Today in History:

974 Series I Volume XII-II (Supp.) Serial 17 - Second Manassas Part II (Supplemental)

Page 974 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., AND MD. Chapter XXIV.

Question. Did they march on the same road that you did?

Answer. A part of it must have been the same. I was up the Rappahannock, at Kelly's Ford, with two brigades, and another of my brigades was at Barnett's Ford. General Sykes' division, I think, was on the main road leading some few miles back from the river. But before we got to Warrenton Junction, I must have fallen into the same road that he passed over.

Question. On what grounds did you understand the order to attack on the 29th to have been countermanded, and did your troops continue to get into position?

Answer. I do not know on what grounds it was countermanded. We continued to get into position until the countermand was received.

Question. Please mark upon the map before the court, if you can do so, the location of your troops, and also the position of the enemy's right, on the 29th of August.

Answer. The line already marked here [referring to the map] is in about he position where my division was located [the line was marched M. 3]; and, judging form the sound of the firing, the enemy were in front of us and off on our right a considerable distance, just about where this other line [also marked M. 3.] is placed. Whether it was nearer or farther off, of course, I cannot tell. The only enemy that I supposed were within my reach was directly in front of us, just about where this line is. I could not see them. i could only judge from the reports. When they opened with their artillery, they were directly opposite my front; and then, a short time after that, some guns opened from the top of a hill off to their left, considerably beyond our right.

Question. At what time of the day did your division reach the position you have just indicated on the map?

Answer. I suppose between 10 and 11 o'clock, or about 11 o'clock in the morning. We marched directly up from Manassas Junction.

Question. Please state whether your troops continued to get into position after dark on the 29th of August.

Answer. They did, for the purpose of passing the night, to be ready in the morning.

Question. Did you see the order from General Pope of the 27th of August, directing General Porter to march at 1 o'clock in the morning of the 28th? If so, did you, or not, infer from that order that a battle would probably be fought on the morning of the 28th?

Answer. I saw the order in the hands of General Porter. I did not read the order and did not hear it read. I did not infer particularly that a battle would be fought the next morning. I knew we were near the enemy, and were likely to have a fight at any moment.

Question. Were, or were not, the precise terms of that order communicated to the generals who were consulted on that occasion?

Answer. I do not think they were any further than as to the hour of marching.

Question. I do not know. I did not see him when he arrived nor when he left. The only time I saw him at the head of the column was when he and General Porter rode off into the woods together.

Question. At what time was that?

Answer. That must have been about noon-about the middle of the day.

Question. Will you look at this paper [handing witness a paper], and say whether you received that from General Porter, and when?

Answer. I received that from General Porter on the evening of the 29th of August, about dusk.


Page 974 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., AND MD. Chapter XXIV.