Today in History:

428 Series I Volume II- Serial 2 - First Manassas

Page 428 OPERATIONS IN MD., PA., VA., AND W.VA. Chapter IX.

to Fairfax Court-House, Annandale to Washington. Besides the six guns which were mounted by our men, and thereby preserved to our Army, the Eighth Regiment brought in safety two Union colors left behind by soldiers on the field of battle. The officers and men did their duty admirably, and the undersigned commander deems it his duty to express herewith officially his entire satisfaction with the conduct of his brigade. The three regiments (the Eighth, Twenty-ninth, and Garibaldi Guard) arrived in Washington in good over at 6 o'clock last night, after a fatiguing march of nineteen hours. The loss of the brigade amounts to fifteen or twenty killed and wounded at the outposts. Thus far my report of the action taken by my brigade in the engagement on the unfortunate day at Bull Run in a military point of view. It was my intention, although there were in some instances prominent features of action on the part of officers and men, to defer a final report of these facts for a better and more suitable opportunity, on account of the very unfortunate result of the battle. I have read since so many reports in newspapers, where many a high commanding officer pretends to have been in the very rear with his brigade or regiment at the retreat, that I am obliged to repeat in the most absolute terms that, according to my order, all regiments, artillery, and stragglers had passed my arrive guard at Centreville and the last artillery at Fairfax Court-House, and that the brigade under my command not until order was received by General McDowell marched across Long Bridge into Washington.

I have to add, in conclusion, that the Twenty-seventh Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, with the exception of Company K, Captain Menninger, which was on guard duty in Centreville village at headquarters and under order to escort Colonel Miles' train, retired from Centreville at about 11 o'clock without any orders from me, and proceeded to Washington.

LOUIS BLENKER,

Colonel, Commanding First Brigade, Fifth Division.

Brigadier-General McDOWELL,

Commanding this side of the Potomac.


No. 58. Reports of Colonel Thomas A. Davies, Sixteenth New York Infantry, commanding Second Brigade, Fifth Division.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND BRIGADE, FIFTH DIVISION, Troops Department Northeastern Virginia, July 25, 1861.

SIR: In accordance with circular of the 23rd instant, Headquarters Troops Department Northeastern Virginia, I have the honor of reporting the proceedings of the Second Brigade, Fifth Division, at the battle of Blackburn's Ford, six miles from the battle of Bull Run, on the 21st instant. The Fifth Division, under the command of Colonel Miles, consisting of the First and Second Brigades, Richardson's brigade, and Greene's and Hunt's light batteries, formed the left wing of the troops in action. The First Brigade, Colonel Blenker, occupied during the day the heights of Centreville, and were not engaged with the enemy. The Second Brigade, under my command, was in readiness to march from camp at 2.30 a.m., but the road was so blocked with moving troops that my brigade shortly after daylight took a parallel route through the


Page 428 OPERATIONS IN MD., PA., VA., AND W.VA. Chapter IX.