Doc. 10. BATTLE AT MCDOWELL, VA.* REPORT OF BRIG.-GENERAL MILROY. HEADQUARTERS MILROY'S BRIGADE, CAMP NEAR FRANKLIN, VA., May 14. GENERAL: I have the honor to report to you the result of the engagement of the eighth inst., near McDowell on the Bull Pasture Mountains. As an apology for the delay in transmitting this report, I would state that the officers and men of my command have, since the occurrence of the engagement, been constantly occupied in active field duty, leaving no time for the preparation of the details by the company and regimental commanders from which alone a correct report could be made. Upon the seventh day of May, I was first advised by my scouts and spies that a junction had been made between the armies of Gens. Jackson and Johnson, and that they were advancing to attack me at McDowell. Having, the day previous, sent out a large portion of the Third Virginia, Seventy-fifth Ohio, and Thirty-second Ohio regiments to Shaw's Ridge and upon the Shenandoah Mountain for the purpose of protecting my foraging and reconnoitring parties, I immediately ordered my whole force to concentrate at McDowell, and, expecting reenforcements, prepared for defence there. In the afternoon of the seventh inst., a large force of the rebels was discovered descending the west side of the Shenandoah Mountain, along the Staunton and Parkersburgh turnpike. I ordered a section of the Ninth Ohio battery, (Capt. Hyman,) on Shaw's Ridge, to progress. shell them and endeavor to retard their centrate at McDowell. Twenty-fifth O. V. I., 469; Seventy-fifth O. V. I., 444; Thirty-second O. V. I., 416; Third Va. V. I., 439. Total field-officers, company officers, and privates of this brigade engaged, 1768. The exact number of the Eighty-second O. V. I. engaged, is not known to me, but has been doubtless reported to you. Under my order, the Twenty-fifth Ohio and Seventy-fifth Ohio regiments, (the former under the command of Lieut.-Col. W. P. Richardson, and the latter under the command of Col. N. C. McLean and Major Robert Reilly,) advanced in the most gallant manner, up the face of the mountain, and attacked the enemy in their fronts. Numbering less than one thousand men, unprotected by any natural or artificial shelter, they advanced up a precipitous mountain-side, upon an adversary protected by intrenchments and the natural formation of the mountains, and, unsupported, drove them (at least twice their numerical strength) over the crest of the mountain, and for one and a half-hours maintained, unaided, whilst exposed to a deadly fire, the posi tion from which they had so bravely driven the foe. Too much praise cannot be awarded to the officers and men of the regiments. The Twentyfifth led the advance, and were rapidly followed and supported by the Seventy-fifth, both acting with the coolness of veterans and the determinalives for the good of the Republic. tion of patriot soldiers, willing to sacritice their At about four o'clock in the afternoon, perceivUpon the next morning, (eighth inst.,) the enemy was seen upon Bull Pasture Mountain, about ing that the enemy's force was being constantly one and three quarter miles distant from Mc- increased, I ordered the Eighty-second regiment Dowell, on my right and front. I commenced O. V. I., of your brigade, the Thirty-second Ohio, shelling them, and sent out parties of skirmishers and Third Virginia to turn the right flank of the to endeavor to ascertain their numbers. About enemy, and, if possible, attack them in the rear. ten o'clock A.M. your brigade arrived. Desultory They obeyed the order with the greatest alacrity; firing of a section of Hyman's battery, and occabut the enemy, observing the design, and having sional skirmishing, engaged the attention of the a much superior force, in a handsome manner The regiments enemy during the morning. Major Long, of the changed his front to the rear. Seventy-third O. V. I., with a party of skirmish-named, however, attacked them briskly, and kept ers, rendered a good service by his efforts in as-up a destructive fire, causing the enemy to waver certaining the position of the enemy. several times; but fresh reenforcements being brought up by them, and a portion of the reenforcements coming down the turnpike, the Third Virginia became exposed to their fire in its front In the afternoon, at about three o'clock, being informed by Capt. G. R. Latham, of the Second Va. V. I., who, with his company, was engaged in skirmishing, that the rebels were endeavoring to plant a battery upon the mountain, which would command our whole encampment, with your permission I made a reconnoissance, for the *This battle is also