Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 2.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[15] its effect. Men sought their proper companies and regiments, comparative order was restored, and all now posted to the best advantage.

I herewith enclose the official report of Capt. Kelly, the commanding officer of the New York Sixty-ninth; also full lists of the killed and wounded and missing. Our loss was heavy, all around us; but the short exposure to an intense fire of small-arms, at close range, had killed many, wounded more, and had produced disorder in all the battalions that had attempted to destroy it. Men fell away talking and in great confusion. Col. Cameron had been mortally wounded, carried to an ambulance, and reported dying. Many other officers were reported dead or missing, and many of the wounded were making their way, with more or less assistance, to the buildings or hospitals. On the ridge to the west we succeeded in partially re-forming the regiments, but it was manifest they would not stand, and I directed Col. Corcoran to move along the ridge to the rear, near the position where we had first formed the brigade. Gen. McDowell was there in person, and used all possible efforts to reassure the men. By the active exertions of Col. Corcoran we formed an irregular square against the cavalry, which was then seen to issue from the position from which we had been driven, and we began our retreat towards that ford of Bull Run by which we had approached the field of battle. There was no possible order to retreat, although for an hour it had been going on by the operations of the men themselves. The ranks were thin and irregular, and we found a stream of people stirring from the hospital across Bull Run, and far toward Centreville.

After putting in motion the irregular square, I pushed forward to find Capt. Ayres's battery, occupied chiefly at the point where Rickett's battery was destroyed. Lieut.-Col. Haggerty was killed about noon, before we effected a junction with Col. Hunter's Division. Colonel Cameron was mortally wounded leading the regiment in the charge, and Colonel Corcoran has been missing since the cavalry charge near the building used as a hospital.

	Killed.	Wounded.	Missing.	Total.
Ayres's Battery,	6	3	--	9
New York Thirteenth,	11	27	20	58
New York Sixty-ninth,	38	59	95	192
N. Y. Seventy-ninth,	32	51	115	198
Wisconsin Second,	24	65	63	152
Total,	111	205	293	609

For names of rank, &c., of the above I refer to the lists herewith. Lieuts. Piper and McQuesten of my personal staff were under fire all day, and carried orders to and fro with as much coolness as on parade. Lieut. Bagley of the New York 69th, a volunteer aid, asked leave to serve with his company during the action, and is among those reported missing. I have intelligence that he is a prisoner, and slightly wounded. Colonel McCoon, of Wisconsin, a volunteer aid, also rendered good service during the day. I have the honor to be your obedient servant.

sir:--In compliance with the orders of Brig.-Gen. Tyler, I have the honor to report the operations of the First Brigade, First Division, in the action of the 21st inst., at Bull Run, and during the two succeeding days.

Leaving my camp near Centreville at 2 o'clock A. M., I took my place in the First Division as a reserve. At 9 1/4 o'clock A. M., at the distance of half a mile from Bull Run, I was ordered by Gen. Tyler to incline the head of my column to the right, and direct it through an open field to a ford about 800 yards above the stone bridge. Before the whole brigade had entered upon the new direction, the enemy opened fire from a battery across the run, and threw upon the First and Second regiments, Connecticut Volunteers, some 25 or 30 rounds of shot and shell, which caused a temporary confusion and wounded several men. Order was shortly restored, and the brigade closed up on Sherman's column before passing the fords.

After crossing I marched at once to the high ground, and, by order of Gen. Tyler, came into line on Sherman's left. The order to advance in line of battle was given at about 10 o'clock A. M., and from that hour until 4 P. M., my brigade was in constant activity on the field of battle. The First regiment Connecticut Volunteers was met by a body of cavalry and infantry, which it repelled, and at several other encounters of different parts of the line the enemy constantly retired before us.

At about 2 o'clock P. M. Gen. Tyler ordered me to take a battery on a height in front. The battery was strongly posted, and supported by infantry and riflemen, sheltered by a building, a fence, and a hedge. My order to charge was obeyed with the utmost promptness. Col. Jameson of the Second Maine, and Col. Chatfield of the Third Connecticut Volunteers, pressed forward their regiments up the base slope about 100 yards, when I ordered them to lie down at a point offering a small protection, and load. I then ordered them to advance again, which they did in the face of a movable battery of eight pieces and a large body of infantry, toward the top of the hill. As we moved forward we came under the fire of other large bodies of the enemy posted behind breastworks, and on reaching the summit of the hill the firing became so hot that an exposure to it of five minutes would have annihilated my whole line.

As the enemy had withdrawn to a height beyond, and to the support of additional troops, I ordered the Maine regiment to face by the left