POPE'S ARMY OF VIRGINIA.

I.

GROVETON

 

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Companies A, B, D, E, F and K, under Colonel McNeil, here referred to as the Bucktail regiment, to differentiate them from Kane's battalion, consisting of Companies C, G, H and I,

which had been detached before the Peninsular campaign, em­barked on the steamer "Kingston" at Harrison's Landing,

August 14th, for Aquia Creek. From thence they were to move to the support of General Pope, who already perceived that the Confederates, taking advantage of the situation created by the presence of a large body of Union troops inactive on the

James River, would move in force attempting the destruction of the forces retained before Washington. The "Kingston"

reached Aquia Creek on the morning of the aoth, where the Bucktails were immediately disembarked and forwarded by rail to Falmouth, near Fredericksburg.

At I0 P. M, on August 21st, the division of Pennsylvania Reserves left their camp at that point, the division organization being again slightly changed to the following:

 

 

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Reynolds' Division.

(Temporarily attached to Third Corps, Army of Virginia.)

First Brigade. Second Brigade.

Brig.-Gen. Geo. G. Meade. Brig.-Gen. Truman Seymour.

3rd Penna. Reserves. 1st Penna. Reserves.

4th Penna. Reserves. 2nd Penna. Reserves.

7th Penna. Reserves. 5th Penna. Reserves.

8th Penna. Reserves. 6th Penna. Reserves.

13th Penna. Reserves (Bucktails).

Third Brigade.

Brig.-Gen. Conrad F. Jackson.

Lieut-Col. Robert Anderson.

9th Penna. Reserves.

10th Penna. Reserves

11th Penna. Reserves.

12th Penna. Reserves. Artillery.

Artillery

1st Penna. Light Art. Bat. A.

1st Penna. Light Art. Bat. B.

1st Penna. Light Art. Bat. G.

5th U. S. Artillery Bat. C.[1]

 

No transportation being furnished, nothing was taken with the division excepting ammunition, and. as many hospital tents and medicines as could be packed into the altogether insufficient two wagons provided for the purpose. As the troops moved forward in the darkness, a heavy rain-storm broke over them adding to their discomfort, and making it impossible for the officers to find the desired roads. At two o'clock on the morn­ing of the 22nd, therefore, the division halted, only some two miles from Falmouth, to rest and await daylight. At 5 o'clock

 

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the columns were again in motion, headed for Kelley's Ford, twenty-seven miles from Falmouth. Soaked to the skin during the night, the troops soon experienced a tropical heat, the ther­mometer registering 100° and the dust and mud lying inches thick on the roads.

During the Seven Days' Retreat the various regiments had been reduced through disease, wounds and death to mere skele­tons. Now, strengthened only by those who had been released from Confederate prisons, where amid unhealthy surroundings they had been supplied with scanty and unwholesome food, and by those who had either recovered from illnesses or wounds, they were called upon to perform the tasks generally allotted to men in the prime of physical condition. Staggering along at the utmost speed of which they were capable, men slipped from the ranks to drink from stagnant pools, not even waiting to remove the scum from off the surface. The First brigade, under Gen­eral Meade, seemed in one moment to reach the limits of its endurance. A murmur ran through its ranks and the column halted, ignoring its officers' orders to advance. General Meade rode back in person. Considerate as ever, he realized the cali­bre of the men with whom he had to deal. Briefly he told them that he recognized their sufferings; but explained that upon their reaching a certain point, on a certain day, depended the safety of a portion of General Pope's army and the lives of thou­sands of soldiers. Then he asked them what they wished him to do; and ringing down the line came the answer: "Go ahead." The line moved forward, nor did any men drop out again, unless when overcome by exhaustion they.did so to be picked up by the hospital staff.

Leaving Kelley's Ford on the 23rd, the division moved to Rappahannock Station. Finding that the rear of General Pope's army was leaving that place, the march was continued,

 

 

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and the command bivouacked for the night some three miles from Warrenton. Here the division was united with Pope's army, being attached to the Third corps commanded by Gen­eral McDowell.[2]

On the 24th the division was marched to Warrenton, and was posted on the heights about a mile south of the town. The next day General Meade's brigade, to which the Bucktails were attached, was ordered to the forks of the Sulphur Springs and Warrenton roads, some four miles from Warrenton!

In following the movements of Kane's battalion in the previous book, it was stated that Pope's army repulsed the Confederates at Cedar Mountain on August 9th. Jackson hav­ing been joined by Longstreet crossed the Rapidan on the 2oth, Pope falling back behind the Rappahannock. On the 22nd, Jackson crossed part of his force over the Rappahannock.[3] Pope remained, standing guard over the river, but begging Wash­ington for reinforcements. On the night of the 22nd, the river became so swollen by the heavy rain that its passage by the Confederates seemed impossible. Pope, therefore, prepared to mass his army at Rappahannock Station and crush the portion that had crossed. But before his designs could be executed, Jackson had succeeded in getting his imperilled troops back to the south bank. Then leaving Longstreet opposite Pope to hold his attention, Jackson moved up the south side of the river. On the 25th he crossed his command over the upper Rapper-

 

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hannock[4] at Henson's Mill, moved north, and by a forced march of thirty-five miles bivouacked the same night at Salem. On the 26th, turning east, he passed through the Bull Run Moun­tains, by Thoroughfare Gap, marched through Gainesville and reached Bristoe Station by sunset. He destroyed the Station at the same time sending Stuart forward to Manassas.

