Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-04

and BY Jscksons brigade corss.ng OF the "a, 4th etni
9Th and SD Virginia regiments. vas accompanied
By Gen Bee, with the 4th Alabama, tbs ed and two
companies of the llih Mississippi The President OF the
railroad company lad assured that the remaining
troops should arrive during the day.
found General Bsauregsrds position too extensive,
ard the ground too densey wooded and intricate TO be
learned the brief time at my disposal and therefore
determined to rely his knowledge Of IL and Of the
snemy's positions. This did readily, from full conf.
dsnce in his capacity.
His troops were divided into eight brig.de, occupy
ing the defensive line Of Bull Run Big Gen. Eselis
was posted at the Union Mills Ford Brig. Gen. d. K
Jons ct McLean's Ford; Brigadier General Long.
streets ct Blackburn's Ford Brig Gen. Bonham's at
Mitchels Ford Col Cockes at Balls Ford some three
miles above il and Col Evans with regiment and bst
taIou formed the extensive left At Stone Bridge The
brigsdes Of Brig. Gen. Holmes and Col. Early we're In
reserve in rear Of the right regarded the arrival OF
the remainder of the army OF the Shenandoah during
the night rs certain and Pattsrsous with the Grand
Army on the 22i, a, probable Da-ing toe evening
va. determined itstsai Of Iensning in the defensive
positions then occupied TO assume the osnsivs and Al
tack the epemy before such junction.
Geuerl Beau sgard pr posed plan OF battle, which
approysd without hesitation. He drew up the necesea
~ order during the night, which was approved formally
hv me At balfpast four o'clock the morning OF the
al, The early movements Of the enemy on that morn
inc and the nonarva Of the expected troops prevent
adj ;ts execution General Beauregard Afterwards pro-
posed modification of the abandoned plan-to sttack
ri
This TOO became in practicable, and battle ersu1
different in pacs and circumstances from any preSit
plan on our eide r.,
Soon after SUNRISE on the morning Of the 2lst, Liz
c,nnonade opened upon Gel ETanss position, sp
liar demonstration made against the centre soon al
and strong fofoes were observed in front Of 1t and
OF the right About eight O'Clock, Gen. Beauregard and
placed ourselves q commanding bill in rear OF ien
B1nhsns eft-near nine o'clock the signal officer, Capt
Alexander reported tia. large body Of troops were
crossing the valley ofBuil Run, some two miles above
| The bridge Gen Bee who had been pllcsd near Col
O,ckes position, Colonel Hampton, with his legion, aud
COL Jackson, from point near General Bonhams left,
| we're ordered to hasten to the lefs tink
The signal officer called attention to heavy
cloud OF dust the Northwest aud about ten miles on
such as the march Of army would raise This excited
/ lpprehensions of General Ps.tersons approach.
The enemy, under cover of strong demonstration on
our right made long deour through the woods on his
right crossed Bull Run mles above our left, and
threw himself upon the hink and position. This
movement was fortunately discovered in time for Us to
check its progress, and ultimately to form new line OF
battle nearly right angles with the defensive line oil
| Bull Run.
Ca discovering that the enemy had crossed the stream
above him Colonel Evans moved to his left with eleven
companies and two ed.peces 10 oppose his advance,
and disposed his little force under cover Of the woods
near the intersection Of the Warrenton Turnpike aud
the Sudlsy Road Here he was attacked BY the enemy
in immensely superior numbers against which he main
tanned himself with skill and unshrnkng courage Ten
srAl Bee moving towards the enemy, guided BY the
firing had with soldiers eye selected the position
near the Henry House. and formed his troops upon 1t
rhey were the 7th and Sh Georgia, fth Alabama, ~
Mississippi and two companies Of the llh Mississippi
| regiment, with Inbodsn's battery. Being compelled,
however to sustain Colonel Evans, he crossed the val
lev and formed on the right and somewhat in advance
of his position Here the joint force, little exceeding
Eve regiments With six Geld pieces, bed the ground
AGAINST about fifteen thousand United States troops or
an hour, until finding themselves QUIT inked by the
continuity arriving troops Of the enemy, they fell back
70 General Bees first position, upon the line oil which
Jackson Just arriving formed bis brigade and Stan
nuds battery Col Hampton, Who by this time had 40.
yanced with bis legion far "a the turnpike rendered
eminent service 10 maintaining the orderly character Of
tbs retreat from that pont and here fell the gallant
| Lieut.. Col johnson, his second in command.
