Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-10-31

The following 10 copy Of General Stones
ofhcial report, sent In tn the War Department

ohcial report, sent In to the War Department
Headquarters Corps Of Obserrdtfon,
October %, 1851. I
General: On the 10th instant. being advised
rom headquarters OF General McCall's movement
to Dransvlle to reconnoiter and draw out the
intentions Of the enemy at teesburg, Gent 10
Edwards Ferry at O'Clock p. m, with General
the Vsn Aen and ,hs
while four companies OF the 10th Massachusetts
Volunteers were sent TO Har,ison's Island, under
Colonel Devens, who then had one com pans on
the lsland, and Colonel Lee, with battalion Of
the Massachusetts 2Oth, section of the Rhode
Island Battery and Tammany Regiment was sent
70 Conrads Ferry. section Of Bunting's New
York Battery and Ricketts, Battery were already
on duty respectively at Edwards and Conrad's
Ferries.
General McCalls movement had evidently at
hacted the attention Of the enemy, regiment Of
infantry having appeared from the direction Of
Leesburg and taken shelter behind a hill about
one mile and half from our position at the
Ferry.
Gen. German was ordered to deploy bis forces
| in view of the enemy, and In so doing no move
ment Of the enemy was excited. Three fatboats
Were ordered, and at the same time shell and
spherical case shot were thrown into the place Of
the enemy's concealment. This was done to pro-
duce an impression that crossing was to be
made. The shelling at Edwards Ferry and the
launching OF the boats induced the quick retire.
ment of the enemy's force seen there. and three
boat loads OF IS men each, from the LIST Minnesota,
crossed and recrossed the river, each trip occupy
| ing about six or seven minutes.
| WI lille this was going on, the men evinced by
mined to fght CALAMITY when the opportunity
| was presented At dusk, Gen Gorman's brig ade
| and the 9TH Michigan returned to camp, leaving
,os iammany regiment aud the companies Of the
10Th Massachusetts and artillery at Conradt Ferry
| In position, awaiting the return Of scouts Mean
| while Gen Stone remained at Edwardss Ferry
Az !o o'clock p. m, Lieut. Howe, quartermaster
| Of the 18th Massac husetts, reported that scouts
under Capt. Philbrick had returned TO the island
having been within one mile Of Leesburg, and
| there discovering In the edge Of wood an en-
| campment OF 30 tents. No pIckets were out any
distance, and he approached to within Is rods
without being even challenged.
Orders were then instantly Sent to Col Devens
| to cross four companies to the Virginia shore,
and march silently under cover of night to the
position OF the camp referred to, to attack and
destroy 1t at daybreak, pursue the enemy lodged
there as far az would be prudent, and return i'm
nediately to the island his return to he covered
| by company of the Massachusetts 29.h, to be
posted over the landing place Col. Devens was
ordered to make close observation Of the position
strength, and movements Of the enemy, and In
the event OF there being no enemy there visible,
to hold on In secure position until he could be
strengthened sufficiently to make a valuable
reconnaissance.
send the LIST ali'ornia regiment to Conrad IS ferry
to arrive there at sunrise, and to have the re.
nainder Of his brigade ready to move early.
Lieut.. Col. Wood, Of the 18th Massac husetts,
was also ordered to move with a battalion 10 the
river bank opposite HarTison's Island by day-
oreak TWO mounted howitzers, in charge Of
Lieut. French OF Rickett's battery, were ordered
TO the tow path opposite Harrison's Island
Col Devens, in pursuance Of his orders crossed
and proceeded to the point indicated, Col Lee
remaining on the bluff with 100 men to cover his
return. TO distract attention from Col Devens's
movements, and to make reconnaissance in the
direction OF Leesburg from Edwards's Ferry, I
directed Gen German to throw across the ri yer AZ
that point two companies Of the lst Minnesota
nf Araf u
sent out a party Of thirty-one Van Allen Cavalry
under Major Mix, accompanied by Capt. Charles
stewart, Assistant Adjutant General, Capt Muir
ply, and Lieuts. Pierce and Gouraud with ord.,.