Pope, apparently aware that Jackson was operating to­wards his rear, seems to have been rather uncertain as to what to do. Sometime on the 26th, however, he plainly realized that Jackson was in his rear and had cut his railroad communi­cations with Washington.

It must be borne in mind that on this date, the 26th, Jackson was near Manassas, twenty miles east of Thoroughfare Gap. Further, Jackson's force, alone, was not sufficient to cope with Pope's; nor could he be reinforced excepting by Long­street's corps, which, moving north, must pass west of the Bull Run Mountains, and to reach him debouch, as he had done, through Thoroughfare Gap. To prevent these hostile forces from uniting, Pope ordered McDowell to advance his own corps, Reynolds' division temporarily attached to his corps and Sigel's corps, from the vicinity of Warrenton to Gaines ville. Accordingly, the Bucktails, with the other troops oper­ating under General McDowell, moved forward and were in the position assigned them at Buckland Mills, near Gainesville, by the night of the 27th, the time fixed by General Pope for their arrival. Gainesville is five miles east of Thoroughfare Gap, and fifteen miles west of Manassas. McDowell's forces were on the main roads between the two places, planted squarely across the roads, and consisting, as they did, of over 4o,ooo men, were amply able to prevent any reinforcements reaching

 

 

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Jackson by way of Thoroughfare Gap. Is it any wonder that Pope looked upon Jackson as his certain game?[5]

Then, however, Pope ordered McDowell to move his entire force at daylight on the 28th towards Manassas, where Jack­son was at that time. If Jackson had remained still, he must have been crushed; but the Confederate General had no inten­tion of being caught like a rat in a trap. So while McDowell advanced southeastwardly towards Manassas Junction, Jackson moved northwestwardly towards Groveton, thus placing him­self in position to form junction with Longstreet 1 Moreover, General Sigel's corps was so dilatory in getting under way and clearing the Warrenton road for the Reserves that General Reynolds complained to General McDowell. The latter Gen­eral seems to have perceived the probable result of the order, and upon his own responsibility detached some cavalry and Rickett's division to dispute the passage of the Gap with Long­street.

As the other troops, in compliance with Pope's orders, advanced towards Manassas, the Pennsylvania Reserves were in the center on the Warrenton turnpike, Sigel's corps on the right and McDowell's corps on the left. The plan of operation required that the corps advance en echelon.

While Meade's brigade was advancing along the War­renton pike, the enemy from the heights near Groveton opened fire upon it. Colonel McNeil moved the Bucktails forward rapidly, and under General Meade's orders deployed them as skirmishers; Companies B, D, and K in the open' field in front of the enemy's battery on the left, and A, E and F through the woods on the right of the road.[6]

 

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"The brigade was immediately formed in line of battle "on each side of the road, the Fourth regiment on the right, "the Third and Seventh on the left, and the Eighth in reserve. "Ransom's battery of light 12-pounders was brought to the "front and put in action, but the range being too great, was "withdrawn, and Cooper's battery of io-pounder Parrotts "substituted in its place. Seeing these dispositions, the enemy "ceased firing and apparently withdrew. The brigade was then "formed in line of battle under direction of the General com­manding the division, with Cooper's battery in the center, "supported by the Third and Fourth regiments on the right, "the Seventh and Eighth on the left and the First Rifles (Buck­"tails) in advance as skirmishers."[7]

Companies A, E and F of the Bucktails, after driving back a small party of scouts which they met near Groveton, moved by the right flank, regaining the brigade without loss.[8]Captain Irvin, who was commanding Companies B, D and K, having received orders from General Reynolds to proceed in the direction of Sudley Springs and ascertain the strength of the enemy in that quarter, moved in that direction. To assist the three companies, a slight force of cavalry was placed under his command and held the advance. Careful watch was kept to guard against flank attacks being made on the small force from the ravines at the sides of the road. A rebel force of cavalry, some two and a half miles north of the Warrenton road, retired upon being sighted, and upon a negro, more often referred to by men in the army as "a contraband," informing Captain Irvin that the enemy was in force in the rear of their battery, the three companies, with their cavalry escort, moved

 

 

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to the right with the intention of obtaining fuller information. [9]

General McDowell, supposing the attack which caused these dispositions to have been delivered by a rear guard or a party of skirmishers,[10] ordered the advance on Manassas con­tinued. General Reynolds, therefore, recalled the three com­panies and cavalry under Captain Irvin. They rejoined the regiment about 3 o'clock, Captain Irvin making report in per­son.

