Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-08-09
THE BATTLE OF MANAssAs
PLAINS.
OFFICIAL REPORTS OF YANKEE GENERALS.
REPORT OF ekNIRAL scaxNcK.
sEcosp BkrsApx, rIRsr DrvIsIoH,
DEPARTMENT N. z VIRGINIA, July ~, 81.

To Brig. Gen. Tyler, Commanding First Division:
GKSERAL-IhaVe tho honor submit this report OF the
movements and service Of my brigade in the battle oil
Bull Run, on the Gainesville road, on the 7lst int
Leaving my camp, one mile south Of Centrevls, at
II o'clock A. n. Of that day. marched at the head Of
your division ordered, with my command in column,
n the following order: The First Regiment OF Ohio
Volunteers, Col hcOook; the Second Ohio, Lieut. COL
Mason; the Second New York State Militia, Col Temp.
kins and Capt Carses Battery Of six brass guns TO
Capt Carlises command was also attached the large
Parrot gum s2.pounder, under the direction Of Lieut..
Haines Of the artillery corps,
Proceeding slowly and carefully, preceded by i've
companies skirmshers Of the First and Second OHIO,
which threw out either side Of the road We APP
preached the bridge Bull Run, beyond which the
rebels were understood b. posted and enrenched and
10 within distance perhaps OF thres-fourtbs OF mile
from their batteries the other side Of the stream.
IL obedience to your command, on first discovery OF
the enemys infantry forming into line the hillside BE-
yond the Run dsployed my three regiments of infantry
20 the left of the road and formed them into line Of bat
tie in trout Of his right. Thus my command was con-
suted the left wing Of our division, Colonel Shermans
brigade coming aud taking position to the right Of the
| road.
Altar the FIRE had bean opened by discharge of the
large Parott gun from the centre in the direction Of the
enemys work, moved my extended line gradually for.
ward at intervals taking advantage Of the ground until
had my force sheltered partly in hollow covered by
ridge and wood in 'front.' and partly BY the edge OF the
timber living D0tween US Anu Tue nun. hcIe VIC ny,
pursuance OF your ORDERS for perhaps two and half or
three hours with evidence Of nearness 70 the enc
nv except the occasional firing OF musketry by our
skrmshers In the wood in 'front.' answered by the mus
kets or ss OF the enemy TO whom our presence and
position were thus indicated with view 20 distract his
attention from the approach OF Col Hunters force from
above and in rear. At this time received your notice
and order announcing that Hunter was heard FROM that
he had crossed and coming down about two nllcs
above u.s. and directing that II saw any signs OF
stampede of the enemy 10 front, should make dash
with the Ohio Regiments keeping the New York R.gi-
ment In ressrye For this movement Immediately form
ed and prepared Soon after, and when, BY firing OF
artillery and musketry In front ut the right appeared
that the Rebels actively engaged IN their position
BY our forces the other eide Of the stream, re-
ceved your order to extend my line still further to the
. sending forward Col hcCooks regiment to feel the
battery of the enemy which ascerained to be cd
the hill covering tho ford half mile below the bridge
and supporting him with my other two reg!ments This
va. mme dlatey dons. Col. hcCook advanced in that
direction along the road which We found to be narrow
track through pine-wood, thick and close VITA under
growth and aanksd on either side by ambu.cades Of
brush work, which were now, however, abandoned
Reaching the head of this road whore opened
upon the stream, Col McCook found tho battery to be
strong earth work Immediately opposite mounted with
at least four heavy guns and the outlet from
the wood An open space Of low ground lay between with
corneld 70 the le the direct distance 70 the en-
emy battery being about $50 yards Behind the battery
aad supporting it. discovered some four regiments oil
the Rebel troops whie rid, pits were seen directly IN
front of it. The First Regiment was there depoyed to
the left in the edge OF the woods and into the cornhed
one oompsny-Capt. Kslls-being thrown forward to.
ward the Ran, up to within, perhaps twenty yards OF
the battery. While this dons, advanced the Seq
ond Ohio, followed by the Second New York. toward tho
head of the ro,d in supporting distance from the frs
Ohio Lieut. Col Aisons Regiment filing also TO the LETT
Receiving Col McCooks report of theibstery-an that
ii would be impossible to turn It with any force we had
Immediately dispatched a message TO the centre TO
bring up some pieces Of artillery TO engage the enemy
from the head OF the road In the 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 IRE Of shells and
round grape shot.
