Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-09-06

Gu LudL were not 1ouHd.
Taking into consideration the topography of the
country, it was signal success The road isskirted
by high PERCEPTIONS hills, and the ground covered
with thick bushes to the cry road side with but
little cleared land along the road.
The regiments under Coils McCauslin and Temp
Eins participated in The fight Our loss was three
killed and ten or twelve wounded, as am informed
| Cen Wise's brigade being on the opposite side of
Gauiey river and some eight miles distant took no
| part in the action.
| Gen. FeRurrgard,s Official Report of the
BaLsie OF D"ii's Run ON the ism OF Jn-
The following Official report Of the battle Of Bull
Run, (Which preceded the more general action at
Manassas on the 18th of July has been received
! at the War Department:
HEADQUARTERS 1sT CORPS ARMY OF THE
| PnToMAC, MANASSAS, August, 1861.
| GENERAL With the general results of the engage
ment between several brjgades of my command and
considerable force of the enemy in the vicinity of
! MitchelPs and Blackburns Fords of Bull Run On
| the 18Th utimo, you we're made duly acquainted at
the time by telegraph, but it is my place now to
! submit in detail the operations of that day.
| OPPORTUNITY informed OF the determination Of the
| enemy to advance on Manassas, my advanced bri
gades on the night of the 10th of July. were made
aware from these headquarters of the impending
movement, and in exact accordance with my in
struetiO0s copy of which is appended, marked
"A their withdrawal within the lines of Bull Run
was effected with complete success during the day
aud night of the 18th ultimo in the face Of and in
immediate proximity to, a largely superior force
desI ite well planned, we'll executed fort to cut
of the retreat of Bonham's Brigade-frst at Ger
mantown, and subsequently at CentPeville, whence
he withdrew by my direction, after midnight with
out collision although envelOped on three sides by
their lines This movement had the intended effect
Of deceivng the enemy as to my Interior purposes
and led him to anticipate unIesisted passage of
Bull Run.
As prescribed in the first and second sections Of
the paper herewith marked "A =" on the morning
OF the 18th of July. my troops resting Bull Run
from Union Mills Ford to the Stone Bridge dis
lance of about eight miles, were posted as follows
Ewel,s Brigade occupied position in the vicin
ty OF Union Mills Ford 1t consisted of Rodes 9TH
and SeIoels 9th Regiments, of Alabama and Sey-
mour's 9th Regiment of Louisiana Volunteers, with
four l2pOunder Howitzsrs, of Walton's Battery,
and HarrisOn's, Greens, and Cabell's Companies Of
Virginia Cavalry.
D. R. Jones Brigade was in position in rear Of
McLean's Ford and consisted Of jenkins 9TH South
Carolina, and BuHt's 18th and Fethertones 18th
Regiments Of Mississippi Volunteers, with two brass
FOUNDER guns Of Waton's Battery, and one com
pany Of Cavalry.
LO lgstreet's Brigade covered Blackburn's Ford.
and consisted Of Moore's First Garlands Eleventh
and Cose's Seventeenth Regiments Virginia Volun-
teeFs, with two G-pOunder brass guns of Waltons
Battery
Banham's Brigade held the approaches to Mitch
Ell ) EOfu; II was composed OF herShaW ID, VII
hams' 81, BGcon's 9Th and Cash's Sth Regiments
South Carolina Volunteers; of Shields and Del |
hempers Batteries, aud of Floods, Radford g. |
Payne's, EalPs, Wickman's and POwells Companies |
OF Virginia Cavalry, under Colonel Radford.
Cookies Brigade held the Fords below and in |
vicinity Of the Stone Bird e. and consisted Of With
er's 18th, Lieutenant Colonel Stranges 18th and |
K. 7. Prestons 18th Regiments, with Latham's |
Battery and one company of Cavalry, Virginia Vol |
unteers.
