longing to the artillery, 200 new tents, and immense quantities of com
missary and quartermaster s stores fell into our hands. General Jack
son left Swell s division, with the Fifth Virginia Cavalry, under Colonel
Eosser, at Bristoe Station, and with the rest of his command proceeded
to the Junction, where he arrived early in the morning. Soon after
ward a considerable force of the enemy, under Brigadier- General Tay
lor, approached from the direction of Alexandria, and pushed forward
boldly to recapture the stores that had been lost. After a sharp en
gagement the enemy was routed and driven back, leaving his killed
and wounded on the field, General Taylor himself being mortally
wounded during the pursuit. The troops remained at Manassas Junc
tion during the rest of the day, supplying themselves with everything
they required from the captured stores.
In the afternoon the enemy advanced upon General Swell at Bristoe
from the direction of Warrenton Junction. They were attacked by
three regiments and the batteries of Swell s division, and two columns
CHAP. XXIV.] CAMPAIGN IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA. 555
of not less than a brigade each were brqfceu and repulsed. Their places
were soon supplied by fresh troops, and it was apparent that the Fed
eral commander had now become aware of the situation of affairs, and
had turned upon General Jackson with his whole force. In pursuance
of instructions to that effect, General Ewell, upon perceiving the strength
of the enemy, withdrew his command, part of which was at the time
engaged, and rejoined General Jackson at Manassas Junction, having
first destroyed the railroad bridge over Broad Eun. The enemy halted
at Bristoe. General Jackson s force being much interior to that of Gen
eral Pope, it became necessary for him to withdraw from Manassas and
take a position west of the turnpike road from Warren ton to Alexandria,
where he could more readily unite with the approaching column of
Longstreet. Having fully supplied the wants of his troops, he was
compelled, for want of transportation, to destroy the rest of the captured
property. This was done during the night of the 27th, and 50,000
pounds of bacon, 1,000 barrels of corned beef, 2,000 barrels of salt pork,
and 2,000 barrels of flour, besides other property of great value, were
burned. Taliaferro s division moved during the night by the road to
Sudley, and crossing the turnpike near Groveton, halted on the west
side, near the battle-field of July 21, 1861, where it was joined on the
28th by the divisions of Hill and Ewell. Perceiving during the after
noon that the enemy, approaching from the direction of Warrentou,
was moving down the turnpike toward Alexandria, thus exposing his
left flank, General Jackson advanced to attack him. A fierce and san
guinary conflict ensued, which continued until about 9 p. m., when the
enemy slowly fell back and left us in possession of the field. The loss
on both sides was heavy, and among our wounded were Major-General
Ewell and Brigadier-General Taliaferro, the former severely.
The next morning, the 29th, the enemy had taken a position to inter
pose his army between General Jackson and Alexandria, and about 10
a. m. opened with artillery upon the right of Jackson s line. The troops
of the latter were disposed in rear of Groveton along the line of the
unfinished branch of the Manassas Gap Eailroad, and extended from a
point a short distance west of the turnpike toward Sudley Mill, Jack
son s division, under Brigadier-General Starke, being on the right;
E well s, under General Lawtou, in the center, and A. P. Hill s on the
left. The Federal Army was evidently concentrating upon Jackson
with the design of overwhelming him before the arrival of Longstreet.
The latter officer left his position opposite Warrentou Springs on the
26th, being relieved by General E. H.Anderson s division, and marched
to join Jackson. He crossed at Hinson s Mill in the afternoon and
encamped near Orleans that night. The next day he reached the
White Plains, his march being retarded by the want of cavalry to
ascertain the meaning of certain movements of the enemy from the
direction of Warrenton, which seemed to menace the right flank of his
column.
On the 28th, arriving at Thoroughfare Gap, he found the enemy pre
pared to dispute his progress. General D. E. Jones division, being
ordered to force the passage of the mountain, quickly dislodged
enemy s sharpshooters from the trees and rocks and advanced into tl
gorge. The enemy held the eastern extremity of the pass in large
force, and directed a heavy fire of artillery upon the road leading through,
it and upon the sides of the mountain. The ground occupied by Jo
afforded no opportunity for the employment of artillery. Hood, witli
two brigades, and Wilcox, with three, were ordered to turn the enemy s
right, the former moving over the mountain by a narrow path to tne
556 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., AND MD. [CHAP. XXIV.
left of the pass, and the latter farther to the north by Hope well Gap.
Before these troops reached their destinations the enemy advanced
arid attacked Jones left, under Brig. Gen. G. T. Anderson. Being vig
orously repulsed, he withdrew to his position at the eastern end of the
Gap, from which he kept up an active fire of artillery until dark and
then retreated.
