The new South. (Port Royal, S.C.) 1862-1867, August 23, 1862, Image 4
THE BATTLE OP CEDAR MOUNTAIN.
Desperate Courage of the Union Troops?
Severe losses 011 both SidesRepulse
of the Rebels
across the Rapidan.
From the New York Tribune of the 1 ">tl|. we
take the olHcial account of the buttle between the
rebel forces under Stonewall Jack.sou and the army
of lien. Pope, which was fought on Saturday, Aug.
9, at Cedar .Mountain, Ya., about midway between
Washington and Richmond. The engagement was
one of the most momentous of the war, not merely
on account of the desperate valor and unfaltering
discipline displayed by our troops, the obstinacy of
th<? contest mid the heavv loss on both sides, but
beeav.se of its important etiect upon tlie campaign
of which it makes a part. It was an attempt on
the part of Jackson to penetrate ami recover the
Valley.vi the Shenandoah, whence the richest
supplies of the enemy arc drawn, and at the same
time to threaten Washington and Maryland, so as
to relieve Richmond and withdraw our armies
again to the line ot the Potomac. To secure stu b
.objects as these, and knowing that the Governrnent
was now relatively weaker, and the rebellion
stronger than could again occur in the war,
-the Richmond leaders sent the flower of the Southern
infantry, under their most popular and enterprising
generals, a large body of cavalry, under
their most distinguished cavalry officer, Maj Gen.
Stuart, and an abundance of artillery. When
Jackson had arrived with his threes as far as Louisa
Court-house and Gordon?ville, aud found the disposition
of Gen. Pope's troops such that not only
his purpose to enter the valley was toiled, but his
own direct communications with Richmond were
intenupfeu, no called ior iuriuer rcuuorceuiciua,
mid wiib those, which were freely furnished,' attempted
fo btoiu Pope's further advance upon tiiat
jail road, the destruction or even the permanently
tlncateuing of w&'ich must bar from Richmond all
hope of the material or political control of Central
Virginia.
.lackson attempted, by a feint upon Madison
Court-house and Sperryville, to detain our force
at the latter point, while at the same time he threw
the mass of his forces, numbering oo.OOU men, by
way of Orange Court-house, up<?n us at Culpepper,
expecting to lind only a portion of our forces
there, which he could overwhelm, and then march
on Sperryville from Culpepper, and crush the aruiy
corps ol'Sigel.
liis plaus were completely foiled by the rapid
? ? ? concentration of our forces at Culpepper, ami their
advance to meet him at Cedar Jtmi. After endeavoring
in vain to rout and drive Banks' corps
Jackson found himself compelled at night, by the
rapid movements in front of him, to fall back to a
strong defensive position at Cedar .Mountain, and
finding his line of retreat growing insecure, in the
succeeding night he retreated altogether, retiring
beyond Kobertsoirs Kiver and a^ain beyond the
Kapidau. The result is Jackson is again foiled,
and forced to abaudou his operations, and his prestige
seriously impaired.
Ueadquaimkbs or tijk Aumy or Yibgixia, (
Cki>\r Mountain, Aug. Id, 1802? ">}?. in. J,
To Maj. (Jen. Hulleck. General-in-Chief:
On Thursday morning, the enemy crossed the
ilapidan at Harnett's Ford in heavy force, and advaneed
strong on the road to Culpepper and Madison
Court-lloiise. 1 had established my whole
force on the turnpike between Culpepper and
? perry villo, ready to concentrate at either ]>lace
as soon as the enemy's plans were developed.
Early on Friday it became apparent that the
move on Madison Court-house was merely a feint
to detain the army corps of Geu. Sigel at Sperryville,
and that the main attack of the enemy would
lvo at Culpepper, to which place I had thrown forward
part of lianks and McDowell's Corps. Hrig.
(Jen.. Bayard, with part of the rear of McDowell's
Corps, who was in the advance near the Ihipidau,
fell slowly back, delaying and embarrassing the
enemy's advance as iar as possime. ami capturing
some of his men. The forces ofBanks ami Sigel.
and one of the divisions of McDowell's corps, were
vapidly concentrated at Culpepper during Friday,
and on Friday night. Banks corps being pushed
forward five miles south of Culj?eppor, with Kickett's
division of McDowell's corps three miles in
his rear. The eorps of Gen. Sigel. which had
marched all night, was halted in Oilpepper to rest
for a few hours.
< )n Saturday the enemy advanced rapidly to
Cedar Mountain, the sides of which they occupied
in heavy force. Gen. Banks was instructed to
take u]> bis position on the ground occupied by
Crawford's Brigade, of his command, which had
been thrown out the day previous to observe the
enemy's movements. JIc was directed not to advance
beyond that point, and, if attacked by the
enemy, to defend his position, and send back
timely notice.
it was my desire to have time to give the corps
of (Jen. Sigcl all the rest possible after their forced
march, and to bring forward all the forces at my
disposal.
