ridge on the left of the Centreville road, about six hundred yards in advance of the ford, with two 6-pounder (smooth) guns. At first the firing of the enemy was at random, but by half past 12 P. M. he had obtained the range of our position, and poured into the brigade a shower of shot, but without injury to us in men, horses, or guns. From the distance, however, our guns could not reply with effect, and we did not attempt it, patiently awaiting a more opportune moment. Meanwhile a light battery was pushed forward by the enemy, whereupon Kemper threw only six solid shot, with the effect of driving back both the battery and its supporting force. This is understood to have been Ayres' battery, and the damage must have been considerable to have obliged such a retrograde movement on the part of that officer. The purposes of Kemper's position having now been fully served, his pieces and support were withdrawn across Mitchell's Ford, to a point previously designated, and which commanded the direct approaches to the ford. About half-past 11 o'clock A. M., the enemy was also discovered by the pickets of Longstreet's brigade advancing in strong columns of infantry, with artillery and cavalry, on Blackburn's Ford. At meridian the pickets fell back silently before the advancing fire across the ford, which, -as well as the entire southern bank of the stream, for the whole front of Longstreet's brigade was covered at the water's edge by an extended line of skirmishers, while two 6pounders of Walton's battery, under Lieut. Garnett, were advantageously placed to command the direct approach to the ford, but with orders to retire to the rear as soon as commanded by the enemy. The northern bank of the stream, in front of Longstreet's position, rises with a steep slope at least fifty feet above the level of the water, leaving a narrow berme in front of the ford of some 20 yards. This ridge formed for them an admirable natural parapet, behind which they could, and did approch, under shelter, in heavy force, within less than 100 yards of our skirmishers; the southern shore was almost a plain, raised but a few feet above the water for several hundred yards, then rising with a very gradual, gentle slope, and undulations, back to Manassas. On the immediate bank there was a fringe of trees, but with little, if any, undergrowth or shelter, while on the other shore there were timber and much thick brush and covering. The ground in the rear of our skirmishers, and occupied by our artillery, was an old field extending along the stream about one mile, and immediately back for about half a mile to a border or skirting of dense, secondgrowth pines. The whole of this ground was commanded at all points by the ridge occupied by the enemy's musketry, as was also the country to the rear, for a distance much beyond the range of 20-pounder rifle guns, by the range of hills on which their batteries were planted, and which, it may be further noted, commanded also all our approaches from this direction to the three threatened fords. Before advancing his infantry the enemy maintained a fire of rifle artillery from the batteries just mentioned for half an hour, then he pushed forward a column of over 3,000 infantry to the assault, with such a weight of numbers as to be repelled with difficulty by the comparatively small force at not more than twelve hundred bayonets, with which Brigadier-General Longstreet met him with characteristic vigor and intrepidity. Our troops engaged at this time were the First and Seventeenth, and four companies of the Eleventh regiment Virginia volunteers; their resistance was resolute, and maintained with a steadiness worthy of all praise; it was successful, and the enemy was repulsed. In a short time, however, he returned to the contest with increased force and determination, but was again foiled and driven back by our skirmishers and Longstreet's reserve companies, which were brought up and employed at the most vigorously assailed points at the critical moment. It was now that Brigadier-General Longstreet sent for reënforcements from Early's brigade, which I had anticipated by directing the advance of Gen. Early, with two regiments of infantry and two pieces of artillery. As these came upon the field the enemy had advanced a third time with heavy numbers to force Longstreet's position. Hay's regiment, 7th Louisiana volunteers, which was in advance, was placed on the bank of the stream, under some cover, to the immediate right and left of the ford, relieving Corse's regiment, 17th Virginia volunteers; this was done under a heavy fire of musketry, with promising steadiness. The 7th Virginia, under Lieutenant-Colonel Wil- liams, was then formed to the right, also under heavy