860 Series I Volume XII-II (Supp.) Serial 17 - Second Manassas Part II (Supplemental)
Page 860 | OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., AND MD. Chapter XXIV. |
Question. What was the strength of your whole command in front of Jackson, independent of General Porter's corps, on the 29th of August?
Answer. I cannot tell with exactness, since, in the active operations, where we were fighting almost every day, I had received no reports of casualties, either in killed, wounded, or stragglers. I can give, I suppose, something like an approximation to it. I think that until half-past 5 in the afternoon of the 29th, when McDowell's command arrived on the field, our whole force amounted to about 24,000 or 25,000 men, independently of McDowell's and Porter's corps; that may be an overestimate, probably is an overestimate, from the fact which I have stated, that I did not have any reports of casualties, either in killed, wounded, or stragglers, and the stragglers formed an exceedingly large part of those absent from every action.
Question. You have given an estimate of the force of Jackson; did you include in that estimate the force of Longstreet?
Answer. I did not.
Question. What was the strength of McDowell's corps ont he 29th of August?
Answer. As with the others, I had received no reports from McDowell's corps; I estimated, however, the fighting force that McDowell brought on the field at about 12,000 men. It may have exceeded that, or it may have been less; that is a mere estimate in the absence of any reports of casualties or stragglers from that corps for two weeks previous, during which time we had been almost constantly marching and fighting the enemy, and during which period there was no time to make out returns.
Question. Can you give an estimate of the force of Longstreet at that time?
Answer. There were various accounts of Longstreet's forces. According to my own belief, derived from these various sources of information, I think Longstreet had, perhaps, 17,000 men-from that up to 20,000-though, of course, such estimate is not very reliable.
The examination of this witness was here closed.
Captain DRAKE DEKAY was then called by the Government, sworn and examined as follows:
By the JUDGE-ADVOCATE:
Question. Will you state what position you hold in the military service?
Answer. First lieutenant of the Fourteenth Infantry.
Question. What position did you hold during the campaign of the Army of Virginia, under the command of General Pope?
Answer. Aide-de-camp to General Pope.
Question. Did you, or not, on the 27th of August last, bear a written order from Major-General Pope to Major-General Porter, who was then, I believe, at Warrenton Junction?
Answer. I did.
Question. Do you remember distinctly the character of that order, and would you be able to recognize it again upon having it read to you?
Answer. I did not read it.
Question. Did you, or not, after its delivery to General Porter, learn from him its character?
Answer. I was aware of its character by word of mouth, either from General Pope or from his chief of staff.
Question. Will you state its character as you understood it?
Answer. That he was to proceed at 1 o'clock that night to move up to Bristoe Station with his command.
Page 860 | OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., AND MD. Chapter XXIV. |