, 1861-10-28
THE BATTLE OF LEEsBURG HEIGHTS.
Czpt. Francis G. YounE's Statement

ast hour.
Now comes the naked truth, In all its stun
ning and distressing horrors. Co. Bakers
body hss Just arrived IN town, guarded by q
squad Of Van Aliens cavalry, and is now lying
In the mansion Of Col. j. ". Webb. Capt.
Francis G. Young, of New York, Quartermss-
ter OF Bakers Brigade, came IN command Of
The eed caEs1cace, accompanied By Maj. Smith
promise Of the real position Of affairs, had
started for EdWaTds's Ferry this evening, but
meeting tie procession have returned with my
friend Capt. Young, from whose lips take
down the following terrible summary Of Mon
days events -condensing it as much as posi-.
bic IN order to forward i by toDight's mali.
Wehaye met with = sickening repnlse; one
involving the loss Of nearly one Thousand
mer, in killed, wounded and missing, and Of
many brave and ekllful officers; and accom-
pa1ied BY scenes of horror unequalled In any
previous battle of the war.
CAPT. FRANCIS G. ToUKG's STATEMENT.
On Sunday evening Gen. Stone being per-
tuaded that no Important toree Or the enemy
obedience to orders from headquarters, COM
merced his passage Of the river at HsSTison's
1e1art, The point Of transportation was
about five miles above EdwRrds's Ferry, and
nearly an equal distance from Leesburg. The
island is low, fertile stsip of land, several
miles in lergth, SO dividing the river that the
Mar3lsn c6anna IL rot a fnrlong in width,
AID that On tbs Virginia side not more than
900 feet.
S:x companies Of The Fifteenth Msssacau-
sets Rtg g:meLt, Ut der Col DsWs, ard two
companies Of the T@entieth {rammauy) New
York, arrived at the river shout a. u. MOE
day, and commenced to cross. At sunrise
they were all On the Virginia side.
Before day light an order came to Col. Baker
to march the first battalion of the California
regiment to Conrad's Ferry, two miles south
eft The Island, and then, II Re heard firing, go
TO the support Of Co1gsEen and Devens. Ac-
cordipely, Lieut. Col. WIstar advanced with
the battalion, six hundred and eighty nine
officers and men, and by sunrise had reached
the river ind proceeded down to the island
crossing accompanied the force to arrange
for tranEpo1tation; vas sent to report for Or,
ders TO Gen. Stone; returned, havirg received
command to c1oses at once. On my way back
I overlook Col Baker, who told me that only
tie battalion were to cross, He had no or
ders for the brigade.
Shortly after General Stone placed Col
Baker IN command CT all the forces On the
Virginia tide Our battalion, then, at about Z
l. n, commenced crossing to the Island, and
then to the further shore. Meantime ne
heard diminishing shots on the heights, which
continued without much tntermiBsfon through
the morning.
Now We began to experience the difficulty
which was the chief cause Of the terrlbla
Ecenes which closed the day.
No adequate means Of transportation had
been provided. It seemed as II the column
was expected to walk 2cross the water-sur.
face. Nothing but one old ecow, capable per-
haIs Of hc1ding forty meu, appeared available
on either side Of the Island. If the Massa-
chusetts men had any other boats they were
net visible in the morning. 1t length dis
covered large scoW In the canal, and two
hours we're consumed in getting it over into the
Maryland ehaEnel 1twoald hold about sixty
/ Oh 15Er%HvS4-f ru1
Wistar, Assistant Adjutant General Harvey
| and NY self went with the first load to the Is.
land, and there su9erintended the transit ol
| our men.
| 1t was - N. before cur first company land
ed at the foot Of the bust-covered p-eclpics
which rises abruptly over one hundred feel
from the river bed on the further side Of tht
river. -Four hours more lad elap=ed before
the last company landed. Sections of the Sec
| opd Rhode Island Battery, comprising two
| howitzers, two deld snooth-bores, and one
7ifed gun, vent over With =, the naea drag
| All this tine irregular fighting was going OF
above. It EeemB that CcloEel Devens Ead Ii
| the morning moved with s. sman datachmen'
forces had crossed, had advanced one mule
there he met The eneny's skiTmisher5 in feebl
| force, and had retired to the brow Of th
heights. Before this the quartermaster Of tn
! Massachusetts, Fifteenth hsd gone alone to
point within 3 mule Of the village, had retur1
ed, crossed the river, and reported to Geoers
Stone that there were no ho=tlie forces in tha
region. But after Col Dsyen5 fell back h1
| men were PLACED In semi circular clearing
on aratUral forest opening, ,coFer1ng live oI 81
acres, with its base resting on the edge Of th
; heights, and danked aud trunted By forest
The enemy, becoming bolder, advanced i
| scatt9 red parties to the edge Of these wood
and from 10 L. II. till F. II. kept up ral
dom, anno5irg fire upon OUT men. The 2attt
J shelf red themselves as well IS they coul
. lying just below the ridge and awaited reii
| fortemenis.
