New-York daily tribune., 1861-08-11
THE BULL RUN BATTLE.
Reports Of Commanders Of Divisions.
The following are the reports of the command
ers of divisions in the Bull Run battle:
cCN ryI Fps REPORT.

movements, says: arrived in front OF the Warrenton
Turnpike Bridge with Scbenck's and Shermans orig-
sdes and Ayres sand Carisles batteriesntabou oa h
Keyess brigade having been halted by your ORDER TO
watch the road coming up from Manassas, and about
two miles from the river. After examining the post
t;on and hosting the two former brigades and the
artillery. fred the first gun at 6l a. m as agreed
upou to show that we were in position As my orders
were to threaten the passage Of the BRIDGE caused
Scheucks brigade to be formed into ne its left resting
IN the direction of the bridge and the battery which
the enemy had estab he'd to sweep the bridge ana s
approacb 40 as 10 thre ten both. Sherman bngade
was posted TO the right Of the Wsrrenton turnpike,
30 as 10 he in position to sustain Schenck or 10 o'o
across Bull Run in the direction OF huners Va..
The 3O-pound gun attached to Carlisle's Battery
was posted on the Warrenton Turnpike with Ayres
Battery considerably in ts Carsies battery was
posted on the left Of Shemans brigade In tins posii,
tion we awaited the appearance OF iiupter anu
Ueintzemans columns as ordered, until such time
as the approach to the bridge should be carried ana
the bridge rebuilt by Capt. Alexander OF lDe
Engineers who had the spot the necessary stIuc'e
for the purpose. .
Soon after getting into position We discovered tna'
the enemy had heavy battery With infantry IN sup
rort commanding both the road and bridge approaches
on which both Ayres and Carise at different iifheS
tried the effect of their guns without success, and
careful examination of the banks OF Bull Kun sapsy
ing me tAat they were impractieable ior ihe D
artillery those batteries bad 10 remain comparatively
useless until such time Hunters column might clear
the anproach by a movement on tie opposite pahk.
During this period of waiting tie S1PouhGer "as Gc-
casionally used with considerable effect against Oodes
Of infantry and cavalry. which could be seen from
time 10 lime moving in the direction OF Hunter
column, and out OF the range OF ordinary guns
Using a high tree as an observatory we could con-
startly zee the operations OF Hunter and helnLeh
columns from the time Trey crossta u hul apc ,nc
through ole of my stah, Lieutenant Rourke, h tne
Fnpigeers | was promptly notified as TO any change
in the progress OF their columns up TO the tae when
Appeared that The heads OF both were arrested ana ING
enemy seemed to he moving n aVy reeu orct "
snnnort tbeir troops At ths time orcered Colonel
Sherman with bis brigade to cFoes Bull hnl ana 10
srrnort the two columns already in action. Color ei
sherman as appeared by bis reports, crotec tht run
,,,tIou, opposi;on and after encOunterlng party o.
r. ory hyiny before Hunters forces iouud General
Mcdowell and received his orders TO JON 10 the Pur-
suit. ,t r AZ;
For f1r;her particulars Of The movements OF this
bficade General Tyler refers TO Colonel SHERMAN :
Teport.l r., ,r...,
As soon as il was discovered that Col lnnter 5
division had been arreFed ordered up he!e b ace,
which arrived Just az the LEFT Of shernins was cross
ing the Run, and having satisfied myseh is, tne eog'!
