ninth New York. The Thirteenth advanced steadily down the hill and up the ridge, from which it opened fire upon the enemy who had made another stand on ground very favorable to him, and the regiment continued advancing as the enemy gave way.

The position which the battle had now attained was as follows: Early in the morning the force of the enemy had been stationed along Bull Run, from the Stone Bridge down to the Union Mills, below Blackburn's Ford. But owing to the crossing of the Federal troops at Sudley's Spring, further up than the extreme left of the enemy at the Stone Bridge, the line of the latter was entirely changed. It formed, as has been stated, along the Warrenton turnpike, which crosses at the Stone Bridge, and continues on in a due western course. In this position the enemy was found by the first troops that crossed over. On the Federal side, Col. Richardson's brigade, of the first division, was posted at Blackburn Ford, to prevent the enemy from crossing, and also to make a feint to cross when the firing of Gen. Tyler at the Stone Bridge above should be heard, which was so done. Gen. Hunter's division opened the attack upon the enemy's line formed on the Warrenton turnpike. The brigade of Col. Porter on the right had been strengthened by Col. Heintzelman's division, consisting of Cols. WilCox's and Howard's brigades and a part of Col. Franklin's. To these was now added Col. Sherman's brigade, from Gen. Tyler's first division. Further on the left the attack was commenced by Col. Burnside, with the second brigade of Col. Hunter's division, and sustained with great gallantry and resolution, especially by the First and Second Rhode Island and the Rhode Island battery, until strengthened by Major Sykes' battalion of regulars, and still further by a portion of Col. Heintzelman's force and Keyes' brigade, of Gen. Tyler's division. All the Federal force was now on the field of battle, excepting the division of Col. Miles, consisting of Cols. Blenker and Davies' brigades, and also the brigade of Col. Richardson at Blackburn's Ford, and the brigade of Col. Schenck at the Stone Bridge, with the accompanying batteries. The effect of this strong and firm attack on the enemy's line had caused it to yield at all points. The Federal force was in possession of the Warrenton turnpike from the Stone Bridge westward. On their right the enemy had retreated nearly a mile and a half. On the left they had also given way so that Col. Schenck's brigade was about to cross over the Stone Bridge.

The road taken by the troops from Sudley's Spring down to the Warrenton turnpike, deflects to the left somewhat, near the turnpike, and crosses it at about right angles. On the left of this road, after it crosses the turnpike, is a hill with a farm-house on it, where the enemy had, early in the day, planted some of his most annoying batteries. Across the road from this hill was another hill, or rather elevated ridge,

or table land. The hottest part of the contest was for the possession of this hill, with the house on it. General McDowell thus describes it: "The force engaged here was Heintzelman's division of Wilcox's and Howard's brigades on the right, supported by part of Porter's brigade, of Hunter's division, and the cavalry under Palmer, and Franklin's brigade, of Heintzelman's division, Sherman's brigade, of Tyler's division, in the centre, and up the road, whilst Keyes' brigade, of Tyler's division, was on the left attacking the batteries near the Stone Bridge. The Rhode Island battery, of the Burnside brigade, also participated in this attack, by its fire from the north of the turnpike. Ricketts' battery, together with Griffins' battery, was on the side of the hill and became the object of the special attention of the enemy, who succeeded, through a mistake by which one of his regiments was thought to be a Federal force, in disabling the battery, and then attempting to take it. Three times was he repulsed by different corps in succession, and driven back, and the guns taken by hand, the horses having been killed, and pulled away. The third time, it was supposed by us all that the repulse was final, for he was driven entirely from the hill, and so far beyond it as not to be in sight, and all were certain the day was ours.

