Year: 1862

duty should not have been assigned to the division
Of Gen. Mccall who lay with competent force on the
side Of the river and why should have been en-
trusted Stone who had only river 70 cross but
actually two rivers before he could mako the attack Ine


inquiry TO this blundsr II only even stimulated oy Gu
riosity would not be unnatural at time like this now
possessing the slightest smatterng Of military know


ledge cannot fail to observe that the river unbrdged and
unfordabe is OF the formidable and perilous
obstacles To military advance At times not wholly


mpracticable Hordnary sources Of information are 70
be relied on nothing is TO be 80 much areaasa sna
and Stunned at any cost as the passage, In face
OF the enemy os unbrdged and unfordable stream,
and when attempted under these circumstances II requires
only Of transportation to throw force TO
the attack but sufficient means to bring 1t back in So
curity and expedously in case OF repulse. In this
two rivers seemed to have been considered by our
commanding officers az very slight obstacles TO their
plans Of attackso slight indeed that the divisions lying
the lighting side OF the river not brought into
requsiton ALL not for the purpose Of defending
the crossing and landing to the tumutuous
retreat. No. but the whole expedition with all its appa-
rent dangers, left TO the divsion Of
Stone The crossing of the river with their means of
transportation, occupied four days The crossing and


landing places had TO be selected. The crossing
place selected was one OF the most remarkable


things in ITSELF il confessedy the most dangerous
that could be selected. The landing place was high
bank of clay fifteen feet abrupt and perpendicular
and surmounted by bluff Of one hundred and fifty feet
The region around thicky timbered Within twelve
miles Of the crossing was saw mill, located within
half mile OF the river itself Between the river and rail-


road beyond ran canal, while all around there was an
abundance Of timber, round square and sawed. We all
know 10 what this timber might with little trouble have
when rec0lect the material which composed
General Bakers DIVISION among whom were plenty Of
men who could repair and sail ship and build and run
locomotive engine. But this timber was
not the only means Of transportation within the
reach Of General that occasion. On
the canal Of which speak, and which contiguous
tho river, there foaed large number of boats Of
considerable tonnage-so large number that in day
and night boats enough for transportation might have
been procured TO convey with safety and expedition all


the troops and war munitions needed for the exedton
Not only this but indeed at convenient distances there
facilities adapted and intended for the transfer Of
the boats from the canal to the river Notwithstanding
all this, and Notwithstanding that Washington was only
thirty six miles distant by canal and Notwithstanding
that timber and boats were in abundance not one OF
these resources were brought into requsition. No
attempt was made to throw pontoons, no
sufficient RATS prepared, and not boat taken
from the many idle on the canal, with the
miserable exception to which ! viii refer. Two
weeks before the 21st order had been given to con-
struc five boats and two at Edwards Ferry, on


