The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-07-06
RICHMOND HOWTTzERS.
"REMINISCENCES OF ONE OF TIE
OLD MEMBERS.

Continuation Of an Interesting Vs.
,,.-rhe victory nj halls Bio" -''"
a REORGANIZATION Of the first
COMPANY.
o.,ha,-,h Of october the entire camp was
.,.rc,od nv reports Of the enemy's advance
,,,- o.a,, % retreat came in the midu'e W
-, iii, The tents were struck IN inc
"a, ~ a pouring rain, and the entire COM
mand. the Thirteenth, seventeenth "uo
y,ghteepth regiments Of Mississippians' inc
r;oh,h Virginia, under Hunton, ana 'ne
a.ya,rv under Colonel Jenifer, fogetner
,.,h the Uowi,zers, moved rapidly on III
,,a a,rec,,on of G. rters' Mill on Goose Creek
some seven miles away. by sunr''e ~
morning the entire force was encampeu Oo
vond that stream. II appears tn"' ANU
,s,s lime General Evans had been. instructed
nv Beaurcgard not to resist the eneii! a"
,'a,,co n, Ieesburg, but 10 retire before hlnl'
y. 90 IN draw him further into the country
WSsle shis movement had taken Piacc
,,n,,onant IA. :. Mccarthy, with inc seV-
~ section of the battery, had been sen. 10
:s;,, ColoneI Griffith, Of the Eighteenth MIS-
siss;ppi regiment, 10 make uehhon9'i ~,
In favor of Colonel Ashby, VINO was ~ ~
tack the Federals at Harper feiIy =" , ,n
Meantime Griiiith's command reacueu wy
niss.. en-, which fire was TO be opened
iIpon the enemy.
AsHBY.
Az soon as Ashby began his attack, NC,
.,sshs'.s guns opened upon the astonisbed
'sarny froin Ioudoun Heights, causing nun
o',oa, annoyance. and. as was ailerWaI9s
e,nS doing him serious damage. In the
midst of the action courier iroui "enoi" o.
~.ans informed Griffith Of his retreat ana
+.riarod his immediate return TO the mann
body behind Goose creek. ms ANNOYING
and useless movement, IN tue nliust VI s sa.n'
hail and snow. was the result OF i"'e '
,iar,n No enemy came, but had nc Decn
aiada' a,vare of the condition Of things on
,he NIGHT of the 18th OF October, MS forces
,.ould have seized upon the town oil LES
hnrg without opposition, ana beauiesdIu
icf, flank would have been at MS mercy
The army had long been annoyed Oy alarils
of This sort which were, however s oon
brought 10 close. On the l9th the troops
returned once more TO their old camping
grounds around l.eesburg ana al inc WINS
on the road TO Edwards Ferry. e-.,..
In the midst OF all the worry and fatigue
Of tho late iascO but one redecmlng lhci'
dcnt occurred. General Evans anu siah'
with n number Of other officers ana sehtic-
men. were Hospitality entertained Wniie III
camp at Goose creek at "Oaklahus; tne
elegant seat Of Mrs. Carter ms Iaoy Ma "a,
The widow of a grandson Of liking carter.
of Nomiui Hall. The stately mansion' WIN
ia ,erraced gardens and Conservatives,
was in every respect worthy oil Inc HOSTESS
Who presided over it with so much grace
and dignity.
PREVALENT RUMORs.