Pope meanwhile, with Hooker, Kearney and Reno, had arrived at Manassas only to find that Jackson had evacuated it. He then ordered McDowell to divert his forces towards Centreville. This order was obeyed, King's division of Sigel's corps forming McDowell's right. Inevitably, therefore, as Jackson was at Groveton, King's column, when it advanced, presented its flank to the enemy. Jackson assailed with fury, but met with obstinate resistance. To make matters worse, King, during the night, retired to Manassas, and Ricketts, finding that he was unable to hold his position at the Gap, on account of flanking movements, fell back to Gainesville and from thence to Manassas.

Thus, on the night of the 28th, the Warrenton pike was opened for Jackson to retreat to Longstreet, or for Longstreet to advance to Jackson.

On the morning of the 29th, the Pennsylvania Reserves were on a hill by the Warrenton road, near Groveton. Gen­eral Sigel, who with his corps had moved up during the night, forming on Reynolds' left, had received orders to "attack "the enemy vigorously."[11] At daybreak he, therefore, requested the co-operation and support of General Reynolds' division,

 

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which was immediately promised, General McDowell, who arrived at daylight, directing this co-operation.[12]

Roughly speaking, Jackson's line was formed parallel to an unfinished railroad, which runs from the northeast to the southwest, intersecting the Warrenton road, halfway between Centreville and Gainesville, at an acute angle. Jackson's left, facing east, was A. B. Hill, and his extreme right Early; the other troops being variously disposed in the center and in reserve.[13] The Union troops faced the Confederate line from the eastward side of the unfinished railroad.

Pope's intention was to engage the enemy upon the imme­diate front, while at the same time he sent Porter and McDow­ell, then near Manassas, westward towards Gainesville, where "they must very soon be in a position to fall upon the enemy's "right flank and probably upon his rear."[14]

Sigel opened his attack at 6.30; his entire infantry force, and all his batteries, becoming promptly engaged.[15] His left was held by Schenck's division, and on Schenck's left was Reynolds' division, forming the extreme Union left. The enemy's position being visible, the Reserves moved forward. Meade's brigade was ordered towards Gainesville. It crossed the Warrenton pike half a mile from Groveton, establishing Cooper's battery on the ridge, with the Fourth, Seventh and Eighth regiments in support. The Third regiment was posted along the pike, up which the Bucktails were sent as skirmishers, Colonel McNeil having been ordered to throw his line of skir­mishers across the division front. Although Schenck and Mil-

 

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roy on the right were actively engaged, the Bucktails discovered nothing until they reached the point of the previous day's battle.  Then, upon reaching Groveton, Colonel McNeil was ordered to call in his skirmishers, move along the road westward and take a position to protect the left flank. This he did, but in doing so lost many men through the fire of a battery which opened upon him. Keeping on, the Bucktails next received a heavy fire from some Confederate sharpshooters located in a thicket and house upon their left. Deploying on each side of the road, by the use of the bayonet they succeeded in driving the enemy back. Captain Irvin and some men of Company K took posses-

sion of the house, only to find that it had been used as a hospital on the day previous, by King's division, and that the enemy was in force with artillery a short distance away. The position was division untenable, and their orders were to rejoin their brigade, so carrying their dead and wounded with them, the Bucktails rejoined the other regiments under General Meade.[16]

For four hours the battle raged without cessation. Then the Confederates pressed Sigel's right so hard, that in order to save it he withdrew one of Schenck's brigades from the left. As at this time, 10.30, Schenck and Reynolds had advanced some two miles, this weakening of Schenck's left placed Reynolds' right in a precarious condition. With great care, therefore, Meade withdrew his brigade "to the other side of the "Warrenton pike, where a position was taken on the plateau "near what is known as the Lewis House, which overlooks "Groveton, and the pike leading to it."[17]

Other troops, especially on the Union right, had arrived in position and been heavily engaged; but nothing was known in regard to the flanking movement assigned to General Porter.

 

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General Pope arrived at the front about 1 o'clock. At 2 o'clock, firing was heard on the left, leaving Pope to believe that Porter and McDowell were attacking the Confederates right.  Still Pope knew nothing for certain until half past four, when he sent a preemtory order to Porter to fall on the enemy's right.  This he expected Porter could do by half past five, and he also expected McDowell to be in action shortly after. Porter never made the flank attack.  The order was delayed in delivery; and further Porter knew, which Pope did not, that Longstreet had already joined Jackson and that through this juncture Jackson's flank, as far as he was concerned, had ceased to exist.[18]

            At the time he considered that Porter would commence action, Pope ordered an attack by his other troops, Reynolds' division being directed "to threaten the enemy's right and rear."  The Second Brigade under General Seymour and the Third brigade under General Jackson had the advance, but confronted by overwhelming numbers, were driven back.  The Bucktails, with General Meade's First  brigade, also took part in the action, which continued until dark..[19]

 

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Shortly after, the brigade was withdrawn to the position occupied by the rest of the troops,[20] and the men, having been upon short rations for several days, eagerly devoured some crackers drawn by them.