Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-04-09
Civil War Stories
Battle of BaII's BLUM.

Interest in the stirring events af the
q eat conflict between the north ana
The south over forty years ago is oy
no means confined to the survivors
thereof, but it seems To grow and ex-
.pand in the hearts of the young gem
GRAFTON, who love to read of the NOV
ing armies, the historic battles. the
stirring scenes, the capture Of cities
and fOrtresSeS, and all the other Incl
dents of the momentous eonhict.
/ ere have been many contributors
70 war literature, but l do not remem-
Der TO have seen in print the incident
which follows and which occurred back
In 1861. 1t was an event that cast
a profound gloom over the country n
that time, not only because Of the de-
feat of the federal forces and the death
OF gallant officer, but because of the
appointment which it caused to the
hopes that had been raisei through
the growth and Improvement of tie
army, The story was told to me by
an officer who was Il prominent par
49, pant III liz ANAL bui WHO IL 100
modest to let me make his name pub
lie. 1t is a plain statement of facts
and is as follows:
Balls Bluff is the name Of a part of
the bank of the Potomac river ON the
Virginia side, each of Leesburg, OPP
posite the bluff and about one hundred
yards distant is Harrison's island
long tract containing about forty acres
and about $50 yards broad Between
this I i, and the Virginia shore the river
runs With a rapid Current. Between
the island and the Maryland shore
the river is about 200 yards wide and
not so rapid. A short distance above
the upper end of the island there was
then ferry across the Potomac, called
Conrad's ferry, and about an equal dis
tance below the island was Edwards
ferry. The two hostile armies had tor
some months held the opposite banks
of the river at this point 1t was here
that the confederates had contemplated
an Eruption into Maryland to attack
Washington. Gen. Banks held The
Maryland side of the river from Great
Falls to Edwards ferry. From that
point to Conrad's ferry was stationed
the division Of Gen. Stone, with head
quarters at Poolesville, then came the
force Of Col. Lander and then that of
Col. Geary, On the Virginia side Of
the river the principal Confederate
posts were Dranesyille and Leesburs.
As it was considered desirable to as
certain the strength of the enemy at
GAINESVILLE, Gen. Mcclellan ordered
Gen. Mccall to make reconnaissance
in that direction. This was executed
on the 10th of October, 1861. and Nc
Call returned to his former position
on the goth, reporting no enemy n
Dranesyille nor within four miles Of
Leesburg. Gen. Stone at poolesville
was ordered TO make a demonstration
and sent Germans brigade to Edwards
and Twentieth Massachusetts to Har-
rison's island, and section of Il
Rhode Island battery and the Call
fornia and New York regiments under
Col. Baker to Conrads' ferry. A feint
was then made to cross the river by
Germans corps in plain view of tne
enemy.
Shortly after l a, m. on the Dist
Col. Devens, with five companies If
the Fifteenth Massachusetts, accom-
panied by Col. Lee with a detachment
of the Twentieth Massachusetts.
crossed from Harrison's island to the
Virginia side and took position on The
top Of Balls Bluff, which here rises
abruptly some 100 feet from the river
At the same time, in order TO attract
attention from Col. Devens, Gen. Store
directed German to send two companies
of the First Minnesota across the river
and throw out a squad of cavalry on
the Leesburg road. In the meantime,
Gen Stone, having received ii repu't
from Col Deyens that no enemy was
TO be seen, ordered a battalion Of the
Fifteenth. Massachusetts to cross and
protect the flank of Col. Deyens, aud
Col. Baker to be ready with his brigade
to act as a reinforcement If niece IS
sary. About a. III. of the 21st CT.
Devens, who had pushed forward t.
ward Leesburg, encountered Confeder-
ate infantry and cavalry, and fell back
In good order to the bluff. He had
only about $50 men under his coal-
mand, aud reported for further orde",
He was directed by Gen. Stone to 70
main where he was and was promised
reinforcements. While waiting for
these he was attacked abOEI noon ny
the enemy, who, concealed in the sur
rounding woods, poured IN a deadly
fire from their guns upon the small
federal force in an open field Of abo II
six acres.
Portions Of the First California, tie
Twentieth Massachusetts aud some
companies of the New York Tam
many regiment, aud battery Of 70 IT
guns had now crossed the river, and