II was now the 10th Of October. Rumors
NJ tho advance OF the enemy were prevalent
nj HEADQUARTERS. Mcclellan had been ac-
lively employed for several months IN per
feeling the organization OF powerful ana
numerous army. Although winter was
nearly at hand il was not too late 10 ac-
coInplish something. His right, under COM
,nand of General stone, occupied the Mary
land side of the Potomac rs high up as the
Point of Rocks. some ten miles above the
evtrome left of the Confederate lines, on the
so',tb side of the river. At that place stone
had a large force, who held the river ana
the bridge crossing il. Immediately OppO-
site Leesburg, the headquarters OF the Ooil-
federates. lay the main body oil stone
forces, amounting 10 about 2o,OO men on an
arms. Near him rose mountain called,
from its shane. "Sugar-LOa Mountain AT
the summit Of this peak were his signal
stations from which the whole country
couId be seen, and any movement oil the
Confederates detected. The river averaged
about $50 wards in width, and at several
pOints described in its course eastward sew
eral curves. much u the advantage oil the
Federals. The latter had taken possession
of an the boats, and had constructed others
adapted to the purposes OF an arm! III
the field. There was, therefore, no eX-
cuse for the continued inactiOn OF the
Federal commander. Before him on the
Virginia side of the Potomac were the Con-
federates under Evans, scarcely numbering
thirty-fye hundred men OF all arms. Inc!
had TO guard and defend line almost en-
yeloped By that of the enemy and separated
from him only by river u Few hundred
wards wide and entirely under his CONTROL
Under these circumstances II was not sur
nrising that the Confederate commander
was compelled TO exercise the greatest vigil
lance. The right flank of the latter's posi-
lion was protected by the waters OF G00se
creek lust before they emptied themselves
into the Potomac about three miles from
Leesburg. A road from the latter place
crossed that stream Oyer.a bridge which had
been burned by the COnfederates before the
occupation of that part OF the country Dy
Evans troops. The point, therefore, AT
which this road crossed the creek was
known AS .the Burnt bridge" and had al
forded n passway for travel and traffic to-
wards Alexandria by the way of DralnsNllle
eastward. 20,
This short and imperfect description Ofthe
cnnntrv and relative conditions Of the Two
armies is necessary TO the readers apprecia-
ton of the events now 10 be recorded.
BATTLE OF BALLS BLUFF.
The battle of Leesburg or Balls Blufl was
near ut hand. On Sunday, the 2Oth, report
came that the enemy had crossed the rlyer,
and was approaching 10y way OF the ROAD 10
Drainsyille. That night the nrst neuten-
ant. being now in command oil the JioWltZer
Company, received orders tosreport with one
section Of artillery 70 Captain Ball, OF the
cavalry. at the burnt BRIDGE The report
of the enemy's advance, although untrue,
had as usual caused General Evans 10 order
"a general retreat behind Goose creek. The
BAGGAGE had been already sent TO the rear,
and not having received the retreating order
until late in the day, the section was detained
in field on the road TO the Burnt brldge,
about one mile from Leesburg, by orders
from General Evans. Soon after TINS, heaNy
firinc was heard To the left in the direction
of Edwards Ferry. Ii was now nearly
sunset. Having been ordered 10 send two
pieces of artillery 70 Edwards Ferry. LIEU
tenant r. NJ. Anderson was despatched 10
mai point with one hOwitzer and a rifle gun.
lie was prevented by night from reaching
that place, and therefore remained WIN
Colonel Butts Eighteenth Regiment, in the
neichboring field until the next morning,
In the meantime Lieutenant Mccarthy. with
the right section, was occupying an eleya-
ted spot overlooking Goose creek near tne
Burnt bridge. and supported by Hunton's
Eighth Virginia Infantry. This force re-
maiued In position during the night OF the
10th, while Lieutenant Palmer and his sec
ton lay all night on the field, as described
above.
Early next morning, the 2lst, he was at
tracted by repeated yolleys of musquetry
in the direction Of Balls Blum, some dis
fauce to the left of Edwards Ferry, and
about sunrise BY several reports Of artillery
from the Maryland side opposite. Anxious
10 find out the cause Of this firing, be rode
over the hills in the direction indicated
and got reliable information that The
enemy had crossed the river above I'D,
wards Ferry from Harrison's Island. and
that the hghting had already begun. Upon
returning 10 the section left standing IN the
t;eld was met by Colonel Rogers, Of Evans