Today in History:

189 Series I Volume XII-I Serial 15 - Second Manassas Part I

Page 189 Chapter XXIV. GENERAL REPORTS.

Question by the COURT. Were the woods which intercepted the view of the enemy when General Pope and McDowell arrived at all connected with the woods in which the enemy's troops were massed on the right?

Answer. They were not; they were about 1,500 yards from them toward Culpeper.

Question by the COURT. Was there anything to prevent the enemy which was massed in these woods on the right flank of Banks' force making an attack except the fatigue of the previous march?

Answer. I know nothing else except a want of time and the strength of the position of General Banks, to attack whom the enemy would have had to march 1,000 yards through an open field.

Question by the COURT. How far did General Banks advance his line of battle, to your knowledge?

Answer. I think he had advanced his line from 800 to 1,200 yards.

Question by the COURT. Did you inform General Banks that the attack which he proposed to make would transcend the instructions which you had communicated, that he should hold the enemy in check?

Answer. I informed General Banks that General Pope did not expect him to attack.

Question by the COURT. Are we to understand that General Banks' instructions permitted him to use his artillery against the enemy, but not to advance his troops, if he should judge that to be the best mode of holding the enemy in check?

Answer. I understood that he was to use his artillery, as a matter of course, and that, if he judged it proper to advance his infantry to hold them in check, he could properly do so under the instructions of General Pope.

Question by the COURT. Did he not know that General McDowell's troops were posted on the road 5 miles distant?

Answer. I presume that he did, as he marched by them that morning and reached the battle-field, I should think, between 12 and 1 o'clock.

Question by the COURT. At what time of day did he march by General McDowell's troops?

Answer. I can only judge from the distance; he must have passed about 9 or 10 in the morning to reach the battle-field at the time he did.

Question by General MCDOWELL. Do you know if General Pope's orders on the 9th were that General Sigel should follow General Banks when the latter moved to the front?

Answer. I know that was the order.

Question by General MCDOWELL. From the nature of the position taken up by General Banks was he obliged to leave it for defensive purposes, or was it a better defensive position than any one in front between him and the enemy?

Answer. I think that the first position of General Banks was a much better position for defense that any other in his front, and I am quite sure that he did not advance with any view of securing a better position for defense.

Question by General MCDOWELL. Were the 5 miles you state General McDowell's troops were distant measured from the place where General Banks had taken up his defensive position or from that to which General Banks moved to attack the enemy?

Answer. I referred to General Banks' first position.

Question by General MCDOWELL. Do you know to what corps Crawford's brigade belonged?


Page 189 Chapter XXIV. GENERAL REPORTS.