The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1907-06-13

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and found Beauregard's left flank The
two hours of firing were not particu
larry destructive, as both sides fired
at each others smoke with minimum
of casualties. Probably the worst eff.
| feet was the moral exhaustion of the
attacking force. which had been Sc.
| verely taxed by the long march and the
ry House plateau was a great fort and
exceedingly difficult Of assault The
Henry House plateau rises for about 100
feet above the level of Bull Run, and
is inclosed on three sides by streams
In this Enclosure, about $50 acres in
extent, were the houses of the widow
Henry and the free negro Robinson,
both small, unpretentious frame build
ings. Gen. Mcdowell ordered the adj
vance of his left by the slope of the
hill toward the Henry House, which
was CALAMITY made, and the enemy
pushed back from it. Mcdowell went
up stairs in the Henry House to OBJ
serve the field. Then began a series
of desultory and piece-meal assaults
by regiments against the entire Con-
federate force standing in position Col
HeintZelman says that he ordered up
Eilsworth's Zouaves, commanded by
Col. Farnham, which encountered an
turned the fire. but Immediately fisd in
confusion to the rear from a charge of
Stuarts Cavalry. The list MINI. was
next led up and made good fight, but
was repulsed and retired in fairly good
order. Then the 1st Mich. went in,
was repulsed, retired in some confu-
sion. but was promptly rallied. The
14th Brooklyn was next to try it's hand
with similar results.
Gen. w. T. Sherman says that he
sent in in succession the 18th N. Y,
69th N. Y. 18th N. Y, and I'd Wis,
all of which swept forward. engaged
the vastly superior force of the enemy,
the cover of the ridge. This was the
history of all the brigades and regi-
ments, and finally Mcdowell, about 8
o'clock. finding that his infantry was
not producing the expected impression
upon the enemy, made what Gen. I'm
boden- says was the fatal mistake of
the battle in ordering forward across
Youngs Branch his two splendid Reg
ular batteries. commanded by Ricketts,
and Griffin. Gen. Imboden, who COM
manded Confederate battery at Bull
Run, says:
1T was at this time that Mcdowell
committed, as ! think, the fatal blum
der OF the day by ordering both Rick
etts's and Griffin's batteries to cease
firing and move across the turnpike to
the top Of the Henry He'll and take po-
sition on the west side of the house
The short time required to effect the
change enabled Beauregard to arrange
his new line of battle on the highest
crest of the hill, southeast of the Hen
ry and Robinson houses. in the edge of
the pines. If one of the Federal bat
teries had been left north of Young's
Branch. it could have so swept the hill
top where we reformed that it would
have greatly delayed, if not wholly
prevented. us from occupying the posi-
to the next hill, on which stands the
Lewis house, Sherman. who had crost
Bull Run not far above the Stone
Bridge at a farm ford, would have had
fair swing at our right flank, TO say
nothing of the effect of the artillery
playing upon us from beyond Bull
Rum
Mai. Barry's Frishtful Blunder.
The two batteries had been in posi-
ton about 1000 feet from the enemy
but a little while and were doing adj
mirable work, with the enemy appar-
entity disappearing in front of them, tho
they drew upon them the fire a close
range of all the Confederate artillery
on the hill. Suddenly, a regiment in
gray came up from the shelter of the
ravine and marched directly toward
them. 1t was the 33d Va, commanded
by Col. A. G. Cummings. of Jackson's
Brigade, and ii is said that Cummings
moved of his own accord, tempted by
the closeness of the batteries. Can't
Griffin saw the regiment coming and
loaded with canister to receive il, but
before he could fire Maj Barry, Nc
Dowelrs Chief of Artillery. and an ac-
complished officer, dashed up to him
and restrained him. saying that the
troops were our own men. Maj. Bar
rvs action can only be accounted for
by the ease with which mems minds
became confused as to direction by the
tumut and whirl of fierce fighting.
Col Cummings marched his regiment
up to the fence within 20 yards of the
batteries. his men rested their guns
upon the rails and fired a deliberate