The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1906-10-18
"Reminiscences of the FIRST
Battle of Bun Run.


the first great battle of the war. There
had been minor affairs in other sections
where few on each side were killed
and wounded, but the first contest that
awakened the people of the North and
sent thrill of surprise throughout the
loyal states; that really measured up to
the magnitude of great battle, occur.
red between the Union forces under
command of Gen. Mcdowell and the
Confederates commanded by Gen.
Beauregard, on this historic field. say
it created thrill of surprise for the
reason that the result of the conflict was
so far different from that which was ex-
pected, not only by the Union forces
directly engaged but by the entire
Northern people. A defeat of the Un-
ion arms was not looked for. So far as
l know not one of the Union soldiers
who marched out from their bivousc
grounds on that eventful morning, forty
five years ago, expected anything else
but steady advance towards the Con-
federate capital, followed by surren-
der OF that place and speedy overthrow
OF the rebellion. so marked was this
expectation, the officials In high author
ity at Washington in large plumbers fol
lowed in the wake of the Army In order
to see the defeat of the Confederates
and cheer the Union soldiers on to
victory.
AS member of one of the Maine
regiments that took an active part in
the whole affair from start TO finish
present private's view of the struggle
and "reminiscences of the scenes that
took place. A soldier in the ranks did
not direct, did not control anything and
yet as general thing they had quite
well defined ideas of the great drama
that was being enacted before their eyes
and passed judgment upon the results
They were in the ranks and bore a hum
BILE part in the advance, in the battle, in
the victory or defeat as the case nigh {
be, and all of these active scenes are
stamped upon their minds 30 clearly, so
firmly that time can never efface them
How clearly l remember that beauti-
full summer night, the night before the
battle, | was on camp guard and paid
but little attention to rest or sleep as
the 1.-TWO hours on and four off, occur
red throughout the night and we were
all eager to take up the line of march
towards the enemy and what we sup
posed to al easy victory, as had been
announced in general orders on parade
the night before We were called upon
TO be IN readiness to break camp at two
O'Clock in the morning, but it was five
O'Clock before the brigade moved out
from the bivouac grounds and Joined
the division under commend of Gen
Hunter Our brigade was composed of
the third, fourth and fifth Maine and
second Vermont regiments, temporarily
in command of Col. o. o Howard, of
the third Maine. To those not yet ac-
customed to the large military maneu.
vers that afterwards occurred, 1t was a
grand and imposing sight to see those
long lines of infantry that composed the
division march out upon the main road
with waving flags and glistening bayo-
nets and joyous step towards the battle
field. The famous zouaves led the d.
vision. 1t was splendid regiment, one
thousand strong, dressed in red shirts
and tasseed caps. We thought they
would be match for any hostile force
that would dare to meet them anywhere
from the Potomac to the gulf
The sun had just risen in a perfectly
clear sky with not breath of air stir.
ing as the division got into line, and
everything indicated a day of excessive
heat so common to the southern latitude
in midsummer.
Every veteran soldier knows how tire
some and exhaustive it is to be on the
march in dust and heat moving some
times at double quick" and at other
times halting just long enough to fall
down in the shade behind the fence, or
tree by the roadside, when the meroi-
less call comes along the lines "Fal in,
forward march and we keep this up
until we cross Cuboun q tributary to Bull
Run, where prolonged halt la made
and the men have the opportunity to
rest awhile and listen to the big guns az
they begin to open up the days conflict
few miles to the front. The sun ID
pouring down his oppressive heat and the
noon hour Is at hand when all of sud.
den the call rings out again to fall in for
rapid move to the battle line.
1t WAS said that the brigade made the
circuit of six miles, we'll around the
right of our lines. in one hours time
1t was a hard march and the men were
nearly exhausted when we reached the
| firing line and Col Howard formed his
brigade in line of battle. If remember
correctly the Fifth Maine held the right.
Fourth Maine next, then the Second
Vermont and the Third Maine on the
left.
Previous to reaching the firing line
and while moving by the right flank
across a wide field we could see Con
federate regiments of infantry, a mile
to the south, marching with closed
ranks to the eastward until they passed
from sight. These troops were Johns
tons reinforcements that had arrived
bg the way of Manassas and came on to
the field just in time to be thrown
against our division. In fact at the
very time that Col. Howard was forming
his brigade in line of battle the first ar
rival of Johnston's troops were engaged
up to our right with the Ellsworth you.
ayes and the night brigades OF our divi
sion, resulting in the defeat of the I'm
ion troops which were slowly but surely
being driven back from the lines they at
first held. When Col. Howard ordered
his brigade forward out of the valley
where it had formed and up the quite
steep ridge in front, the right was Civ
ing way and breaking up into disordere1
masses before the onward sweep of the
victorious confederates We had not
advanced far up the hill when the enemy
opened upon us heavy fl from their
compact lines which were formed in the
edge of the woods some fifty rods away.
In the meantime shot and shell were en-