New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-08-09
TIE BATTLE OF BULL RUN.
GIN. M'DOwgLL's OFFICIAL REPORT OF TIE u

GAGI.MENT.
HsADarAKrgEs DEFssfagST hOErr, E,r'ss Vihsrn
Lieut. Col T. D. TOWNSHIP as'ssut stsn'-0eoeTa h'sS
quarters Of the Army V sAis.s.sn, ID. O.
CoLosEL: Lave ,Lc b nor 70 snbns the following
port Of .be battle OF tl zle' of July. near Aanaas'
Virginia Il has been 5elssg1 untii rhs ine rou tbs
innt:ity OF he subordsc oomlosndsrs to re! earlier
true seoolnt Of the sta,e as heir commands
la ny communication % ron If the 2o;h u.,
stated Il as my intention ~ that afternoon, snS
dive he enemy from tie ,' .i'e of Bril- Run &c -
10 enable the engineers to se sufficiently accurate
ir,onro .aroe to justify "a. aoyeuen.s Later
H. the Day they lad obtsiae $50" information VI, the
passage across tho stream TO d.. with tbs
noisssuee, and It vas decided g. move without delay
j. Ind been my intention TO move the several eolu0a
out o. tbs roaa few miles on the evening Of the 9h
50 that they would have shorter march in the
ing; bn, deferred to LJse who Lad the grcaas, Dis
lance to co. and who preferred starting early in tho
morning. and making but move.
On the evening of the 10Th Uit. my command was
mostly at or near Ce,treYille. The enemy was q: o.
near Mnnaasas, distant from Ceutreyile about sever
miles to the southwest Cen'rcville is village Of
few honscr. mostly on the west sdo of d,e rupunS
nearly nor and south. The road tom Cenreyiie 10.
Manassas Junction Was along this ridFe and crosses'
Hull Run sbcEt three miles from The former plye.
The Wsr.enton Turnpike, which runs nearly ee-1 ae
west goes over this riJge, through the village $50
Gro ses Bail Run about four miles from n, Bod HIM
having coarse bstween the croesns froni noftnHee
20 southeast. Tne ic- division ryess was 'isly"ee
on the north ide o. the NGgTenton turnpike, ana On
the eas'e,n siOpe OF tue Csntrey lie ridge, Two orgs
ON u e ssme road and mlls ssi half n advance 70
lie west nj the ndge, and one brigade On toe IoHI
from CeciyeH 70 Manassas where II crosses b,h
Run, az Blackburn's Ford where Gen Tyler nal ps-
engagement cf the 18th Wit. The second aivisor.
fHuutar' 81 vvas on the NarreniOn Turnpike one His
east of ieutIeyille. The third DIVISION Heinl4e,-
mans was road known ~ the o'd brsnao''
Koad which comes lo Centrevile from the sgaihts
ahont mic aud 8 bali from the village. The tliti
oyi.en Niles y was on the same road with The tbd
div sion, and bet xe-n IT aud Centreyiiie. sap
which Is herewith, marked \, VIII show tbese poi''
better than can describe theln
On fTdly NIGHT tain OF snbsN mnVsoi se
ON Sau -ay las contents ordered 10 be ssnta 70
the command md the required 10 have tbree aAi
aiops IL their hnyo,sacks. On Saturday osdess "se
i.u,d The available force TO march. A. reporter %
ven in my etter OF the lYth ut., my pefsonN recon
noisss,nco OF the roads TO the south had shown tai
was practicable 10 carry out the Original pian
turning the enemy posiS Jn on their night, Ahe aan
of the 18Th at Baekbnrn's Ford showed he Wa lnc'
strong AT that point Cor US TO iorce passage tere
without great loes, and x we DID tiiat Ii would Cnhf
Us in iroilt VI bis strong position NJ hanesa WIDE
was not desired Our information was thai i1s 'th,s
bridge, over which the Warrenion ROAD crossed pos
Run 70 inc vss, OF Centreye, was defended by bsl-
terry In position and tho road on lis eide OF the s'er~
iprpcied by n heavy sbattis. Ihc aitsnnilVe WIS.,
therefore 10 turn the eXtleme LETT II bis position.
liable information was Obtained Vi M nDasish'-i !ue
lout three miles above the dse, there being another
ford between IL aud the bridge winch wa deiendsa-
IL wa therefore determined " take ee road 70 Toe up
per ford and after crossing, 70 got oehIta ne ios.s
auardiDg TIE lower ford sud tho brfgej ana ~ v
cupylng the WausDson road east Of the briJgei W
aid out force 10 destroy the ralrosi az or lear
Gaines Vile, and thus break mp the oomoi Gicd1h -
Ivy cen he cnenys forces at Manassas and .hss n 'hss
valley Of Virginia, before Winchester, which had beer
held in check by Maor-,ieneTrl Patterson. 80
Brig. ien. Tyler directed 10 move WITH three o.
his bligades The WaYentcn road, ard commences
clnaopa ling Ie eaemy's batteries, while hansel'
division, moving after hiu, should, after passi,s nv
Tic stream called Cud Run, turn TO the snt ana n:o
and move around 70 the upper ford, ana tnsfS siin.
south aud got behind the enemy. Col hfnstsh aus
d vision Was 10 follow Hunters as far Us ue !u' &
on plAee to tue lower fcri, where Do vac ~ ciys ei
the enemy shoald have been driven oai "
division, the Fifth Division tAiiesS' oe IA ~S''
ca, ON xiaas about the road from Manassas by
Blackbums Fond 10 Cepteyille, sohS INC fiuge ea
iuy that willie We shoald pe IN force 20 tne uoLb .he
10 turn the eney's petition, we oars'lvs.
son We t,,rned by hn by ts roadi for n he sloala
one obuin posse vi tis ridge. which overlook.
ali the country 70 the west to the TOO, Oh tne spufs1
IN. Blue RIDGE We sbold have been irretae vssiy ee
of and DESTROYED. bad therefore, directed this POM
IN bo held in ioroe, and sent engineer 10 eSeiic
rxc so,ne feldLworks TO strengthen the position.
The Fourih Division lRuuyonsl bad DOT peeh'
brought 10 toe front further than 10 guard on CONAN
ricatlony by way Of Vienna md the Orange and Alex.
ancria Railroad. His advanced regiment wis seN"
seven niles in tie rear OF Cenirevillo.
Tvs II, isous were ordered TO march ut b.di-pssiI
O'clock, a. N 20 as 10 arrive on the ground ear! ~
the DAY, and thus avoid the heat winch 70 y.
ma ted AZ tlis saasou There was delay In the mrs. W
yion getting out OF its camp on the road, ava 'a
other divisions were In consequences between sss
three hours behind the time appointeda greai sao
from the warcnton Turnpike 10 the upper iSr9 W. wa
much longer than we counted upon, the sens'a S =.
ticn OF the siream being obtque 70 the rosd' S'~
having the obtise angle on our side. ~
r.eo,.l frvl.r ra,u ar al With his Artillery 49,