Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-09-07
9ailp appeal,
Gen. BeaUFtgsrd'S 0f1cssl Report
OF THE
BATTLE OF BUEL RUIZ,
FOUGHT JULF1s. 1851.
HEADQUARTERS. FIRST Corps
AMY OF THE POTOHLC, :

HEADQUARTERS. FIRST CORPS J
Amy OF THE PoTOHLC,
MANASSAS, August 1861.
GENERAL: With the general results Of the
engagement between several bTigades OF my
command and considerable force of the enc
nv, in he vicinity of Mitchell's and Black
burns foTds, Of Bull Run, on the lS.h uiumo,
YOU were made duly acquainted at the time by
telegraph. But it is my place now 10 susIhi.
in detail the operations of that day.
Opportunely informed of the determination
Of the enemy to advance on Manassas, my ad-
vaneed brigades, on the night Of the l6h or
july, were made aware, from these heacquaT-
teTs, Of the impending movement; and IN exact
accordance with ny instructions, copy OF
which is appended, marked "A," their win
aTawsl within the lines CT BuH Kun was ef-
fected with complete success during toe DAY
and night of the 18th ultimo, in face OF and IN
Immediate proximity to largely superior Iorce,
despite weII-planned, well-eXecuted effort
TO cut of the retreat Of Bouham's brigade
first at Germantown and subsequently at Cen
terviIle. whence be withdrew, by my direction,
after u'iGnigbt. without collision, although en-
ysIaped on three sides by their lines THIS
movement bad the intended effect OF deceiYing
the enemy as to my ulSerior purposes, and led
him to anticipate an uDresisted passage or
Bull Ran.
IA prescribei in the first and second sections
of.the naner herewith marked "a, = on the morn
ing of the 18Th Of July. ny troops resting On
R1U Rup. from Union Mills ford 10 the Stone
Bridge, distance Of eigas % miles, were
posted as follows:
Fwell,s brigade occupied a position in the
viciuitv Of Union Mills ford. It consisted Of
Rhodes 5 and Serb Ia 9th regiments Of Aia
hama. and Sevmour's 6 b regiment Of Lou'si-
ana volunteers, with four twelve FOUNDER bow
tiers OF Walton's battery, and HaTrIsonsss,
Green's, and Cabeli's company OF Virginia
cavalry.
ID. Z. Jones' brigade was in position in rear
Of McLean's ford, and consisted or Jenklns'
5.h South Caroils, and BuTt's l7th and Fs3tn-
erstoR's 18Th regiments Of Mississippi volun-
teers. with two brass six p0unter guns OF
Waiton's battery, and one company Of cav
airy.
ford. and consis'e1 of MOore's let, Garland's
1lth, and Corse's 18th regiments Virginia vol
unteers, with two six PoandeT brass guns Of
WaltOn's battery.
BoDkam's brigade held the approaches to
MitchelPs ford. Il was composed nS ker-
sbaw,s 2d, williams Sd, Bacon's IN, and
Cssh;s S.b regiments South Carolina Yolun-
tesrs. Of Shields and Del KempeT's batteries,
ana of Floods, R4dford's, Payne's, Balls
Wl7kbsm,s and PoEei's companies OF Viz
einia cavalry, under Col. RadfoTd
Cookies brigade held the ford below and in
the vicinity Of he Stone Bridge, and consisted
o! Withers' lS-h Lieut. Col. Strange's l9tn,
and R. T. Preston's 285h regiments, with
Lgtham,s battery aud one company OF cavalry
Virginia volunteers.
Evans held NV left hank and protected The
Stone Bridge crossing with Sloah's reg-
ment South Carolina volunteers, Wheaps
special battalion louisiana volunteers, four
siy poun, er guns, and two companies OF VIZ
ginia cavalry.
Eariey's brigade, consisting Of Kemper's
Oh (six companies } Earley's "a regiment
Virginia volunteers, Hays IN regiment Lou
islana volunteers, and three rifle pieces OF
WaIton's battery, Lieut.. Squres, at first were
held in position IN rear Of and as support to
E0yeII's brigade. until after the development
OF the enemy, in heavy offensive force. in
front of MttcheIi's and BlackbuTn's forGs,
when it was placed in rear Of and nearly
equi distant between MeLsan's, Blackburn's
ana Mitchelrs foTds.
Pending the development of the enemy's
purpo-e. about ten Cl0) o'clock A N, estab-
hsbed my headquarters at central point,
MrLesn's farm houses, near to McLean's and
BlsckbuFr's fords, where two Eiz-pounders OF
Waltor's battery were in reserve; but su5se-
ouentlg, during the engagement, took posi- to
the left # my reserve.