known as the battle of Bull Pasture Moun tain. and rear. Unable, however, to withstand the fire of the Third Virginia, the latter reenforcements joined the main body of the rebels, and the contest became general and bloody. Whilst the Third Virginia, Thirty-second Ohio, and Eighty-second Ohio were advancing on the enemy, a six-pounder of Johnson's Twelfth Ohio battery, under command of Lieut. Bowers, was, with the greatest difficulty, placed in position on the mountain, on the left of the turnpike, and gave efficient support to the attack. During the engagement, I also ordered two twelve-pounders of Johnson's Twelfth Ohio battery to be placed upon the pike, but they could not be placed in position until after twilight. From three o'clock until eight P.M. our small force engaged with undaunted bravery a force of the enemy which could not have been less than —, and maintained the position from which they had driven them, displaying courage and zeal which has merited the thanks of the country and proved them true representatives of the American citizen soldier. De Beck's battery of the First Ohio artillery and about two hundred and fifty men of the first battalion of Connecticut cavalry. With this help I reached Gen. Milroy at two o'clock A. M., on the eighth inst. I was, to use his own expression, "just in time." I found his regiments of infantry partly in line of battle in the plain at McDowell, covering some of the various approaches from the mountain, and partly disposed as skirmishers on the heights in front, and his batteries in position, expecting momentarily that the enemy would attempt to descend into the valley to attack him, under cover of artillery that might be brought forward to command the place from different points. A little observation served to show at once, After nightfall the engagement was continued, that McDowell as a defensive position was entirethe fire of our men being guided only by the ly untenable, and especially against the largely flashes of the enemy's musketry, until the am- outnumbering force that was ascertained to be munition of almost all the men engaged was al-advancing; and if it had been otherwise, there was most wholly exhausted, when having achieved the purpose of the attack, our forces were recalled, retiring in good order, bringing with them their dead and wounded. no choice left on account of an entire destitution of forage. I determined, therefore, to obey, with as little delay as possible, your order to fall back with the force of our two brigades to this place. Such a movement, however, could not with any safety or propriety be commenced before night, Whilst I should be glad to bring prominently to the notice of the Major-General Commanding the names of the officers and men who distin-nor did it seem advisable to undertake it without guished themselves in the action, I could not do so without rehearsing the names of all engaged. Neither officer nor man of those engaged faltered in the performance of his whole duty. The Twenty-fifth and Seventy-fifth O. V. I., in their gallant advance, the Thirty-second Ohio in a daring bayonet charge, and the Third Virginia in their endurance of the most severe fire of the enemy, alike merit his entire approbation. first ascertaining or feeling the actual strength of the rebel force before us, and also perhaps taking some step that would serve to check or disable him from his full power or disposition to pursue. To Brig. Gen. Schenck, for his advice and counsel, and to the officers and men of the Eightysecond Ohio, who so bravely assisted us, I owe my warmest thanks. R. H. MILROY, Brigadier-General. W. G. GEORGE, A.A.G. REPORT OF BRIG.-GENERAL SCHENCK. HEADQUARTERS SCHENCK'S BRIGADE, MOUNTAIN DEP'T, CAMP FRANKLIN, May 14. S Col. Albert Tracy, A. A. G., Headquarters Mountain Department: This was effectually done by an attack on his position on the mountain in the afternoon, and on the night following, I was enabled to withdraw our whole army along the road through the narrow gorge, which afforded the only egress from the valley in which McDowell is situated, in the direction of Franklin. This withdrawal we effected without the loss of a man, and without loss or destruction of any article of public property, except of some stores, for which Gen. Milroy was entirely without the means of transportation. I submit herewith the reports of Brig.