Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 5.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[395] beg leave to refer you to the documents accompanying this report.

I am, General, most truly yours,

General: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by the First division, First army corps, Army of Virginia, in the battle of Friday, the thirtieth ultimo, at Bull Run:

On Thursday, the twenty-ninth ultimo, we left Buckland Mills, pressing through Gainesville, and proceeded on the Manassas Junction pike to within four miles of that place, and then turned easterly, marching easterly toward Bull Run. The scouts in advance reported a force of the enemy, consisting of infantry and cavalry, in front. We were hurried forward and formed in line of battle, with our right toward Centreville. Some few shells were thrown into a clump of woods in front, where the enemy were last seen, but without eliciting any response. Some two hours elapsed, when heavy firing was heard on our left, which we concluded was from McDowell's corps and the enemy, who had worked around from our front in that direction. We were immediately put in motion, and marched on the Warrenton road, and took position for the night on a little hill east of “Stone-house,” our right resting on the pike. On Friday morning, early, the engagement was commenced by General Milroy on our right, in which we soon after took part, and a rapid artillery fire ensued from both sides.

For some time heavy columns of the enemy could be seen filing out of a woods in front, and gradually falling back. They were within range of our guns, which were turned on them, and must have done some execution. An hour after we received the order to move one brigade by the flank to the left and advance, which was done. We had obtained a good position for artillery, and stationed De Beck's First Ohio battery, which did excellent service, dismounting one of the enemy's guns, blowing up a caisson, and silencing their battery. Unfortunately, however, they were poorly supplied with ammunition, and soon compelled to withdraw. Our two brigades were now put in motion. General Stahl, commanding first brigade, marching around the right of the hills to a hollow in front, was ordered to draw up in line of battle and halt. Colonel McLean advanced around the left of the hill, under cover of the woods, pressing gradually forward until he struck the turnpike at a white house, about one half-mile in advance of the stone house. General Milroy's brigade arrived about the same time. We here halted, and sent back for General Stahl, who took the pike and soon joined us.

We then formed our line of battle in the woods to the left of the pike, our right resting on the road, and then pushed on slowly. Milroy, in the mean time, had deployed to the right of the road, and soon became engaged with the enemy. Our division was advanced until we reached the edge of the woods and halted. In front of us was an open space, (which also reached to the right of the road and to our right,) beyond which was another wood. We remained here nearly an hour, the firing meanwhile becoming heavy on the right. The enemy had a battery very advantageously placed on a high ridge behind the woods in front of Milroy on the right of the road. It was admirably served and entirely concealed. Our position becoming known, their fire was directed toward us. The General determined, therefore, to advance, and so pushed on across the open space in front and took position in the woods beyond. We here discovered that we were on the battle-ground of the night before, and found the hospital of Gibbon's brigade, who had engaged the enemy. The battery of the enemy still continued. We had no artillery, De Beck's and Schirmer's having given out, and Buell's battery, which had reported after a hot contest with the enemy, (who have every advantage in position and range,) was compelled to retire. It was now determined to flank the battery, and capture it, and for this purpose Gen. Schenck ordered one of his aids to reconnoitre the position. Before he returned, however, we were requested by General Milroy to assist him, as he was very heavily pressed. General Stahl was immediately ordered to proceed with his brigade to Milroy's support. It was about this time, one or two o'clock, that a line of skirmishers were observed approaching us from the rear; they were of General Reynolds's division. We communicated with General Reynolds at once, who took his position on our left; and at Gen. Schenck's suggestion he sent a battery to our right, in the woods, for the purpose of flanking the enemy's. They secured a position, and were engaged with him about an hour, but with what result we were not informed. General Reynolds now sent us word that he had discovered the enemy bearing down upon his left in heavy columns, and that he intended to fall back to the first woods, behind the cleared place, and had already put his troops in motion. We, therefore, accommodated ourselves to his movements. It was about this time that your order came to press toward the right. We returned answer that the enemy were in force in front of us, and that we could not do so without leaving the left much exposed. General Schenck again asked for some artillery. General Stahl's brigade that had been sent to General Milroy's assistance, having accomplished its object under a very severe fire, had returned, and soon after General Stevens reported with two regiments of infantry and a battery of four twenty-pound Parrott guns. With these reenforcements we determined to advance again and reoccupy the woods in front of the cleared space, and communicated this intention to General Reynolds. He, however, had fallen back on our left some distance to the rear. He was therefore requested to make his connections