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BOLIVAR HEIGHTS.

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of artillery on the heights, and com- took position near the old rifle works, manding the approaches from Harper's and during the action rendered good Ferry. Having accomplished his ob- service there. There then remained unject, in the capture of the flour, Colonel der my immediate command about four Geary was about to recross the river hundred and fifty men. With these the when, on the morning of the 16th, his fierce charge of the enemy's cavalry was pickets, stationed on the heights above soon checked and turned back, only to Bolivar, extending from the Potomac to be renewed with greater impetuosity, the Shenandoah river, about two and a supported, in addition to the artillery, half miles west of Harper's Ferry, were by the fire of long lines of infantry stadriven into the town of Bolivar by the tioned on Bolivar Heights; but they were enemy, who approached from the west in as soon repulsed. Three charges were three columns, consisting of infantry and thus made by them in succession. Under cavalry, supported by artillery. "I this concentrated fire our troops held was upon the ground," continues Colonel their position until eleven o'clock, when Geary, in his report of the action which Lieutenant Martin, by my order, joined ensued, "and rallied my pickets upon me with one rifled cannon, which had the main body in Bolivar. In a short been placed to cover the ferry, he havtime the action became general. The ing crossed the river with it under a advanced guard of the rebels, consisting galling fire of riflemen from Loudon of several hundred cavalry, charged gal- Heights. I then pushed forward my lantly toward the upper part of the town, right flank, consisting of two companies and their infantry and artillery soon (A and G) of the 28th Pennsylvania took position upon the heights, from Volunteers. They succeeded in turning which my pickets had been driven. the enemy's left near the Potomac, and Their three pieces of artillery were sta- gained a portion of the heights. At the tioned on and near the Charlestown road, same time Lieutenant Martin opened a where it crosses Bolivar Heights. They well-directed fire upon the enemy's canhad one thirty-two-pounder columbiad, non in our front, and Captain Tompkins one steel rifled thirteen pounder, and succeeded in silencing some of the enemy's one brass six-pounder, all of which were guns on Loudon Heights. The services, served upon the troops of my command simultaneously rendered, were of great with great activity, the large gun throw- importance, and the turning of the ing alternately solid shot, shell and enemy's flank being the key to the sucgrape, and the others principally fuse cess of the action, I instantly ordered a shell. While these demonstrations were general forward movement, which terbeing made in front, a large body of minated in a charge, and we were soon men made their appearance upon Lou- in possession of the heights from river to don Heights, with four pieces of cannon, river. There I halted the troops, and stationed at the most eligible points of from that position they drove the fugithe mountain, to bombard our troops tives, with a well-directed aim of cannon and prevent the use of the ferry on the and small arms, across the valley in the Potomac. The commencement of the direction of Hallstown. If any cavalry firing upon our front and left was al- had been attached to my command the most simultaneous. In order to pre-enemy could have been cut to pieces, as vent the enemy from crossing the Shenandoah, I detached a company of the 13th Massachusetts regiment, under command of Captain Schriber, for the defence of the fords on the river. He

they did not cease their flight until they reached Charlestown, a distance of six miles. Immediately after the capture of the Heights, Major Tyndale arrived with a reinforcement of five companies

of my regiment from Point of Rocks, two of which he ordered to report to Major Gould, at Sandy Hook, and soon joined me with the others on the field. The standard of the 28th regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers-the flag of the Union —was then unfurled on the soil of Virginia, and planted on an eminence of Bolivar Heights, and under its folds we directed the fire of our artillery against the batteries and forces on Loudon Heights, and soon succeeded in silencing every gun and driving away every rebel that could be seen.