fire, and pushed forward to the stream, relieving the 1st regiment Virginia volunteers. At the same time, two rifle guns, brought up with Early's brigade, were moved down in the field to the right of the road, so as to be concealed from the enemy's artillery by the girth of timber on the immediate bank of the stream, and there opened fire, directed only by the sound of the enemy's musketry. Unable to effect a passage, the enemy kept up a scattering fire for some time. Some of our troops had pushed across the stream, and several small parties of Corse's regiment, under command of Capt. Mayre, met and drove the enemy with the bayonet; but as the roadway from the ford was too narrow for a combined movement in force, Gen. Longstreet recalled them to the south bank. Meanwhile, the remainder of Early's infantry and artillery had been called upthat is, six companies of the 24th regiment Virginia volunteers, under Lieut-Col. Hairston, and five pieces of artillery, one rifle gun and four six-pounder brass guns, including two 6pounder guns under Lieut. Garnett, which had been previously sent to the rear by Gen. Long- ardson, Garnett, and Whittington. At the same street. This infantry was at once placed in po- | time, our infantry held the bank of the stream sition to the left of the ford, in a space unoccu- in advance of our guns, and the missiles flew pied by Hays, and the artillery was unlimbered to and fro above them, as, cool and veteranin battery to the right of the road in a line with like, for more than an hour they steadily awaitthe two guns already in action. A scattering ed the moment and signal for the advance. fire of musketry was still kept up by the enemy While the conflict was at its height before for a short time, but that was soon silenced. Blackburn's Ford, about 4 o'clock P. M., the It was at this stage of the affair that a re-enemy again displayed himself in force before markable artillery duel was commenced and maintained on our side with a long-trained professional opponent superior in character as well as in the number of his weapons, provided with improved munitions and every artillery appliance, and at the same time occupying the commanding position. The results were marvellous, and fitting precursors to the artillery achievements of the twenty-first of July. In the outset our fire was directed against the enemy's infantry, whose bayonets, gleaming above the tree-tops, alone indicated their presence and force. son. This drew the attention of a battery placed on a high, commanding ridge, and a duel began in earnest. For a time the aim of the adversary was inaccurate, but this was quickly corrected, and shot fell and shells burst thick and fast in the midst of our battery, wounding in the course of the combat Capt. Eschelman, five privates, and the horse of Lieut. RichardFrom the position of our pieces and the nature of the ground, their aim could only be directed at the smoke of the enemy's artillery; how skilfully and with what execution this was done ca only be realized by an eye-witness. For a few moments, their guns were silenced, but were soon re-opened. By direction of Gen. Longstreet his battery was then advanced by hand out of the range now ascertained by the enemy, and a shower of spherical case, shell, and round shot flew over the heads of our gunners; but one of our pieces had become hors de combat from an enlarged vent. From the new position our guns fired as before, with no other aim than the smoke and flash of their adversaries' pieces-renewed and urged the conflict with such signal vigor and effect, that gradually the fire of the enemy slackened, the intervals between their discharges grew longer and longer, finally to cease, and we fired a last gun at a baffled, flying foe, whose heavy masses in the distance were plainly seen to break and scatter, in wild confusion and utter rout, strewing the ground with cast-away guns, hats, blankets, and knapsacks, as our parting shells were thrown among them. In their retreat one of their pieces was abandoned, but from the nature of the ground it was not sent for that night, and under cover of darkness the enemy recovered it. The guns engaged in this singular conflict on our side were three 6-pounder rifle pieces and four ordinary 6-pounders, all of Walton's battery the Washington Artillery, of New Orleans. The officers immediately attached were, Cap. Eschelman, Lieuts. C. W. Squires, Rich Bonham's position. At this, Colonel Kershaw with four companies of his regiment, Second South Carolina, and one piece of Kemper's battery, were thrown across Mitchell's Ford to the ridge which Kemper had occupied that morning. Two solid shot, and three spherical case thrown among them-with a precision inaugurated