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His brave little army was sacrificed for the want of reenforcements — nothing else.
I have not time to relate all the individual instances of bravery.
I trust, however, in a few days to do justice to every one.
The officers and soldiers of the One Hundred and Second New-York and the One Hundred and Ninth Pennsylvania drew special mention.
Major Lane, who commanded the One Hundred and Second, and Captain Avery, are the only officers left.
The little band of sixty-six gathered together this morning spoke in high terms of the conduct of their officers.
They were constantly in the front of their men, and did not fall back until they were ordered.
General Geary says the One Hundred and Ninth Pennsylvania behaved with the greatest gallantry, and repulsed a whole brigade of rebel infantry who were trying to outflank them.
So great is the confusion prevailing everywhere to-day, and so exhausted is your correspondent, that it is almost impossible to obtain all the facts in relation to the battle.
I inclose a list of the wounded in the hospitals in Culpeper.
All the hotels, churches, warehouses, and many of the private dwellings are full.
General Augur is at a hotel, and General Geary at the house of Mrs. Ward, and both of them are out of danger from their wounds.
The staff and body-guard of General Banks suffered severely.
A shell exploded in the midst of the body-guard, and killed six brave fellows instantly.
The lowest estimate of our loss that I have heard is one thousand five hundred--the highest, three thousand.
The latter will probably prove correct — that is, in killed, wounded, prisoners, and missing.
The Army of Virginia is suffering terribly this morning from the want of water.
If it is not moved in a few days, hundreds of horses will die of thirst, and men of disease, from drinking the thick mud.
During all these long marches and battles the weather has been intensely hot. Many soldiers dropped by the wayside, which will in some measure account for small numbers on the battle-ground.
All the soldiers who reached the battle-ground fought like Spartans.
The cowardice was displayed long before a shot was fired.
The rebel army was under the command of Jackson, and its strength is supposed to have been about thirty thousand.
N. P.
headquarters army of Virginia, camp six miles beyond Culpeper, August 10, 1862.
The battle yesterday between General Banks's corps and the rebel forces under Stonewall Jackson and Ewell, was so sudden and fierce that it began before it was suspected at these headquarters to be more than a skirmish, and was ended before Gen. Pope could reach the field with McDowell and part of his corps as reenforcements.
Gen. Bayard with his cavalry brigade, the First New-Jersey, First Pennsylvania, First Rhode Island, and First Maine regiments, had the day before been as a reconnaissance to the Rapidan, and owing it is said to the negligence of pickets, had been nearly surprised and surrounded.
By prompt movements he eluded the enemy, and brought off his command with loss of one killed and two wounded. Capt. Janeway of the First New-Jersey captured and carried off twenty prisoners. The brigade fell back to camping-ground near yesterday's battle-field, and on the morning of the battle being still in advance, were nearly all day more or less actively engaged in skirmishes and manoeoeuvres.
Cannonading began in the morning and continued with intervals during the day. Gen. Banks's advanced batteries were engaged at long range in the afternoon, while the rest of his command was coming up and taking position.
His whole corps advanced to the field, and the attack was made by him and not by the rebels.
It is nevertheless true that the rebels by their advance from the Rapidan had assumed the offensive; and the battle coming on as the natural result of the day's skirmishing, the actual final advance was only a question of tactics.
Gen. Pope was at Culpeper, seven miles away from the field.
It was known that Jackson had crossed the Rapidan with a strong column, but no battle was expected that day. Gen. Banks's corps was sent forward to hold the position of advance, then only defended by the weak cavalry brigade of Gen. Bayard.
During the afternoon cannonading, Gen. Banks was all the while of opinion that the enemy were not in front of him in force, and that he should be able to maintain himself without reenforcements.
In fact the battle did not seriously begin till about six o'clock. The cannonade which all the afternoon had been desultory and light, suddenly broke into prolonged and heavy reports, and despatches coming nearly at the same moment from General Banks, Gen. Pope mounted and with his staff started for the field.
Gen. McDowell had previously been ordered to put in motion a portion of his corps, and the two Generals rode together to the front.
The narrow, rough, and hilly road from Culpeper was filled with the advancing troops of McDowell.
The two Generals and their staffs road the whole distance in the fields near the road, and as Gen. Pope was distinguished by the troops, he was welcomed by regiment after regiment with salutes and ringing cheers.
The regiments hatled in the road, faced to the field, presented arms, and cheered with unmistakable enthusiasm and courage.
Never were troops in better spirits or more eager for a fight.
It was after seven when Gen. Pope arrived on the field.
The battle was substantially over.
I shall attempt no record of what happened before Gen. Pope's arrival.
Another correspondent of the Tribune was on the ground.
This description will be that of an eye-witness.
The statements of different officers engaged do not altogether agree on some rather important points.
The account which I have just sent by telegraph is that which is believed to be correct at these headquarters.
The number of the enemy is variously estimated from fifteen thousand to forty thousand. 