"The enemy was evidently disheartened and broken. But we had been fighting since halfpast 10 o'clock in the morning, and it was after 3 o'clock in the afternoon; the men had been up since 2 o'clock in the morning, and had made what to those unused to such things, seemed a long march before coming into action, though the longest distance gone over was not more than nine and a half miles; and though they had three days' provisions served out to them the day before, many no doubt did not eat them, or threw them away on the march, or during the battle, and were therefore without food. They had done much severe fighting. Some of the regi ments which had been driven from the hill in the first two attempts of the enemy to keep possession of it, had become shaken, were unsteady, and had many men out of the ranks."

Colonel Porter, in command of Hunter's division after Colonel Hunter was wounded, thus reports the same scenes: "The flags of eight regiments, though borne somewhat wearily, now pointed towards the hill, from which disordered masses of the enemy had been seen hastily retiring. Griffin's and Ricketts' batteries were ordered by the Commanding General to the top of the hill on the right, as supporting with the Fire Zouaves and marines, while the Fourteenth entered the skirt of wood on their right, to protect that flank as a column composed of the Twentyseventh New York, and Eleventh and Fifth Massachusetts, Second Minnesota, and Sixty-ninth New York moved up towards the left flank of the batteries; but so soon as they were in position, and before the flanking supports had reached theirs, a murderous fire of musketry and rifles opened at pistol range, cut down every cannon

ier and a large number of horses. The fire came from some infantry of the enemy, which had been mistaken for our own forces; an officer in the field having stated that it was a regiment sent by Colonel Heintzelman to support the batteries. "The evanescent courage of the Zouaves prompted them to fire perhaps a hundred shots, when they broke and fled, leaving the batteries open to a charge of the enemy's cavalry, which took place immediately. The Marines, in spite of their gallant officers, gave way in disorder. The Fourteenth, on the right, and the column on the left, hesitatingly retired, with the exception of the Sixty-ninth and Thirty-eighth New York, who nobly stood and returned the fire of the enemy for fifteen minutes. Soon the slopes behind us were swarming with our retreating and disorganized forces, while riderless horses and artillery teams ran furiously through the flying crowd." Colonel Sherman, in his report of this part of the conflict, says: "At the point where the road from Sudley's Spring crossed the bridge to our left, the ground was swept by a most severe fire, by artillery, rifle, and musketry, and we saw in succession several regiments driven from it, among them the Zouaves and battalion of marines. Before reaching the crest of the hill, the roadway was worn deep enough to afford shelter, and I kept the several regiments in it as long as possible. But when the Second Wisconsin was abreast of the enemy, it was ordered to leave the roadway by the left flank, and at tack the enemy. This regiment ascended to the brow of the hill steadily, received the severe fire of the enemy, returned it with spirit, and advanced, delivering its fire. It was repulsed, rallied, and repulsed again. By this time, the Seventy-ninth New York had closed up, and in like manner it was ordered to cross the brow of the hill, and drive the enemy froin cover. It was impossible to get a good view of the ground. In it there was one battery of artillery, which poured an incessant fire upon our advancing column, and the ground was irregular, with small clusters of pines, affording shelter, of which the enemy took good advantage. The fire of rifles and musketry was very severe. The Seventy-ninth, headed by its Colonel, charged across the hill, and for a short time the contest was severe. They rallied several times under fire, but finally broke, and gained the cover of the hills. This left the field open to the Sixty-ninth New York, Colonel Corcoran, who, in his turn, led his regiment over the crest, and had in full open view the ground so severely contested. The firing was very severe, and the roar of cannon, rifles, and musketry incessant. It was manifest the enemy was here in great force, far superior to us at that point. The Sixty-ninth held the ground for some time, but finally fell back in disorder. At this time, the Thirteenth New York occupied another ridge to our left, overlooking the same field of action, and similarly engaged. Here, at 3 P. M., began the scene of disorder." Colonel Burnside reports from another part of the field:

"The battery of the Second Rhode Island changed its position into a field upon the right, and was brought to bear upon the force which Colonel Porter was engaging. The enemy's infantry having fallen back, two sections of Captain W. H. Reynolds' battery advanced, and succeeded in breaking the charge of the enemy's cavalry, which had now been brought into the engagement. It was nearly 4 o'clock P. M., and the battle had continued for almost six hours since the time when the second brigade had been engaged, with every thing in favor of our troops, and promising decisive victory, when some of the regiments engaging the enemy upon the extreme right of our line broke, and large numbers passed disorderly by my brigade, then drawn up in the position which they last held."

