THE SECOND BATTLE OF BULL RUN.

469

out of Centreville and occupied that place with his advance beyond it towardGainesville . A very severe engagement occurred between King’s divisionand Jackson’s forces near the village of Grove ton on the Warrenton pike, whichwas terminated by the darkness, both parties maintaining their ground. \ Theconduct of this division in this severe engagement was admirable, and reflectsthe utmost credit both uponits commanders and the menunder their command. Thatthis division was not reenforcedby Reynolds A and Sigel J seemsunaccountable. The reason giv-en, though it is not satisfac-tory, was the fact that GeneralMcDowell had left the commandjust before it encountered theenemy, and had gone towardManassas Junction, where hesupposed me to be, in order to give me some information about the imme-diate country in which we were operating, and with which, of course, hewas much more familiar from former experience than I could be. J. I had

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\ King’s division (which had not been at Gaines-ville on the night of the 27tli, but near BucklandMills, and was consequently near the Warrentonpike instead of at Manassas , when, by GeneralPope’s 4:15 p.*m. order, the army was directedupon Centreville instead of upon Manassas ) en-countered Jackson’s forces in position as stated inthe preceding note about 5 :30 p. m. Gibbon’s bri-gade, with two regiments of Doubleday’s (the 06 thPennsylvania and 76th New York), contendedagainst Taliaferro’s division and two brigades(Lawton ’s and Trimble’s) of Ewell’s division.General Jackson says:

“Tlie batteries of Woodins?, Poague, and Carpenterwere placed in position in front of Starke’s brigade, andabove the village of Groveton, and, tiring over tbe headsof oar skirmishers, poured a heavy fire of shot and shellupon the enemy. This was responded to by a very heavyfire from the enemy, forcing our batteries to selectanother position. By this time Taliaferro’s command,with Lawton ’s and Trimble’s brigades on his left, wasadvanced from the woods to the open field, and was nowmoving in gallaut style until it reached an orchard onthe right of our line and was less than 100 yards from alarge force of the enemy. The conflict here was fierceand sanguiuary. Although largely reenforced, theFederals did not attempt to advance, but maintainedtheir ground with obstinate determination. Both linesstood exposed to thediseharges of musketry and artilleryuntil about 9 o’clock, when tlie enemy slowly fell back,yielding the field to onr troops. The loss 011 both sideswas heavy, and among our wounded were Major-General Ewell and Brigadier-General Taliaferro.”

Gibbon’s brigade lost 133 killed, 539 wounded,79 missing, total, 751, “ or considerably over one-third of the command.” King held his ground until1 A. M. on the 29th, when, being without support,without communication with either of the generalsin command over him, and without orders since

those of 4:15 P. M., he marched to ManassasJunction.— Editors.

■^Reynolds, ordered to march en echelon on King'sright, was moving toward Manassas (see note topicture, p. 468), when, at 5 P. M., he receivedMcDowell’s order, based on Pope ’s of 4:15, tomarch on Centreville. He turned off at BethlehemChurch and took the Sudley Springs road towardthe Warrenton pike. General Reynolds says:

“About this time heavy cannonading was heard bothto our trout and loft, the former supposed to be fromSigel’s corps, and the latter from King’s division, whichhad taken the Warrenton pike from Gainesville . I sentword to the column to hasten its march, and proceededto the left at once myself in the direction of the firing,arriving on the field just before dark, and found thatGibbou’s brigade, of Kiug’s division, was engaged withthe enemy, with Doubleday’s and Patrick’s brigades inthe vicinity. After the firing ceased I saw GeneralKing, who, determining to maintain his position, I leftabout. 9 o’clock p. m. to return to my division, promisingto bring it up early in tlie morning to his support.Before leaving, however, X heard the division movingoff, and I learned from General Hatch that it was mov-ing by Gainesville toward Manassas . I then returnedto my own division, which I reached at daylight.”

Editors.

j Sigel was ordered to move at 2 :45 A. M. andto march en echelon on Reynolds’s right. Hisadvance appears to have reached Manassas aboutnoon. He states that during the afternoon hewas ordered by General Pope to march by NewMarket on Centreville, and arrived on the field ofthe First Bull Run, near the Henry house (see p.473), too late to take part in King’s engagement..—Editors.

According to General McDowell, this was‘‘after putting these divisions in motion (underthe 4:15 P. M. order) and going with Reynolds’s