July 15, 1862 (Wednesday): A Poet's Sharp Engagement

General A. Sanders Piatt

WINCHESTER, VA., July 15, 1862.
Major-General POPE:
    I herewith make the following report: The Garibaldi Regiment, commanded by Major Hilderbrandt, with one company of cavalry, was ordered to this point from Front Royal by way of Middletown, where I had stationed them to protect stores. They were attacked this evening, after passing Middletown 1 1\2 miles, by three columns of rebel cavalry, supported by infantry. He deployed the right and left of the road to prevent being flanked, and after a sharp engagement had to fall back; 2 men wounded and 4 missing. The enemy were in sight until he passed Newtown.
He arrived at this point at 9 p. m.


A. SANDERS PIATT,
Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF VIRGINIA, Washington, July 16, 1862.
Brigadier-General PIATT,
Winchester, Va.:
    Your dispatch received. A regiment of infantry in such a country is more than a match for a dozen regiments of cavalry, and ought never to retreat before them. Neither do I quite understand your calling an affair in which 2 men were wounded a "sharp engagement." I hope you will infuse a much bolder spirit in your men. The idea of retreating before a cavalry force with only 2 men wounded is hardly up to the standard of soldiership. In such a country no cavalry force is able to make your infantry give back a foot if they will only fight. How is it known that these cavalry columns are supported by infantry; who saw the infantry, and, if there were any, were they not dismounted cavalry? Please investigate the matter thoroughly. I do not like the idea of an infantry regiment of this army retreating without more loss and better reasons than are set forth in your dispatch.


JNO. POPE,
Major-General, Commanding.

Official Records, Series I., Vol. 12, Part 3, Page 475.

Pope was undoubtedly trying to live up to his pronouncements of the previous day.  But for all the ridicule they would later inspire, it is fair to him to say he did have grounds to try and steel such generals as Piatt, who would term such a tepid action a "sharp engagement".  Piatt was a newspaper publisher and poet.