I desire publicly to express my appreciation of the prompt and skillful manner in which Generals McDowell and Sigel brought forward their respective commands and established them on the field, and of their cheerful and hearty co-operation with me from beginning to end. Brigadier-General Roberts, chief of cavalry of this army, was with the advance four forces on Friday and Saturday, and was conspicuous for his gallantry and for the valuable aid he rendered to Generals Banks and Crawford. Our loss was about 1,500 killed, wounded, and missing, of whom 290 were taken prisoners.* As must be expected from the character of the engagement a very large proportion of these were killed. The enemy's loss in killed, wounded, and prisoners we are now satisfied is much in excess of our own. A full list of casualties will be transmitted as soon as possible, together with a detailed report, in which I shall endeavor to do justice to all.

JNO. POPE,

Major-General, Commanding.

Major-General HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF VIRGINIA,

Numbers 21.
Near Cedar Mountain, Va., August 16, 1862.

The following dispatch has been received from the General-in-Chief of the Army, and, with this order, will be published at the head of every regiment and detachment in this command:

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, August 14, 1862.

Major-General POPE:

Your telegram of last evening is most satisfactory, and I congratulate you and your army, and particularly General Banks and his corps, on your hard earned but brilliant success against vastly superior numbers.

Your troops have covered themselves with glory, and Cedar Mountain will be known in history as one of the great battle-fields of the war.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

The major-general commanding the Army of Virginia has little to add to this dispatch. It is a feeble expression of his feelings to say that he was delighted and astonished at the gallant and intrepid conduct of his command, and especially of the Second Corps.

Success and glory are sure to accompany such conduct, and it is safe to predict that Cedar Mountain is only the first of a series of victories which shall make the Army of Virginia famous in the land, and draw very close [to] the hearts of their country every officer and soldier who belongs to it.

JNO. POPE,

Major-General, Commanding.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF VIRGINIA,

Numbers 24.
Rappahannock Crossing, Va., August 21, 1862.

The major-general commanding takes occasion to acknowledge the very valuable services rendered by the signal officers of this army,

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* See revised statement, p. 139.

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