News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-02-19
Bull Run Revisited.
"REMINISCENCES OF THE FIRST BATTLE
LETTER FROM Col. U. A. WoOD-
BURY TO THE FREE Press.


BURY TO THE FREE PRESS.
WASHINGTON, D. c., FEB. 4.
After a lapse of twenty-three and
half years l have revisited the bat
tie field of Bull Run. The conditions
of the two visits are very dissimilar.
Then, July q, 1861, l was a young
man in full vigor of physical man
hood, clad in a soldiers uniform, and
with musket and knapsack as one of
a martial host, | was marching hope
fully on to help fight the first great
battle for the Union.
To-day, in citizens garb, twice the
age of then, with my son and Major
Armes, L. S. A, l was taken upon
the field in a carriage and pair of
horses. After leaving Manassas
Junction the first relic of the war we
discovered was the remains of an old
rebel redoubt, about half mile out.
Upon the way toward the battle
field-the roads were muddy and we
made way SLOWLY strained my
memory to recall the events of that,
TO me, ever eventful day. The in
tense heat of the day, the thirst and
fatigue Of the men, the courage and
determination of all, the firm assur-
ance of victory, the shock of the
knowledge of defeat, the route, the
sufferings of the wounded, the eXul-
tation and arrogance of the victorious
rebels-all passed hurriedly through
my mind. | did not recognize any
thing familiar until we came in sight
of the pike that runs by the old stone
house which stands in the ravine, and
at the crossing of the Sudley road.
Then we came in view Of the "Henry
House" upon the right where the bat
tie ragged so fiercely, and still further
to the right The Robinson House
which was used as q hospital during
and after the battle. Down in the
valley, over the creek, we saw the
Stone House so we'll remembered, and
to the left and beyond the valley, or
rayine, was the remains of the Dogan
House, which point marked the limits
of the right wing of the Union army,
of which Towards brigade was the
extreme right. Passing down into
the ravine, we forded the creek, and
stopping few minutes at the Stone
House, and looking at its old battered
walls-the house is now occupied by
a family of poor white people--we
passed on up steep ascent and went
toward Sudley church, which is about
one and a half miles from the creek.
The old church, which stood there in
1861 was burned, and upon the old
site is q modest wooden structure.
Near the church in '61, and upon the
opposite side of the road, was an old
blacksmith shop-now gone, which,
with the church, was filed with Union
wounded the afternoon of the battle,
and for some time afterwards. 1t
was in this shop that l passed the
week after the battle. [ saw the
creek in which / was bathed the
Thursday after: / saw the Sudley
spring from which L drank before the
battle. Near the church | met two
intelligent men who were in the rebel
army and from them got some very
interesting information. One of them
told me that soldier who was stand
ing in his fathers dooryard, about
mile from the church, first discovered
our brigade by the glistening of bay
onets, approaching the field in our
detour TO thes right, and he with the
soldier apprised the rebels of our APP
proach. This was their first intima
ton of the movement, and was a sur
prise to them. They were soon pre-
pared to meet us: however. Return
ing, we went over to the Dogan House
and there met Mr.. Cross, who now
owns the farm, and who witnessed
the battle from point still further
to the right. He confirmed my opin-
ion of where we emerged from the
road upon the open field and of our
line of approach toward the pike in
the ravine. His recollection was very
clear upon that point, and mine was
nearly as good. l found the place
where fell, that is, within a circle Of
say Is rods.
1t requires q good many years to
obliterate from ones memory the spot
where he received great fright. OF
Mr.. Cross l purchased a Spanish
quarter of dollar one hundred years
old, and several shells, which he found
while ploughing, used in field guns,
bullets, etc. These balls are being
constantly discovered, in the ground
and trees. and are interesting, espec-
tally to participants in the battle.
Regaining the pike we passed the
Stone House and over the bill by the
Robinson House until we reached the
large stone bridge over Bull Run.
which will be remembered we'll by
many, returning by the Robinson and
Henry houses, after stopping to see
in TIE yard of the latter the rough
stone monument surrounded and sur
mounted by cannon balls, there erect
ed, we returned to the junction, where
we arrived at five p. m. When l
came from the battlefield in 81, one
week after the battle, L rode in an old
side-seat omnibus, with other prison
ers. The present ride was much
more comfortable than the first, and 1
was in a decidedly more composed
frame of mind. 1t is hardly necessa-
ry to add that the day has been one
of much interest and qualification to
me. Yours, U. A. W.