The position of the battle described in these extracts was its turning point. The view taken of the contest at this time, by the Commanderin-Chief of the Confederate forces, is of great interest. In his official report, General Beauregard thus speaks:

"The topographical features of the plateau, now become the stage of the contending armies, must be described in outline. A glance at the map will show that it is enclosed on three sides by small water courses, which empty into Bull Run within a few yards of each other, half a mile to the south of the Stone Bridge. Rising to an elevation of quite one hundred feet above the level of Bull Run at the bridge, it falls off on three sides, to the level of the enclosing streams in gentle slopes, but which are furrowed by ravines of irregular direction and length, and studded with clumps and patches of young pines and oaks. The general direction of the crest of the plateau is oblique to the course of Bull Run in that quarter, and on the Brentsville and turnpike roads, which intersect each other at right angles. Completely surrounding the two houses before mentioned, are small open fields, of irregular outline, and exceeding 150 acres in extent. The houses, occupied at the time, the one by widow Henry, and the other by the free negro, Robinson, are small wooden buildings, densely embowered in trees and environed by a double row of fences on two sides. Around the eastern and southern brow of the plateau, an almost unbroken fringe of second-growth pines gave excellent shelter for our marksmen, who availed themselves of it, with the most satisfactory skill. To the west, adjoining the fields, a broad belt of oaks extends directly across the crest, on both sides of the Sudley road, in which, during the battle, regiments of both armies met and contended for the mastery. From the open ground of this plateau the view embraces a wide expanse of woods and gently undulating open country of broad grass and grain fields in all directions, including the scene of Evans' and Bee's recent encounter with the enemy-some twelve hundred yards to the northward. In reply to the play of the enemy's batteries, our own artillery had not been idle or unskilful.

The ground occupied by our guns, on a level with that held by the batteries of the enemy, was an open space of limited extent, behind a low undulation, just at the eastern verge of the plateau, some 500 or 600 yards from the Henry house. Here, as before said, some thirteen pieces, mostly six-pounders, were maintained in action. The several batteries of Imboden, Stanard, Pendleton, (Rockbridge Artillery,) and Alburtis', of the Army of the Shenandoah, and five guns of Walton's, and Heaton's section of Rogers' battery, of the Army of the Potomac, alternating to some extent with each other, and taking part as needed; all from the outset displaying that marvellous capacity of our people as artillerists which has made them, it would appear, at once the terror and the admiration of the enemy. As was soon apparent, the Federalists had suffered severely from our artillery, and from the fire of our musketry on the right, and especially from the left flank, placed under cover, within whose galling range they had been advanced. And, we are told in their official reports, how regiment after regiment, thrown forward to dislodge us, was broken, never to recover its entire organization on that field. In the mean time, also, two companies of Stuart's cavalry (Carter's and Hoge's) made a dashing charge down the Brentsville and Sudley road upon the Fire Zouaves-then the enemy's right on the plateau-which added to the disorder wrought by our musketry on that flank. But still the press of the enemy was heavy in that quarter of the field, as fresh troops were thrown forward there to outflank us; and some three guns of a battery, in an attempt to obtain a position apparently to enfilade our batteries, were thrown so close to the Thirty-third Regiment, Jackson's brigade, that that regiment, springing forward, seized them, but with severe loss, and was subsequently driven back by an overpowering force of Federal musketry.

