Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-08-11
Gl)e Obs. 6ta,atee,srlra,,arJ I, mo Il
OFFIoIAE ACCOUNT OF THE IrE
ra.N II PULSE. "a lfsa-- - 80 ---
GENERAL McIowELps OFFICIAL REPORT O,
II. THE BATTLE OF STONE BRIDGE. \ q - =

aa 3 PULSE. lllias 1'-1I .sp n !
I. THE BATTLE OF STONE BRIDGE. aa I'''' 3 3
The following is General McDovell's on.
assas: w ~ ti~4 p't~ ~ ~ - slfi91fiD 2
h1A's9tnFsR' DEStssss.r y,ss,.;. N0sfHrAA'rraQ
ARLINGTON, Va August q, 1861.
Lieutenant Colohtt u. d. Q 7Swnsend. Assistant
Adirtdnt General, Head1uayttys Of he lymy.
Washington, D. C. = p l4 - f4T -
Colonel: 1 have the honor to submit the fol.
lowing report Of the battle Of the 2lst of July,
near Manassas, Virginia. 1t has been delay,
ed TIL this time from the inability Of the sub.
oroinate commanders to get earlier a true ac-
counto OF the state of their commando.
In my communication TO you Of the 2Oth ult.,
l stated it as my intention TO move that after:
noon and drive the enemy from the east side Of
Bull Kun, so 90 to enable the engineers to
make sufficiently accurate reconnaissance to
justify cur future movements Later in the
,aeystney na0 onEalnea enough Information or
tbepassage across the atream to dispense with
this reconnaissance, and 1t was decided to move
without delay. II had been my intention to
move the several columns out on the Dad few
miles on the evening Of the 20th, 60 that they
would have shorter march In the morning;
but IIdeferred to those who had the greatest
distance TO go,s and who preferred starting
early in the mornings and making butone move.
On the evening Of the 20th ultimo my COM
mand was mostly at or near ,Ceatreyile. The
enemy was at OF near Manassas, distant from
Centreyille about seven miles to the south west.
Centreville is village Of few houses, mostly
on the west side OF ridge running nearly north
and south. The road from Centreyille to Ma.
nassas Junction was along this ridge, and cross
es Bull Run about three miles from the former
place. The Warrenton turnpike, which runs
nearly east and west, goes over this ridge,
through the village, and crosses Bull Run about
four miles from IL, Bull Run having a course
between the crossing from northwest to south.
east. The frst division (Tyler's) was station
ed on the north side Of the Wsuenton turnpike
and on the eastern slope Of the Centreville
ridge, two brigades on the same road, and q
mile and half In advance, to the west of the
! ridge, and one brigade on tie road from Centre
vile to Manaesas, where it crosses Bull Run at
Blackburn's Ford, where General Tyler had the
engagement Of the 18th ultimo. The second
division (aunter's) was on the Warrenton turn.
pike. one mile east Of Centreville. The third
division (Heintzelmah's) was on road known
as the Old Braddock road, which comes into
Centreville from the southeast, about mil,
and half from the village. The 9Th division
| (Miles'e) was on the same road with the thirC
division, and between 1t and Centreville. A
map which Ia herewith, marked A, will show
these positions better than can describe them
On Friday night train Of subsistence ar
rived, and on Saturday Its contents were orde.eC
to be iseued to the command, and the men re-
quired to have three days. rations in their hay
ersscks On Saturday orders were Issued fol
the available force to march. As reported to
You in my letter of the 18th ultimo, my person.
sIreconnoissance Of the roads to the south had
shown that IL was not practicable 10 carry out
the original plan of turning the enemy . poai
tion on their right The affair Of the 18th al
Blackburn's Ford showed he was too strong a
that point for us to force passage there with
out sts9s lyss, end IL We DID that it would bFips
ne In front of his strong position at Manassas
which was not desired. Our information wal
that the stone bridge, over which the Warren
ton road crossed Bull Run, to the west of Cen
treville, was defended by battery in position
i and the road on his side of the stream impedet
by q heavy abattis. The alternative was, there
fore, to turn the extreme left of bis position, :
Reliable information was obtained of an uude
Tended ford about three miles above the bridge
there being another ford between 1t and th,
bridge, which was defended. 1t was, therefore
determined to take the road to the upper ford
and after crossing, to get behind the ,forcel
guarding the lower ford and the bridge, and af
ter occupying the Warrenton, road east of the
bridge, to send force 10 destroy the railroad al
or near Gainesville, and thus break up the com.
municaton between the enemy's forces at Ma.
nassas and those in the valley Of Virginia, be.
fore Winchester, which had been held in check
| hvlM Main Nt.tN
Brigadier General Tyler was directed to move
with three Of bis brigades on the Warrentor
road, and commence canncnading the eneruy't
batteries, while Hunters division, moving afte,
him, should. after passing little stream called
| Cub Run, turn to the right and north, and move
around to the upper ford, and there turn south
and get behind the enemy. Colonel Heintzel
mans division was to follow Hunters as far a,
| the turning Of place to the lower ford, where b,
fwasto cross after the enemy should have beer
driveri out by Hunters division; the fifth divis
iOh (Miles's) to be in reserve on the Centre
i vile ridge. a.. - -
~ / had ielt anxious about the road from Man
4 assas BY Blackburn's Ford to Centrevlle, alon,
the ridge, tearing that Whiist we should be Il
force to the front, and epdeavofipg to turn tb
enemy q position, We ourselves should be turne
by him BY this road; for II he should once obtai
possession OF this ridge, which oyerlooks all ID
i country to the west 10 the foot of the spurs Q
the Blue Ridge, we should have been irrstriey
slably cut vff and destroyed. had, therefore
directed this point TO be held In force, aud sen
an engineer % extsmporize some feld works :
strengthen the poaiton ~, - =, =. s ~
i The Fourth division {Runyon's y had not bee
brought 70 the front further than to guard ou
comm panicetions by way Of Vienna and %
ysncs fsginens Eas1 1af sapopt ssyen miles il IL h
4 The divisions were ordered to march at hall
4 past two O'Clock Al M, 80 as to arrive on III
ground early in the day, and thus avoid the hea
which Is TO be expected at this season. .Ther
II was delay In the fret division getting out of II
camp on the road, and the other divisions wer
In consequence between tWo and three hours BE-
:, hind the lime appointed "a great misfortune,
ldyents turned out. The wood road leadlp
II from the Wartenton turnpike to the upper Tor
II was; much. longer than We counted UPON, ID
! general direction Of the stream being obldu
% the road and re Sf hfEyins shs obtusss 3apglsa
General T,lers' commenced viii hissPsiilst
4 at balf-past ak A. M, but the enemy did J,
reply, and after some time it became 8 questic
whether he was In any force In our front, and
] he did not intend himself 10 make AZ attscl
4 and make Il by Blackburn's Ford. ,Aiter tiriu
several times, and obtaining noresponse, bel
! one Of Heintzelman's brigades In reserve,
: case we should have to send any troops to feii
forcei diles's division. The other brgades mo-
ed forward as directed In the general orders
On reaching the ford, At Sudley's Spring,
found psrt'o Of, the leading brigade Of Huuter
division (Burnside's) had crossed, but the N,
=. we're slow IN getting over, stopping 70 drink.
AZ at this time the clopaa Of dust from the
lrection Of tManaaas indicated the inmedia