George H. Gordon, From Brook Farm to Cedar Mountain

The boom of artillery that echoed back to Culpeper Court House in the morning, and continued at intervals until it broke out into the heavy cannonade which I have described, made it at last no longer doubtful to Pope, and some officers of his staff, that a battle between our corps and Jackson's army was impending, or in progress. Until four o'clock in the afternoon Pope sat, quietly reading and smoking, at his tent-door in Culpeper. At this hour, as peal after peal from our artillery fell upon his ears, he sprang into his saddle, and calling upon his staff to follow, galloped rapidly through the village in the direction of Cedar Mountain, followed by glances of terror from the citizens, who during the day had listened with anxiety to the combat. General McDowell, who accompanied Pope, gave to Ricketts' division of his corps, as he came up to it, orders to form and move forward immediately. As Pope neared the battle-field, the cannonade becoming more and more furious, the troops of McDowell were pushed on through road and fields in separate columns and with increased rapidity. Soon a column of wounded with assistants was met, some on foot, some on horseback or in ambulances, whom Pope's staff, mistaking for stragglers, valiantly set upon, and thus endeavored for a time to force back men whose bloody bandages and stout countenances and arms, to which they still clung, denoted, upon a closer inspection, that there were no cowards among them. And now the sound of cannon ceased, and that piteous roll of musketry which I have described was borne to Pope's ears, “while the long procession of bandaged and bloody soldiers and dripping ambulances continued.” ¹ Then came silence, for Banks had been overpowered.

Alone, or attended by a single aid, in the twilight after our defeat, Banks encountered Pope. They met only a few