by that artillerist at Vienna-effected their discomfiture and disappearance, and our troops in the quarters were again withdrawn within our lines, having discharged the duty assigned. At the close of the engagement before Blackburn Ford, I directed Gen. Longstreet to withdraw the 1st and 17th regiments, which had borne the brunt of the action, to a position in reserve, leaving Col. Early to occupy the field with his brigade and Garland's regiment. As a part of the history of this engagement, I desire to place on record, that on the 18th of July not one yard of intrenchment nor one rifle-pit sheltered the men at Blackburn's Ford, who, officers and men, with rare exceptions, were on that day for the first time under fire, and who, taking and maintaining every position ordered, cannot be too much commended for their soldierly behavior. Our artillery were manned and officered by those who but yesterday were called from the civil avocations of a busy city. They were matched with the picked artillery of the Federal regular army-Company E, 3d artillery, under Capt. Ayres, with an armament, as their own chief of artillery admits, of two 10-pounder Parrott rifle guns, two 12-pounder howitzers, and two 6-pounder pieces, aided by two 20-pounder Parrott rifle guns of Company G, 5.h artillery, under Lieut. Benjamin; thus matched they drove their veteran adversaries from the field, giving confidence in and promise of the coming efficiency of that brilliant arm of our service. Having thus related the main or general results and events of the action of Bull Run, in conclusion, it is proper to signalize some of those who contributed most to the satisfactory results of that day. Thanks are due to Brig.-Gens, Bonham and Ewell, and to Col. Cocke and the officers under them, for the ability shown in conducting and executing the retrograde movements on Bull Run, directed in my orders of the 18th of July -movements on which hung the fortunes of this army. Brig.-Gen. Longstreet, who commanded immediately the troops engaged at Blackburn's Ford on the 18th, equalled my confident ex pectations, and I may fitly say, that by his presence in the right place, at the right moment, among his men, by the exhibition of characteristic coolness, and by his words of encouragement to the men of his command, he infused a confidence and spirit that contributed largely to the success of our arms on that day. Col. Early brought his brigade into position, and subsequently into action, with judgment; and at the proper moment he displayed capacity for command and personal gallantry. Col. Moore, commanding the 1st Virginia volunteers, was severely wounded at the head of his regiment, the command of which subsequently devolved upon Major Skinner, Lieut.Col. Fry having been obliged to leave the field in consequence of a sun-stroke. on Bull Run. Called from the head of his regiment by what appeared to me an imperative need of the service, to take charge of the superior duties of the Quartermaster's Department, with the advance at that critical juncture, he accepted the responsibilities involved, and was eminently efficient. For further information touching officers and individuals of the 1st brigade, and the details of the retrograde movement, I have to refer particularly to the report of Brigadier-General Bonham, herewith. It is proper here to state, that while from the outset it had been determined, on the approach of the enemy in force, to fall back and fight him on the line of Bull Run, yet the position occupied by Gen. Ewell's brigade, if necesAn accomplished, promising officer, Major sary, could have been maintained against a Carter H. Herrison, 11th regiment Virginia largely superior force. This was especially the volunteers, was lost to the service while lead-case with the Fifth Alabama volunteers, Coloing two companies of his regiment against the nel Rodes, which that excellent officer had enemy; he fell, twice shot, mortally wounded. made capable of a resolute, protracted defence Brigadier-General Longstreet, while finding against heavy odds. Accordingly, on the mornon all sides alacrity, ardor and intelligence, ing of the 17th ult., when the enemy appeared mentions his special obligations to Cols. Moore, Garland, and Corse, commanding, severally, regiments of his brigade, and to their fieldofficers, Lieut.-Cols. Fry, Funsten, and Munford, and Majors Brent and Skinner, of whom he says: "they displayed more coolness and energy than is usual among veterans of the old service." General Longstreet also mentions the conduct of Captain Marey, of the 17th Virginia volunteers, as especially gallant on one occasion, in advance of the Ford. The regiments of Early's brigade were commanded by Colonel Harry Hays, and Lieutenant-Colonels Williams and Hairston, who handled their commands in action with satisfactory coolness and skill, supported by their field officers, Lieut.