August, by which you were enabled to form any reliable opinion as to the position and strength of the enemy?

Answer. Only by throwing skirmishers to the front a considerable distance, and also to the left.

Question. How long a time elapsed form the receipt of the order to attack until you received the order to pass the night where you were?

Answer. The order to attack was received just before sunset, and the order to pass the night was received about dark.

The examination of this witness here closed.

Colonel GEORGE D. RUGGLES, having heard his testimony read, made the following explanation:

I should like to make an explanation in regard to the testimony I have given here. A question was asked me about the order assigning me as chief of staff to the Army of Virginia. I would like to add that that order was issued at the request of General Pope, so as to show that I was not assigned to him without his consent. As to the trouble between General Pope and his staff officers, I would say that ill-feelings were entertained toward him by certain of his staff officers, myself among the number, in consequence of his treatment of us in our official relations. But subsequently, while at Fairfax Court-House, General Pope apologized to me for that treatment.

Examination resumed by the COURT:

Question. Was, or was not, the musketry fire on the 29th of August, which you have spoken of in your testimony, indicative of a severe engagement between large bodies of men?

Answer. The musketry fire was; but I desire to say that I did not hear the musketry firing myself until I came on the ground. The musketry firing which I heard after I came on the ground indicated an engagement between large bodies of men.

Question. When did the conversation occur between General Pope and yourself, in which you think you referred to his conversation with General Porter at Fairfax Court-House-after your return to Washington?

Answer. It was after the army had been withdrawn to within the entrenchments around Washington.

Question. Will you endeavor to recall, if you can remember, whether or not General Pope, in reply to your reference to the former conversation, stated that since his return to Washington he had had information communicated to him which had induce him to believe that the explanations which had been made to him by General Porter were not made in good faith?

Answer. I do not recollect to have heard him say anything of the kind.

Question. You think he made no reply at all?

Answer. I think so. The only thing he ever said to me upon that subject was, that he thought that when they got his report in washington it would make a big stir, or some commonplace expression of that kind, and that was not said at that time.

Question. What are your feeling toward General Porter?

Answer. They are not particularly friendly or unfriendly.

Question. What was the opinion in regard to General Pope, if you know it, that was entertained by General Pope and the members of his staff preceding the 27th of August, when General Porter joined the command of General Pope?

Answer. I do not know. I do not remember to have heard the subject referred to before that morning-the morning of the 27th of August.