CAMP OPPOSITE
FREDERICKSBURG, August 21, 1862.
Generals Reynolds and Seymour arrived yesterday afternoon, and
to-day the division is to be reorganized, Reynolds taking the command of the
whole, I of the First Brigade, Seymour the Second, and General Jackson
(recently appointed from the colonelcy of the Ninth Regiment) the Third.
We have very exciting news to-day. It appears that General
Pope has been obliged to show his back to the enemy and to select a line
of retreat, as Jackson, having advanced with a large force, General Pope
has been compelled to retire from the line of the Rapidan and across the
Rappahannock.[1] I expect that in a few days we will have exciting times, and
expect hourly orders for us either to hurry up to Pope's rescue or to fall back
upon Washington. The enemy are evidently determined to strike a blow before McClellan's
army can get into position here to co-operate with Pope. To do this with any
chance of success, they must attack us in the next ten days. By that time we
will have collected here the greater portion of McClellan's army, with their
baggage and trains. For my part, the sooner it comes off the better, as I
think, after the next great struggle is settled, we will begin to see some
prospect of a settlement. If we can only give them a good thrashing, a regular
out-and-out victory, I think the demoralization of their forces will be such
that they will find it very difficult to collect and organize another army.
__________
1 Engagement of Cedar Mountain, Va., August 9,
1862. Federal loss, killed, wounded, and missing, 2,381 (O. R.).
SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George
Gordon Meade, Vol. 1, p. 305
No comments:
Post a Comment