Pennsylvania Volunteers, was accidentally taken by a few of the enemy, whom he mistook for Massachusetts men, their uniforms corresponding in all respects, to that of the latter. The four men who were killed were afterward charged upon by the cavalry and stabbed through the body, stripped of all their clothing, not excepting shoes and stockings, and left in perfect nudity. One was laid out in the form of crucifixion, with his hands spread, and cut through the palms with a dull knife. This inhuman treatment incensed our troops exceedingly, and I fear its consequences may be shown in retaliating acts hereafter. I visited the iron foundry at Shenandoah city, and ascertained that it was used by the rebels for casting shot and shell of all kinds. I ordered it to be burned, which was done the same night. The acts of individual gallantry are so numerous in the whole command that it would be impossible to give to each an appropriate mention; but I do not hesitate to say that every corps behaved with the coolness and courage of veteran troops.

"The victory was complete. The loss of the enemy in killed and wounded is generally conceded to be about one hundred and fifty, which they carried back in wagons and on horses as rapidly as they fell. We took four prisoners, among whom is Rev. Nathaniel Green North, chaplain of Colonel Ashby's command. He is said to have been present at every battle that has occurred in Virginia. The fine thirty-two-pounder columbiad, mounted on an old-fashioned gun-carriage, was captured, together with a quantity of ammunition for it, consisting It affords me pleasure to mention that of ball, shell, and grapeshot, for the Hon. Daniel McCook (father of General transportation of which a wagon was McCook), as an amateur soldier, gun in used as a caisson. These were imme- hand, volunteered and rendered much diately transferred to the north side of service during the engagement. I also the Potomac, and the gun is placed in mention like services rendered by Benposition against its late proprietors. One jamin G. Owen, Esq., of St. Louis. of their small guns used at Bolivar Both of these gentlemen were greatly Heights was disabled, having one of the exposed during the action. I am inwheels shot from the gun-carriage by a formed by authority deemed reliable, well-directed shot from Lieutenant Mar- that the enemy's forces consisted of the tin. They succeeded in dragging it from following troops, viz: the 13th and 19th the field. Our loss is four killed, seven Mississippi regiments, the 8th Virginia wounded, and two taken prisoners, a list regiment of infantry, Colonel Ashby's of whom is hereto attached. The greater regiment of cavalry, and Roger's Richpart of the loss occurred in the Wisconsin mond battery of six pieces, and one companies, who gallantly sustained the thirty-two-pounder columbiad, commandposition of our left flank throughout the ed by General Evans in person. Bolivar contest. One of the soldiers taken by Heights was taken at half-past one P. M. the enemy was Corporal 3d Wis- I directed our troops to rest there until consin regiment, who was wounded in evening, when we fired a farewell shot the action. The other Corporal, Benaiah into Hallstown, and as there was no Pratt, of Company A, 28th regiment | longer any necessity to remain on that

RECONNOISSANCE OF LEESBURG.

side of the Potomac, our errand having been crowned with the fullest success, I marched my command to the ferry, and in five hours it was safely landed in Maryland."

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despatch to General Stone of the fact. informing him that General McCall would that day send out heavy reconnoissances in all directions, and adding: “The General desires that you keep a good lookThe enemy before Washington having out upon Leesburg to see if this movefallen back from their positions immedi- ment has the effect to drive them away. ately in front of the formidable force col- Perhaps a slight demonstration on your lected within the Union lines, a recon- part would have the effect to move noissance was ordered by General Mc- them." Acting immediately upon this Clellan to ascertain their strength on the order or suggestion, General Stone set right in the neighborhood of the Poto- on foot a movement of his troops which mac. The region in Maryland opposite led, the next day, to the fatal engagethat part of Loudon county commanding ment at Ball's Bluff. Early on the afterthe approaches to Leesburg, the capital noon of the 20th he proceeded with Genof the county and the key to the upper eral Gorman's brigade, 7th Michigan, two interior communication with the valley troops of the Van Alen cavalry and the of the Shenandoah, was held by the Putnam rangers, to Edward's Ferry, division of Brigadier-General Stone. where a section of Bunting's New York His headquarters were at Poolesville, battery was already on duty. To Harwithin easy striking distance of Conrad's rison's Island, where there was already and Edwards' Ferries, which, some four a company of the 15th Massachusetts miles from one another, afforded the volunteers, he sent four additional commeans of crossing the Potomac at this panies of the same regiment under Colpart of its course. Intermediate be- onel Charles Devens; while he ordered be-onel tween the two ferries was Harrison's Is- to Conrad's Ferry, at that time defended land, about two hundred yards in width by a section of Ricketts' battery, Coland three miles in length, unequally di- onel Lee with a battalion of his 20th viding the stream between the two Massachusetts regiment, a section of shores. On the Maryland side the dis- Vaughan's Rhode Island battery and tance was about one hundred and fifty Colonel Coggswell's New York Tamyards; on the Virginia side, where the many regiment. Several additional regicurrent was more rapid, about one hun- ments, including Colonel Baker's so dred. Conrad's Ferry was at the upper called California regiment, numbering end of the Island. The river was much in all about 3,000 men, were left as a swollen by the autumnal rains. On the reserve in the rear. "The movements 10th of October it was reported in the of General McCall," remarks General papers of the day that the Upper Poto- Stone in his report, "had evidently atmac in a few days had risen fifteen feet tracted the attention of the enemy, a above the fording point, and that the regiment of infantry having appeared volume of water and the rapidity of the from the direction of Leesburg and taken current rendered the use of pontoon shelter behind a hill about a mile and a bridges a matter of extreme difficulty. half from our position at Edwards' Ferry." To intimidate or disperse this party of the enemy, General Gorman was ordered to deploy his forces in their view; three flat-boats were put in mo

