Year: 1861




this they failed, for they did not return
a shot. Soon the infantry on the right
became engaged, and from that time
till after four O'Clock ia the evening the
firing was incessant. About 10 o'clock
the 1st and I'd Ohio regiments we're or.
dored to take a battery in front by
Aankingit We 6ied to the left into
pine thicket so dense ,hat afabbit could
scarcely 80 through it, through which
there was a road cut Of just sufficient
width to admit four men abreast. The
ID regiment was in front, I had a
musket, and was in the front company.
just as the first company and a part
Of the second had come out into the
open field, which was a little meadow,
about $50 yards across a masked bat
terry opened on us from behind a stone
stone fence, which sent a shower of
grape shot whislling about our heads,
but We fell fat on our faces aud they
went over without doing any further
injury than mortally soaring some Of
US. We had scarcely got up till We saw
the fash of their guns again, and
cloud Of smoke, and down we come
again This we stood, without a man
| Iain9hing, four times, and as We had
neither Colonel nor General to lead US,
some Captain, 1 believe it was, gave the
order to retreat, which most Of us did
iu good order, though some ran like
Indians, and we're not seen any more
that day. At ? o'clock the word spread
through the ranks that the victory was
ours, aud the enemy wore driven back
at all points; but about this time Gen.
Johnston reinforced them with a fresh
body of $4,000 meu-almost as many
as we had in the field altogether
and the battle began afresh with more
| fury than ever A fierce cannonade
and an incessant discharge of musket-
ry began on the left and continued
along the whole line. About three
o'clock our artillery ammunition gave
out, and then they played on our de-
fenceless columns with great fury and
precision. Each particular ball up-
peared as though it had been aimed
at some particular object. Our brigade,
being unprotected, Withdrew from the
open field into the woods.


About half-past three a causeless pan
ic began among the citizens, of whom
great number came out from Wash
iugtou to see tho fight which had
very injurious effect, for the panic
spread like wild fire. About they
he'd outhanked US and came in on our
roae, and their cavalry made q charge
on our hospital, which was in the rear
aud totally unprotected, and cut Of all
who made their appearances on the out
side of the house, and then came thun
dering down the road to where our
brigade was drawn up in the woods, but
as they came opposite to the left wing
they poured in a destructive fire on
them, aud then turned and charged
down the road in the other direction,
on the broken columns Of the retreat
ing Fire Zouaves, who had done prodi.
gies of valOr that day. But they raj.
lied, and almost annihilatcd the cavalry
of the enemy, which was splendidly
mounted.


A little after it was announced that
our brigade was surrounded and cut off,
being in the rear, but wo were deter
mined to cut our way through. Col.
MoCook rode along the lines and said,
"bOys VIC have got into a trap, and now
VIC will have to fight our way OUT
Ho was the only officer that the men
appeared to have any confidence in.
We sent two iold-pieoes ahead to clear
the way, but they had but a few pounds
of cartridges, aud we're soon silouced,
and left. The road was literally
blocked up with broken wagons, gun
carriages, ambulances, killed and
wounded horses, aud dead and dying
men. Oh! it was a horrible sightl--I
A great many mon threw away their
guns, bolts, cartridge boxes blankets,
haversacks, oauteons, and in fact ov-
orything that would impede their flight |
The Ohio regiments were not broken
but once, and that was in crossing
narrow bridge over Bulls Run. Be
fore they got across tho enemy came up
and opened FIRE on our rear, but as soon |
rs We got over the hill little we form
ed in line of battle, as there was a line
of battle formed in our front advanc-
ing to meet US. We took them for en- -
emios, and prepared to charge them,
but they proved to be some who had
rallied and were returning to our as
sistanco. The enomy's cannon kept
Numbering on our rear till We got un
der cover Of somo fresh batteries that