partly in fields, but mostly in woods, across and through which we were going in the general direction ordered. It was now late in the afternoon, and I ascertained that the enemy were no longer at Manassas Junction, and soon after I received your dispatch* of 1.20 from that place, which must have been delayed on the way, for after giving the necessary orders to carry out your instructions, but before the troops had received them, your second dispatch+ from Manassas was received, informing me that the enemy were on the other side of Bull Run, on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, as also near Centreville, and directing me to march with my command upon the latter place. King's division, which was nearest the Warrenton and Centreville turnpike, was ordered to march by that road, and Reynolds' division, which was near the Sudley Springs and Manassas road, was ordered to move by that road and thence by the Warrenton turnpike. After putting these division in motion and going with Reynolds' division to near Manassas I proceed to that place, to confer personally with you. King's division moved along the Warrenton road and became engaged with the enemy, and at the same time Ricketts', some 6 or 8 miles farther to the west, became engaged with Longstreet's corps as it attempted the passage of the defile at Thoroughfare Gap.

I have as yet received no reports from King's division or from any of the brigade commanders. I cannot say, therefore, as to the engagement of Thursday, the 28th; but from verbal reports I understand it to have been mostly an affair of General Gibbon's brigade, one of the finest in the army, and part of Doubleday's brigade, with some two brigades of the enemy, and that the troops behaved most creditably. The loss in Gibbon's brigade was severe in both men and officers. The gallant Colonel O'Connor, Second Wisconsin, and Major May, Nineteenth Indiana, killed; Colonel Cutler, Sixth Wisconsin, one of the best officers we have, badly wounded, and at the time reported dead; the gallant Colonel Robinson, Seventh Wisconsin, Major Allen, Second Wisconsin, Lieutenant Colonel Charles A. Hamilton, Seventh Wisconsin, and Major Bill, Seventh Wisconsin, wounded.

General Ricketts engaged the enemy until dark, holding him in check and forcing him back, but finding him crossing at Hopewell Gap, above and on his right, and threatened with being turned on his left, he withdrew at night-fall to Gainesville, and here learning from General King that he intended to fall back to Manassas at 1 o'clock a.m. from the Warrenton road, General Ricketts did the same by the way of Bristoe, which gave him a long and fatiguing march. Finding on my arrival there that you had left Manassas I turned toward Reynolds' division, but did not succeeded in finding it, it being now dark, until daybreak next morning, on the hill by the Warrenton road near Groveton. It was here I learned of the movements of King's and Ricketts' divisions of the night before.

Early in the morning of the 29th General Sigel, who had come up the night before from near Manassas, and who was on Reynolds' right, made demonstrations against the enemy, who seemed to be on the north of us. I directed Reynolds to support General Sigel on the left in the movements he might make, and the proceeded to join Generals King's and Rickett's division.

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*See, as of 2 p.m. (p.74), among inclosure to Pope's report. McDowell's copy reads Gum instead of Green Spring.

+See No. 5, Appendix C.

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22 R R-VOL XII, PT II