The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-08
BALLS BLUFF on
LEE5BURC FIGHT
An Interesting Account Of Some
Of the Heroes Of That
Battle.
GEN. STONE a scAPEGoAT
Burt, Featherstone, Barksdale and
Brown, Of Mississippi, and
Hunton, of Virginia.

Htl1lCOn, Ol NIiSliila
I am glad to send you an interesllns
story of the battle Of Balls bun or lNes
burg, BY Captain ]. $; McNelly, .ne ~
aid, This gentleman has done mucl lor
,ha truth OF Confederate history, ana Is
,ou 1,estowing much OF his time ana az
tention to the part performed by Mlssls-
slppi in the great struggle. NO stats s".'t
TO tho field truer or more c~hiValrous SOUS
than Mississippi. Their modesty mas
been equal to their merit. Their many
deeds of heroism have been r~ecounted
in no vain-glorious spirit and the PAIN
truth of them contains the most eloquent
tribute that man can pay TO those WHO
deserve to be
Virginia was nobly represented IN the
battle of Balls Bluff by the Sth virginia
Infantry, commanded by that historic SOL
dler of we'll earned renown Colonel tnow
GeneraD Eppa Hunton. The spsehdlu naIt
which he and his men performed detracts
not from what was so worthily and well
done by the three regiments of Mississip-
mans and their distinguished commanders,
Bart, Barksdale and Featherstone, ana
their names are memorable in the annals
of the army Of Northern Virginia.
Col. Elijah White who took part In the
battle with the Sth virginia has written
"a very valuable and interesting paper
about it. The great fame he earned as a
Calvary leader had its energies In his
brave conduct on that occasion; ana nc
has never forgotten .the boys" whom nc
led on many fields.
am pleased to know that Maj. r. w.
Hunter is collecting material with which
to do full Justice to the men Of this State,
and to the soldiers of Balls Bluff, and
+ am sure that all OF them who yet sur
vIye VIII DO glad to know that SO graphic
and potent a pen as that of Captain Nc
Nelly is preserving the rcminicenscs OF
the brave Mississippians and their lead
ers. JNO. w. DANIEL.
The following ifrom the Washington
correspondence OF the Boston Transcript
Is Of Interest to Confederate survivors OF
the famous battle of Leesburg or Balls
Bluff:
Massachusetts people. especially her
civil war veterans, cherish n lively in
terest in the battle field of Balls Bluff,
and will be gratiHed to know that the
house of representatives Eoncluded IN
the army appropriation bill this week
an item of 5000 for preserving that field
and Its burial ground. The Senate will
confirm this action. The battle of Balls
Bluff, on October 81, 1861, was one of the
tragedies ot the conflict between the
States, where'Lthe Northern men greatly
o~utnutnbereNf, Were driven like sheep over
bluffs $50 feet high in n struggling mass
down upon the shore or into the waters
Of the Potomac. Tho 18th and 10Th Mas
sachusetts regiments were represented In
that engagement under the command of
Col. Charles Devens, afterward breVetted
Encouragement of volunteers for gallant
service in the campaign before Richmond,
and Col. William Raymond Lee, brevetted
w. - J. - r, liar yonn,nl re Nn1iInfnaVa- Pnp die.
tinguished conduct at the battle Of An
tietam and meritoriOus service during the
war, Their officers and regiments con-
tanned many very interesting people. JUS
tice Oliver Wendell Holmes of the SUI
preme Cou was n lieutenant in the Goth
regiment, and was twice Wounded in that
battle. Gen. William T. Bartlett, who
died in 1916, was II captain in the Goth,
and carried five men from the field of ac-
ton. Mai. and Surgeon Paul Revere was
also in this regiment, and Col. Ward was
serving in the 18TH. He was killed at
Ant!etam.
Historic Character.
Col. Edward Dickinson Baker. who COM
manded the list Pennsylvania infantry
IN that battle. remains q most interesting
historic character. He came to this coun-
try from England when four years old
with his father, md lived In Pennsylvania
VII AR-tI 'sAN'' E 'AN NV ~ w ''i''N'h
where he was elected TO the house OF
representatives in pnRregS, b.
resigned In December. 1916, to enter the
Mexican war ms colonel of the 4th Illinois
regiment. Returning to Illinois at tn,
close of that war. he was again elected
to the house in the 2lst congress, declined
reelection, and moved TO California, La,
ter he moved again, going to Oregon
aud was elected Senator from that State
taking his seat In December, 1860. II.
was a "nghttng man however, and whcr
tho war broke ont left Washington tt
organized the list Pennsylvania regimen
and became it's colonel. He nicked hi
mon from among those claiming Califor
MIA rs their native State, and the regi
.u7ert WIS laio@I1 as Tic lst California. II,
declined an appointment MS brigadier gen
eral IN May. 1861, and had not accepted
an appointment as major general whel
killed.
Fffty-four Union soldiers arc buried a
Balls Bluff, and neurly all Of the grave
are unmarked.
A proposition made some years ago 4
transfer tho bodies TO Arlington nationa
cemetery for internent in the plot aliol
ted TO the unknown#dead was yigorousl
opposed by the late Senator Hoar, repre-
sentIng the survivors OF that battle, an
friends ~ those who participated in It.
A good deal of history Of thrilliui
though minor consequence Is ~clustcre
around This battle, and It's central Hgur
on the Union side, Col. Edward Dickinso
Baker. lie was. II remembered right!
the partner and second Of Senator Bro
derrick, of California: In the duel In whic
he was killed by Chief Justice Terry, {
1.-THE State Supreme Court. This WAS III
most celebrated Of ali American duel