-Col. DeChoiseul and Major Penn, of the 7th Louisiana, and Major Patton, of the 7th Virginia Volunteers. before that position, they were checked and held at bay, with some confessed loss, in a skirmish in advance of the works, in which Major Morgan and Capt. Shelly, Fifth regiment Alabama volunteers, acted with intelligent gallantry; and the post was only abandoned under general but specific imperative orders, in conformity with a long-conceived, established plan of action and battle. Capt. E. P. Alexander, Confederate States engineer, fortunately joined my head-quarters in time to introduce the system of new fieldsignals which, under his skilful management, rendered me the most important service preceding and during the engagement. The medical officers serving with the regiments engaged were at their proper posts and discharged their duties with satisfactory skill and zeal; and, on one occasion at least, under The skill, the conduct, and the soldierly an annoying fire, when Surgeon Cullen, First qualities of the Washington Artillery engaged regiment Virginia volunteers, was obliged to were all that could be desired. The officers remove our wounded from the hospital, which and men attached to the seven pieces already had become the special target of the enemy's specified, won for their battalion a distinction rifle guns, notwithstanding it was surmounted which, I feel assured, will never be tarnished, by the usual yellow hospital flag, but which, and which will ever serve to urge them and however, I hope, for the sake of past associatheir corps to high endeavor. Lieutenant tions, was ignorantly mistaken for a ConfedSquires worthily commanded the pieces in ac-erate flag. The name of each individual medition. The commander of the battalion was cal officer I cannot mention. necessarily absent from the immediate field, under orders in the sphere of his duties, but the fruits of his discipline, zeal, instruction, and capacity as an artillery commander, were present, and must redound to his reputation. On the left of Mitchell's Ford, while no serious engagement occurred, the conduct of all was eminently satisfactory to the general officer in command. It is due, however, to J. L. Kemper, Virginia forces, to express my sense of the value of his services in the preparation for, and execution of, the retreat from Fairfax Court House On the day of the engagement, I was attended by my personal staff, Lieutenant S. W. Ferguson, A.D.C., and my volunteer aides-decamp, Colonels Preston, Manning, Chestnut, Miles, Chisholm, and Heyward, of South Carolina, to all of whom I am greatly indebted for manifold essential services in the transmission of orders on the field, and in the preliminary arrangements for occupation and maintenance of the line of Bull Run. Col. Thomas Jordan, Assistant AdjutantGeneral; Capt. C. N. Smith, Assistant Adjutant-General; Col. S. Jones, Chief of Artillery and Ordnance; Major Cabell, Chief Quarter- | prised burned to the ground. The only citizens master; Capt. W. H. Fowle, Chief of Subsist- visible were females, looking intensely woeence Department; Surgeon Thos. H. Williams, begone, as though crushed to earth by the preMedical Director, and Assistant Surgeon Bro-vious oppression of the secessionists, and the die, Medical Purveyor of the General Staff at- recent vandal acts of arson committed by our tached to the army of the Potomac, were ne- then uncontrolled troops. They said that all cessarily engaged, severally, with their respon- the able-bodied men of the village had been sible duties at my head-quarters at Camp Pick-pressed into the traitor service on the day beens, which they discharged with an energy and ntelligence for which I have to tender my sincere thanks. Messrs. McLean, Wilcoxen, Kincheloe, and Brawner, citizens of this immediate vicinity, it is their due to say, have placed me and the country under great obligation for the information relative to this region, which has enabled me to avail myself of its defensive features and resources. They were found ever ready to give me their time, without stint or reward. fore at the point of the bayonet, before which they were driven in the direction of Manassas. Leaving there for Centreville, I found our troops strewed along on each side of the road, resting at their noon halt. The whole road was lined with them thus. A portion of Col. Heintzelman's division was in the rear, in and around Germantown. Those seen on the road to Cen treville were principally of Gen. Tyler's column the Maine, Connecticut, and other regiments. Two and a half