Evans hold NV, loft NH, or5 ,,,o.ootol H. Co.,
Bridge crossing, with Sloane's 4th Regiment South
Carolina Volunteers, Wheat's special Battalion Lou
lsiana Volunteers, four FOUNDER guns and two /
companies of Virginia Cavalry.
Early's Brigade, consisting of Kemper's 7th Ear
ly s 24th Regiment of Virginia Volunteers Hays
9Th Regiment Louisiana Volunteers and three pieces
OF NaItOns Battery. lieutenant Squires' at first
were held in position in the rear Of and as a sup
port to, Ewes Brigads, until after the development
OF the enemy, IN heavy offensive force, front Of
MitchelFs and Blackburn's Fords, when it was
placed in rear Of, and nearly equiiistant between
MeLean's, Blackburns, and MitchelPs Fords.
Pending the development ofthe enemy's purpose,
about ten (l0) O'Clock A. NJ, established my head
quarters at q central point. McLean's farm house.
near to McLean's and Blackburn's FOrds, where
two sixpounders Of Waltons Battery were in re-
serve; but subsequently, during the engagement, 1
took post TO the left of my reserve.
Of the typographical features of the country thus
occupied it must suffice to say that Bull Run is a
small stream running, in this locality, nearly from
West to East, to its confluence with the Occoquan
river, about twelve miles from the Potomac and
training considerable scope Of country, from its
source III Bull Run Mountain, to short distance of
The Potomac It Occoquan. At this season, habit
lally low and sluggish, it is however, rapidly and
frequently swollen by the summer rains until I'M
Ordable. The banks for the most part are rocky
md steep, but abound in long used fords The coun
ry either side much broken and thickly wooded |
becomes gently rolling and open as it recedes from
he stream. On the Northern side the ground is |
much the highest and commands the other bank ! {
completely. Roads traverse and intersect the
OunSing country in almos every direction Final
y, at Mitcl rs Ford the stream is almost equi-iis 8
ant between Centrevie and Manassas, some six (
niles apart I
On the morning of the 18TH finding that the enc /
ny was assuming threatening attitude, in addi
ION 10 the regiments, whose position have been ,
lready stated, ordered up from Camp Pickens, =
s reserve in rear of BOnham's Brigade, the eff ;
ective men of six companies of Kelly's Eighth :
regiment Louisiana Volunteers, and KirklaHd's !
Eleventh Regiment North CarOna Volunteers !
Thich having arrived the night before en- route for
Winchester, had halted in view Of the existing 9
ecessties of the service. Subsequently, the latter
Ias placed in position to the left Of Bonhams +
rigade. o
Appearing in heavy force in front of Bonham's :,
osition, the enemy about meridian opened fire with =
sveral 20 FOUNDER rifle guns from hill, over ore
nd half miles from Butt Run. At the same time
emper, supported by two companies of light in =
injury CGCuplCu FlCSe vi TUE ISlb O6lllfe
lie road, about six hundred yards in advance of
lie Ford, with two Gpounder (smooth) guns At
rst the firing of the enemy was at random but by a.
lf past y r. NJ be obtained tie range OF our pc Il
tion and poured into the Brigade shower of sGot CT
ut without injury to in men, horses or guns. ri
rom the distance, however, our guns could not re-
, with effect, and We did not attempt it, patiently
waiting more Opportune moment in
Meanwhile light battery was pushed for ward by r
e enemy, whereupon Kemper threw only six solid til
Ot with the effect Of driving back both the Bat tn
ry and its supporting force. This is understood 10 By
we been Ayres' Battery, and the damage muat hi
I'VE been considerable to have obliged such re- m
ogade movement on the part of that officer. tr
The purposes of Kemper's position having now da
en- fully served his pieces ard support were with
avn across MiteheIs Ford, to point previously su
signated, and which commanded the direct sp- pr
caches 10 the ord. an
About hafpas IL O'Clock, A. NJ, the enemy was
10 discovered by the piekets OF LOngstreets Bril- tex
de advancing in strong columns of infantry withd in
r1lery and cayelry, on Blackburns Ford. up