George H. Gordon, From Brook Farm to Cedar Mountain

[330] miles in rear of the woods into which the enemy had passed during the night. Siegel, his corps strongly posted in the woods with a wide space of open ground in its front, was on the left; while Ricketts, withdrawn from our old position to a corner of timber, and behind ridges, held the right of the line. The whole effective force thus in line is officially stated at twenty thousand artillery and infantry, and about two thousand cavalry.¹ This is exclusive of Banks's corps, which had been sent by Pope about two miles farther to the rear, with orders to General Williams, who had succeeded to the command, to put it rapidly in condition for service. The day was intensely hot; hour after hour passed, and the silence continued unbroken, while in compact lines our troops remained in constant readiness. Early in the day, or during the night, of the 9th Jackson had withdrawn towards Cedar Mountain. The 10th passed; our dead were unburied, and our wounded were lying where they fell, all through the wheat and the corn fields and in the surrounding forest.

Jackson did not attack Pope, and we have his reason: he was afraid of his numbers. Pope did not attack Jackson, and we have his reason: his “troops were too much fatigued to renew the action.” ² But Pope's true reason for delay was that King might come up with the other division of McDowell's corps. King arrived on the evening of the 11th, and Pope “made up his mind, though his force barely equalled Jackson's, to fall upon the enemy on the 12th.” ³ Many such resolutions have been frustrated by the enemy not waiting to be fallen upon. So Jackson. He fled on the evening of the 11th, leaving many of his dead and wounded on the field and along the road from Cedar Mountain to Orange Court House.⁴