miles east of Centreville I heard firing in the advance, and, on reaching there, learned that an engagement was evidently in progress before the enemy's intrenchments at Bull Run, half way from that village to Manassas Junction. I learned that the enemy had evacuated his Our casualties, in all 68 killed and wounded, were fifteen killed and fifty-three wounded, several of whom have since died. The loss of the enemy can only be conjectured; it was unquestionably heavy. In the cursory examination which was made by details from Long-slight Centreville works as early as 1 A. M. this street's and Early's brigades, on the 18th July, of that part of the field immediately contested and near Blackburn's Ford, some sixty-four corpses were found and buried, and at least twenty prisoners were also picked up, beside 175 stand of arms, a large quantity of accoutrements and blankets, and quite one hundred and fifty hats. The effect of this day's conflict was to satisfy the enemy he could not force a passage across Bull Run in the face of our troops, and led him into the flank movement of the 21st July, and the battle of Manassas, the details of which will be related in another paper. Herewith I have the honor to transmit the reports of the several brigade commanders engaged, and of the artillery. Also, a map of the field of battle. The rendition of this report, it is proper to say in conclusion, has been unavoidably delayed by the constantly engrossing administrative duties of the commander of an army corps composed wholly of volunteers-duties vitally essential to its well-being and future efficiency, and which I could not set aside or postpone on any account. I have the honor to be, General, To General L. COOPER, WASHINGTON "STAR" NARRATIVE. FAIRFAX COURT HOUSE, July 18, 6 г. M. According to your instructions, at 10 A. M. I started after the main body of the army, via Germantown, where I found three of the fine buildings of which the village has been com *Including two reported "missing." morning. They were situated on the crest of the ridge immediately east of the village, consisting of thirty or forty poor and straggling houses, stretching down the west slope of the ridge on either side of the Warrenton turnpike. No male citizens were visible in the village, and the few white females there wore brighter countenances than their sisters of Germantown. When the enemy evacuated the place, (its males having been impressed the day before,) the women fled to the woods with their children and movables, leaving one only there. They had been told that it was the purpose of the d-d Yankees to burn the town and kill all the male white children. The women left, on realizing that no harm whatever was being done to person or property by our advance on entering the village, and brought those who had fled back, by a negro messenger. I found no detachment of our troops in the abandoned works or the village, though Federal stragglers were lounging about both. Gen. Tyler had ordered all the front doors to be left open, (to prevent assassin shots from the houses,) and the men were freely passing in and out of them, for water, &c. Not a disrespectful word even had been uttered in Centreville, by a single Federal soldier, nor had any one there been robbed to the value of a penny by them. The effect of their capital behavior there has been most happy, indeed, making up for it at Fairfax and Germantown. I proceeded as soon as possible on towards the direction of the firing, and 24 miles out of soldiers and civilians evidently watching the Centreville saw on the crest of a ridge scattered battle in progress at or near its west base. On rising the hill it was in full view. A portion of Sherman's battery, which had been in the advance, had opened upon the ene my from near the west base of the hill, a low ground flat of some four hundred yards intervening between its position and the creek, and between the barn on the right (on our side of the creek) in which they had learned secession cavalry were concealed. The enemy's small armed forces were behind intrenchments in the woods, on the west side of the creek, so covered by their works and thick undergrowth, that glimpses of them were rarely obtained. As soon as our artillery opened on the barn their cavalry rushed out of it and got out of the way, (behind timber, I believe.) When they left it, a concealed battery near the barn opened on our forces, with very little effect, I fancy. Shortly afterwards, more of our artillery came up, and when that opened upon the enemy's position in the woods along the creek border, a second masked battery of theirs, surrounded by their infantry in the woods, replied. That did us considerable damage. I saw four or five of