ARLINGTON HOUSE, VA., September
3, 1862.
We arrived here this morning. Everything now is changed;
McClellan's star is again in the ascendant, and Pope's has faded away. The
whole army has been withdrawn in the face of the enemy, around Washington,
getting back to where we left last March, and now we have to defend our
capital, and perhaps resist an invasion of our soil through Maryland, and all
from the willful blindness of our rulers. However, this is to no purpose.
I am writing in the house occupied as the headquarters of
Whipple's division. I have not time to give you a full account of all I have
gone through since leaving Fredericksburg, but will briefly relate. We were
ordered up to support Pope, and arrived at the railroad crossing of the
Rappahannock just as Pope had found it necessary to fall back on Warrenton.
From Warrenton, he, having learned they were still turning his right flank, we
started to fall back on Centreville. On the 28th my brigade, the advance of McDowell's
corps, was opened upon by a battery, and from that time till the night of the
30th we were pretty much manoeuvring and fighting all the time. The principal
scene of the conflict was the old battle-ground of Bull Run, with this
difference, that we were in the reverse position from what we occupied before,
we holding the position occupied by the enemy in the old battle. The fighting
continued till the night of the 30th, at which time Pope became satisfied they
were in too large numbers for him and would get behind him; whereupon he
withdrew to Centreville, and subsequently to Fairfax Court House; Kearney and
Hooker having a fight on September 1st, when Kearney and Stevens both were
killed; but we succeeded in driving the enemy for miles. The Pennsylvania
Reserves were engaged throughout the whole time, and particularly distinguished
themselves on the afternoon of the 30th, when our attack on the enemy's right
flank having failed, they attacked us very vigorously on our left flank; when
the Reserves came into action, and held them in check and drove them back, so
that when other troops came up, we were enabled to save our left flank, which
if we had not done, the enemy would have destroyed the whole army. That night
we retreated to Centreville. In a few words, we have been, as usual, out-manoeuvred
and out-numbered, and though not actually defeated, yet compelled to
fall back on Washington for its defense and our own safety. On these recent
battle-fields I claim, as before, to have done my duty. My services, then,
should, I think, add to those previously performed, and that I may now fairly
claim the command of a division. I suppose, now that McClellan is up again, all
his old friends will be as affectionate as ever. I expect the enemy will follow
us up, and though I hardly think they will adventure to attack Washington, yet
I believe they will try to get into Maryland, and that will necessitate our
moving to meet them.
I am quite well, notwithstanding we have been for the last
ten days without regular food or sleep. All of my staff and most of the command
are completely knocked up, but I am just as well as ever. General Reynolds has
been very kind and civil to me.
SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George
Gordon Meade, Vol. 1, p. 307-8
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