On the 19th of October General McCall, who held the advance command in Virginia on the right of the Union line, in pursuance of instructions, moved forward and occupied Dranesville. As soon as this was accomplished General McClellan, on the 20th, sent word in a

* A. V. Colburn, Assistant Adjutant-General, by order 20, 1861. of General McClellan, to Brigadier-General Stone, October

tion as if for crossing, and to confirm covered by a company of the Massachuthis impression, shell and shot were dis-setts 20th to be posted over the landing charged from the battery into the place place." Colonel Devens was ordered to of the enemy's concealment. This de- make close observation of the position, monstration caused the quick retirement strength, and movements of the enemy, of the enemy. "In the course of this and in the event of there being no enemy affair," General Stone tells us, "three there visible, to hold on in a secure poboat loads of thirty-five men each from sition, until he could be strengthened the 1st Minnesota crossed and recrossed sufficiently to make a valuable reconnoisthe river, each trip occupying about six sance. At this time orders were sent to or seven minutes." At dusk General Colonel Baker to send the 1st California Gorman's brigade and the 7th Michigan regiment to Conrad's Ferry, to arrive returned to camp. The troops stationed there at sunrise, and to have the remainat Conrad's Ferry meanwhile remained der of his brigade ready to move early. awaiting the return of the scouting party Lieutenant-Colonel Wood, of the 15th which had been sent, by order of Gen- Massachusetts, was also ordered to move eral Stone, from Harrison's Island in the with a battalion to the river bank opdirection of Leesburg. In the afternoon posite Harrison's Island by daybreak. General Stone sent a dispatch to Gen-Two mounted howitzers, in charge of eral McClellan communicating these inci- Lieutenant French of Ricketts' battery, dents, and touching upon a point-the were ordered to the tow-path of the means of transportation at hand-which canal opposite Harrison's Island." "To presently became of the utmost impor- distract attention from Colonel Devens' tance in the conduct of the operations in movements," continues General Stone in progress. "I have means," he wrote, his report, "and to make a reconnoisof crossing one hundred and twenty-sance in the direction of Leesburg from five men once in ten minutes at each of Edwards' Ferry, I directed General Gortwo points. River falling slowly.' man to throw across the river at that point two companies of the 1st Minnesota under cover of a fire from Ricketts' battery, and sent out a party of thirtyone Van Alen Cavalry under Major Mix, accompanied by Captain Charles Stew

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At ten o'clock in the night word was brought to General Stone at Edwards' Ferry that Captain Philbrick of the 15th Massachusetts, who conducted the reconnoitering party, had returned to the island, having been within a mile of Lees-art, Assistant Adjutant-General, Captain burg and made the discovery in the edge of a wood of an encampment of thirty tents. There were no pickets out any distance and he had approached to within twenty-five rods without being even challenged.

