Evening star., 1933-09-10

mile the yellow mud bluffs at the head Of
Harrsons Island.
North along Balls Bluff the path leads down
to a landing where the river about rs yards
wide on this side of the island, is crossed by
a fiat boat held against the rapid current by
a steel cable strung from shore to shore. This
crossing and the from the Maryland shore
to the island were important factors in the
defeat of the Union Army at Balls Bluff. The
island itself is about a mile wide at the CEN
ter while the two arms of the river which
embrace it are narrow streams, dangerously
swift and difficult. The fiat boat now in use
from the Virginia shore to the island gives
a fair idea of the clumsy vessels in which
the Union reinforcements struggled across
both branches of the river, a few at time
with delay and confusion, while the debacle
the bluff was taking place. Maps Of the
battlefield, as of the period, would indi-
cate that it was by crossing exactly at this
point and along the same path up to the bluff
that the Union soldiers came on the ill-omened
night Of October 90 1861.
Col Charles Devens commanding the 18th
Massachusetts, Reg gment later TO be Attorney
General of the United States under President
Hayes led the first soldiers across the river.
At midnight they crept up the bluff and lay
in wait in the field at the top until dawn.
Some Confederate tents previously reported by
scouts were found to be the spaces between
a row of trees silhouetted on ridge. In the
early light Col. Devens reconnoitered with a
few men, reaching slope from which he looked
down on Leesburg and saw few Confederate
tents.
These maneuvers were the result of tele-
gram in which Gen Mcclellan commanding
the Army of the Potomac in Washington, sug-
gested to Gen. Charles P. Stone commanding
a division of 10000 men near Poolesville Md,
that slight demonstration might be made
against the Confederates at Leesburg. 1t was
upon the shoulders Of Gen. Stone that ulti-
mate blame for the ensuing disaster fell
Gen. Stone decided on two threats against
Leesburg, one via Harrisons Island and the
other at Edwards Ferry, a few miles down the
river from Leesburg-a ferry which has for
some years been discontinued. On the Mary
land shore opposite Harrisons Island, on the
morning Of the 2lst Of October. Col. Edward
D. Baker Of the list Pennsylvania. was in re-
cept Of instructions from Stone leaving him
the option of recalling the small detachment
on Balls Bluff or Of throwing his whole brigade
across the river and assuming command in
person. This was the eloquent Edward D.
Baker Of California, who had left a seat In the
United States Senate to take up arms
The Confederate commander near Leesburg
was Gen. Nathan G. Evans, a strategist Of
first Bull Run fame. He was nicely posted in
front of Leesburg at point halfway be-
tween the intended crossings, about two miles
from either. Some time early in the morning
started shifting troops behind the hills toward
the Balls Bluff front.
Meanwhile the troublesome and disordered
passage Of COL Bakers troops was taking place.
At the crossing from the Maryland shore
facilities consisted of two nat boats and one
small skih. mile away in the Chesapeake
& Ohio Canal the soldiers found another Fat
boat pulled it TO- point opposite the crossing
and succeeded In lifting it over to the river
On the Virginia side operations we're conducted
with one fat boat and q small metallic" boat
No one was in charge of the crossing. Each
company of soldiers, as they reached the water
manned the clumsy craft, catch-as-catch cam
and went swirling and circling in the muddy
eddies. The Union Army came across "in
driblets,' while over behind the cover of the
Virginia hills parts Of four Confederate regi-
ments moved from the center before Leesburg
and closed in upon the field upon the bluff.
Along the edge of the woods nearest the
bluff Col. Baker made the center of his hne
Col Deven's 18th Massachusetts, Regiment, the
original occupiers Of the ground, formed a wing
along the edge Of the woods on the right side
Of the clearing. In the point of the thus
formed the soldiers drew out two howitzers
which had been pushed up the bluff by man
power On the extreme left of the line they
placed six-pounder. All three guns were out
in the open.
1t was half-past two in the afternoon. With
the exception Of an occasional rifle shot, all