Year: 1861


port the battle the 2lst of July, Manassas vi
gna 1t has been delayed till this time from the inab
Of the subordinate commanders to get earlier true
count of the state of their commands.


In my communication to of the 10th ult, state
as my intention to move that afternoon, and drive Il
enemy from the east side OF Bull Run so as to enable Il
engineers to make sufficiently accurate reconnaissance
TO justify future Later in the day the
had obtained enough information of the passage acro
the stream to dispense with this reconnaissance, and
decided to move without delay. 1t had been my il
tenton to the several columns out the road
few miles the evening of the 20h that they wou
have shorter march in the morning; but deferred
those who had the greatest distance So and who pre-
ferred starting early in the morning and making but OF
move.


On the evening of the 20th uit my command mos
at or Centreviiie The enemy at or near Mi
nassaS distant from Centreve about seven miles TO tn
southwest Cenrevilie is a village Of few houses
mostly the west side of ridge running nearly mort
and south The road from CentreYe to Manp Jun(
ton along this ridge, and Bull Run abor
three miles from the former place The Warrent
pike, which runs nearly east and west, goes III
ridge, through the village, and Bull Run abou
four miles from it, Bull Run having between t
crossing from northwest to southeast.


The first division (TyIer'sl stationed the mort
sde o the "afeton turnpike and on the eastern slor
of the CentTeye ridge, brigades the same roaG
and mile and half in advance, the the ridge
and one brigade the road from Centreville Mana
where it Bull Bun at Black burns Ford. wher
General Tyler had the engagement of the 18th ult Tn
second division (Hunter's the Warrenton turn
pike mile east of Ccntreville The third diviso
| tHeintZeman'sl OF road known as the old BraC
dock road which comes into Centrevle from the south
east, about a mile and a half village The fft
division Mes'l the road with the Third d
vision, and between it and Centreville map which
herewith marked A. will show these positions better tha
I can describe them.


On Friday night train of subsistence arrived and o.
Saturday its contents ordered be issued tn
command and the required to have three days
tons in their haversacks On Saturday orders wer
issued for the available force march As reported
you in my letter of the l9h ut personal reconuois
of the roads to the South had shown that it
not practicable to carry out the original plan of urnn
the enemy's position on their right The affair of tn
q cord we'd ba trOS n
that point fr to force passage there without grea
loss and if did that it would bring in front OF hi
strong position at Manassas. which desired. 0u
information that the Stone Bridge, over which tin
Warren0n road crossed Bull Run the west of Centre
his side of the stream impeded by heavy abatts.


The alternative therefore, to the ef
of his position Reliable information was obtained of a,
undefeuded ford about three miles above the bridge her
being another ford between it and the bridge which
defended 1t err fore determined take the
to the upper ford, and after crossing get behind th
forces guarding the lower ford and the bridge and ae
occupying the Warrenton the bridge
out force to destroy the railroad at Gainesville
and thus break up the communication between tn
enemy's forces at Manassas and those in the valley
Virginia before Winchester, which had been held in checl
by Major eneral Patterson.


Brigadier.Genera Tyler was directed to move will
three Of his brigades the Warrenton road com
mence cannonading the enemys batteries while Hunter
division moving after him. should after passing lit
stream called Cub Run to the right anG north
move around to the upper ford and there turn south
get behind the enemy Col Hentzemans division was Il
follow Hunters turning off place to the lowe
ford. where he enemy should have
been driven by Hunters divison the fifth division
(Mes') to be in reserve on the Centerville ridge.


l hal felt anxious about the road from Manassas by
Blackburns Ford to Centreve along this ridge fearing
that whilst should be in force the front endeav
ong to turn the enemys position ourselves should
be turned by him by this road for if should once
tam possession Of this ridge, which overooks all the
country t" the west to the toe of the Of tao s"
Ridge, should have heen rretrievaby and dcs
troyed had therefore, directed this point to be held il
force and sent en- ineer to exemporize some field
works to strengthen the position


The fourth division tRnnyonsl had not been brough
to the further guard our communications
way Jenna and the Orange and Alexandria Railroad
His advanced regimen was about seven miles in therca
of Centreville


o'clock A NJ, as to arrive the ground early in TIL
day and thus avoid the heat which is to be expected
this There delay in the Fl st division
getting out of its camp on the road and the other dvi
sons Were in consequen between two and three hour
behind the time apponted-a great misfortune. event
turned cut The wood road leading from the Warrentnn
turnpike to the upper ford much longer than W
counted upon, the general direction the stream bein
obque to the road and We having the obtuse angle
our side


General Tyler commenced with his artillery at half
past six, NJ, but the enemy did not reply, and ae
time it became question whether he in an,
force in our front and if he did not intend himself tt
make attack, and make it by Backburn's Ford Afe
firing several times and obtaining no response, hell
one or HentzeIman's brigades in reserve in case W
should have to send any troops back to reinforce Miles
division The other brigades moved forward directr
in the general orders On reaching the ford Sudey'
Spring found part of the leading brigade of Hunter
division Burnsides had crossed but the men were SLOW
in getting over stopping drink. As at this time tn
clouds of dust from the direction of Manassas indie
the immediate approach of large force and fearing
might cOme'down the head of the column before tn
division could all get and sustain it, orders
sent back to the heads of regiments to break from tn
column and forward separately possible


Orders sent by officer to the brigade
Hentzelman's division to by nearer road acros
the fields, and aid de camp sent to Brgader Gen
era Tyler to direct him press forward his attack
large bodies Of the enemy passing in front of him
attack the division which had crossed over The
between the stream and the road leading from Sudley
Spring SOUTH and which Burnsides brigade march
ed for about mile from the ford thickly wooded
whilst the right the road for about the distanc
the country divided between fields and woods Abou
a mile from the road the country both sides of tn
road is open and for nearly mile further large rollin
fields extend down to the Warrenton turnpike whfc
what became the field of battle through the vale
of small water course, tributary of Bull Run.