Generals Jones and Wilcox bivouacked that night east of the mount
ain, and on the morning of the 29th the whole command resumed the
inarch, the sound of cannon at Manassas announcing that Jackson was
already engaged. Longstreet entered the turnpike near Gainesville,
and moving down toward Groveton, the head of his column came upon
the field in rear of the enemy s left, which had already opened with
artillery upon Jackson s right, as previously described. He immediately
placed some of his batteries in position, but before he could complete
his dispositions to attack the enemy withdrew, not, however, without
loss from our artillery. Longstreet took position on the right of Jack
son, Hood s two brigades, supported by Evans, being deployed across
the turnpike and at right angles to it. These troops were supported
on the left by three brigades under General Wilcox and by a like force
on the right under General Kernper. D. K. Jones division formed the
extreme right of the line, resting on the Manassas Gap Railroad. The
cavalry guarded our right and left flanks, that on the right being under
General Stuart in person. After the arrival of Longstreet the enemy
changed his position and began to concentrate opposite Jackson s left,
opening a brisk artillery fire, which was responded to with effect by
some of General A. P. Hill s batteries. Colonel Walton placed a part
of his artillery upon a commanding position between the lines of Gen
erals Jackson and Longstreet by order of the latter and engaged the
enemy vigorously for several hours. Soon afterward General Stuart
reported the approach of a large force from the direction of Bristoe
Station, threatening Longstreet s right. The brigades under General
Wilcox were sent to re-enforce General Jones, but no serious attack
was made, and after firing a few shots the enemy withdrew. While
this demonstration was being made on our right a large force advanced
to assail the left of Jackson s position, occupied by the division of Gen
eral A. P. Hill. The attack was received by his troops with their ac
customed steadiness and the battle raged with great fury. The enemy
was repeatedly repulsed, but again pressed on to the attack with fresh
troops. Once he succeeded in penetrating an interval between General
Gregg s brigade, on the extreme left, and that of General Thomas, but
was quickly driven back with great slaughter by the Fourteenth South
Carolina Regiment, then in reserve, and the Forty-ninth Georgia, of
Thomas brigade. The contest was close and obstinate, the combatants
sometimes delivering their fire at ten paces. General Gregg, who was
most exposed, was re-enforced by Hays brigade, under Colonel Forno,
and successfully and gallantly resisted the attacks of the enemy until,
the ammunition of his brigade being exhausted and all his field officers
but two killed or wounded, it was relieved, after several hours of severe
fighting, by Early s brigade and the Eighth Louisiana Regiment. Gen
eral Early drove the enemy back with heavy loss and pursued about
200 yards beyond the line of battle, when he was recalled to the posi
tion on the railroad where Thomas, Pender, and Archer had firmly held
their ground against every attack. While the battle was raging on
Jackson s left General Longstreet ordered Hood and Evans to advance,
but before the order could be obeyed Hood was himself attacked, and
his command at once became warmly engaged. General Wilcox was
CHAP. XXIV.] CAMPAIGN IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA. 557
recalled from the right aiid ordered to advance on Hood s left, and one
of Kemper s brigades, under Colonel Huntoii, moved forward on his
right. The enemy was repulsed by Hood after a severe contest and fell
back, closely followed by our troops.
The battle continued until 9 p. in., the enemy retreating until he
reached a strong position, which he held with a large force. The dark
ness of the night put a stop to the engagement and our troops remained
in their advanced position until early next morning, when they were
withdrawn to their first line. One piece of artillery, several stands of
colors, and a number of prisoners were captured.
Qur loss was severe in this engagement, Brigadier-Generals Field
and Trimble, and Colonel Forno, commanding Hays brigade, were
severely wounded, and several other valuable officers killed or disabled,
whose names are mentioned in the accompanying reports.
On the morning of the 30th the enemy again advanced, and skir
mishing began along the line. The troops of Jackson and Lougstreet
maintained their positions of the previous day. Fitzhugh Lee, with
three regiments of his cavalry, was posted on Jackson s left, and E. H.
Anderson s division, which arrived during the forenoon, was held in
reserve near the turnpike. The batteries of Col. S. D. Lee took the
position occupied the day before by Colonel Walton, and engaged the
enemy actively until noon, when firing ceased and all was quiet for
several hours. About 3 p. in. the enemy, having massed his troops in
front of General Jackson, advanced against his position in strong force.
