Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-09-03

Rodes' 9th and SciberS 9th Regiments, Of Ala
bama, and Seymour's 9Th Regiment OF Louis
lana Volunteers, with four l2.pounder How,
itzers, of Walton'S Battery, and Harrson's,
Green's ard CabclIs companies of Virginia
Cavalry.
q. r. Jones Brigade was in position in rear
Of McLean's Ford, and consisted of Jenkins
9th South Carolina, and 4irt's 18th and
Fetherstone's 18th Regiments Of Mississippi
Volunteers, with Two brass . ponnder guns Of
Walton's Battery, and one company Of Cavalry.
Lougstreet's Brigade covered Blackburn's
Ford, and consisted Of Moore's First, Garlands
Eleventh and Corsc's Seventeenth Regiments
Virginia Volunteers, With two ~G.pounder brass
guns Of Walton's Battery.
Bonham'S Brigade held the approaches Il
Mitchells Ford it was composed Of Kershaw's
I'd, Williams Sd, Bacon's It'll and Cash's 9Th
Regiment South Carolina Volunteers Shields
and Del. Kcmper's Batteries, and Floods, Rad
ford'g, Payne's, Balls, Wickham's and Powellis
Companies Of Virginia Cavalry, under Col,
Radford.
Cookies Brigade held the Fords below and
in vicinity of the Stone Bridge, and consisted
Of Withers' 18th, Licu,caanl-Oo Colonel Strange's
10Th, and r. T. Preston's 2Slh Regiments,
with La,ham's Battery and one company Of
Cavalry, Virginia Volunteers.
Evans held my left flank and protected the
Stone Bridge Crossing, with Sloan's 18th Re
gimens South Carolina Volunteers, Wheat's
Special Battalion, Louisiana Volunteers, four
6-poundcr guns, and two companies OF Virgi
MIA Cavalry.
Early's Brigade, consisting Of kemper's 9TH
Early's 9th Regiment Of Virginia Volunteers
HAYS 7th Regiment Louisiana Volunteers and
three rife pieces of Walton's Battery, Lieut.
S%uuircs', st first we're held in position 10 the
rear Of, and rs 2 support TO, EwelGs Brigade,
until after the development Of the enemy, in
heavy offensive force. in front Of Mitchelps aEG
Blackburn's Fords, when il vas placed in rear
Of, and nearly cqui.distant between McLean's
Blackburn's and Mitchelrs Ferds.
Pending the development of the enemy
purpose, about ten (l0) o'clock a. NJ, | cstab
lished my headquarters at a central point, Nc
Leans farm house. near to McLean's and Black
burns Fords, where Two Six-pounders OF Wal
tons Battery were in reserve; but, subsequent
ly, during the engagement, | took post TO thu
left Of my reserve.
Of the typographical features OF the country
thus occupied, it must suffice to say that Bull
Run is asmall stream. running, in this locality,
nearly from West to East, to is confluence with
the Occoquan river, about twelve miles from
the Potomac, ans draining q considerable
scope'o of country, from its source in Eull Run
Mountain, to within il short distance Of the Pc
tomac at Occoqnan. Atthis season, habitually
low and sluggish, it is, however, rapidly and
frequently swollen By the summer rains until
unfordable. The banks Tor the most part
arc rocky and steep, but abound in long used
fords. The country on either side much broken,
and thickly woodeaaaecomes gently rolling
and open as i. recedeS from the stream. On
the Northern side the ground is much the
highest, and commands the other bank com
pletely. Roads traverse and ~interscct tho sur.
rounding country in almost every direction
Finally, at Mitchells Ford the stream is abou;
equi.distant between Centrerille and Manassas,
some six miles apart.
On the morning Of the 18th, finding that
the enemy was assuming a threatening atti.
tude, in addition TO the regiments whose pc.
sitions have already been stated, | ordered up
from Camp Plckcns, ms a reserve, in rear o!
Bonham's Brigade, the effective men Of six
companies Of kelly's Eighth Regiment Louis
lana Volunteers, and kirkland's Eleventh
Regiment North Carolina Volunteers, which
having arrived the night before, en- route for
Winchester, l had halted, in view of the exist,
ing necessities Of the service. Subsequently,
the latter was placed il position to the left oil
Bonham's Brigade.
Appearing in heavy force in front OF Bon,
hams position, the enemy, about meridian,
opened fire with several 20.poundcr rife guns
from q hill, over one a half miles from Bull
Run. At the same time kemper, supported
by two companies Of light infantry, occupied
q ridge on the left Of the Ccntreville road,
about six hundred yards in advance of the
Ford, with two 6.poundcr (smooth) guns. At
first the. firing Of the enemy was at random,
but by halcpast y, P. NJ, he had obtained the
range of our position, and poured into the
Brigade q shower of shot, but without injury
to us in men, horses or guns. From the dis
lance, however, our guns could no. reply with
effect, and We did not attempt it. patiently
awaiting a more opportune moment.
Meanwhile, a light battery was pushed for
ward by the enemy, wheraupon Kenper threw
only six solid shot, with the effect Of driving
back both the battery and its supporting force
This is understood to have been Ayres' Battery
and the damage must have been considerable
TO have obliged such 4 retrograde movement
on the part Of that officer.
The purposes Of KcmpeT's position having
now been fully served, his pieces and suppor'
were withdrawn across Mitchell's Ford, TO &
point previously designated, and which com
marded the direct approaches TO the ford.
About half past II o'clock, A. NJ, the enemy
was also discovered By the picktts Of Long
streets Brigade advancing in strong columns
Of infantry, with artillery and cavalry, or
Blackburn's Ford.
At meridian the pickets fell hack, silently,
before the advancing fire across tho ford,
which-as we'll as the entire southern bank OF
the stream, for the whole front OF Longstrccts
Brigadc-was covered at the waters edge by
nm extended line Of skirnishcrs, while two
6.pounders Of Wa!ton's Battery, under Lieut.
Gsrnett, were advantageously placed TO COM
mand the direct approach to the ford, but with
orders to retire to the rear as soon Gs CON-
mandcd by the enemy.
The northern bank of the stream, in front o.
Longstreet's position, rises with O. steep slope
at least fifty feet above the level Of the water,
leaving q narrow BERN in front of the ford oil
some 20 yards. This ridge formed for them
an admirable natural parapet, behind which
they could, ard did approach. under shelter,
in heavy forco, within less than 100 yards OIL
our skirmishers. The southern shore was
almost n plain, raised but n few feet above the
water for several hundred yards; then rising
with a very gradual, gentle slope, and undula'
lions, back to Manassas. On the immediate
bank there was a fringe Of trees, but with lit
tie, if any, underground or shelter, while on
the other shore there were timber and much
thick brush and covering. The ground in rear
of our skirmishers and occupied by our arsil-
1erv wns nm old field extending along the
Istream about one mile, and Immediately back
for about half a mile to a border or skirting Of
dense, second growth pines. The whole Of
this ground was commanded at all points BY
the ridge occupied BY the eneuy's %musketry,
as was alse the country to the rear, for a dis
lance much beyond the range Of twenty
FOUNDER riaed guns, By the range Of bills on
which their batteries were planted, and which,