Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-08-09
LATE NORTHERN NEWS.
A Northern 0mci.i Account Of the BattIe
of bull Run.

of Bull Run.
COL. RICHARDSON'S OFFICIAL REPORT.
CAMP OF THE FOURTH BRIGADE OF TrLER's Dr.
VISION AND GEN. MeDowELL's CoRPs,
Near Arlington, July 25. 1861.
G~ENERAL:-l have the honor to submit the
following report as TO the operations OF my
brigade in front of the enemy at Bull Run, on
Sunday, July 81. On tho night Of July 90,
was summoned to attend q meeting of com.
manders of brigades at the headquarters ofthe
commanding officer in the field, Gen. Nc
Dowell; and, in common with the other com.
manders Of brigades, l was instructed Us TO
what was expected Of my particular m
on the following day-that is, l was to defend
the position which / then occupied in fronto #
the enemy, called the Blackburn Ford, and about
one mile in his front, where We had been for
the last three days. / was also ordered to
consider myself under the command OF Col. D..
s. Miles, United States Army, who was to
IN md his own brigade at Centrevllle, az
we'll Us my own and that Of Col. Davies, mid.
way bet Seen the two-these three origades
constituting what was then called the reserve.
Attached to my brigade vas the tisld battery
of Major Hunt, U. 5. Army, and also the r'iied-
battery Of ten Founders, under Lieut.. Green,
United States Army. | was to open tire Oh
the enemy for the purpose OF making a DIVER
sion, not before, but soon after hearing the re.
port of Gen. Tyler's cannonade on my right, to
carry out which purpose | made the following
disposition of the brigade: The two batteries
I placed upon the ridge of the hill, in view
of the enemy; the Third Michigan Infantry,
on the left Of the road, in line OF battle. Still
c,.,Laz ,;- hrndsol r,r1c FEY thp left on y
commanding hill, | had placed, the day before,
two companies of the First Massachusetts Regi-
ment, for the purpose of occupying q log barn
and a frame barn, which companies pushed
pickets still further to our left for the security
Of that point, which | considered a good posi-
ton for artillery. In a r%avine, half way be:
tween the positions, | placed also a company OF
the LIST Massachusetts regiment, which pushed
pickets down the raviue to its front; and Oh
the extreme right of. all placed the balance
of the Massachusetts, regiment, in line OF bat
tie, with two companies of that regiment
pushed 400 yards TO the right and 'front.' Which
NO companies again threw pickets in advance.
The New York and ID Michigan regiments
placed in the road, 500 yards in the rear ofthe
line, as o reserve. Soon after making these
arrangements, which | did on bearing the re-
port Of our artillery on the right, Col. Davies
brigade made its appearance, With hun at It's
head; and inquiring Of me tho date OF my
commission, FUND that he ranked me hy two
DAYS, and he assumed the command. That
officer wished q good position for artillery to
open, and l immediately proposed the position
on our left, near the log house, from which O
good wow of a large stone h~ousc-called BY tho
people oil tho country the encmy's headqnar-
ters-n!ght be obtained. Col. Davies brought
up with him the rid % FOUNDER battery Of
Lieut.. Benjamin, and ordered it to open lire
Immediately. He directed also HINTS battery
to his assistance, and | ordered Green's bate
~ to open its fire at the same time. The enc.
nv appeared to have withdrawn his guns from
that position, as be returned no fire, or he
might have been reSerying his fire for the lsst
attack. An hours carnonading, however,
brought in yicw Q column Of the encCly's in
fantry. which I observed with my glass, Of a,
least 9, 500 uen, and soon after two other bo.
dies OF men, OF a. least 4 regiment each, who
now occupied the lines on the other side OF The
Run, which lines now appeared fall to over.
flowing. Supposing now that they intended
10 make . push across our front in column, Or
would endeayor to turn our left, about II a.
No., l began 10 foTtiiy my position BY throwing
up IN caithen parapet for three guns, with
eubrasurcs across the road, and commenced
&C abatt!s Of timber, by telling trees, pointing
outward, between this battery and the log.
house 10 the left. About this time The enemy
on the opposite side appeared to be falling blcil
in confusion from our right attack, which con
tinued for some time, and then the tide chang.
ed, and they seemed to be returning in large
masses, At the interval between thsee Two ex.
trcmes, I was ordered BY Colonel D. 5. Mills
10 throw forward my skirmi 'hers and fee!
the enemy, and accordingly two companies Of
the Sd Michigan Regiment were sent forward
and down the ravine, to cover our front anu
advance. These were supported by Captain
Erutchschmeider's light infantry battalion,
which also advanced down the raVine, accom-
panied BY Lieut.. Prime, corps OF United States
Engineers, who went for the purpose OF ascer.
tanning the enemy's position-hc volunteering
his services for that particular purpose. C9l.
DIVES also threw forward a company OF Skin
mishsrs on his right. The enemy's skirmish.
ers were in force in the woods in front, and
covered themselves with trees and ride'pi's
which had been thrown up before. Our two adj
ance companies were driven back, the enemy
pursued, and we're in turn driven back By the
spherical case shot of Green's Battery, and |
ordered back the light infantry, and also the
two companies, to the former position. The
company in front Of Col. DayIeS's command
retired about the same time. BY 8 P. N.
had the battery and the abattis nearly con-.
plcted, making my defenccs as secure as the
short time and few implements used would al
low. No enemy appeared in force in my front
with a disposition to assault, but about this
time q heavy column Of infantry appeared to
tho left of Colonel Davies, in q ravlne, NOV.
ing up 10 the attack. This brigad, opened
a heavy FIRE upon them and calamity
drove them back, as he informed me after.
ward. During this firing, which was shortly
after s o'clock, l received orders from Colonel
Niles, through one Of his staff, to retreat upon
Centreville and endeavor 10 bold that position.
| Immediately collected my brigade and put it
in motion on the road toward Centrevillc, and
was at the head Of the I'd Michigan Regiment
in rear of the brigade, when a s:atfoticer pro-
posed to me to throw my regiment in lire, face
toward tie enemy, between the house occupied
the night before by Hunts battery, and the
Union and CentrcvilIe road, upon which road
the enemy was supposed to be advancing. | had
guined o. position near the desired point, when
7 was met by Col. Davis, who Informed uc
that he had beaten the enemy handsomely in
front. l told him that ! had been
ordered back to Centreville by Col. Miles; that
the rest Of my brigade had gone on, and thatl
had been directed 10 that point with my 1ssi
mcnt for the purpose Of facing the enemy
there, which I had done, and Col Davies went,
as | Supposed to his brigade. Soon after This
| VAS met by a STAG ofl Ger Of Gen. McDowelfs,
who told mt to put my brigade in position on
the LETT of the road from Centrevillc to Black.
burns ford, and stretching toward the unlon
and Ccn,reville road facing the enemy. Other
troops had also fallen back to this point-dis
tant about a mile from Centreville-and at
about 6 o'clock, p. NJ, Capt. Alexander, Of the
corps Of Engineers, directed me, by order Of
Gen. Mcdowell, to take the general arrangements
Of the troops at that point in my own hands,
he suggesting as a good line Of defence be.
tween 2 niece of woods on the right and one