Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-08-13
NORTHERN NEWS.
TIE BULL RUN BATTLE.
ccnernI mcDowclr's Official Report OF Il,
Enun.ement.

engagement
Headers, Department North eastern Fa,l
ARLINGTON, VA, August 4, 1861.
Lieutenant Colonel E. D. Townsend, Assistant
A6iutant General, Headquarters olthe Army,
Washington, D. G..
CoLoSEL-I have the honor 10 submit the
following report Of tho battle Of the 2lst OF
July, near Manassas, Virginia. 1t has boon
DELAYED till this time from the inability of the
subordinate commanders TO get earlier 4 true
account Of the state Of their commands.
In nv communication to you ofthe 10th u!t,
l stated it Us my intention to move that after.
noon, and drive the enemy from the east side
of Bull Run. so rs TO enable the engineers to
make q sulic !ently accurate reconnaissance to
Justify our future movements. Later in tho
On; they had Obtained enough information OF
tho passae &c across the stream to dispense with
this Reconnaissance, and it was decided to
move without delay. 1t had been my inten-
ton to move the several columns out on the
road a few miles or the evening OF the 2oth, so
that they would have n shorter march IN the
morning; but | deferred to those who had the
greatest distance 10 70, and who preferred
starting early in the morning, and making but
one move.
On the evening Ct the Goth ult., my com
mand YVES mostly at or Near CcntrevIlie. The
enemy was at or near Manassas, distant from
Centrcvillc about seven miles to tue southwest.
Ccntre-illv is q village Of 4 few houses mostly
on the west side OF q ridge running nearly
North end South. The road from Centreville
to Manassas Junction was along this ridge, and
crosses Bill Run about three miles from the
former place. The Warrcntm turnpike, which
runs nearly East and West, goes over thi,
ridge, through the village, and crosses Bull
Run about four miles from it, Bull Run having
q course between the crossing from Northwest
to Southeast.
The first division (Tylcr's) was stationed on
the north side Of the Warrenton turnpike, and
on the Eastern slope Of the Centrcgillc ridge,
two brldgades on the same road, and q mile
and half in advance, to the West o! the ridge,
and one brigade on the road from CentreV!l!e
to Manassas, where it crosses Bull Ran at
D%lackLu.n's Ford, where General Tyler had
tho engagement of the 18Th ult. Inc second dl-
vision (Uunter's) was on the Warrenton turn.
pike, one mile East of CsntTcvilic. The third
division (Ileintzelman's) was on 4 road known
as the old Bradd3ci road, which comes into
Ccntreyillc from thg Southeast, abou. q mile
and 9 half from the village. The fifth division
(AtilesJ was on the samo road with the Third
division, and between it and CentrcTile. y
map which is herewith, marked a., vii! show
those positions better than | can describe
them.
On Friday night train ofsubsistencc arrived
and on Saturday its contents we're ordered TO be
issued to the command, and the men required TO
have three days rations in their harcrsacks. On
Saturday orders were issued for tho available
force 10 march. As reported to YOU in my
letter Of the 18th ult, my personal reconnois'
sance Of the roads to the South had that
it was not practicable 90 carry out the original
plan Of turainS the cnemy'S position on their
right. The aIrl:r Of the 18Th ct Blackburn's
Ford showed he was TOO strong at that point
for us to force a passage there without great
loss, and if VIC did that it would bring US in
front Of his strong position ut Manassas, which
was not desired. Our Information was that
the Stone Bridge, over which the Warrenton
villc, was defended by n battery in position,
BY a heavy abattis.
The alternative was, therefore, 10 turn the
extreme left Of hs position. Reliable inforna.
ton was obtained of an undcfended ford about
three miles above the bridg,, there bring an.
other ford between it and the bridge, which
xas defended. Il vas therefore determined to
take the road to the upper ford, and after
crossing, TO get behind the forces guarding the
loser lord aud the bridge, and after occupying
the Warrenton road cast Of the bridge, TO send
out n force to destroy the railroad at or rear
Glinsvillc, and thus break up the communities.
ton between the c%netny's forces at Manassas
and those in the valley Of Virginia, before
Winchester, which had been held in check BY
Major. General Patterson.
Brigadie..Crnera T2ler was directed to move
with three OF his briSades On the Warrenton
road, aud canHon.dirg tho cncmy's
batteries, while Hunters division, moving after
him, should, after p:szinS l. little strnam called
Cub Run, turn to the right and north. and
more around To tbs upper ford, end there turn
south and get behind the enemy; Col. ueinizel-
mans division vas to fellow Hunters as far as
the turning OF place to the lower ford, where
be was 10 cross after the enemy should have
been driven out hy Hunters division; the fifth
division {!iiles') to be in reserve or the Centre
vile ridge.
l had felt anxious about the road from
Manassas by Blackbarn's ford to Ccntrcrillc,
uloug this ridge. fearing that whilst VIC should
be in fgTco to the front and endeaVGring to
turn the enemT's position, we ourselves should
be turned by him by this road; for II he should
once ob;Ein possession Of his ridge, which
ovcIlcoks al! the country 10 the west to the
foot Of the spurs Of the Blue Ridge, VIC should
have 5eca irTctrievably cut cit and destroyed.
| had, therefore, directed this position to DC held
in fprc,, and sent IN engineer TO extemporizc
some iieldworks TO strengthen the position.
The fourth division tRunyon's) had not been
brought TO the front further than to guard our
COMMUNICATIONS by way of vienna and the
Orange and Alexandria railroad. Ills advance
regiment was about seven miles in the rear Of
CentrcYillc.
The divisions were ordered to march at half.
past two o'clock, 4. N, so as to arrive on Inc
ground early in the day, and thus avoid the
heat which is TO be expected at this season.
There was delay in the first division eating
out Of its camp Oh the road, and the two other
divisions were II consequence, between t%o and
three hOE"S behind the lime appoin!ed-a crest
misfortune, rs events L!rn@i out. The wood
road lcsd.,:s f-o;m the Warren.cn turnpike to
the upper ford YES rnTcn lo"gcr ,han we count
ed upon, lie genera! direction of the stream
being ooiiuur :" The road, arl ~c ha"irg sha
obtus@ auc!.' na Gur side.
General Tyler cDa,Inaica1 with his artillery
a. e., a. VI Int the enemy did not replg, and
after sOiGe l;ui- il hccaric i question whctE-
or he was in any !nrcc il our front, and f be
did not intend himself to make IA attack. and
make it by B]iacl;hurn's Ford. Af;;r firing
several times. and Obtaining no response, |
held one oi lIein;Z:lman's briga5cs in reserve
in case We h:nuld have 10 send any troops back
to reinforce Miles division. The other hrigades
moved forward as diTea!cl III the general or
ders. On reaching Tie ford, al Sudlry's
Spring, | found part Of tic leading brigad. Of
lIun.er's division (Burnsidc's) had crossed, but
the mca we're slow il, getting over, stopping 10
drink, As al This time the cinuds of dus, from
the direction OF ManasSa indicated the immc.
diate approach OF & large force, and fearing it
might cauc dawn on tie head Of the column
before the division could all get over Gad srs.
tain it, orders were sent back to the heads Of
-api,nrntS IA hrcik fran thp c.,ii)iDu and Ct,,-