His front line pushed forward until engaged at close quarters by Jack
son s troops, when its progress was checked and a fierce and bloody
struggle ensued. A second and third line of great strength moved up
to support the first, but in doing so came within easy range of a posi
tion a little in advance of Long-street s left. He immediately ordered
up two batteries, and two others being thrown forward about the same
time by Col. S. D. Lee, under their well-directed and destructive fire
the supporting lines were broken and fell back in confusion. Their
repeated efforts to rally were unavailing, and Jackson s troops, being
thus relieved from the pressure of overwhelming numbers, began to
press steadily forward, driving the enemy before them. He retreated
in contusion, suffering severely from our artillery, which advanced as
he retired. General Lougstreet, anticipating the order for a general ad
vance, now threw his whole command against the Federal center and
left. Hood s two brigades, closely followed by Evans , led the attack.
E. H. Anderson s division came gallantly to the support of Hood, while
the three brigades under Wilcox moved forward on his left and those
of Kemper on his right. D. E. Jones advanced on the extreme right,
and the whole line swept steadily on, driving the enemy with great car
nage from each successive position until 10 p. in., when darkness put
an end to the battle and the pursuit. During the latter part of the
engagement General Wilcox, with his own brigade, was ordered to the
right, where the resistance of the enemy was most obstinate, and ren
dered efficient assistance to the troops engaged on that part of the line.
His other two brigades, maintaining their position in line, acted with
General Jackson s^ command. The obscurity of night and the uncer
tainty of the fords of Bull Kim rendered it necessary to suspend opera
tions until morning, when the cavalry, being pushed forward, discov
ered that the enemy had escaped to the strong position of Centreville,
about 4 miles beyond Bull Eun. The prevalence of a heavy rain,
which began during the night, threatened to render Bull Eun imp;
able and impeded our movements. Longstreet remained on the batl
558 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., AND MD. [CHAP. XXIV.
field to engage the attention of the enemy and cover the burial of the
dead and the removal of the wounded, while Jackson proceeded by
Sudley Ford to the Little Eiver turnpike to turn the enemy s right
and intercept his retreat to Washington. Jackson s progress was re
tarded by the inclemency of the weather and the fatigue of his troops,
who, in addition to their arduous marches, had fought three severe
engagements in as many days. He reached Little Eiver turnpike in
the evening, and the next day, September 1, advanced by that road to
ward Fairfax Court-House.
The enemy in the mean time was falling back rapidly toward Wash
ington, and had thrown out a strong force to Germantown, on the Lit
tle Eiver turnpike, to cover his line of retreat from Centreville. The
advance of Jackson s column encountered the enemy at Ox Hill, near
Germantown, about 5 p. m. Line of battle was at once formed, and
two brigades of A. P. Hill s division (those of Branch and Field, under
Colonel Brockenbrough) were thrown forward to attack the enemy and
ascertain his strength and position. A cold and drenching rain-storm
drove in the faces of our troops as they advanced and gallantly engaged
the enemy. They were subsequently supported by the brigades of
Gregg, Thomas, and Fender, also of Hill s division, which, with part
of Swell s, became engaged. The conflict was obstinately maintained
by the enemy until dark, when he retreated, having lost two general
officers, one of whom, Major-General Kearny, was left dead on the field.
Longstreet s command arrived after the action was over, and the next
morning it was found that the enemy had conducted his retreat so rap
idly that the attempt to intercept him was abandoned. The proximity
of the fortifications around Alexandria and Washington rendered fur
ther pursuit useless, and our army rested during the 2d near Ohantilly,
the enemy being followed only by the cavalry, who continued to harass
him until he reached the shelter of his intrenchments.
In the series of engagements on the plains of Manassas more than
7,000 prisoners were taken, in addition to about 2,000 wounded left in
our hands. Thirty pieces of artillery, upward of 20,000 stand of small-
arms, numerous colors, and a large amount of stores, besides those taken
by General Jackson at Manassas Junction, were captured.
The history of the achievements of the army from the time it ad
vanced from Gordonsville leaves nothing to be said in commendation
of the courage, fortitude, and good conduct of both officers and men.