-Gen. Milroy and of Col. James Cantwell, commanding the Eighty-second Ohio volunteer infantry of my brigade, giving an account of the affair, with the rebel force that day, and of the parts severally taken in the fight by the different regiments engaged. I have had the honor, in my despatches heretofore transmitted through you, to inform the At three o'clock, Gen. Milroy having reported General Commanding of my march with my bri- to me that his scouts informed him of reënforcegade from Franklin to McDowell, to the relief of ments continually arriving to the support of the Brig. Gen. Milroy, who with his force having enemy, concealed among the woods on the mounfallen back to, and concentrated at the last-named tain, and that they were evidently making prepplace, was threatened with attack by the combin-arations to get artillery in position for sweeping ed army of Jackson and Johnson. By leaving the valley, I consented to his request to be permy baggage-train under a guard, in my last camp on the road, fourteen miles from McDowell, I was able to push forward so as to make the whole distance, thirty-four miles, in twenty-three hours. I added, however, but little numerical strength to the army I was sent to relieve. My brigade, consisting of but three regiments, and with several companies then on detailed and other duty, brought into the field an aggregate of only about one thousand three hundred infantry, besides mitted to make a reconnoissance. The force detailed for this purpose consisted of portions of four regiments of infantry of his brigade, namely, the Seventy-fifth, Twenty-fifth and Thirty-second Ohio, and the Third Virginia, and the Eightysecond Ohio of mine-the latter regiment gladly receiving the order to join in the enterprise, although the men were exhausted with the long march from which they had just arrived, with want of food, sleep and rest. The infantry was supported in a degree also by a six-pounder of Johnson's battery, which Gen. Milroy had succeeded in conveying to the top of one of the mountain ridges on his left. ardor, and yet with such order and coolness, as they displayed in marching and fighting up that steep mountain-side, in the face of a hot and incessant fire. From McDowell I fell back by easy The movement resulted in a very sharp en- marches, on the ninth, tenth, and eleventh, to counter with the rebels, of which details are given this place, the enemy cautiously pursuing. On in the accompanying reports. To these reports a commanding ridge of ground, thirteen miles I refer. I will only add, by way of general sum- from McDowell, at the intersection of the road at ming up, that, adding to the one thousand seven that place with the turnpike to Monterey, I stophundred and sixty-eight of Milroy's brigade, about ped from eight A.M. to two P.M., on the ninth, five hundred of the Eighty-second Ohio, which and made my dispositions to receive and repulse was their number in the action, the entire force the attack of the rebels, who appeared in our we had engaged was two thousand two hundred rear, but they declined the undertaking. While and sixty-eight; that these were opposed to, I awaiting the arrival of the General Commanding, believe, not less than five thousand of the enemy, with reënforcements, at this point, on the elesuccessively brought into action, besides their venth, twelfth, and thirteenth, the rebel army reserved force of some eight thousand in the rear. having advanced to within two miles of our posiThat the casualties on our part amounted in tion, we were kept constantly engaged in watchthe aggregate to twenty-eight killed, eighty se- ful preparation for an expected attack. I had my verely wounded, one hundred and forty-five slight-batteries and other forces so disposed, as to feel ly wounded, and three missing, making a total of confident of repelling any attack. But we had two hundred and fifty-six. no collision, except some skirmishing with my pickets and portions of the infantry advanced on the range of hills to my right, as I confronted the enemy's approach, and which resulted only in the loss of two men, one of the Fifth Virginia regiment on the eleventh, and one of the Third regiment Potomac home brigade, on the twelfth, on our side, and four or five of the enemy killed by our shells. The approaches were so guarded as to prevent the enemy from getting his artillery into any commanding position, and on the night of the thirteenth he withdrew back along the turnpike road to the southward. As the enemy closed in and it was ascertained that from the unexpected severity and protraction of the fight, the ammunition of some of the regiments was almost completely exhausted, I endeavored to get up a supply of cartridges to the men, and had three wagon-loads taken some distance up the Staunton road for that purpose, but the only way it could reach them up the steep mountain side was to be