To avoid the effect Of this as much possible, Or
dered the TO fall back into the woods on each aide
Of the road and presently reinforced BY two guns
Of Ayres battery, under Lieut. Ransom, which passed 10
the head oil the road. brisk cannonading was then
opened but very unequal on account OF the supe
rior force and mctsl Of the enemy While this cortnu
ed left my horse aud passed through the woods, and
remained some time by our guns to be sattls whether
making an impression on the ensmys works
soon found that not thus 10 be carried and such
also was the opinion Of the officers in charge tho guns
Retiring found that the most OF my two regiments 10
rear had fallen back out Of range OF the hot and con-
slant FIRE OF the elems cannon, against which they
mad nothing to oppose. lhe suhering from this IRE
we're ia The line where nost OF the shell and
sho. fell that passed the heads of the Second Ohio
Taking with two companies OF the Second Ohio, which
yet IN the woods maintaining their position, re-
turned to aud bring away RarsOms guns. IL was
lust at this place and psnt of time that you visited your
self the position were leaving. must not omit 10
speak 9Th commentator Of the admirable manner in
which these guns Of ours handled aud served by
the officers and men having tnen IN charge. And may
notice the fact Also that Withdrawing from
..aA 81 ska arpWfa
o. o. arr ad move up the stream on the other de OF
their battery with which We had Been engaged along
what supposed to b, tbs road from Manassas, sosards
where the blto raging with our troops on the right
Ny three regiments being called in, then retired and
rested In good order st the center OF the 'front.' near the
turnpike Here l was informed by Col. hcCook that
You had crossed the Run sbove with other portions o.
DIVISION and left with him al order for me TO remain
with my infantry in that position supporting Cir!slss
battery which posted close to the road on the right
This was P. NJ Capt. Carlisle, while thus rested
was playing With r,uch apparent effect on the enemys
works across the Ean, 9Th bis two rsd pieces AZ
also Lieut. Haines With the large EtYrott gun. Soon
after having successive and cheering repor, CONFIRMED
by what we could observe Of the success Of our army
on the other side OF the Run discovered that bodies Of
the enemy in motion, probably retreang TO thsr
right To scatter these and hasten their gh ordered
into the ,sas a the bridge the two raed guns and
had several rounds krea s,ta I.anifest severe effect
This however drew from the eneEys bstteneA a. ain
warm and quick fire Of SHE'LL and with rl.d csnnon on
our position on the road which continued atsrWad and
with ltt; ntermssion, with loss Of some lives again in
nv New York rssiLsnt. until the close Of the fight
While this was going on Capt Alexander, IF the Engin
eer Corps brought up the company ofponeefs or sle men,
which, with its officers and sixty men, had been entirely
detailed from the regiments of my brigade, to open
communication oyer tie trd.e, and through the heavy
abatis which obsiruced the passage " troSns on our
front beyond the Run. To support him while thus en-
Y dpta in thA Oad tha
bridge, NcCoots and Tompkins regiments, detailing
also, and sending forwsri te the bridge, accompany Of
the 2nd New Workers. ~ cover the en, CHILE cutting
through the ensmy's aba.is. second company from
Lieutenant Colonel Mssons command was also brought
forward with axes aerwsrd to aid in clearing the OBJ
sructions and thus In short time Capt Alexander sue
ceeded in opening passage. Capt. Carisei battery
was EGG cosed on the hill SIDE In the open field TO the
left Of the road to~a.y lie bridge.
Very soon after some of fortune appealing to
have taken place with troops on the OTHER side who
falling back up the Run, was discovered and re-
ported to e mat large body Of the enemy had passed
over the s.ream kelov the hrdge and we're advancing
through wood in the low ground at our LETT sr an
evident purpose to Sank us. To intercept this move.
msnt ordered forward into the road, still lower down,
Of Carses brass howityer few rounds from which
quickly served drove the rebels from the woods aud back
the other side Of the stream Il was not long after
this that the pleasant Intelligence of srmy
being in retreat from the front the ford above,
and the order received to fall back on Centrevie.
The retreat Of my brigade being in the rear Of our
division -. conducted in the order Of our march
in the morning, Gscond New York moving first, and
being followed by the Second Chic and First Ohio the
two latter regiments preserving their lines Id good de-
gree, raying together and arrv NJ at Csntreve With
closed aud harpg comparatively little in the panic,
which characterized gSnfpy that retreat and which
seemed TO be occaoned more by she fesr of frightened
Transfers, and Of hurrying and excited civilians (who
ought reyeT to have been hsre than by the reck