this led McClellan and certain members of his
staff to industriously announce that Rosecrans had disobeyed orders
and would be held responsible for the disaster which had occurred.
McClellan remained with the main body of his army quietly in camp
on Roaring Creek until about midday when, he states in his report,
"I moved up all my available force to the front and remained in
person just in rear of the advance pickets, ready to assault when
the indicated movement arrived."

While the troops were waiting for the "indicated movement," the
enemy had drawn in his skirmishers in expectation of an assault.
I was on the front with the skirmishers, and in my eagerness and
inexperience naturally desired to see the real situation of the
enemy's fortifications and guns. With two or three fearless soldiers
following closely, and without orders, by a little detour through
brush and timber to the left of the principal road, I came out in
front of the fortifications close under some of the guns and obtained
a good survey of them. The enemy, apprehending an assault, opened
fire on us with a single discharge from one piece of artillery,(10)
which he was not able to depress sufficiently to do us any harm.
We, however, withdrew precipitately, and I attempted at once to
report to McClellan the situation and location of the guns of the
enemy and the strength and position of his fortified camp, but,
instead of thanks for the information, I received a fierce rebuke,
and was sharply told that my conduct might have resulted in bringing
on a general battle before the _General_ was ready. I never sinned
in that way again while in McClellan's command.

Late in the afternoon of the 11th, when the sound of the battle on
the mountain had ceased, an officer was seen to gallop into the
camp of the enemy on the mountain side; he made a vehement address
to the troops there, and the loud cheers with which they responded
were distinctly heard in our camp.

This proceeding being reported to McClellan, at once settled him
and others about him in the belief that Rosecrans had been defeated.
A little later Confederate troops were seen moving to the rear and
up the mountain. This, instead of being as reinforcements for
defeated troops, as it really was, was taken as a possible aggressive
movement which, in some occult way, must assail and overthrow the
main army in front. As the day wore away, Poe, of the engineers,
was sent to our right to find a posit