The artillery of the enemy was opened early in i
tlio afternoon, but lie made m> advanee until near-1
ly o'clock, at which time a few skirmishers were
thrown forward on each side under eo.er of the
heavy wood in which liis force was concealed, ,
Tlie enemy pushed forward a strong force in the '
rear of his skirmishers, and Gen, banks advanced ;
to the attack. The engagement did not fairly
open until after 0 o'clock, and for an hour and a ;
half was furious and unceasing. Throughout the;
cannonading, which at lirst was desultory and di-'
reete.l mainly against the cavalry. I had continued
to receive reports from Gen. Banks that no
uttacK wasapprenemteu, ana mat no coiisineranie
infantry force of the enemy had come forward.'
Vet, toward evening, the increase in the artillery i
tiring having satisfied me an engagement might he j
at hand, though the lateness of the hour rendered j
it unlikely, I ordered (Jen. McDowell to advance
kickett's Divisi .n to support (ion. Hanks, and directed
(Jen. Sigel to bring his men upon the
ground as soon as p >ssiblc.
I arrived personally on the Held at 7 p. 111., and
found the action raging furiously. The infantry
tire was incessant and severe. I found (ien. Hanks
holding the position he took up early in the uiorn- j
ing. llis losses were heavy. Kickctt s Division
j was immediately pushed forward and occupied the
right of Gen. Hanks the brigades of Crawford and
Gordon being directed to change their position ,
from the right and mass themselves in the center. |
Before this change could be ctfeeted it was quite j
dark, though the artillery tire continued at short
range without intermission.
The artillery tire at night by tUc lid and "?Ji
Maine batteries, in Kickett's Division, of (Jen.
McDowell's corps, was most destructive, as was
} readily observable the next mbrning in the dead
men and horses, and broken gun-carriages of the '
J enemy's batteries w hich had been advanced against
it. Our troops rested on their arms during the |
j night in line of battle, the heavy shelling beingj
kept up on both sides until midnight. At day]
light the next morning the enemy fell Kick two
! miles from our front, and still higher up the mountain.
Our pickets at once advanced and occupied
{ the ground.- The fatigue of the troops trom long
' mntvhps and excessive heat made it impossible tor
j either side to resume the action on Sunday. The
! men were, therefore, allowed to rest ami recruit
j the whole d iy, our only active operation being of
cavalry on the enemy's Hank and r. ar.
Monday was spent in burying the dead and in I
j getting otf the wounded. The slaughter was seJ
veie ou both sides, most of the tighting being hand
; to hand.
The dead bodies of both armies were found tuin-1
1 gled together in masses over the whole ground o| I
j the conflict. The burying of the dead was not!
: completed until dark on Monday, the heat being i
I so terrible that severe work was not possible. On I
i Monday night the enemy lied from the tield, leav- j
i ing many of his dead uiiburted and his wounded
i on the ground, and along the road to Orange
Court House, as will be seen trom Gen. Hutbnl's
dispatch.
A cavalry and artillery force under Gen.Buford
; was immediately thrown forward in pursuit and
| followed the enemy to the Kapidan, over which he
j passed with his r?\*r-guard by ten o'clock in the
morning.
The behavior of Gen. Banks'corps during the j
action was very tine. No greater gallantry and j
daring could be exhibited by any troops. J can-1
not speak too highly of the coolness and intrepidity
of (Jen. Banks himself during the whole of the
engagement, lie was in the front and exposed as
' much as any man in his command, llis example
was of the greatest benefit to his troops, and he
merits and should receive the commendation of
his Government. Generals Williams, Augur.
Gordon, Crawford, Prince, Green and Geary, beI
haved with conspicuous gallantry. Augur and
Geary were severely wounded, and Prince, by
losing his way in the dark while passing from one t
Hank to another, fell into the hands of the enemy.
1 desire publielv to express my appreciation ol
the prompt and skillful manner in which Generals
McDowell and Sigcl brought forwafd their respective
commands, and established them 011 the held,
I and of their cheerful and hearty co-operati ai with
me from beginning to end.
Brig. (Jen. Roberts. Chief of Cavalry of this army,
was with the advance of our forces on Friday ]
and Saturday, and was conspicuous for his gal '
lantry and for the valuable aid he rendered to j
(Jens. Banks and Crawtord..
Our loss was about 1 ">lto killed, wounded, and
i missing, of whom were taken prisoners. A>
might be expected, from the character of the engagement,
a very large proportion of these were
killed. The enemy's loss in killed, wounded, and
prisoners, we are now satisfied, is much in excess
of our own.
j A full list of casualties will ho transmitted as
soon as possible, together with a detailed report,
in which I shall endeavor to do justice to all.