"Now, full 2 o'clock P. M., I gave the order for the right of my line, except my reserves, to advance to recover the plateau. It was done with uncommon resolution and vigor, and at the same time, Jackson's brigade pierced the enemy's centre with the determination of veterans, and the spirit of men who fight for a sacred cause; but it suffered seriously. With equal spirit the other parts of the line made the onset, and the Federal lines were broken and swept back, at all points, from the open ground of the plateau. Rallying soon, however, as they were strongly reinforced by fresh regiments, the Federalists returned, and by weight of numbers pressed our lines back, recovered their ground and guns, and renewed the offensive. By this time, between half-past 2 and 3 o'clock P. M., our reinforcements pushed forward, and directed by General Johnston to the required quarter, were at hand just as I had ordered forward to a second effort for the recovery of the disputed plateau, the whole line, including my reserves, which, at this crisis of the

battle, I felt called upon to lead in person.. This attack was general, and was shared in by every regiment then in the field, including the Sixth (Fisher's) North Carolina Regiment, which had just come up and taken position on the immediate left of the Forty-ninth Virginia Regiment. The whole open ground was again swept clear of the enemy, and the plateau around the Henry and Robinson houses remained finally in our possession, with the greater part of the Ricketts and Griffin batteries, and a flag of the First Michigan Regiment, captured by the Twenty-seventh Virginia Regiment, (Lieutenant-Colonel Echolls,) of Jackson's brigade. This part of the day was rich with deeds of individual coolness and dauntless conduct, as well as well-directed embodied resolution and bravery, but fraught with the loss to the service of the country, of lives of inestimable preciousness at this juncture. The brave Bee was mortally wounded, at the head of the Fourth Alabama and some Mississippians, in an open field near the Henry house; and a few yards distant, the promising life of Bartow, while leading the Seventh Georgia Regiment, was quenched in blood. Colonel F. J. Thomas, Acting Chief-of-Ordnance, of General Johnston's staff, after gallant conduct, and most efficient service, was also slain. Colonel Fisher, Sixth North Carolina, likewise fell, after soldierly behavior, at the head of his regiment, with ranks greatly thinned. Withers' Eighteenth Regiment, of Cocke's brigade, had come up in time to follow this charge, and, in conjunction with Hampton's Legion, captured several rifle pieces, which may have fallen previously in possession of some of our troops; but if so, had been recovered by the enemy. These pieces were immediately turned, and effectively served on distant masses of the enemy, by the hands of some of our officers.

"While the enemy had thus been driven back on our right entirely across the turnpike, and beyond Young's branch on our left, the woods yet swarmed with them, when our reinforcements opportunely arrived in quick succession, and took position in that portion of the field. Kershaw's Second, and Cash's Eighth South Carolina regiments, which had arrived soon after Withers', were led through the oaks just east of the Sudley-Brentsville road, brushing some of the enemy before them, and, taking an advantageous position along and west of that road, opened with much skill and effect on bodies of the enemy that had been rallied under cover of a strong Federal brigade posted on a plateau in the southwest angle, formed by intersection of the turnpike with the Sudley-Brentsville road. Among the troops thus engaged, were the Federal regular infantry. At the same time, Kemper's battery, passing northward by the S.-B. road, took position on the open space-under orders of Colonel Kershaw-near where an enemy's battery had been captured, and opened with effective results upon the Federal right, then the mark

also of Kershaw's and Cash's regiments. Preston's Twenty-eighth Regiment, of Cocke's brigade, had by that time entered the same body of oaks, and encountered some Michigan troops, capturing their brigade commander, Colonel Wilcox.

