Today in History:

535 Series I Volume II- Serial 2 - First Manassas

Page 535 Chapter IX. THE BULL RUN CAMPAIGN.

and Private Taliaferro, of the Black Horse. i saw the former charge upon a man who was behind a cedar farce, and in the act of firing his rifle at him, and kill him before he could fire. Taliaferro's horse was killed under him by one of the enemy, and falling broke his collarbone; but he sprang to his feet, pursued and killed his man with his pistol, both running at speed.

I am not familiar with the roads or the farms, and clair nothing for myself; but I do claim that the men under my command pursued the enemy father than andy other command, and I do believe that when Colonel Radford charged and routed the enemy on my left, and when I met the retreating enemy half a mile lower down, it caused the panic and jam at the bridge which resulted in the capturing of the cannon, &c., and all of the wagons, which I left in charge of Captain Evans.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOMAS T. MUNFORD,

Lieutenant-Colonel Cavalry.

Brigadier-General BONHAM.


Numbers 94. Report of Captain Del. Kemper, Alexandria Light Artillery.

ARTILLERY QUARTERS ADVANCE FORCES, FIRST BRIGADE, FIRST CORPS, ARMY POTOMAC.

Vienna, July 25, 1861.

GENERAL: In compliance with General Orders, No.-, requiring reports from commanders of regiments and detached corps of the operations of their respective commands in the actions of the 18th and 21st instants, I have the honor to submit the following details of the part performed by my battery in the last above-mention engagement:

At 7 o'clock precisely on the morning of the 21st the enemy commanded a cannonade from his original position in front of Mitchell's Ford. My battery was ordered from the left of the trenches about 9 a. m., and placed in position in rear of the trenches at Mitchell's Ford. This position we occupied without a chance to respond to the fire of the enemy, they being clearly beyond our range, until about 1 p. m., when I was ordered to join Colonels Kershaw and Cash, and under the command of Colonel Kershaw to move to the left of our near stone bridge.

We arrived near the scene of action about 3 p. m., and immediately taking position in and rear the road leading from Sudley Ford to Manassas Junction, and about one-half mile south of the turnpike, we had the honor of receiving and repulsing the last attack made by the enemy. They were found in strong force (of regulars), and required to be repulsed three times before they retired finally, which they began to do about 4.15 p. m. Seeing this general retreat commenced, and my men being very much worn-out, I withdrew my battery a short distance to the rear, and returning with a few of my men, got one of the Parrott rifled guns, previously captured from the enemy, in a position to bear upon their retreating columns, and had the satisfaction of annoying them considerably.

Colonel Kernshaw ordered his whole command to purpose them down the turnpike, and especially to endeavor to cut them off where the road from Sundley Church (by which their main body retreated) intersects


Page 535 Chapter IX. THE BULL RUN CAMPAIGN.