Upon receiving this intelligence, General Stone instantly sent orders to Colonel Devens on the island, "to cross four companies to the Virginia shore and march silently under cover of the night to the position of the camp referred to, to attack and destroy it at day-break, pursue the enemy lodged there, as far as would be prudent, and return immediately to the island, his return to be

Murphy, and Lieutenants Pierce and Gouraud, with orders to advance along the Leesburg road until they should come to the vicinity of a battery which was known to be on that road, and then turn to the left and examine the heights between that and Goose Creek, and see if any of the enemy were posted in the vicinity, find out their numbers as nearly as possible, their disposition, examine the country with reference to the passage of troops to the Leesburg and Georgetown turnpike, and return rapidly to cover behind the skirmishers of the Minnesota 1st. This reconnoissance was most gallantly conducted, and the party proceed

COLONEL DEVENS' MOVEMENT.

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ed along the Leesburg road nearly two with Captain Philbrick and two or three miles from the ferry, and when near the scouts across this slope and along the position of the hidden battery came sud-other line of it, observing Leesburg, denly upon a Mississippi regiment, about thirty-five yards distant, received its fire and returned it with their pistols. The fire of the enemy killed one horse, but Lieutenant Gouraud seized the dismounted man, and drawing him on his horse behind him, carried him unhurt from the field. One private of the 4th Virginia Cavalry was brought off by the party a prisoner, who, being well mounted and armed, his mount replaced the one lost by the fire of the enemy."

which was in full view, and the country about it, as carefully as possible, and seeing but four tents of the enemy. My force being well concealed by the woods, and having no reason to believe my presence was discovered, and no large number of the enemy's tents being in sight, I determined not to return at once, but to report to yourself, which I did by directing Quartermaster Howe to repair at once to Edwards' Ferry to state these facts, and to say, that in my opinion I While this diversion of the enemy was could remain until I was reinforced. going on at the left, Colonel Devens was The means of transportation between executing the movement ordered by Gen- the island and the Virginia shore had eral Stone on the right. He began the been strengthened, I knew, at daybreak, passage of the river from Harrison's Is- by a large boat which would convey land to the Virginia shore about mid-sixty or seventy men at once, and as the night; but so inadequate was the trans-boat could cross and recross every ten portation, having only three four-oared minutes, I had no reason to suppose boats, together conveying only about thirty men, that it was nearly four o'clock on the morning of the 21st before his small force of five companies, numbering about three hundred, were lodged on the opposite side. They passed down the river about sixty rods by a path discovered by the scouts and then ascended the bank known as Ball's Bluff, where they found an open field surrounded by woods. Here they halted till daybreak, being joined by the company, 100 men accompanied by Colonel Lee, of the Massachusetts 20th, ordered to protect their return. "At daybreak," continues Colonel Devens in his report, we pushed forward our reconnoissance toward Leesburg to the distance of about a mile from the river, to a spot supposed to be the site of the rebel encampment, but found, on passing through the woods, that the scouts had been deceived by a line of trees on the brow of the slope, the openings through which presented, in an uncertain light, somewhat the appearance of a line of tents. Leaving the detachment in the woods, I proceeded

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there would be any difficulty in sending over five hundred men an hour, as it was known there were two large boats between the island and the Maryland shore, which would convey to the island all the troops that could be conveyed from it to the Virginia shore."

On receiving the message brought by Lieutenant Howe, General Stone ordered a non-commissioned officer and ten cavalry to join Colonel Devens for the purpose of scouring the country near him while engaged in the reconnoissance and to give due notice of the approach of any force. He also ordered LieutenantColonel Ward to proceed with a battalion of the 15th Massachusetts to secure a crossing higher up and protect the flank of Colonel Devens in his return. "For some reason," adds Colonel Stone,

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never explained to me, neither of these orders was carried out. The cavalry who were accompanied by Captain Candy, Assistant Adjutant-General, and General Lander, were transferred to the Virginia shore, but were sent back without having left the shore to go inland,

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