The accompanying reports of the medical director will show the number
of our killed and wounded. Among them will be found the names of
many valuable and distinguished officers, who bravely and faithfully
discharged their duty, and, with the gallant soldiers who fell with them,
have nobly deserved the love and gratitude of their countrymen. The
reports of the several commanding officers must necessarily be referred
to for the names of those whose services were most conspicuous. The
list is too long for enumeration here. During all these operations the
cavalry under General Stuart, consisting of the brigades of Generals
Eobertson and Fitzhugh Lee, rendered most important and valuable
service. It guarded the flanks of the army, protected its trains, and
gave information of the enemy s movements. Besides engaging the
cavalry of the enemy on several occasions with uniform success, a de
tachment, under the gallant and lamented Major Patrick, assisted by
the Stuart Horse Artillery, under Major Pelham, effectually protected
General Jackson s trains against a body of the enemy who penetrated to
his rear on the 29th before the arrival of General Longstreet. Toward
the close of the action on the 30th General Eobertson, with the Second
CHAP. XXIV.] CAMPAIGN IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA. 559
Virginia Eegiment, under Colonel Muutbrd, supported by the Seventh
and Twelfth, made a brilliant charge upon a brigade of the enemy s
cavalry. Colonel Munford leading with great gallantry, and completely
routed it. Many of the enemy were killed and wounded, more than
300 prisoners were captured, and the remainder pursued beyond Bull
Eun. The reports of General Stuart and the officers under his com
mand, as well as that of General Jackson, are referred to for more
complete details of these and other services of the cavalry.
Kespectfully submitted.
E. E. LEE,
General.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHEASTERN VIRGINIA,
Chantilly, Va., September 3, 1862.
Mr. PRESIDENT: My letter of the 30th ultimo* will have informed
Your Excellency of the progress of this army to that date. General
Long-street s division, having arrived the day previous, was formed in
order of battle on the right of General Jackson, who had been engaged
with the enemy since morning resisting an attack commenced on the
28th. The enemy on the latter day was vigorously repulsed, leaving
his numerous dead and wounded on the field. His attack on the morn
ing of the 29th was feeble, but became warmer in the afternoon, when
he was again repulsed by both wings of the army, his loss on this day,
as stated in his published report, herewith inclosed,* amounting to 8,000
killed and wounded. The enemy, being re-enforced, renewed the attack
on the afternoon of the 30th, when a general advance of both wings
of the army was ordered, and after a fierce combat, which raged until
after 9 o clock, he was completely defeated and driven beyond Bull
Euu. The darkness of the night, his destruction of the stone bridge
after crossing, and the uncertainty of the fords stopped the pursuit.
The next morning the enemy was discovered in the strong position
at Centre ville, and the army was put in motion toward the Little Eiver
turnpike to turn his right.
Upon reaching Ox Hill, on September 1, he was again discovered
in our front on the heights of Germantown, and about 5 p. m. made a
spirited attack upon the front and right of our column, with a view of
apparently covering the withdrawal of his trains on the Centre ville road
and masking his retreat. Our position was maintained with but slight
loss on both sides. Major-General Kearny was left by the enemy dead
on the field. During the night the enemy fell back to Fairfax Court-
House, taking the roads, as reported to me, to Alexandria and Wash
ington. I have as yet been unable to get official reports of our loss or
captured in these various engagements. Many gallant officers have
been killed or wounded. Of the general [officers], Ewell, Trimble,
Taliaferro, Field, , [and] Mahoiie have been reported wounded;
Colonels , Marshall, Baylor, Neff, and Gadberry killed. About
7,000 prisoners have already been paroled, about the same number of
small-arms collected from the field, and thirty pieces of cannon captured,
besides a number of wagons, ambulances, &c. A large number of arms
still remain on the ground. For want of transportation valuable stores
had to be destroyed as captured, while the enemy, at their various
depots, are reported to have burned many millions of property in their
retreat. Nothing could surpass the gallantry and endurance of the
* Not found.
560
OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., AND MD. [CHAP. XXIV.
troops, who have cheerfully borne every clanger and hardship, both on
the battle-field and march.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
.R. E. LEE,
General.
His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS,
President Confederate States of America.
No. 128.
Report of Surg. Lafayette Guild, G. S. Army, Medical Director, of
killed and wounded at Manassas Plains in August, 1862.*
Command.
PICKETT S DIVISION.
Kemper s brigade [Corse] :
1st Virginia 4 22 2
7th Virginia 6 63
17th Virginia 3 35
24th Virginia 11 67 78
llth Virginia 9 54 63
Piekett s (old) brigade [Hnnton] :
28th Virginia 13 52 64
8th Virginia 22 22
18th Virginia 8 33 36
5Gth Virginia 12 12
Jenkins brigade:
6th South Carolina 13 102 115
Palmetto Sharpshooters - 16 52 68
1st South Carolina (Volunteers) 30 94 124
2d South Carolina 9 49
5th South Carolina 2 37 39
M LAWS DIVISION.
Drayton s brigade :
15th South Carolina 3 If 21
51st Georgia , 9
HOOD S DIVISION.
Anderson s brigade [Jones division] :