In the mean time, awaited with General Beauregard
near the centre the full development OF the enemys de-
signs About O'Clock the violence OF the firing on the
"a indicated battle, end the march Of large BODY
from the enemys centre toward, the conct YES shown
by clouds Of dust. thus convinced that his greN
effort was to be made with bis right stated this con-
vc.ion to General Bssuregsrd and the absolute neces'
tv of immediately strengthening cur left as much as pos
be Orders were accordingly at once sent 10 Genertl
Homes and Colonel Early to move with all speed TO the
sound Of the firing and to General Bonham to send up
tuo of hi, regiments and O. battery Gen. Beaursgard
and then hurried at rapid galop 10 the scene OF sc'
ton about four miles Of. On the way ! directed my
own aud Alburtis's batteries. We came not moment
too Soon The long contes. against hYefold odds and
heavy losses especially Of field ofces had greatly dis
couragsd the troops OF Gen. Bee end Col Evans. Our
pres ,nos with them under fire, and some example, had
the MANIFEST effect on the spirit OF the troops. Order
, W., soon restored and the battle re-estabshed to
which the Ermuey, OF Jacksons brigade greatly conrbu-
ted Then in a brief and rapid conferences, General
BeauregrAd was assigned to the command of the lett,
which, as the younger officer, be claimed, while re-
Il. - Ill. III W.. nagt IF ARA
wa, artificial, but had full confidence in the skill
and indc nitatle courage Of General Beauregard,
the high sodiery qualities Of Generals Bee and Jackson,
aud Col Evans, and the devoted patriotism OF their
troops Orders were first dispatched TO hasten the
march OF General Holmes, Colonel Earlys and General
Bonhsms regiments General EFell was also directed
to follow with all speed Many OF the broken troops,
yn euts IF broken companies and individual sAggef,
were reformed and brought into action With the aid oil
nv staff and portion Of General beauregards. Colo
mel (overDor Smith, with bis battalion, and Ool Hamp-
ton with his regiment ordered up to reuorce the
right have since learned that Gen. Beauregard had
previously ordered them into the battle They belonged to
hi, corpg Cei Smiths cheerful courage had fine nau
not only the spirit OF his own men, but upon the
s.ragglers from the troops engaged The largest body
Of these equal to about four companies having no com
pstent field officers, placed under command Of one oil
nv staff Col T. j. Thomas who fell while CALAMITY lead
ing II against the enemy These reinforcemens were al
sent TO the right to re.e.tablsh more perfectly that
of our line Having attending 70 these pressing dut
at the immediate sceno of conflict, my eye was next
rected to Col Cookies brigade, tho nearest at hand
Hsstsaing to his 20 tion desired him to 10 ID bis troo
into action He informed ne, however, that lrge DO
DIV OF tbs ensmy beyo ID the stream an9 bsiow the
bridge threatened from that quarter he was, there
fore, left In his position
NV headquarters were now established near the Lewis
House. From this commanding elevation my view EN-.
braced the position of the enemy beyond the stream and
the approaches to the Stone Bridge, point OF especial
nportance could also the advances Of our troops
far down the valley in the direction OF hansssas aud
observe the progress Of the action aud the marGuvres
OF the enemy.
We had nov sixteen guns and two hundred and sixty
cavalry and little above MAE regiments OF the army oil
the Shenandoah and siI guns aud less than the strength
of throe regime ats OF that o the PSomsc engaged With
shout thirty FIVE thousand United States troops amongst
whom we're full three thosand Of TN CID regular
army Yet this admirable artillery And brave infantry