Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-08-25
THE FIRST FIGHT ON THE SOIL OF
VIRGINIA.

Description Of a battle IN the Darkness.
Written for TIE STAB by IT,. Murray.
Some hypercritieal persons have asked me,
speaking of two articles of war "reminiscences
wrote for The STAR, what's the use of stirring
mp these old things-why not let war matters
rest?"
1 reply that deem it right, nay duty, that
the soldiers on both sides in our great civil war
should put upon record their memories Of the
events In which they participated; for in that
way only is 1t possible for measurably true
history of the war to be written in the future.
And believe that q man should write in the
first person and put his name to his articles. 80
that If he stretches the blanket of truth in his
statements, every one at least will know who it
Is that is lying. The above is my excuse for the
following:
history Of the civil war in America says:
son the first Of June Beauregard who since
the capture Of Sumter had become too soon for
his reputation. the favorite general Of the SOUTH
was placed In command of the sO-cailed depart
Ment OF Alexandria, comprising all the tract
or country between Richmond and Washington.
He found little army already assembled at
Manassas junction. On the same dav shots
were exchanged for the first time between the
two parties on the soil of Virginia. A detacf-
vi feueTal cavalry proceeded as
lar as the village of Fairfax c. H.. west of
alexandria and dtslOdged post of the enemy
from it ," &c, &c.
TRUE WITH AN EXCEPTION.
All the above is true. except as to ''the dis
lOdgment OF post OF the enemy from it," al
though that post was considerably shaken up
30 to speak. The facts in the case are as fol-
lows:
Soon after the occupation of Alexandria by
the federal forces and the retreat of the cOnfed-
crate troops who occupied that city to Manassas
junction, Fairfax c. ii. was one of the posts of
observation formed i'm front BY the confederates
Here two companies of cavalry were stationed
the Rappah annOck cavalry and the Prince Will
liam ea'ary-whO numbered together about
200 men. Lieut.. Col. afterwards Lieut. GEN.
Ewel was placed in command. and with char
acteriStic energy he at once proceeded to get
these commands into some sort of shape and
discipline for they were about as raw in the
manner and school of the soldier as raw could
We'll be. They were splendid material to work
on, thOugh-fne, stalWart fellows. boiling over
with pluck and. as q rule finely mounted. But
as TO arms. both companies were wretchedly
provided. The RappahannOck cavalry had Moth
Ing but sabers. and they did not know how to
handle these even. while the Prince William
Cavalry had only five-shOOters OF Aliens patent.
with such arms it may well be imagined that
the very bravest men would have but little con-
AUShSc III tucuIsc1NcS WDel plttcu dSaillSt We'll.
armed troops.
HOW EwELL TRAINED THE BOYS
Col Ewell at once instituted system of
vigorous drill in the school of the cavalryman.
for the most part exercising the functions of
drill master himself. and the way in which he
storIned at them was a new revelation to the
citizens, who were on-lOokers and to the men
In the ranks, who at that time were not accus-
Toned to pay that respect and Difference to
the officers which discipline and the experience
of battle brought afterwards. Col Ewell
treated these men precisely as if they had been
regulars, aud. while their volunteer blood
burned, he, at least. Inspired them with NOR
tai dread OF him, aud with the belief that he
wouldn't hesitate to shoot any of them BY
drum head court-martia for any offense against
discipline and that, too without refer
ence to the letter of army regulations
at this time the turnpike leading
to Alexandria. the Falls Church road. and the
Vienna road were pci<cted. some two or three
miles out from the court house, bv this body of
cavalry The men We're new to the duty and
being SO far out from the main body We're very
nervous while on picket. AS a consequence on
anumber of occasions. both by night and by day
they had galloped back from their posts arous-
Ing the command. and exciting the inhabitants
OF the village by false alarms of the approach of
the enemy Col. Ewell got tired OF this sort of
thing and he swore mighty OATH and caused it
TO be announced TO the men of the two compa-
0iCo tu1t tHc utAL DiChet VINO Game IN With
1alse' alarm would De summarily shot. That set
Sled IT, and there were no more false alarms. in
TACT there were no more alarms of any kind and
believe that If the whole federal army had adj
vanced upon them the pckets would have
quietly retreated before il, and made no men-
ton OF the matter. In fact heard some of the
men say that they wouldn't give an alarm If
they saw the enemy in the village. The severe
discipline imposed upon these men at the out
set seemed to have bad effect on their morale
M ion oA hoo
1ens entering the village. even those who came
rom within the picket line Of the enemy al
though the neighbOrhood of Falls Church was
settled chiefly by northern men, who were gen.
efalJ wen known as Union men: As matter
OF fact. them there was difficulty i'm the find
ing out. by the federal officer commanding the
United states regular cavalry stationed at Falls
Church. al he wanted to know about the two
confederate cavalry companies at Fairfax Court
HOuse-ther numbers. stations, equipment and
temper. That he did find out all these things
was proved by the sequel.
THAT NAY NIGHT.
This, then, was the situation of affairs at Fair
fax C. H. on the night of May 3lst. 1S61.-tbe
Rappahannock cavalry was quartered In the
court house building and the Prince William
cavalry in the Episcopal church some two or
three hundred yards further up the pike. and
on the outskirts of the village. That evening
late the Narrenton Rifles. Capt John Q. MARI
commanding, numbering about 80 men, arrived
In the village and took up their quarters In the
Methodist church, situated on the county
road that crosses the pike at right angles
and leads to Fairfax Station, on the Virginia
Midland road. So that the three companies
were quartered in buildings about 800 Yards
from each other 1t is pretty certain that the
federal commander at Falls Church had not
heard OF the arrival OF this company of infan-
try, and this was what spoilt his calculations in
the end. Abouts one o'clock Of the morning
OF June LIST Lieutenant Tompkins (now as
sstant quartermaster general U. S. ~ com
handing company h. second U. g. regulars
numbering about 50 men, left his camp at Falls
Church, and, under the guidance of Union
citizen OF the name OF Sage. took the road
leading to Fairfax Court House. He attempted
to capture the confederate cavalry picket on
that road, but they fed. and neither gave the
alarm to the infantry picket of two men sta
TONED about q quarter Of mile from the VII
lage, whom they passed, nor, SO far as l can
learn, to their ofncers in the village.
sxEDADDI-E OF THE CONFEDERATE CAVALRY.
The night was as dark as Erebus, lust that
darkest hOur which praeodoo Tho damn ,ubo.