Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-08-13
LATE NORTHERN NEWS.
cai ciAl Report o. the Scennd FtGern! E,i
rudc Ut the lsastlc OF 1IaHassu.

Gai eial Report OF rne sceand Ftderu! E.j
cudc ut the l.aitlc OF lIaHassn.
The Northern papers give The following eff
cial report Of the Second Federal Brigade
commanded by Brigadier General schenck, {
Ohio, at the battle Of Manassa
To Briqadier General Tyler C0mmandin
First Division:
GENERAL: have the honor to submit thi
report Of the movements and service Of ny
Brigade in the battle near Manassa, on tn
Gainesville road, on the olst inst.
Leaving my camp, one mile South OF Cen
trcvlle, at 81 o'clock, y. NJ, OF that day,
marched at the head of your division, rs os
dcred, with my command in column, i'll tht
following order: The First Regiment Of Oak
Volunteers, COL McCook the Second Ohio
Lieutenant. Colonel Mason; the Second New
York State Militia, COL Tompkins and Capt
Carlisle's Battery of Light Artillery, six brass
guns. To Capt Carlisle's command Was also
attached the large Parrott gun, 30 FOUNDER
under the direction of Lieut.. Haines, Of the
artillery corps.
Proceeding slowly and carefully, preceded
ny live % companies OF skirmishers o! the
First and Second Ohio, which threw out or
either side Of the road, we approached the
bridge over Bull Run, beyond which The rebels
were understood to be posted and eEtrenched,
and to within q distance perhaps, Of three
fourths Of mile from their batteries, on the
other side Of the stream.
In obedience TO your command, on flrSt dis.
corery Of the enemy's infantry forming into
line or the hillside beyond the Run, de-.
ployed inY three Regiments of infantry to the
left Of the road and formed them into line of
battle in front Of his right. Thus my command
was constituted the lett wing Of our division,
Col. Shcrman's brigade coming up and taking
position 70 the right Of the road.
After the fire had bren opened by discharge
OF the large Parrott gun from the centre, in
the direction Of the eneniy's work, moved
my extended line gradually forward at inter.
vals, taking advantage OF the ground, until |
had my force sheltered partly in hollow
covered BY a ridge and wood in front, and part
ly by the edge Of the timber lying between
US and the Run. Here We lay, in pur-
suance Of your orders, for perhaps two
and half or three hours, with no evidence
OF our nearness to the enemy except the oc.
casional firing Of musketry by our skImsheTs
or rifles Of the enemy, 10 whom our presence
and position were thus indicated, with view
to distract his attention from the approach oil
Col. Hunters force from above and Ia the rear.
at this time, received your notice and order
announcing that Hunter was heard from, that
he had crossed and Was coming down abou;
two miles abovc US, and directing that If saw
any sign Of q stampede Of the enemy in front,
| should make dash With the Ohio rcgi.
ments, keeping the New York regiment in
reserve.
For this movement | Immediately formed
and prepared. Soon after, and when, by the
firing Of artillery and nuskctry in front q. the
right, it appeared that the rebels were actively
engaged in their position by Our forces on the
other side Of the stream, received your order
to extend my line still further TO the lett, send.
ing forward COL McCook's Regiment to feel
the battery CT the enemy, which was asccv.
tanned to be on the hill covering the ford half
mile below the bridge, and supporting him
with my other two regiments. This was i'm
mcd:ately done. Col. McCcok adTarcel in
that direction along the road, which VIC found
to be I harrow track through \ pine ~ood,
thicl, nnt, close With unLcrGrowtb, and 1lhEed
on either side W ambuscaucs Of brush work.
which we're now, however, abandoned. Reach-
ing the head OF this narrow road where il
opened upon the stream, Col. McCuck found
the battery to be strong carth.wori immedi.
ntely opposite, mounted with a. least four
heavy guns, and commanding the outlet from
thc wood An open space Of low ground lay
between, with cornfield to the left the direct
distance across to the cne,ny's battery being
about $50 yards.
Behind the battery, and supporting it, were
discovered some four Regiments Of the rehe!
troops, while riAe.pits were seen directly in
front Of it. The First Regiment was there
deployed to the left, in the edge Of the woods
and into the corn field, one company (Capt.
KellsD being thrown forward toward the Ran,
up to within, perhaps twenty yards Of the
battery. While this was done, advanced the
Second Ohio, followed by the Second New
York, toward the head of the road, in supper
ting distance from the First Ohio, Lieut. Col.
Mahon's Regiment filing also to the left
Receiving Col. McCo9k's report OF the battery,
and that it would be impossible to turn it with
my force We had, Immediately dispatched q
message to the centre to bring up some pieces
of artillery to engage the enemy from the head
of the road
In tie meantime, the enemy discovering
our presence and position in the woods, and
evidently having the exact range Of the road
We were occupying, opened on US with heavy
fire Of shells and round grape shot.
To avoid the effect Of this rs much as posi-
ble, I ordered the men TO fall back into the
woods on each side Of the road, and was pre-
sently reinforced By two guns of Ayrcs' blt-
tery, under Lieutenant Ransom, which passed.
to the head of the road. A brisk cannenading
was then opened, but a very unequal one, on
account OF the superior force and metal Of the
enemy. While this continued, left my horse
and passed through the woods, and remained
some time by our guns to be satisfied whether
wc were making any impression On the enemy's
work. soon found that it was not thus to be
carried and such also was the opinion Of the
officer in charge of the guns R"'iring, found
that the most Of my two regiu. 8 in the rear
had fallen back out Of range =; the not and
constant fire Of the enemy's c,nnon, against
which they had nothing to or ose. The suf
fering from this fire was prir pally with the
Second New York, as they we III the line
where most of the shell ana shot fell that
passed over the heads Of the Second Ohio.
Taking with me two compan; Of the Second
Ohio, which were yet in the woods maintaining
their position, returned to rover and bring
away R1nsom's guns. 1t was just at this place
and point Of Time that vou '.aIt=d yourself the
position we were leaving. must rot omit to
speak with eommcndation Of the admirable
manner in which these guns Of OUTS were han.
died and served b. The ctIicc; and men having
them in charge And may notice the fac;,
also, that as we were Withdrawing from this
point, we saw another heavy train Of the
enemy's guns arrive, and move up the stream
On the other side Of their battery with which
We had been engaged, along which | supposed
to be the road from Manassa, towards where
the battle was raging with our troops cu the
right
Ny three Regiments being called in, then
retired and rested in good order, at the centre
Of the front. near the turnpike. Here was
informed by Col. McCook that you had crossed
the Run above with other portions OF our di-
4. ~ J. r