had not the force nor the purpose Bull tun or
deed Keyes Brigade 10 follow Sherman, accompanying
the movement in rerson, next saw u muft neeess'
ry place me on the left OF our lie, ana IN TIE oes pos
sble o.iiion when should have driven t'e enemy
of 10 iCiu SchenCks Brigade ana tbe TWO Daf'eiieS
left on the opposite siae
ordered Col Keyes to incline the head Of hs col-
umn little 10 the rit OF tie ine OF nirch taheh up
by Shermans brigade, to avoid ne iire Of battery
which the enemy had opened. This movement q tl'
tered the men considerable degree, and resulted Ia
closing ON The rear Of Sermans brigade ard ON reach
ing the high ground ordered Col keyes 10 form INTO
line on the left of Sherman's brigade, which was done
with great steadness and regularity. After "nitng
few moments the line was ordered to advance, aud
came into epnici on ie Tght with tie onemyn csVhy
aud infantry which, after some revere struggles u
drove back until the further march OF te bfgids ws
arrested by fire OF artillery ahd ipihny sher
.r.d bv some holdings standing on The lights above
The road leadug to Bull Run. The charge was here
ordered, and tie ID Mainn aud 81 Connecticut kei-
mens which opposed 10 tbis part OF the enemy
line passed forward 10 the top OF tie mn, Until ihey
reached the buildings which held BY the eheGy
dove them ont and COR moment had them In pol-es-
sion At this point, finding tie brigade nndcf tae
fire of q strong force behind bfeast~olks. the
order was given 10 march by tho ieit hAhk
acros an open field until the whole line wa, sHci'ceu
by the right bank OF bull Run, along which the maih
was conducted with view 10 turn ihe battery wmeh
tie eneny had placed on the bill below The poinl a'
VIII h the Warrenton Turnpike CROSSE Bull kun ihe
march was conducted for Considerable dstinco below
the Stone Bridge causing the enemy 10 rette ana gave
Cart Alexander opportunity 10 pas The Dildee cut
out the aba,is which had been placed there and pre-
rare the way for Schenchs brigade and the two bat
teres Of artillery 10 pass Before the conien-
plat ed movement could be made the enemys battery
II removed and placed in position TO threaten our
line but before the correct range could be obtained
| Col Keyes carried his brigade by Hank movement
around The base Of the bill, and was on the point oi
ascending il in ne TO get at the battery when dis
covered that troops on the retrea and thai
unIess rapid movement 10 the rear should be male
| we should he cut of, and Col heycs was ordered te
file TO the right aud Join the retreang cO,uinn iht
order was executed without the least eoniu-ion ana
the brIade Joined the retreaDg column in good Ordef
When this junction was made left keyess Bhgad'
and rode for ard ascertain the condition OF Scnek
Brigade end the artillery ieit this fido OF Bull kun
| and on arriving there found Ayers's battery enC
| Lieut. Haines's 3O-pounder awaiting orders. i immc
| dately ordered Lieut.. Uaines to hmber up and move
| forward as soon as possible. 1nis was lronpsli
| done and the piece moved on toward CentfeVliie.
then went into the road where the ammunition Wagon
of ths piece had been placed out OF tue reach OF hre
and found that the driver bad deserted and taken away
mart of the horsee 10 that II could not be moved.
then ordered Ayerss battery, which found linieret
up, TO move forward and cover The re'reht Wmeh Wh
pronply done by it's gallant officers, and when tue cav
airy charge made, they repused 1t promptly an'
effectively then collected quad, mainly from th'
I'd Maine Regiment and put 1t under command OF Vol
jameson, with orders TO sustain Capt Ayers dunn1
| The retreat which WIS done galllnty ana succets
fuy until the battery reached Centreyille Preyio
10 giving thus order parsed TO the rear to lind scbenek
Brigade, intending, as 1t was hesh, TO have u cove,
The retreat did not find II IN the portion IN which
had left IT, and supposed 1t had moved iOrward hnt
ioioeo the retieatinR column. l did not see Gen
Schenek again unii Cub Run, where he appeared
active in rallynP his own or somo other regiments
Gen. Schench reports that the two ONO Regimohi'
left Bull Run after the cavalry charge, and arrived III
Cenleryille in good order.
In closing this report Il gives me great pleasure 70
express my admiration of the manner in which Col
Keyes handled his brigade, conf etey covering 1t by
every possible accident OF the ground while changing
his position, and leading it bravely and skuy 10 the
attack at the right moment, 10 which tue brigade ro
spouded IN every instance in highly credabls
to ITSELF and satisfactory 70 It's commanding officers
Al no time during the contact this brigade dir.
rn,iuh md N ,raa lie lasi of the field aud In nnnd