The National tribune., 1896-07-02
FIRST BULL RUN.
Graphic Story of the Contest from the Pen
of Gen. Colyille.

perhaps no more interesting narrative of tb,
first Bull Run given in the History of the Is
Mimi, as told in the words of Gen. William
Colville, who was Captain of Co. f. 1t is a:
follows:
Buck Hill was held by two Confederate
brigades-Bee's and Evans's-and the attack
there was made by Hunters Division in
front along the Bull Run slope There was
a series of attacks and repuses, and the end
was long delayed, until n regiment OF ouI
| (Heintzelman's) division struck the enemy
flank by the way of Sudley road, and, get
ting in a cross-fire, demoralized and broke
the Confederates, who fell back to Stonewall
Jacksons position, about half a mile TO the
rear.
The position was almost the counterpart
of the first, the right resting on the bluffs OF
| Bull Run and the left on the Sudley road
occupying the top of a long slope, screened
all the way across by the thickets of pine
and oak. The distance across was about hall
a mile In the thickets, and extending
across from valley to road, Beauregard says
he had G, 500 men and IA guns about the time
we reached Buck Hill.
"a study of his force in detail shows at
least 5000 men and more gnns at the time
We went in with RclSetts's Battery. limbo
den says he counted 26 guns, saw them
properly sighted and the fuses cut. These
were in addition 10 his own battery, which
had retired from action. BY order of Gen.
Bee this battery had been placed at the
| Henry House, covering the Sudley road
flank of the Buck Hill position, where it had
done good service and exhausted lis am
munition.
| "Sherman's Brigade came by the right
| flank of Buck Hill from his covering OF Bull
Run about 90 rods above Stone Bridge
| just after the brush was over, and he assisted
| in the pursuit across Young's Creek. We
arrived at Buck Hill soon after Sherman,
and saw his brigade-the I'd Wis, the 69th
| n. Y. (Irish), and the 10Th n. Y. High
landers drawn up across Young's Creek
| close under the hill and out of fire, his line
extending from the Warrenton pike nearly
| to the Henry House. At that time Griffin's
battery, of Porter's Brigade, and Ricketts,
| battery, of our (Franklin's) brigade, were
pounding vigorously at a battery near the
right of Stonewalls position, the former
from the northwest and the latter from the
| northeast angle of the crossroads, and the
enemy made but feeble reply. Stonewall
had his trap set, and did not choose to dis
We drew up at Buck Hill with eight
other regiments, all screened from the enemy.
There was our Commanding General and
every division and brigade commander who
had crossed Bull Run, except Hunter, who was
wounded, and Howard who WIS held back
at Sudley Ford. The commanders were all
in consultation. The result was that Rick
etts's battery, supported by the 1st Mimi,
and Griffin's battery, supported by the 14th
n. T., OF Porter's Brigade, were sent to take
position at the Henry House HILL within SO
rods OF the enemy's position. Near the
Henry House wood came down from the
thlcket, extending 60 rods along the left
(east) of the Sudley road
This wood was surrounded by a rail
fence grown up on one side with scrub
pine so thick as to be impenetrable to the
sight. We led off by the flank, and followed
by the batteries, coming under fire the first
time, to the Warrenton pike, and then on
low ground, out of range, to the Sudley road
again, which we followed across the creek
(Young's), and then TO the foot of hill on
the other side, when we filed left into The
field, and then up hill, coming by company
into line, and then forward into line, with
intent to form on the brink of the hill, the
batteries to pass through the line at the
center, taking position a short distance in
front.
When the first two companies on the
right Of the regiment came into line on the
brink, we found ourselves about two rods
from the Henry wood, the left of my com
pany, the second, about on line with its
northeast angle; and, at the same time,
Gen. Heintzelman, who had led our regi-
ment TO the foot of the hill, where ii filed
left and fhap rn5a hyf ho rnaI IN
top, and across along the brink, gave our
two companies the order, Feel in the woods
for the enemy" to which we responded by
volley, and then by continued fire.
1t would have been more sensible to have
pushed few skirnishers into the woods, who,
in two minutes, would have notified us Of the
arapproach Of the enemy. Although sup
pose that within two, or at most three min
utes the regiment was in line at the brink, and
the batteries IN position, and the fate Of the
batteries determined. For they had barely
unlimbered and got in altogether but two
or three shots, when the concentrated fire of
all the enemy's guns had killed all their
horses and many of their men, practically
disabling both the batteries.
Griffin ascribes all his loss TO the enemy in
the woods, but the position of the dead
horses close around the guns, and some
barely detached from them, proves my ac-
count There was, in fact, coming down
the wood TO meet us, at the time we opened
our musketry-iire, brigade of the enemy
that part of Stonewal's masked line that
had been stationed in the rear of this wood.
and which, on discovering the batteries, had
pushed the 18th Ala. to our front to cover
that flank, and formed the other three repi-
ments in close column and advanced on the
guns.
Their advance from the woods was DELHI
crate and quiet, and, though perceived from
the batteries, they were senselessly held by
Griffin and Maj Barry, the Chief of Artil-
lery, as friends; and so, coming close up.
our regiment Withholding its fire on account
of the Griffin-Barry statement, delivered the
first volley, which took effect in the center
of our regiment, as well as the batteries
killing our Color Sergeant and wounding
three Corporals Of the color guard, also |
killing and woundng 80 men of the color |
company. Capt. Lewis McKune, of Co. G.. |
was killed, other companies suffering Sc
verely, and the colors were riddled with |
bullets. The men Of our regiment at the |
center and on the left dropped on the slope |
and returned the fire, and we On the right, !
engaged in the front, now for the first time |
discovering the enemy, turned our fire on his |
left rear at close range.
But they pushed over the batteries. |
pretty well jammed up, and finally faced |
about toward us, and we expected their vol |
Tnot aol f~n, e