carried by hand or in haversacks. I ordered up the road also the regiment of Virginia infantry, Col. Zeigler commanding, of my brigade, to the relief of the other troops if needed, and they went, promptly and actively moved to the field, but it was not necessary to bring them into the action. The troops that were engaged, after fighting with a coolness and order and bravery which it is impossible to excel, and after pressing back the enemy over the mountain crest and maintaining unflinchingly and under the most galling and constant fire their ground until darkness set in, were now withdrawn under the immediate order of Col. McLean of the Seventy-fifth, leaving, as I believe, not a person behind, for the three men reported missing are supposed to be among the killed. We took four prisoners of the enemy. His loss in killed is thought by all engaged to have much exceeded ours. From the prisoners since taken I have ascertained that his killed on the field was less than thirty, and his wounded very numerous. Among the rebels wounded I learn was General Johnson himself, and at least one of his field-officers. The colonel of a Virginia regiment is known to be among the slain. Too much praise cannot be awarded to Gen. Milroy himself, to Colonel McLean, Seventy-fifth Ohio; Col. Cantwell, Eighty-second Ohio; Lieut.Col. Richardson, commanding the Twenty-fifth Ohio; Major Riley, Seventy-fifth Ohio, and the officers and men of their several commands, for their steady gallantry and courage manifested throughout the whole affair. No veteran troops I am sure, ever acquitted themselves with more I am, very respectfully, your ob't servant, COLONEL N. C. MCLEAN'S REPORT. HEADQUARTERS SEVENTY-FIFTH REGIMENT O. V. I., { GENERAL: I have the honor to submit to you a report of the battle of "Bull Mountain," which occurred on the eighth instant, near McDowell. This report would have been sooner made, but for the constant duty upon which I have been engaged up to last night. This has rendered it impossible, until the present moment, for me to devote any time to this report, and is my excuse for the delay. Under your orders, on the afternoon of the eighth instant, I marched to attack the confederate forces then in position on the top of Bull Mountain, having under my command seven companies of my own regiment, the Seventy-fifth Ohio, and nine companies of the Twenty-fifth Ohio, commanded by Lieut.-Col. Richardson. The remaining three companies and a part of the seven of the Seventy-fifth Ohio were, at the time the order was received, separated from the regiment by your previous orders during the day, and had been engaged in skirmishing with the advance of the enemy, so that I had not the benefit of their strength in the battle. The companies of my own regiment engaged, with the numbers present of each, were as follows: Company A, Capt. Friend commanding, 86 men. attacking a much larger force than I had antici F, Capt. Morgan 66 51 66 66 I, Capt. Fry 61 66 64 C, Capt. Harris 71 H, Capt. Pilcher 69 66 46 E, Capt. Foster 66 G, Lieut. Morey pated, occupying also, a most admirable defensive position, I deemed it prudent to make no further advance, and determined, if possible, to hold on to the ground already acquired. In the position gained my men found partial protection whilst loading their pieces, by taking advantage of the uneven nature of the grounds. This, however, was slight, as the enemy were so placed that many of our men were wounded by their fire, some distance below the advanced front. Our position was one of extreme danger and exposure, and the fire of the enemy was heavy; coming sometimes in tremendous volleys, as if they meant by one fire, to sweep us from the mountain. Most nobly did our troops sustain thèmselves. Both regiments worked together with great coolness, and the men seemed only to be anxious to get steady aim when firing their pieces, without a thought of retiring. We held this position for at least an hour and a half before any troops arrived to reënforce us, the enemy not daring to make the attempt to drive us back by a charge. At about this time the Thirty-second Ohio, under command of Lieut.