our killed or wounded carried past me to the rear on litters. Dr. Pullston, of Pa., Mr. McCormick, of the N. Y. Evening Post, Mr. Hill, of the N. Y. Tribune, Mr. Raymond, of the N. Y. Times, myself, and a few other civilians, were at that time standing, surrounded by a few straggling soldiers, quietly looking on from the top of the hill, immediately where Gen. Tyler had taken his station. One of the first shells fired from that second battery of the enemy passed between the shoulders of Dr. Pullston and Mr. McCormick, who were arm-in-arm, and burst against a small building three yards in the rear of them. It grazed Mr. McCormick's shoulder. Just then the enemy's infantry fired a volley of Minié balls, which took effect in our group, wounding half a dozen, all slightly, however. Lieut. Lorain, of New York, was most hurt by a flesh wound. We non-combatants quickly sought different and safer positions. ligence of the particulars of the engagement just as I was passing him, and went ahead immediately with increased pace. After passing through Fairfax Court House, I was overtaken by a special messenger, who had remained on the ground after I left. Ere he started, according to the message sent me, the enemy's infantry had essayed to cross the creek to advance upon ours, and had been driven back by the New York 69th and 79th, who charged on them with fixed bayonets. He represents, that as he was leaving, it was judged that the enemy had been fairly whipped by that charge. It was then clear that in a short time he would probably be forced to fall back through the woods towards Manassas Junction. I may mention that, after every volley fired by the enemy while I was at Bull Run, his men uttered a shout that made the welkin ring, and his banners were waved and flaunted defiantly in our faces. Just before his second battery opened fire, clouds of dust in his rear betokened that he was being reinforced from Manassas Junction. NEW YORK "TIMES" NARRATIVE, CENTREVILLE, Va., Thursday evening, July 18, 1861. This has been an eventful day for the army of advance, and the result will unquestionably be represented as a great victory on the part of the rebels. In a word, the affair was a reconnoissance in force of a wood at Bull Run, whose contents were unknown. It proved to be a masked battery, behind which some 5,000 of the rebels had intrenched themselves, and our five regiments, which were sent against it, were repulsed with considerable loss-a loss, the extent of which I cannot state with any accuracy, but which probably amounted to not far from 150 killed and wounded. On our side, Sherman's battery, under Capt. Ayres, was the only one engaged. It behaved with great gallantry, but the extent of damage inflicted cannot be known, as it fired constantly into dense woods. Our forces were all withdrawn to the rear, the most of them as far back as Centre Just then the New York Sixty-ninth and Seventy-ninth came up and took position near our other infantry on the flat. Gen. Tyler, on finding that the fire of the second of the ene-ville, four miles from Bull Run, which is itmy's batteries was likely to prove destructive, manoeuvred the infantry into a different position, falling them back with wheeling them. They were all as cool as cucumbers, and executed his orders with as much precision as though engaged in a dress parade on Pennsylvania avenue. I was compelled, by my engagement, to return to Falls Church by nightfall, and then left to return. About six miles from the scene of the engagement I met General McDowell in his carriage, with his staff on horseback. Ere meeting him-indeed, immediately after the arrival of the Sixty-ninth and Seventy-ninth on the field of action, and the change of position of our infantry engaged-the firing on both sides ceased for the time being. It was renewed, however, before I reached where I met General McDowell. He received his first intel self about the same distance from Manassas Junction. The attack will unquestionably be renewed in the morning, not only upon this masked battery, but upon the entire rebel force at Manassas-with what result I shall probably be able to tell you to-morrow. So much for the general result; now for the details of the affair, so far as they came under my personal observation. I left Fairfax Court House at a later hour than I intended, and reached Centreville at about 11 o'clock. The rebels here had thrown up intrenchments on a high hill, overlooking the road as it debouches from a fine wood, and a large open field, admirably fitted for defence. They had abandoned them, however, and this confirmed the general impression that they did not mean to fight. The troops which had been brought forward, comprising only a portion of |