Today in History:

516 Series I Volume II- Serial 2 - First Manassas

Page 516 Chapter IX. OPERATIONS IN MD., PA., VA., AND W. VA.

four companies, numbering two hundred and eighty-four officer and men, and thirteen guns-six 6-pounders, smooth bore, four 12-pounder, howitzers, and three rifled 6-pounders, all bronze-under my command, was assigned to duty as follows:

Four 12-pounder howitzers, under command of Lieutenant T. L. Rosser, commanding, Lieutenant C. C. Lewis, Lieutenant C. H. Slocomb, and Lieutenant h. A. Battles, with General Ewell's Second Brigade, at Union Mills Ford. Two 6-pounders, smooth bore, under command of Captain m. B. Miller, Lieutenant Joseph Norcom, with General Jones' Third Brigade, at McLean's Ford. One rifled 6-pounder and one smooth 6-ponder, under command of Lieutenant J. J. Garnett, Lieutenant L. A. Adam (report sick after being engaged in the battle of the 18th instant), with General Longstreet's Fourth Brigade, at Blackburn's Ford. Five guns three smooth 6-pounders, two rifled 6-pounders, under command of Lieutenant C. W. Squires, Lieutenant J. B. Richardson, and Lieutenant J. B. Whittington, with Colonel Early's Fifth Brigade, then bivouacked near McLean's farm house.

At about 7 o'clock on the morning of the 21st an order was communicated to me to follow with the battery under Lieutenant Squires the brigade of General Jackson, then on the march towards Stone Bridge. Every preparation having been previously made, the order to mount was immediately given and the battery moved forward, arriving at Lewis' farm house just in time to receive the first fire the enemy's guns, then in position near stone bridge. Here I was ordered to halt and await orders from General Bee.

Shortly after 8.30 o'clock a. m. in detachment two rifled guns, under Lieutenant Richardson, and took position about one-half mile to the left of the Lewis farm house, where the enemy was found in large numbers. Fire was at once opened by the section under Lieutenant Richardson, and continued with good effect until his situation became so perilous that he was obliged to withdraw, firing retiring until his guns were out of range, when he limbered up and reported to me. In this engagement one of the enemy's pieces was dismounted by a shot from the rifled gun directed by First Sergeant Edward Owen, First Company, and other serious work was accomplished.

Now, under direction of General Cocke, I took position in battery on the hill in front of Lewis' farm house, my guns directed toward stone bridge, where it was reported the enemy was about to attack. Shortly before 10 o'clock orders were communicated to me to advance with my battery to a point, which was indicated, near the position lately occupied by the section under Lieutenant Richardson. Here we at once opened fire, soon obtaining the range with rifled guns against artillery and the 6-pounders, with rounds-shot, spherical case, and canister against infantry, scattering by our well-directed fire death, destruction, and confusion in the ranks of both. As the enemy's artillery would frequently get our range, we advanced by hand to the front until finally the battery was upon the crown of the hill, entirely exposed to the view of their artillery and infantry. At this moment their fire fell like hail around us, the artillery in front of our position evidently suffering greatly from the concentration of fire from my guns and those of the battery on my right, and notwithstanding we were at this time also subjected to a terrific fire of infantry on our left, my guns were as rapidly and beautifully served by the cannoneers, with as much composure and silence s they are when upon the ordinary daily drill.

The batteries of the enemy on our having become silenced, and the fire of the infantry upon left increasing. I considered it prudent to remove my battery from the then exposed position, being nearly out


Page 516 Chapter IX. OPERATIONS IN MD., PA., VA., AND W. VA.