-Col. Sweeney, and the Eighty-second Ohio, under command of Col. Cantwell, came to our aid and took position in our midst. The fighting continued around the crest of the hill at this point, until I was informed that the Twenty-fifth Ohio were out of ammunition, and that some of my own regiment (the Seventy-fifth Ohio) were in the same condition, although every man of my own regiment started in the action with sixty rounds. The evening, also, was well advanced, so that our men could only see the enemy by the flashes of their guns. The moon was shining, but did not give sufficient light to enable the men to shoot As soon as the Twenty-fifth Ohio had advanced with accuracy. Under these circumstances I deso as to make room in the open ground for the termined to withdraw the forces, and so gave the movement, I formed my own regiment, the Sev- order. I formed the Seventy-fifth Ohio in line enty-fifth Ohio, in line of battle, and gave the of battle, under the crest of the hill, sufficiently order for the advance, so that the whole force under my command was within easy supporting distance. The enemy were in position on the top of the mountain, entirely screened from our view, and the conformation of the ridge permitted them to deliver their fire with only the exposure of a small portion of their bodies, and in reloading they were entirely protected from our fire by the crest of the hill The side of the mountain up which I was compelled to make the attack, was entirely destitute of protection, either from trees or rocks, and so steep that the men were at times compelled to march either to one side or the other in order to make the ascent. In making the advance, Lieut.-Col. Richardson, by my order, deployed two of his companies as skirmishers, in order to more clearly ascertain the position and strength of the enemy. As soon as these companies were deployed properly, I ordered Lieut.Col. Richardson to support them with the whole of his regiment, formed in line of battle, which order was executed with great promptness, and in a few moments the whole of the Twenty-fifth Chio was advancing steadily to the front, up the mountain, overcoming the difficult ascent with great labor. low down to be out of the worst of the fire, and marched them down the mountain in this order, as well as the nature of the ground would perThe enemy did not permit the skirmishers to mit, so as at any time to be able to face to the advance far before a heavy fire was opened upon rear, and fire upon the enemy in case they should them from the whole crest of the hill. The attempt to follow us. Upon reaching the road, I mountain was circular in its formation, so that halted, and waited until the Twenty-fifth Ohio, when the whole line was engaged, the flanks were the Eighty-second Ohio, and the Thirty-second in a manner concealed from each other. The Ohio had all returned to the road, when we enemy received us with so heavy and destructive marched back to McDowell. The action was a a fire, that I was compelled to bring forward, as most severe one, as is shown by the report of rapidly as possible, the whole of the forces under the killed and wounded, already in your possesmy command. I cannot say too much in praise sion. My officers and men alike bore themselves of the conduct of the troops. Under the most most bravely in the action. Lieut.-Col. Constaheavy and galling fire from a well-sheltered ene- ble being sick, was unable to be with us, but my, and without protection themselves, they | Maj. Reilly rendered most important and gallant steadily advanced up the precipitous ascent, firing service, during the whole engagement, rallying and loading with great coolness, until the enemy the men and keeping them to their work, when, were forced to retire from their first position to a second ridge in the rear, which, however, protected them from our fire equally as well as the one which they had abandoned. At this point our troops were halted, and finding that we were as was the case at times, the enemy seemed, by the increase of their fire, to have brought new forces into the action. I had but one officer wounded, and of them all, so far as they came under my observation, I can speak in the warm est terms as regards their gallant conduct during the ridge just as the enemy was making his apthe action. A correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial gives the following account of this affair: FRANKLIN, PENDLETON COUNTY, VA., GEN. MILROY'S BRIGADE, May 13, 1562. After an exciting week we are at last enjoying a season of rest in our camp here, to which point the overwhelming numbers of the enemy compelled us to fall back. Since about the first of April, when the rebels evacuated Camp Allegheny, Gen. Milroy, with that energy and fearless determination which are his peculiar characteristics, has been hotly pursuing them, until they were driven beyond the Shenandoah mountains, the boundary of Fremont's department. In their retreat the rebels destroyed an immense amount of camp equipage. This was particularly the case at their camp on the Shenandoah mountain, where they left considerable quantities of flour, forage, etc.; they burned most of their tents, the rest they cut so as to render them unfit for use. On the fifth the Thirty-second Ohio was advanced beyond the Shenandoah mountain for the double purpose of scouting and foraging. The Seventy-fifth Ohio and Third Virginia, with Capt. Hyman's battery, were encamped at the foot of the mountain on this side; the rest of our force was at McDowell, at which place Gen. Milroy had his headquarters. On Wednesday morning the cavalry pickets belonging to Capt. Shuman's company First Virginia, were attacked and driven in after losing several men and a number of horses. The Thirty-second, under Lieut.