Aug. 30, 1862. |
Aug. 31. |
Sept. 1. |
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back a considerable distance, but though confused, it was unbroken; and it still held the Warrenton turnpike, by which alone Pope's Army might.
Safely retreat.
Pope had now no alternative but to fall back toward Washington.
He issued an order to that effect at eight o'clock in the evening.
the whole Army was directed to withdraw during the night across Bull's Run to the heights of Centreville.
This was done chiefly by way of the Stone Bridge;1 the brigades of Meade and Seymour, and some other troops, covering the movement.
The night was very dark, and Lee fortunately did not pursue; and in the morning
Bull's Run once again divided the two great armies.
So ended the Second battle of Bull's Run.
Pope was joined at Centreville by the corps of Franklin and Sumner, making his force a little more than sixty thousand, and fully equal to that of Lee. The 31st was passed by the Nationals in comparative quiet, but a severe struggle was had on the following day. Lee was not disposed to attack his foe in his strong position at Centreville, so he sent Jackson on another flanking enterprise at an early hour of the, morning of the 31st.
Jackson took with him his own and Ewell's divisions, and with instructions to turn and assail Pope's right, he crossed Bull's Run at Sudley Ford, and pushed on to the little River turnpike. There, turning to the, right the following day,
he marched down that highway toward Fairfax Court-House.
Pope, in the mean time, suspecting this movement, had fallen back to, positions covering Fairfax Court-House and Germantown, directed Sumner on the morning of the 1st of September to push forward two brigades toward the little River pike, and ordered Hooker early in the afternoon to Fairfax Court-House, in support of Sumner.2 just before sunset Reno met Jackson's advance (Ewell and Hill) near Chantilly.
A cold and drenching rain was falling, but it did not prevent an immediate engagement.
Reno, with the remains of two divisions, was sharply attacked, when Hooker, McDowell, and Kearney came up to his assistance.
The conflict was severe for a short time, when General Isaac J. Stevens, who was in command at the battle of Port Royal Ferry,3 now leading Reno's Second division, ordered a charge, which he led in person, and was shot dead.
His command fell back in disorder, and to some extent put the remainder of Reno's force in confusion.
Seeing this, General Kearney advanced with his division and renewed the action, sending Birney's brigade to the fore front.
A furious thunderstorm was then raging, which made the use of ammunition difficult; but, unheeding this, Kearney brought forward a battery and planted it in position himself.
Then, perceiving a gap caused by the retirement of Stevens's force yet remaining, he pushed forward to reconnoiter, and was killed just within the Confederate lines.
He, too, was shot dead just at sunset,
1 see page 587, volume I.
2 he ordered McDowell to move along the road to Fairfax Court-House as far as difficult Creek, and connect with Hooker's left; Reno to Chantilly; Heintzelman to take post on the road between Centreville and Fairfax, in the rear of Reno; Franklin to take position on McDowell's left and rear; and Sigel and Porter to unite with the right of Sumner, who was on the left of Heintzelman. Banks, who, with the wagon-train, had, come on from Bristow Station, was ordered to pursue the old Braddock road in the direction of Alexandria.
3 see page 128.
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