OF the topogrs Fhicai features Of the coun
try- thus occupied, it must suf1ce to say tnat
n
locality, nearly from west 10 east, to its con-
fiueBce with tue OacoeuaB river, about twelve
miles from the Potomac, and draining con-
siderable scope OF country from its Fources in
Bali Run mountain 10 a short distance Of the
Potomac. at OccoQgan. At this season habit
ualIy lew and sluggish, It Is however rapidly
and frequently swollen By The sumner rams
until unfordsble. The banks for the most
part are ROCKY and steep, but abouGded in long
h. 81 81
broken aud thckly wooded, becomes gently
rolling and open as it recedes from the stream.
On The northern side the ground is much the
highest, and commands the other bank cOU-
oIetelv. Roads traverse ana intersect the sur
rounding country in almost every direction.
Finally, at Mitchslps ford the stream is about
saui-distsnt between CenlerViiie and MsRss-
sss, some six miles apart.
Ol the morning Of the 18th, finding that the
enemy was assuming a threatening attitude,
IN addition to the regiments whose positions
have been already stated, | ordered up from
Camp Pickens, as a reserve, in rear OF Bon
hams brigade, the effective men Of six COM
panies OF Kelly's 8h regiment LOUISIANA
volunteers, and KTkiaBd's llth regiment
North Carolina volunteers, which, having
arrived the night before en- route for Niuches
Ter. had halted in view OF the existing ne
cessities Of the service. Subsequently, the
latter vas placed in position TO the LETT OF
BonhanPs brigade.
Appearing in heavy force in front Of Bon
Lam's position, the enemy about meridian
opened fire with several 20 FOUNDER rifed guns,
from a bill over one and half miles from
Buu Run. At the same time, KsmpeT, sup
Dorfed ty two Companies Of light infantry,
occupied a ridge on the lett OF the Centervilie
road. about six hundred yards In advance Of
the ford, with two 6-poundeT (smooth) guns.
At first the firing Of the enemy was at ran
dom; but bv half-psst y P N, be had obtain
ed the range Of oHr position and poured into
the brigade shower Of shot, but without
injury to US in men, horses, OF guns. From
the distance, however, our guns could not re-
p'v with effect, and we did not attempt 1t,
patiently awaiting more opPCrtune moment
Afeanwhile a light battery was pushed for
ward BY the enemy, where upon ksmper TIRE =
osly six solid shot, with the effect OF driving
bscs both the ba tsTy and it's supporting force.
This is understood to have beeE Ayres' battery,
and the damage must have been considerable
to have obliged such retrogade movement on
the part Of that officer.
The purposes Of EempeT's position having
novg been faily served, his pieces abd support
were withdrawn across I'll cbelPs ford to
point previously designated, and which com
manded The direct approaches to the ford.
About half-past Ii o'clock, A. h, the enc
nv was also discovered by the pickes OF
Longstreet's brigade advancing IN strong col
umns Of infantry with artillery and cavalry on
BiackbuFu's ford.
At meridian, the piekets fen back silently
before the advancing foe across the foTdl
which, as well as the enCire sou bern bank Of
the stream for the whole front Of Longs reefs
brigade, was covered at the waters edge by
an extended line Of skiTmisaers while two six
FOUNDERS Of Waton's battery, under Lieuten-
ant Garnett, were sdvantsgeously placed to
command The direct apPraach to the ford, but
with orders to retire 10 the rear ss soon a 6
commanded by the enemy.
Tie northern bank Of the stream, in front
Of Longstreet's position, rises with steep
sloDe at least fifty fet above the level OF the
water, leaving a narrow bernie in front OF the
ford Of some twenty yards. This ridge form
ed for them an admirable natural parapet, be-
hind which they could, and did approach under
shelter, IN heavy force, within less ihan one
hundred wards OF our skirmisbeTs. The south
ern shore wss almost plain, raised but few
feet above the water Tor several hundred ards,
then sing with 2 very gradual, gentle slope,
and undua'ing back to Manassas. On the
Immediate bank there was q fringe Of trees,
but with little if any underground or sheiteT,
while. on the other shore, there was timber
and much thick brush and covering. The
ground in rear Of our skjrmishers, and occu-
MED bv our artillery, was an old held extend
ino along the stream abOlt one mile, and i'm
rnsdiateiv back for about half mile, to
bordsr or skirting Of dense second growth
mines. The whole Of this ground was con-
mapded al all points by the ridge occupied by
the susmy's musketry; as was also the country
- tha rear For 2 distaucs muah beyond the