The Placer herald., 1861-09-21
rur BULL HUN BATTLE.
.,r,crAL REPORT OF MAI. BARRY, CHIEF
OfFN.- OF ARTILLERY.

whole force of artillery, of all calibcrs was
!i of which 20 were rifed guns. All of
AZ batteries were fully horsed and equipped,
'n ,.S The exception of the two howtzers Of the
WIZ WI, Regiment New York militia, which were
u.s. ..so"t horses, and were drawn by drag ropes
m n.s pepinlcnt New York militia had with it n
st m OF six.6-poundcr guns. The men Of this
w., named battery having claimed their discharge
Tvs, Tho day before the ba tie, because their term
on on ssryce had expired, the battery was thrown
mt OF service.
ou Can. McDewel's disposition for the march
,.om Centeryile on the morning Of the 2lst inst,
1.ce d Tdballs and Green's batteries Is pieces)
rsserye with the division of Col Miles. to re-
" ;u at Centervllc; Hunts and Edwards &C
i;"oss, with the brigade OF Col Richardson, ut
B,ckburns Ford; and Carlsle's. Ayrc's and the
an nounder III pieces) with the division of Gen
T ~ at the Stone Bridge; Ricketts, Grifin's.
a.;,noId's the Rhode Island and the list Regi-
1nsnt batteries ga picces) accompanied the main
soiumn which crossed Bull Run at Sudley's
Caring As soon rs the column came in presence
- the enemy after crossing Bull! Run received
S.om Gen Mcdowell in person, directions to su-
morntend the posting of the batteries ae they
ir"versly deb0uched frCm the road and arrived
Sr the field. The Rhode Island battery came
first upon the ground and took up ut gallop the
nostion assigned it. 1t was Immediately expos
al to sharp fire from the enemy's skrmishers
and infantry posted ON the declivity of the hill
md in the valley in its immediate front; and to
:, well sustained fire Of shot and shell from The
spemy's batteries, posted behind the crest OF the
range OF hills, about 900 yards distant. This
battery sustained, in a very gallant manner, the
whole force of the fire for nearly halt an hour,
when the hOwitzcrs of the list New York Militia
came up. and went into battery on its left. few
minutes afterwards. Griffin brough up his pieces
.,,to nm
wards to the left of the Rhode Island and New
York batteries. Ricketts, battery came up in
less than half IN hour afterwards, and was posted
IN The left Of and Immediately adjoining Griffin's
The enemy's right, which had been wavering
from the moment Griffin opened his fire upon it,
now began to give way throughout its who'll" ex-
tent, and retire steadily. his batteries lmbering
ND rapidly. and at gallop taking up sue cessiye-
" two new positions further to his rear. The
loot troops on our left, following up the enemy's
retiring right soon left our batteries so far in our
rear that their fire was over the heads of our own
men. | therefore directed the Rhode Island bat
tery 10 advance about 500 yards in front of its
first position accompanied it myself, and saw it
open fire with increased effect upon the enemys
still retaining right. Returning to the position
occupied by Ricketts, and Grfins batteries, l re-
ceived an order from General Mcdowell to adj
vance two batteries to an emlnence specially des-
jgpated by him. about 500 yards in front OF the
line previously occupied by the enemy's batter
ies | Therefore ordered these two batteries to
move forward at once, and. ~ soon they were
in motion. went for And secured ue supports the
18th (Fire Zouaves) and the l4th (Brooklyn)
New York Regiments. accompanied the torn'
regiment to guide ii to its proper position. and
Colonel Heinzelman, 18th United States Infantry
performed the same service for the 18th on the
right of the llth. A squadron Of United States
Cavalry under Capt. Colburn. WAS subsequently
ordered as additional support We were soon
upon the ground designated. and tie two batter
les Of once opened Q very effective fire upon the
eaeuys left TIE Few position had scarcely
been occupied, when troop of the enemy's cav
airy, dcbOucbing from a piece Of woods close
upon our right flank, charged down upon the
New York lth The Zouaves catching sight of
ihe cavalry a few moments before they were up
on them, broke ranks to such degree that the
taralry flashed through uithout doing much
harm. The Zouaves gave them II scattering fire
ss they passed. which emptied five saddles and
killed three horses. a few minutes 2i'erward
segment of the encmy's infantry. covered By n
high fence presented itself in line on the left
md front OF the two batteries. at not more than
80 or 70 yards distance and delivered u volley
full upon the batteries and their supports. Lieut..
Ramsaylst Artillery was killed. and Capt Rick
EFT, LIST Artillery, was wounded and q number of
mep and horses were killed or disabled by this
close and well directed volley. The lith and
l4th Regiments instantly broke, and fed in con-
fusion to the rear, and in spite OF the repeated
and earnest efforts OF Col. Heintzelman with
the latter, and myself with the former, refused
to rally and return to the support Of the bat
teries. The enemy seeing the guns thus aban-
doned by their supports, rushed upon them. and
driving off the canoneers, who with their officers.
stood bravely to their posts until the last mo
ment, captured them, ten in number. These were
the only guns taken by the enemy on the field.
Arnold's battery cnme upon the field after Rick
ctt's and was posted our left centre, where it
performed good service throughout the day, and
by its continual and well directed fire assisted
materially in breaking and driving back the enc
my's right and centre.