The National tribune., 1907-07-18

o'clock with Germans Brigade. the
eth Mich, and three troops of cavalry
At the same time he sent to HARRISON
Island four com panicS of the loth
Mass, under Col Devens, and battal-
ion OF the goth Mass. under Col. Lee.
Col. Cogswell was sent with the ram
many regiment and a section of artil-
lery to COnrad's Ferry. The cannon
began a vigorous shelling along the line,
during which time number of boats
were passed from the canal into the
river as if to make crossing. Tho
troops were brot into view all along the
| bank and a small force of the enemy
retired out of sight. Three boat-loads
| of 30 men each from the 1St Mimi We're
sent across the river under cover of the
| fire, found nobody. and returned. AZ
| the same time Capt Philbrick, with
| 20 men. crossed the river from Harri-
sons Island and explored a bride path
| leading toward GeeSburg. About 10
| ut night Lieut.. Howe, Quartermaster OF
| the 18th Mass, reported to Gen. stone
| that Capt Philbrick had returned after
proceeding unmolcsted to within one
mile of Leesburg, and that he had dis
covered on the edge of the woods an
| cncampment of about 80 tents. ap-
| preaching to within % yards of thcfn
without being challenged This was
only another of the series of deadly
blunders in that unhappy affair. The
camp did not exist, but Philbrick mis-
took the moonlight shining thru the
| trees Tor white tents.
In the locality where Stone was now
operating the great Cumberland Canal
lies close to the river. In the river it
self is long island. called Harrisons ;
Island, which extends as far up as op-
posita Leesburg Conrad's Ferry is at
the upper end of the island, while a
few hundred yards below the lower end
are the mouth of Goose Creek and Ed
wards Ferry. The Potomac at that
point runs a rapid course over rugged
bed, and directly opposite Harrison's
Island rises Balls Bluff. a granite cliff
with steep sides some 20 feet high.
AS Stone had not expected a crossing
in force to the Virginia side, he was ill
prepared for such a movement. AT
Harrison's Island he had only one large
flatboat capable of carrying about 80
and a small iron launch. They had
about the same provision at Edwards
Ferry Upon the receipt of the report
from Capt. Philbrick Stone says:
"I at once sent orGers to Col. Devens
to cross four companies of his regiment
to the Virginia shore, march silently,
under cover of night, to the position of
the camp referred to, to attack and de-
stroy it at daybreak, pursue the enemy
lodged there as far as would be pru-
dent with his small force, and return
rapidly to the island. his return to be
covered by company of the Goth Mass,
which was directed to be posted on the
| bluff directly over the landing place.
col. Devens was ordered to use this
opportunity to observe the approaches
to Leesburg and the position and force
| of any enemy in the vicinity, and in case
| he found no enemy or found him only
weak, and a position where he could
| observe well and be secure until his
party could be strengthened sufficiently
Ito make q valuable reconnaissance
which should safely ascertain the posi-
| ton and force of the enemy, to hold on
and report.
"Orders were dispatched to Col Ba-
ker to send the 1st Cal. regiment t.
| Conrad's Ferry, TO arrive there at sun
| rise, and to have the remainder of his
| brigade in state of readiness to move
| after an early breakfast. Also TO Lieut.
| Col. Ward, of the 18th Mass, to move
with a battalion of the regiment to the
river bank, opposite Harrison's Island.
| to arrive there by daybreak. Lieut.
| French, of Ricketts's Battery. was de-
tached with two mountain howtZers
! and ordered to the tow-path of the
canal opposite Harrison's Island"
| Mistaken Confidence.
Stone issued these orders with entire
| confidence that there was no consider
| able force OF the enemy across the riv-
er, and that those whom he had ordered
to make a reconnaissance We're more
| than ample for any contingency Ia
| obedience to orders Col. Devens crossed
TO the Virginia shore about midnight
with five companies. numbering about
| 800 men. and halted until daybreak in
an open field near the bluffs bordering
| the shore. He was Joined by Col. Lee
with 100 mon of the goth Mass, who
/ halted on the bluff to cover the return.
while Devens advanced towards Lees
| burg and the supposed camp. Devcns
found no men whatever in front of him,
and decided not to return at once.
About $50 he sent a non-commissioned
thought he could remain where he was
until reinforced
The Confederate officer in command
at Leesburg was that Col. Evans whom
we have seen make such a determined
| resistance to the march of McDowell's
thanking column at Bull Run. He hal
with him about 1000 men, whom he
| kept in concealmcn: from the recon-
noitering columns that he had seen
approach. He seems TO have been in
| doubt as to the strength of Devens's
column, since he sent out a small party
| of skirmishers on one flank and squad
of cavalry on the other to feel the enc
my. He could not believe that the
Fedcrals had been so imprudent as to
send only a few hundred men across
the river. After a short skirmish De-
vens withdrew to the summit of Balls
Bluff. where there was clearing Of
about half mile long, following the
course of the river, and some 500 yards