point of the river four miles below Three OF those boats
brought from Edwards Ferry 70 this fatal crossing
place. Two Of them used in the channel between
the Maryland shore and the Island and one was used be-
tween the island and the bluff and in the channel beyond
single rowboat. These fosr boats, two in either
channel, constituted the whole means Of transportation
provided for the expedition. These boats have been
called scows and have taken pains to learn pre-
csely what they They slight boats made OF
hemlock, the stuff not being more than one
in length, and Of corresponding width. They had no
oars, there any means Of mpeling them. The
way the brave men were transferred to tho fatal shore on
the other side by pushing off the boat, or scow,
above the point OF landing and allowing it TO drift down
ths stream, single pole directing 1t to the desired
point. These boats each capable of conveying
half fcompany about thrtyve the average time
quirei reach the island being three quarters Of an hour
leaving the island TO be ravcsed and the other channel
TO be crossed The House wi II have idea Of the
pdity Of transportation, and will be prepared to do us
tice the lamened Baker, who is more when they
cali mind that long before he had command o: the
pedtou, Col. Devn was ordered. the night before, TO
four companies Of the Massachusetts Fifteenth
This the officer in question commenced clock
in the morning and it was sunrise before he could take
up his line Of march, showing that UPWARDS OF
an hour was necessary for the throwing over
q company from the Nary land shore TO E;ls Bluff.
Baker received orders O'Clock in the morning. and
commenced his progress without a wharf
to land at rope hawser to stretch across the river
10 hasten their crossing. Neither rope hawser or
had been provided such the combination OF cir
cunstances against him, that it not till eleven
O'Clock that they began to Then the rebel fire
commenced tie slaughter the detachment land
the boats their side began TO pull to the island
with the bleeding and the slain and the hospital then
began I'll with the dying and the dead. But still the
crossing went till thousand five hundred men,
accoNding Stone thrown But Of these not
more eighteen hundred ever tho field They had
climb the mrd of the bluff. dragging their dsmouned
cannon after them, before they could reach the field.
which they could not but suppose would open to thsm
fair fight il not Of victory But this difficult
led them to field Of fair equal war; but TO
slaughter pcn--to mere trap. to horrible Gogoha.
The position Of the enemy was screened from view or
aim by thick growth Of timber, and 10 this burial
ground, the boats one by one brought them over,
up the devoted and doomed, treadng those tracks
TO the lion den. all pointing in direction and show
ing no returning footprints. Behind them rolled tho
river deep and broad and which they never to
pass. Before them, and now surrounding them
sheltered foe Into the deadly trap they went,
too few to remain and too many to come
back. II there had been more OF them they might have
held their position and dispensed with for cross


ing the river If fewer, they might have escar cd in the
bssts but there being seventeen hundred, there was
nbthng for them but TO stay and perish Noby did they
fulfil their destiny Their desperate stubbornness their
calm 'front.' their heroic courage served only gid with


nts Of glory the bloody picture OF their murder Their


ITO had haap eto he
1e feast death had been prepared for them and the
number desired to be present and partake Of had been
calculated When that doomed number had been drifted
the bloody revery began In an hour or less than
hour, tho deadly FIRE Of foes hedeed them in
on every side, aud they melted away before
it, Tho fight was lost before II had began. II was
mere sacrifice Of brave From the first there was
the slightest hopeef promise Of victory 1t
was only wonder that any escaped. The charge and
daring Of the Light Brigade described by the poet s
alone applicable the devoted heroism of these
the fatal field Of Balls Bluff. There was


Cannon to the right OF them,


Cannon to the left Of them,


Cannon in front OF them,


Into the jaws Of hell rushed the six hundred.


Those who did not die on the field forced down the
steep bank OF tho river aud here, to their
from falling into the hands Of the enemy, they throw
them into the stream and many alas, how many sought
and found watery grave. The last act OF this terrible
tragedy and gross blrmder, il not the saddest,
was the most sckening and appalling OF them
all. The miserable fat beet returning to the island
laden with the mangled, the wearied and the dying
The quick and the dead were huddled together in
struggling manged mass, and all went down together
into that doefu river hgan TO rise Leosburg
illuminated that night-llalnnatod by PARTICLES and
rebels and another foul Laurel added to those Of Bull
rum Big Bethel the blockade Of the Potomac and the
surrender Of navy yards and magazines. Such
the battle OF Balls Bluff Such IL stands today on
the page Of history The states whose soldiers
verey suffered in II must be named-New York. Massa-
cusetts and Pennsylvania. In the Of the brave
lsmented who fell thai day, of regard for
tho living and the dead, out Of regard for
the great interests to be Affected by
Investigation, think all the circumstances connected
with tho planning and execution Of the battle ought be
brought to light. hope they Will be. hope the
mttec appointed 70 investigate into the conduct OF the
will not overlook the battle. hope apologies and
private interests will dsssade from investigation
into it, by any statements that the revelations Of the
whole truth will be detrimental to the public service,
come what quarter that statement may. dc not
think that after the publication or the report OF the
Adutant General in reference to the division o6 General
Fremont, the publication q anything he injurious
anybody. In any court OF JUSTICE at least according TO
the well settled principles Of equity and justice,
the military authorities, who opplse this investiga.
ten and the publication Of the facts would be stopped
from setting their vote against It, At all the
House will be saie in vcnt atipg the authors and holding
public view, too the authors OF the greatest nation
md bnev falLo