Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-03-15
The Battle of Bull Rnu

AT regular we,ting OF the survivors If -.
old trs! Virginia regiment, held at their ror
devious under the Exchange Hotei last piyhl
after disposal OF routine business the loIlo,rn,.
"reminiscences of the battle of Bull Run w.,
furnished?
On the l7th lof July, as the repimort r
o'scnarg,ng Its usual rounds of duties, r..
sound OF cannon fell upon the ears of the Men, ,
and announced the near approach of a ms~,
serious Kind OF duty-the long looked for ~
vance OF our Federal friends was at hand. an;
10 assigning different commands to nrohs sI'
points oil attack it fell to the lot Of The ",l1
First to have what proved to be the mas, -
honor. At Bethel the old North Stat, h,G
perhaps, most signaliZed herself: and at NJ
nassas it seemed fit that like oprorr,n;,,.
should fall to the share Of Virginia The ~,
States were in the field upon poiat Of bonar
and 1t was proper that they should first bro9.
the approaching storm.
The weight Of the Federal advance ell uo,c
the First regiment aud it was promp,Iv mt
and successfully beaten back. The iosS r.s
somewhat severe, but the regiment BIZ a siosI,
blow had placed its iorttule above ,usn;rinn
The action of the 18th, however, Was onIy ".
| lml0ary 10 the battle Of the 2l;t, ia which n.
First regiment was not Immediately rD..yal
| and did not suffer much additional los.
The following is the description q, tie h...
tie given by Mr.. Charles, Y. Ioahr, Of t',m.
pany D:
On the 18th Of July. 1861. We ua.ch.I,.
Bull Run, halted during that night on H.,
| tn side Of said creek. On the mp!Etr, .r
the 18th We reorossed the run AMI formed !1ty
line Of battle on the bank OF the creek, !.,io.
Bull Run at Blackburn's ford. compaulc, /,
E, and * being deployed as skirmishrrs, =, 10:
lows: D on the right r. centre, aud X o& &,
left; the other companies acted as reserve, ..t
were formed in the rear. About ! oco,,
the enemy opened with artillery, which ~.
answered on our side by the Washington 4:
illery OF New Orleans aud kcmpcr's bsuci,:
on our left, 10 rear Of the Seventeenth NirriSn
The artillery firing lasted uutlI about o'clcc.
when the enemy charged down into Tie c>Iif.
of our line 10 font OF Company Z. Our r..
serve companies were ordered up aud the !at-
tic began 10 caroos!. Col. y. i. Moore So
struck down and some Of cur test men WI.
killed and wounded. There was sjmo c1nlur, u
by this sudden and fearful storm OF lcai :.
pew 10 US all, but TINS lasted hut minute III
our brave Major Fred. II. SEipn1l, wh} so@
had charge OF the regiment, kncW CT 10 fear. Il.
placed himself at the head OF the chalrinr COIN
panies and the enemy was sent ilyIrg up ~
hill. But here he soon reformed, when .ncta
cr charge vas made, but With no better rc.u.
on his side, 50 the lighting lasted about ~"
hours, when the enemy lctreatei, Iea7Ins t
the field. Some eighteen prisoners AMI tw,
guns fell 10 our hards. We were now rcIIc2a
by some other regiments and marched atoG.
mile to the rear, where We halted, trad IN.
worn out, for the night. The loss Of the leg,
meut was about eight killed and forty wound
ed.
After reading these accounts OF the b.ltI, =
was agreed by the members Of the as>yc.t,.l
present that each one would furnish some II0t
token or article worn Or used b. some dad
comrade who lost his life in battle er dl1i &"
wounds received 10 the war, TO remind The Il!
tie baud of survivors Of those robic fellow vt
had gone before them, and also to dcc'rac L,
rooms with the pictures Of fallen 21mrade. ~,
The flags, drums and articles that were n<at b.
the regiment or by the various c0urir..s di:
ing the war.-Rich. Wing.