The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-08-08
tue BATTLE OF BULLS RUN.
oaiclal R epOrt Of General sohonol. *.


this report Of movements and service oi
my brigade In the battle at Bulls Run,
ON the Gainesville road on the 21st inst.
Leaving my camp one mile south OF
Centreville, at 21 o'clock Am. of that
day, / marched at the head of your diyi-
sion, as ordered with my command In
column. in the following order. The
First Regiment of Ohio Volunteers, Col.
McCook; the Second Ohio. Lieut.. Col.
Mason: the Second New York State Mil
itia, Col. Tompkinsi and Capt. Carlisle's
Battery of Light Artillery, six brass guns
To Capt. Carlisle's command was attach
led the large Parrott gun, 3O!pounder, un-
der the direction oil Lieut.. Haines, Of the
artillery corps. t.' "a
Proceeding slowly and carefully, pre-
ceded by five (5) companies OF skirmish.
ers of the First aud Second Ohio, which
threw out on either side Of the road. we
approached the bridge over Bulls Run,
beyond which the rebels were understood
to be posted and entrenched, and 10
within distance perhaps ofthree -fourths
Of o mile Of their batteries, on the other
side of the stream. r
In obedience to your command, on first
discovery of the presence of the enemy's
infantry forming into line on the hillside
beyond the Run, deployed my three
regiments of Infantry to the left Of the
road and formed them in line of battle in
front of his right. Thus my command
was constituted the left wing of our di.
vision, Col. Sherman's Brigade coming
up aud taking position to the right Of the
road.
After the FIRE had been opened by dis.
charge of the large Parrot gun from the
centre in the direction OF the enemy 8
work, l moved my extended hue gradual.
ly toward at intervals. taking advantage
of the grodnd, Until l had my force shell
tered partly III Il hollow covered by a
ridge and wood in front, and partly by
the edge Of the timber lying between us
and the Run. Here we lay, in pursuance
of your orders, Tor perhaps two and a
half or three hour, with no evidence Of our
uearness to tie enemy except the occa-
sonal firing Of musketry by our skir-
mishes III the wood in front, answered by
the muskets or rifles of the enemy, to
whom our presence and position were
thus indicated. with view to distract
bis attention from tie approach of Col.
Hunters force from above and in rear.
At this time received your notice and
order. announcing that Hunter was heard
! from, that he bad crossed aud was com
ing down about two miles above US, and
directing that if | saw any signs ofa STAN. :.
pede Of the enemy in front, 1 should
make dash with the Ohio Regiments,
keeping the New York Regiment in re-
serve. For this movement immediate.
ly formed and prepared. Soon after, and
when, by the firing of artillery and mus
kerry in front at the right, it appeared
that the rebels were actively engaged in
their position by our forces ON the other
side Of the stream, received your order
to extend my line still further to tho left,
sending forward Col McCook's regiment
to feel the battery of the enemy, which
was ascertained 10 be on the hill covering
the ford, half mile below the bridge and
supporting him with my other two reg.
imsnts. This was Immediately done.
Col. McCook advanced in that direction
along the road, which we found to Re a
narrow track through a pine wood, thick
and close with underground, and Aanked
on either side by ambuscades of brush
work, which were now, however, aban-
doned. Reaching ths head of this mar.
row road where it opened upon the stream
Col. McCook found the battey to be d
strong earth work Immediately opposite,
mounted with at least four heavy guns,
and commanding the outlet from the
wood. An open space of low ground lay
between, with eorn6ed TO the loft, the
direct distance across to the enemy's bat
terry, being about $50 yards, Behind the
battery and supporting it, were discov.
cred some four regiments of the rebel
troops. while rife pits were seen directly
in front Of it. The First Regiment was
there deployed to tie left, in the edge Of
tho woods and into the corn6eld, one
company-Capt. 'Kells'-being thrown
forward toward the Run, up to within,
| perhaps, twenty yards of the battery.
While This was done, / advanced the
Second Ohio, followed By the Second
New York. toward The head of the road in
supporting distance from the First Ohio.
Lieut.. Col. Mascn's regiment fling also
10 the left. Receiving Col McGook's re-
port Of The battery and that it would be
impossible to turn il with any, force we
had Immediately dispatched q message
to the centre to bring up some pieces OF
-artillery to engage the enemy from the
1head OF the Dad. In the meantime the
enemy discovering our presence and po.
sition in the wood. and evidently having
Ithe exact range of the road We we're 90.
cupying opened on us with havy FIRE
shells and round and grape shot. To
AVOID the effect Of this as much as possible
ordered The men to fall back fnto the
woods on each side ofthe road. and was
lpresentlyr re enforced by two gurs of Ay.
fes battery, under Lieut.. Ransom, which
passed to the head Of the road. A brisk
cannonading was then opened, but very
unequsl one on account Of the superior
force and metal Of the enemy. While
this continued. / left my horse and pass.
led through the wood, and remained
some time by our guns to be satisfied
whether we were making any impression
ou the enemy's work. | soon found that
Iit was not thus to be carried. and such