-Col. Sweeney, drove the rebels back in good style, and then fell back across the mountain. Unfortunately this regiment was without transportation, and hence lost all their camp equipage and baggage, which was burned by the rebels. By this time we had learned from our scouts and from other sources that we were about to be attacked by the combined forces of Johnson and Jackson, numbering some fifteen thousand men, with Ashby's cavalry, and a good supply of artillery. Our forces that were advanced toward the Shenandoah, were immediately ordered to fall back to McDowell. As we came up Shaw's Ridge, just this side of the Shenandoah, we could see the rebels swarming over the top of the latter. The road that leads down the mountain was crowded with rebels for several hours, and still they came. Gen. Milroy, at this moment, came up and ordered Capt. Hyman's battery, supported by the Seventy-fifth Ohio, Col. McLean, to move back to Shaw's Ridge, and check the advance of the rebels. They reached pearance near the foot. Hyman's guns were quickly in position, and soon shells were falling among the rebels, who immediately about faced and marched back up the mountain. The regiment and battery then fell back to McDowell, reaching that place about seven P.M. The men slept on their arms, while the officers made the arrangements for the next day's battle. A little after midnight, most of us tried to sleep. I confess affairs looked too blue to permit of my sleeping. We had information that Jackson was coming with nine thousand men by way of North River Gap, to attack our left, while Johnson, with his whole force and part of Jackson's, would attack us in front. Our force was not half theirs, and our position a poor one; but Gen. Milroy said he would not yield a foot to treason, and so we must fight. By half-past two Thursday morning, all in camp were stirring, and by four all had eaten breakfast. Our soldiers watched for the coming dawn, and listened anxiously for the signal gun that would summon them to battle. Day came, but no attack. We supposed they were only awaiting the advance of Jackson's force from the direction of North River Gap. By order of Gen. Milroy, I took a squad of cavalry, and went in the direction of North River Gap, to find, if possible, Jackson's force. I went out fifteen miles from McDowell, but found no force. On returning to camp I found Gen. Schenck had come up with three regiments, namely, the Eighty-second and Fifty-fifth Ohio, and Fifth Virginia. The enemy had made his appearance on the hill east of the town, and two companies of his skirmishers had been driven in by Capt. Higgins's company of the Eighty-fifth. At five o'clock P.M., it was resolved to make a reconnoissance in force, to learn the strength and position of the enemy. half-past five o'clock, Gen. Milroy moved with four regiments, namely, the Seventy-fifth, Twentyfifth, Thirty-second and Eighty-second. At The rebels had stationed themselves on the top of a ridge, in the Bull Pasture Mountain, through a gap in which, at this point, the Staunton pike passes. The Twenty-fifth and Seventyfifth Ohio took up the mountain on the right, while the Thirty-second and Eighty-second took the left. The mountain on both sides is very steep and hence, by the time the men had marched two thirds of the way up the mountain, they were almost exhausted. The Seventy-fifth and Twenty-fifth had climbed two thirds the way up the mountain, and were just crossing a little ridge, when they received a full volley from a rebel regiment that had been concealed on the other side of the ridge. Here the battle began, the rebels falling back before the telling fire of our boys. The enemy then reenforced till his numbers exceeded our own-continued to fall back till they reached their main force, which was posted in admirably selected position - a kind of basin in the top of the mountain, from which they could fire without exposing only their head. The fight had been raging furiously |