"Another important accession to our forces had also occurred about the same time, at 3 o'clock P. M. Brigadier-General E. K. Smith, with some 1,700 infantry of Elzey's brigade, of the Army of the Shenandoah, and Beckham's battery, came upon the field, from Camp Pickens, Manassas, where they had arrived by railroad at noon. Directed in person by General Johnston to the left, then so much endangered, on reaching a position in rear of the oak woods, south of the Henry house, and immediately east of the Sudley road, General Smith was disabled by a severe wound, and his valuable services were lost at that critical juncture. But the command devolved upon a meritorious officer of experience, Colonel Elzey, who led his infantry at once somewhat further to the left, in the direction of the Chinn house, across the road, through the oaks skirting the west side of the road, and around which he sent the battery under Lieutenant Beckham. This officer took up a most favorable position near that house, whence, with a clear view of the Federal right and centre, filling the open fields to the west of the Brentsville-Sudley road, and gently sloping southward, he opened fire with his battery upon them with deadly and damaging effect.

"Colonel Early, who, by some mischance, did not receive orders until two o'clock, which had been sent him at noon, came on the ground immediately after Elzey, with Kemper's Seventh Virginia, Hay's Seventh Louisiana, and Barksdale's Thirteenth Mississippi regiments. This brigade, by the personal direction of General Johnston, was marched by the Holkham house, across the fields to the left, entirely around the woods through which Elzey had passed, and under a severe fire, into a position in line of battle near Chinn's house, outflanking the enemy's right. At this time, about half-past 3 P. M., the enemy, driven back on their left and centre, and brushed from the woods bordering the Sudley road, south and west of the Henry house, had formed a line of battle of truly formidable proportions, of crescent outline, reaching on their left from the vicinity of Pittsylvania, (the old Carter mansion,) by Matthew's, and in rear of Dogan's, across the turnpike near to Chinn's house. The woods and fields were filled with their masses of infantry, and their carefully preserved cavalry. It was a truly magnificent, though redoubtable spectacle, as they threw forward in fine style, on the broad, gentle slopes of the ridge occupied by their main lines, a cloud of skirmishers, preparatory for another attack. But as Early formed his line, and Beckham's pieces played upon the right of the enemy, Elzey's brigade, Gibbon's Tenth Virginia, Lieutenant-Colonel Stuart's First Maryland, and

Vaughn's Third Tennessee regiments, and Cash's Eighth, and Kershaw's Second South Carolina, Withers' Eighteenth, and Preston's Twentyeighth Virginia, advanced in an irregular line almost simultaneously, with great spirit, from their several positions upon the front and flanks of the enemy, in their quarter of the field. At the same time, too, Early resolutely assailed their right flank and rear. Under the combined attack, the enemy was soon forced, first over the narrow plateau in the southern angle made by the two roads, so often mentioned, into a patch of woods on its western slope, thence back over Young's branch and the turnpike, into the fields of the Dugan farm, and rearward, in extreme disorder, in all available directions, towards Bull Run. The rout had now become general and complete."

In his report, General McDowell thus remarks on the position of the battle:

"It was at this time that the enemy's reinforcements came to his aid, from the railroad train, understood to have arrived from the valley with the residue of Johnston's army. They threw themselves in the woods on our right, and opened a fire of musketry upon our men, which caused them to break, and retire down the hillside. This soon degenerated into disorder, for which there was no remedy. Every effort was made to rally them, even beyond the reach of the enemy's fire, but in vain.”

A line drawn through the battle-field to Manassas Junction, would run about due south. The railroad from Winchester to Manassas Junction comes in on a southeast course. Consequently, the line above mentioned, and the railroad, converge, and meet at the Junction. The Dumfries road, bounding the west side of the battle-field, and running straight south, crosses the Winchester railroad about two miles from the Junction. Up this road came the last reinforcements of the enemy, from General Johnston's command at Winchester. This was nearer than to proceed to the Junction, and caused the clouds of dust seen.

Colonel Porter, commanding the division of Colonel Hunter, thus continues his report:

"All further efforts were futile. The words, gestures, and threats of our officers were thrown away upon men who had lost all presence of mind, and only longed for absence of body. Some of our noblest and best officers lost their lives in trying to rally them. Upon our first position, the Twenty-seventh New York was the first to rally, under the command of Major Bartlett, and around it the other regiments engaged soon gathered their scattered fragments. The battalion of regulars, in the mean time, moved steadily across the field from the left to the right, and took up a position where it held the entire forces of the enemy in check until our forces were somewhat rallied.