to advance along the Leesburg road until thew
should come to the vicinity Of battery which
was known to be on that road, and then turn to
tne left and examine the nights between that and
Goose Creek, and see IL any Of the enemy were
post.d In the vicinity, find out their numbers as
nearly az possible, their disposition examine the
country with reference to the passage of troops n
the Leesburg and Georgetown turnpike and re-
turn rapidly to cover behind the skirmishers of
the Minnesota LIST. This reconnaissance was most
calamity conducted, and the party proceeded
along the Leesourg road nearly two miles from
the Ferry, and when near the position Of the hid.
den battery came suddenly upon a Mississippi
regiment about thirty FIVE yards distant received
Its hre, and returned II with their pistols The
fire Of the enemy killed one horse but Lieut Con.
raud seized the dismounted man. and drawinu
him on his horse behi nd him carried him nnbn,i
from the field. One private Of the ith Virginia
ctvalfy was oroug mt on by the party prisoner,
who, being well mounted and armed his mount
replaced the one lost by the tire Of the enemy
meantime, on the right Col. Devens, having i'm
pursuance OF his orders arrived at the position
designated to him as the site of the enemy,s camp
found that the scouts had been decei we'd nv the
uncertain light, and mistaken openinT, in the
trees for row Of tents. Col Devens found, how
ever, wood in which he concealed his force,
ana proceeded to examine the space between that
and Leesburg, sending back Ia report that thus
lar he could see no enemy. Immediately OH re-
csipt OF this intelligence, brought me by Lieut
move, VINO nad accompanied both the parties, 1
ordered non-commissiOned officer and ten cav
airy TO join Col. Devens for the purpose of scour
Ing the country near him while engaged in his
reconnaissance, and giving due notice Of the D.
proach Of any force, and that Lieut. Col Ward
with his battalion of the 18th Massac husetts aboud
move on TO Shoots Nj Ills half mi lie IN the rio HI
OF the crossing place Of Col. Devens, and see
where, In a strong position, he could watch and
protect the fank Of Col Devens in his return. and
secure second crossing more favorable than the
hrst and connected by good road with Lees
burg Capt Candy, Assistant Adjutant- General,
and Gen. Lander accompanied the cavalry to serve
with 1t. For some reason never explained IN me
neither Of these order were carried out The
cavalry were transferred to the Virginia shore
put were sent back without having left the shore
to go inland, and thus Col Devens was deprived
otthe means OF obtaining warning Of any approach
Of the enemy
The battalion under Col Ward wa, detained
on the Bluff in the Of Col Devens. Instead
Of being directed to the right Col Baker bay
ing arrived at Conrads Ferry with the LIST Cali
fornia regiment a, an early hour proceeded to
Edwards Ferry, and reported to me in person,
stating that his regiment was at the former place
aud the three other regiments Of his Brigade
ready to march. | directed him to Harrison,s
Island to assume command, and In a full CONVEX.
sation explained to him the position as IL then
stood | told him that Gen Mccall had ad
yanced his troops to Drainsyille, and that was
extremely DESTROYS of ascertaining the exact DO
stlon and force Of the enemy In our front, and
exploring az far as IL safe on the right toward
Leesburg, and on the left toward the Leesburg
and Gum Spring road l also infor ned Col
Baker that General German, opposite Edwards,
Ferry, should be reinforced, and th-t | would
make every effort to push Gorman's troops care
fully forward to discover the best line from that
ferry to the Leesburg and Gum Spring road. al
ready mentioned and the position of the breast
works and hidden battery, which prevented the
movement Of troops directly from left to right
were also pointed out to him
The means OF transportation across OF the sufti-
cheney Of which he Baker, was to be Judge was
detailed, and authority given him to make use of
the guns OF section each of Vaughan g and Bunt-
ing's batteries, together with rench's mountain
howifzers, all the troops Of his Brigade and the
Tammany regiment beside the Nineteenth and
part OF the Twentieth regiments of Massac busetts
Volunteers, and / left II to his discretion, after
ANN narN