The national Republican., 1861-10-31
Report Of the Ohicer In Charge OF tn
Artillery At ths Hattie Of BaiEs Bluff.

Report Of the Omcer in Charge OF the
artillery at the Battle OF Balls Bluff.
There were three pieces of artillery on our
side at the battle Of Balls Bluff, on the 2lst
inst. Two of these, howitZers, belonging to
Ricketts, Battery, were thrown into the river
to prevent their falling into the ! ands of the
enemy. The other was left on the field, under
the circumstances detailed in the following
official report to Brigadier General Barry, Chief
of Artillery, by Lieutenant George W. Adams,
company B, First Rhode Island Artillery. This
report a simple statement of facts, proves not
only that the abandonment of the piece was
unavoidable, but that the men in charge of It
behaved like heroes:
WASHINGTON, October %, 1861.
General BARRY, Chief of Artillery.
SIR: Agreeably to your instructions, give
below a correct report Of the circumstances
connected with the recent battle near Balls
Bluff, October 81, 1861:
The left section Of battery B, Rhode Island
Artillery, was ordered on the 20th OF October
| to proceed to Conrad's Ferry. Captain Vaughn
immediately started, camping at the New
York Ninth regiments camp on Saturday night,
| and, proceeding to the Ferry the following
morning, placed one Of his pieces in readiness
| to cross the river. General Baker at that time
gave Captain Vaughn orders to place the centre
section of his battery, which was two miles and
| u half distant, In position to shell the woods
| Captain Vaughn Immediately started, ordering
Lieutenant Bramhal to see TO the piece in the
event Of his not getting back in time to cross
with it.
Very soon after Captain Vaughn left the river
orders were given to transport ons piece OF
| artillery across the river. Lieutenant Bran
hall, being at that time chief in command
| crossed with the one best situated for imnedi
ate and most expeditions forwarding, which
was one of Captain Vaughn's pieces. The
| piece was taken across the river, with the lin
bsr, be seven y horses, and fourteen men, includins
Sergeant Tucker. After ismountlng the piece
the men dragged 1t up steep hill, and return
ing for the carriage, brought 1t up also, mount
ed the piece, and commenced firing; continued
| to do so until all the cannoners, with the ex
ception of two, were shot down. Sergean
| Tucker remained by the piece until his rgh
eg was shattered by musket ball, and then
unassisted, retired.
geant and all the men, with the exception o
one, who retired after the third fire, as exhib
iting the greatest bravery. He was also par
ticular TO speak of the bravery shown by NJ
Carmichael and w. F. Matteson. His report Il
Captain Bunting is full of the praises of tn,
whole detachment.
The loss sustained by the battery is as fol
lows, viz: One James's raed cannon, bronze
one gun carriage, one gun timber, seven horses
, with equipments; four men missing, six mel
| wounded
The following Is list ofthose who we're in tn
, detachment which crossed the river Sergean
s. G. Tucker, right leg shattered; Corporal W
, F. Tanner, missing, probably drowned; Corpo
| RAJ ". oihoy, hiooihst uTOWHcu
| privates Charles Connell, missing, probab
r drowned; W. +. Matteson, missing, probabl
4 drowned; b. W. Matteson, shot through bot
4 legs; G. r. Matteson, shot through the side; N
. c. Haskins, shot through the chest; John As
! pinwall, shot through the arm, above tn
T elbow; - Brolmey, arm grazed BY muske
: ball; NJ. Carmichael, A. J. McAllen, @. l.. Woot
! nancy, and NJ. Tllinghast, escaped without in
jury.
0 The wounded men will probably recover
. DR.. Crosby informs me that he has no fears o
, any wounded but iutimates that there Is pos
sibility Of it's being necessary to amputate Sci
a geant fuckers leg.
feel 1t my duty to say that, had Captai
Vaughn not been prevented by illness, cause
, by his arduous labors in carrying the dead an
wounded across the river, immediately afte
a the battle, a full and authentic report woul
/ have been forwarded to you. Respectfully,
, GEO. W. ADAMS.
. Lieutenant Battery b, II. |. A.
a Adiendd. Stone visited the wount
ed men, praised them for their bravery, an
a told them that no men could have worked tn
i piece better. G. W. ADAMS, Lieutenant.