"The Commanding General then ordered a retreat upon Centreville, at the same time directing me to cover it with the battalion of regulars, the cavalry, and a section of artillery.

The rear-guard thus organized followed our panic-stricken troops to Centreville, resisting the attacks of the Confederate cavalry and artillery, and saving them from the inevitable destruction which awaited them, had not this body been interposed."

A prompt retreat of the fragments of his army was resolved upon by Gen. McDowell; and while the stragglers had pushed on from the battle-field to Washington without halting, the organized masses commenced leaving about nine o'clock that night. By midnight all but the wounded and the dead of that well-equipped army which commenced its march from Washington five days previous, proud, exultant, and confident of victory, was panic-stricken, groping its way, under cover of the darkness of night, to the intrenchments opposite Washington. Never had the flag of the Union trailed so low in the dust before; never was so brilliant a career opened before it as that which commenced on the day after that dreadful night. Fortunately for the remnants of the Federal army, the Southern forces did not pursue their flying foe. The reasons for this omission are thus stated by Gen. Johnston in his official report: "The apparent firmness of the United States troops at Centreville who had not been engaged, which checked our pursuit; the strong forces occupying the works near Georgetown, Arlington, and Alexandria; the certainty, too, that Gen. Patterson, if needed, would reach Washington, with his army of thirty thousand men, sooner than we could; and the condition and inadequate means of the army in ammunition, provisions, and transportation, prevented any serious thoughts of advancing against the capital. It is certain that the fresh troops within the works were, in number, quite sufficient for their defence; if not, Gen. Patterson's army would certainly reenforce them soon enough." The loss on the Federal side, according to the official returns, was 481 killed, 1,011 wounded, and 1,216 missing. Among the killed were Col. Cameron, of the New York 79th; Lieut.Col. Haggerty, of the New York 69th; Col.

Slocum, 2d Rhode Island; also Maj. Ballou and Capt. Tower.

The artillery lost was as follows: Company D, 2d artillery, 6 rifle guns. Company I, 1st artillery, 6 rifled Parrott 10pounders.

Company E, 2d artillery, 2 rifled guns and 2 howitzers. Company 5th artillery, 1 rifled gun. Company G, 1st artillery, 1 30-pounder Parrott gun.

Rhode Island battery, 5 rifled guns.

To this should be added 180 boxes of small arm cartridges, 87 boxes of rifled cannon ammunition, 30 boxes of old fire-arms, 12 wagons loaded with provisions, and 3,000 bushels oats, a large number of muskets thrown away, and an immense number of blankets and knapsacks.

Gen. Beauregard, in his report, states the number of his force on the 18th of July at 17,000 effective men; and on the 21st 27,000, which includes 6,200 sent from Gen. Johnston, and 1,700 brought up by Gen. Holmes from Fredericksburg. The report states the number killed to have been 269, wounded 1 483, aggregate 1,852. The same report states the number of prisoners taken at 1,460.

On the left the Southern force was commanded by Brig.-Gens. Evans, Jackson, and Cocke, and Col. Bartow. The centre was under Gens. Jones, Longstreet, and Benham. On the extreme right was Gen. Ewell. Early in the day an order was sent to him by Gen. Beauregard to attack and attempt to turn the left flank of the Federal force. The messenger was killed, and the orders were not received.

It is manifest that this battle was well fought. In the fore part of the afternoon the Southern troops were nearly outflanked. At three o'clock the Federal force believed they had the victory; and that, indeed, they had, and would soon have reached and obtained possession of the railroad leading to Winchester. But the arrival of four fresh regiments, who entered the field with great spirit and energy, changed the result.