The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-08-14
the BATTLE AT BULL RUN.

NE DA L. Al DULL Nuns
oo~>~~O>~~~~~~~~~~~~
OffleiaI Report Of Gen. Porter, Commandins
the First Brigade Of the Second Division.
l WAsmSeroN, August Is, 1861.
The following is tho report Of General Porter Command
ing tho First Brigade Second Division Of federal forces
Bull rum and the Commander Of the entire Second Div
sion after General Hunter wounded II Is the beet
written and most thoroughly historical reporto the ba4
yet made
HaApouA1Ezs FIRST BRIGADE, sRcoND DvrnN,
ARLINGTON, Va, July %, 1851. J
1. To CArrAIN J. B. Fry, Assistant Adutan General
SiRI have the honor to submit the following account
Of tho operations Of the First brigade Second division Of
the army in the battle before Manassas the 2lst
The brigade WAS silently parated in gh, marching
order at two O'Clock in the morning Of that day composed
as follows viz. First, Grfns battery second, Marine
Major Reynolds third, Twenty seventh N. Y Volunteers
Obi Socum; fourth Fourteenth N. Y S. Militia Col Wood
Fifth, Enhth New York State Militia Colonel Lyons
SIXTH battalion Regulars, Major Sykes Seventh,
company Second draSoUs, two companies First cavalry
Sour companies Second cavalry, Major Palmer.-Tota
strength three Thousand hundred. The Marines
recruits but through the cxercns of their
officers had been brought 10 present fine mill
tasy ppeapance, without being able to render
much utvc service. They were therefore at
taohed TO the battery as its permanent support
NHoueh theday Owing 10 frequent delays the march
OF troops IN Front, the brigade did not reach Centrcvlle
until half past 6ur O'Clock in the morning. and was an
hour after sunrise when tho head Of it turned tho
Hght to commence the flank movement. Tho slew and
Intermittent movements of the Second brigade Burn
sdes) were then followed through tho woods for
four hours, which brought rhe head Of our
division to Bull run and sudlcyas Mills, where
half fook do
and refresh the and horses From the heights on
this side of the vast column Of tho enemy could be
plainly deserted at the distance Of mile more on our
LETT moving rapidly toward line OF march in front
Some dispositions Of smshers then directed TO be
made at the head Of tho column by the division COM
mander, in which Colonel Socum, of the Second
Rhode Island regiment, observed to bear an
active part. Tho column moved forward however.
before they were completed, and in about thirty
minutes emerced from the timber when tho battle of
muskcry and occasional crash Of round shot through
the leaves and branches Of the In our vicinity bette
kened the opening Of the battle The head of the brigade
was Immediately turned slightly the night in order to
gain time and room for dcployment the right of the
second brigade Grlins battery found its way through
the timber TO the fields beyond, followed promptly
by the marines, while the Twenty seventh took dir &C.
ton more TO the left and the Foureeath followed uon
the trail Of the battery, all moving up at double quick
step Tho enemy appeared drawn UP q long line eS
tending along the Warrentewn turnpike from house and
hay stacks upon our extreme right to house beyond the
left Of the division Behind that house there heavy
masked battery, which, with three others along his line
on the heights beyond covered the ground upon which
We were advancing with all of prcjecee grove
in front Of his right wing afforded Il shelter ana
protection while the shrubbery along the road with
fences screened somew hal his left wing Captain Griffin
advanced to within thousand yards and opened tsHy
and unerring fire upon his batteries which were soon
sienced or driven away. Our reht was rapidly de-
veloped by the Marine, Twenty seventh, Fourteenth
and Eighth, with the cavalry in Of the right the
enemy rereating with more precipitation than order
our lines advanced. The Second brigade (Furn
sdes) was at this time attaching the enemy
right with, perhaps too hasty vgor Tho enemy oung
the protecting woed with great tcnacity and the Naoue
Island battery became much endangered as to compel
the commander Of tho Second b yac cab for tho as
ssance Of the battalion of regulars. At this time re-
ceived the Information through Captain ". d. Whppc,
Assistant Adutan General that Colonel Hunter was ser
ously wounded and had directed him TO report to me
as commander Of the division, and in reply to
the urgent request Of Colonel Burnside detached
the battalion of regulars to his assistance For an &C
count of its operations would respectfully beg for re-
ference to the enclosed report Of its commander Major
Sykes. The rebels flying from the woods to.
rout by charging directly upon their centre in the face
OF a scorching fire, while the Fourteenth and !
Eighth moved down the turnpike to cut of the re- |
tiring zoe and to support the Twenty Seventh, |
which had lost its gallant Colonel but was standing
the brunt of the action with its ranks thinning |
in the dreadful fire. Now the resistance Of the encmys
left was so obstinate that the beaten right retired in
safety The head Of Heintzeiman's column at this
ment appeared upon the ed and the Eleventh and Fifth
Macs ito
of our centre, while staff officers could be galopg
rapidly In every direction epdeavoring TO rally the
broken Eighth; but this laudable purpose |
was only partially attained owing 10 the !
inefdciency of some Of its field officers
The Fourteenth though 1t had boon broken was soon
rallied in rear OF Grns battery, which took up
position farther TO the from. and right from which his fire
was delivered with such precision and Tapdity com
pei the batteries OF the enemy CONSERVATION
r behind the brow Of the hill in front At time nv
brigade occupied line considerably in ad
vance of that first occupied by the left wing of tho
enemy. The battery was pouring ito whitening fire into
the batteries and columns Of the enemy wherever thew
exposed themselves The cavalry engaged in feeling
the left nask Of tho encmys position, in doing
which some important captures were made-ono
by Sergeant Sacks, Of the Second Dragons Of a
General George Stewart, Of Baltimore. Our cavalry
also empted the saddles Of numbers Of tho mounted
rebels General 1yiers division was engaged with the
enemys right The Twenty seventh was resting in the
edge Of the woods m the CENTRE covered by hill upon
which lay the Eleventh and Fifth Massachusetts, occasi
onaly delivering scattering fire. Tee Fourteenth was
moving to the right flank, the Eighth had lost its organ
zaton the Marines moving Up in Ane style in rea
Of the Fourteenth, and Captain Araod was occupyinga
blight In the middle ground With his battery At
hss junc'ure there was temporary Iul III the firing