At 4, then, cur whole force had crossed Al
aecc1ded, Col Baker and staff with the res
and the troops wese suffering somewhat fro
the cGncealed enemY's fire. Many had dro
ped and had been carried down the hnL
We asked Col. B1ker what he thought
good position; could fall back for shelter b
: RInd the ridge. "Yes," said We, but wha,
In i. l.oee woods ?" He answered: ~ thi,
the enemy are COL cealed on our right"
private had reported that there Was no for
e woods We then proposed sending skirnit
ers to make Reconnaissance on the right, q
Captaiu Markoe, Second Lieutenant William
r and myself advanced With Companies 4 q
= D OF The California Regiment. Company
:, go: in t5ozt On rising g E ground, IN M ekizm1shi
o The Cs1itorkia battalion, to make the ste
clear, were drawn up On the left Of the OF
+ field the Massachusetts, 18th and Tanma
i On the right, and the Massachusetts q
- nearer theceEtre.- Col. Eoggswell took cha,
- O. tie artillery. Oriy 1our guns we're plan!
"a up at tie wrorg place, and beng afterW'
y seized By the enemy and spiked
Is When cur ehi1mistlng companies
k. reached the edge Of the woods. encd:aly
- eneH :, hitherto conce2ied. rose With i
u and tired Toley then began nring IN N,
- thin leading and firing a. "Il for lew II
II. aat1her 3en ard Velley, and 80 on, p9uri1
10 | mp.derouB yolley into our little band for
- space Of taI sa houc- The whole Wo
is alou1d swsrmeG with them. They had no
a. tinery and DO cavalry. Our Rhode land
-. except the officers, deserted their guns,
Is Colonel Baker, Lieutenant Colonel Wis
Is Calenel Ccggeweal, and Adiu:ant Har
"a. manned the battery, and fired tae gus tn
it led by the gallant CAPTAIN Beiral {fhe Ia
-,+ vas conspicuous for bravery throughout
NV action; he is wounded, but not dangerou
re- ard Is 1oR safe on Ma13land ground.)
ice Nekept up both nrsseIg aHd CAN
fire as wtu as we could, but haif the time
Ve discharges we're thinning cur ranks.
oz mcet Of the men ktood firm and acted br
'oa ". The enemy,s volleys and yells anere
hat | in 1oudueee, and It Was evident that Te1ntt
oF ments were pouring In to his aid. Cat
~ Stewart, Gen Stones aojuta1t, came or
his f1e1d with the cheering statement that
To Go1man Woulc shorty SUPPORT Is: a.
1e stand our ground, Gen. Baker ordering
,urt to 70 fer rei1torcemer:s. b. this 1imeCl
vel was wounded-W.star had fallen.
nty e1emy we're growing more caring, rus
uch ont Of tire woods, takIg some prs oners
nd firirg holly.
~ ~ Just then rebel officer, riding !
Mr. lo1ee, came ont Of the woods nnd beck
len. to 1s to cone forward Col. Baker the
j: wss Gen Johnston, and that the e
FSsae would meet US in open fight. Part o1
)ick column charged, B aker cheering us On,
that - ,nsn rode inrSsrS a. 1reeente9 a ~
ouse It Baker, and 1red all its charges At him
gallant le6der fell, and at the same ns
al our lines we're driven back by the
oeao vhelr;irg force opposed to them. Bne
TerV Be.1al, with bis company, fought his VS.,
-. 70 Col Bakers body, re=cued it, bron
1u1ss along to me, and then general retreat
',t;as Twas sas,e qui peai I got the Co
o'AeS hofv TO the island before the worst
l &C. rout, and then, looking to the Virginia
? for saw such q specialize as no tongue
.nc:. scribe. Our entire forces Tare retr
tumblfng, rolling, leaping, doWa tne
Rds heights, the enemy following tnem,
tions Ing a1d taking p1isone1s Col. Ue7ens
-. command, and EVAN the river on hofE
TWO Col. Cogswell. af.er unavailable 3
eated, had ordered the retreat himself, out
y .h;a Wounded, was taken The one boat
i wills Virginia channl WIS speedily fi1et
2 and I Euyk L thousand men thronRed the