JOHN l'Ol'K,
Major-General Commanding.
General Orders.
An inquiry lias been very jroneral anionjr the
troops of this command lor tin* famous (Jencral
order No. li. current series of this Department.
Wo reprint it for tlio gratitiration oi'all eoneertied.
merely adding that it is in full force ami effect.
True, the Northern newspapers published what
purported to ho a disavowal of the President of
the I'nited States of (Jen. Hunter's action in this
particular matter, but we learn that no official
notification of that disavowal has been received.
IIKAD CjCAKTi Its:?DEPARTMENT OK THE Sol'TII.
Hilton I fend. South Carolina, May ft, 1S??2.
CKM'UU <Mtl>Kits, NO. 11.]
The three States of Georgia, Florida and South .
Carolina, comprising the Military Department of
the South, having deliberately declared themselves
110 longer under the protection of the Unifeil ^|B
States of America and having taken up arms
against said I'nitcd States, i: became a inilitar ^^B
necessity to declare Martial Law. This was aceordinglv
done on the 2oth day of April, 1N>2. Sla- ^^B
very and Martial Law, in a tree country, are altoget
her ineonipatihle : the jiersons in these three
States, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina here- ^B
tofore hehl as slaves, are therefore declared for- ^
ever free*
DAVID III'XTKH, Major General Commanding*
IIKAI) VKTKIIS ;?DEPARTMENT OK THE SOUTH.
Hilton Head, Port Jloyal, S. C., *4ug. 1">, 1802..
0ENER AX ORDERS, XO. 20.]
The Major (Jenoral Commanding desires to call
the attention of all Heginiental Infanttv otlieers in.
this Dep .rfnteiit, to the paramount importanee ot
familiarizing their commands with the manual of
the Bayonet. Our soldiers should be instructed,
to regard the proper use of this weapon as their
greatest assurance of safety and most certain
means of success in every struggle. The bayonet'
should be constantly placed before them as the decisive
weapon of every baftle ;?not merely as a
useful accessory or means of support to artillery.
1 musketry and the sabres of t avalry, but as the
[ chief <u?fl final arm of the service, to which all
! others are subordinate. They should ho taught
! that on the battle field, whilst irresolution or inactivity
w?ll expose them to decimation by repeated
} vollies lroni the rifies and other fire-arms of llnh^
enemy, a vigorous charge, prompitTcxnulrd '
m good order, will expose them to hut one volley,
with immciliate victory as its result. Jt is in
[ hayonet-eh rge* that the physical superiority and
higher intelligence of our stalwart soldiers over
the enemy can best make itself felt They should
be taught this truth,?that with bayonets properly
handled by obedient regiments we are invincible;
and their attention should be strongly drawn to
this other fact, that bayonettcers, except in isolated
cases, rarely come into actual collision,?the side
possessing superior weight and discipline, and
which rushes forward determined that nothing
but death shall stop it. invariably breaking the
morale ol" the enemy bet ore reaching mem, aim
even disordering (he one volley which the foe
may fire, or attempt to lire, before turning in
flight.* All portions of the Bayonet Exercise are
impoi t .nt.? not that men in actual conflict can
assume all the attitudes and perform all the
motions proscribed in the manual: hut because
the familiarity with the weapon thus acquired,
gives them confidence and mastery in its use. In
sueli hours of drill as the climate will permit, regimental
Infantry Officers will devote tfm i: utmost
attention to this subject, and the proverbial truth j
will he impressed upon the men, in reference to J
the bayouet-cliarge, that "from the nettle Danger A
we pluck the flower Safety.'' In all reviews and iJ
inspections of Troops hereafter to be held, the
Major ( icneral Commanding will scrutinize with
special care the proficiency all infantry rogi- jj^H
mcnts, ami regiments serving as infantry, in the
manual of the bayonet.
D. Ill XTE1?, Major (Jeneral Conwiamlins.
?A dispatch to the Kichmoud Lxaminer. dated
Mobile, n*r. H, states that Hafoii Kouge, La., was
attacked on the bth iust.. by a rebel force under
loliu lireckinridge. The* Tinted States troops,
commanded by Brig. lien. Williams, were driven
from the City, and their camp equipage and stores
fell into the hands of the enemy, tien. Williams
is reported tr have been killed in the engagement.
If was hoped by the rebels that the ram Arkansas
j would have cooperated with them in the attack,
but in consequence of her machinery having be1
come nermanentlv disabled, she was unable to take
part in th.' affair, ami was subsequently blown up
by her crew. Breckinridge, without her support,
w as compelled to retire from the ( ily as it would
have been impossible to hold his position in fare
of our gun-boats. Our readers w ill not lose sight
of the faet th t this report is from a rebel source.