Shortly after the leading regiment of the first brigad
reached this space and whilst others and the
brigade crossing to the front and right the enem
opened his fire. beginning with artillery and following
up with infantry The leading brigade lBurnsideS) ha
to sustain this shock for short time without support
and did it we'll. The battalion of regular infantry
sent to sustain it, and shortly afterwards the other corp
of Porters brigade, and regiment detached from Helm
zemans division to the left, forced the enemy back ia
enough to allow Shermans and Keyes' brigades, Ty
er division to from their position the Warrer
ton road These drove the right of the enemy, under
stood TO have been commanded by Beauregard from h
front of the field and out Of the detached woods,
down to the road and it the slopes the othe
side. Whilst this going on Heintzelman's diyiso
moving down the field to the and up the roa
beyond Beyond the Warrenton road, and the left
the road down which troops had marched from Sud
ley's Spring, is hill with farm house on it. Benin
this hill the enemy had early in the day of his
annoying batteries planted Across the road from TIL
hill another hill, rather elevated ridge, tab
of land. The hottest part of the contest for the po
| session of this h with house on it, The force Ell
gagged here Hentzeman's division WicoXs and How
ards bSdes on the right supported by part of Porter
brigade and the cavalry under Palmer, and franklin
brigade of Heintzelnans division, Sherman's brigade
Tylers division il the centre and up the road willis
Keyes brigade of Tylers division the left
ing the batteries near the Stone Bridge


The Rhode Island battery of Burnsde's brigade ais
participated in this attack by its fire from the north of
turnpike The enemy understood to have been con
manded by J f Johnston. Ricketts, battery which di
such effective service and played SO brilliant part in tn
contest, was. together with Grin's battery the sic
of the HILL and became the object of the special
of the enemy, who ded-our officers mstakng
of his regiments for one of our own, and allowing it
approach without firing upon it-n disabling the batter
| and then attempted to take it.


Three times was he repulsed by different CORPS in SUI
ession and driven back, and the guns taken by han
the horses being killed, and pulled away The thir
time supposed by all the repulse was fna
for he driven entirely from the hill, and so far
yond it not to be in sight, and all certain the da
was He had before this been driven nearly mi
and half, and was beyond the Warrenton road whic
was entirely in our possession from the Stone Rrdl
westward and our engineers just completing Il
removal Of the abattis the road allow rel
forcement Schencks brigade and Ayers battery to o


The enemy was evidently disheartened and broke
But had been fighting since half past ten O'Clock in Il
morning and it after three O'Clock in the afernoo
The mn had been mp since tUo o'clock in the morn'
and had made achdt to those unused to such things


long march before coming into dcti though the long,
distance gone orer a9dS not than nine and hd
miles; and though h4y had three days provisions
out to them the day before, many doubt either did
eat thenn threW them the march during
battle and therefore cithosa food. They had do
much severe fighting Some of the regiments which hi
been driven from the hill in the two first attempts of
enemy to keep possession of it had become shaken,
unsteady, and had many men out of the ranks


II ,U1S at this time that the ensmyS reinf0rcementS
mid frofof he m
lust drriped from the raey lcih the residue Johnston
army They threU them etreS in the tcoods on rig
and o,cardS the rear Of oar ght, and opened fire


n1Sheru on our men, 10tich caused them to break and


tire dolcn the hillside This som degenerated into d


order. for which there remedy. Erery effort u


MADE to rally them beyond the reach Of the enem,
Jre, out udin The battalion of regular infantry ao


moved up the hill opposite to the with the house


H. anu there maintained itself until our men could
uo~ 10 anu across the Warrenton turnpike, on the
BACK TO the position we occupied in the morning 4
pain was covered with the retreatpg troops and tn


seemed to infect those with whom they came in cona
s still further into panic.
Finding this state of affairs was bevond the efforts


all those VINO had assisted so faithfully during the 10


and hard days work in gaining almost the object of q


wishes and that nothing remained on ,he 6ald hnt 70
d, | c0gnZe what could longer prevent g.uatha
cessary orders to protect their withdrawal begg;n


men to form in line, and offer appearance at least
disorganizaton They returned by the fords to the


renton road, protected by my oder, by Col Porters o


ofreguars Once the road, and the different corps co


ing together in small parties many without officers N
became intermin gled, and all organization lost
= Orders had been sent back to Miles division for
gade to forward and protect this retreat, and


Bepkers brigade detached for this purpose and


ordered to go far forward as the point where the
. | to the right left the main road


By referring to the general order 1t will be seen tn


while the operations no in front, attack
| tn Black kburn's by the brigade fRcha