BALL'S BLUFF. 



49 



BALL'S BLUFF, OR, LKESBTTBO HEIGHTS, is 

 the name given to a part of the bank of the 

 Potomac River, on the Virginia side, east of 

 Leesburg and opposite Harrison's Island. The 

 height of the bluff is variable, in some parts 

 being one hundred and fifty feet. It is steep, 

 with brash, trees, rocks, and logs on its front, 

 and at the point of ascent was, on the day of 

 the battle there, rendered soft and muddy by the 

 _e of the troops. Opposite the bluff and 

 aboutTone hundred yards distant is Harrison's 

 Island, a long narrow tract of four hundred 

 acres, between which and the Virginia shore 

 the river runs with a rapid current. On the 

 other side of the island, which is one hundred 

 and fifty yards broad, the distance t the Mary- 

 land shore is two hundred yards, and the stream 

 not quite so rapid. At the head of the island 

 passes Conrad's Ferry from the Maryland to the 

 Virginia shore. Six miles below is Edwards 1 

 Ferry, which is on the direct road from Pooles- 

 ville'to Leesburg. 



On the opposite banks of the Potomac the 

 hostile forces of the Xorth and South had con- 

 fronted each other for many months. The dis- 

 tance thus occupied extended from Great Falls 

 up the river beyond Harper's Ferry. It was 

 here that the Confederate Government con- 

 templated an advance into the State of Mary- 

 land, and an opportunity to flank the force on 

 the Virginia shore opposite Washington, placed 

 for the defence of that city. The Federal Gov- 

 ernment, anticipating such intentions, had sta- 

 tioned a strong force to prevent them. This 

 was in several divisions : the first under Gen- 

 eral Banks was stationed from Great Falls near- 

 ly to Edwards' Ferry. From that point to 

 Conrad's Ferry was the division under General 

 Stone; next was Colonel Lander's force and 

 that of Colonel Geary. The principal points 

 occupied by the Confederate troops on the 

 Virginia borders of the Potomac were Dranes- 

 ville, Leesburg. and Charlestown. It became 

 an object to learn with what strength the former 

 of these positions was then held. For this pur- 

 pose a reconnoissance was ordered by the Com- 

 mander-in-Chief, General McClellan, to be made 

 toward Dranesville, and the duty was assigned 

 to General McCall, who was in command of a 

 division on the extreme right of the force be- 

 yond the Potomac opposite Washington. These 

 orders were successfully executed on the 19th 

 of October, and on the forenoon of the 20th he 

 returned to his former position, in compliance 

 with orders received the afternoon previous. 

 At the same time notice was given to General 

 Stone of this movement on the part of General 

 McCall in the following despatch : 

 To Brigadier-General Stone, Poolezrittt: 



General McClellan desires me to inform you that 

 General McCall occupied Dranesville yesterday, and is 

 still there. Will send out heavy reconnoissances to- 

 day in all directions from that point. The General de- 

 sires that you keep a good look-out upon Leesburg to 

 see if this "movement has the effect to drive them away. 

 Perhaps a slight demonstration on vour part would have 

 the eflfect to move them. A. V. COLBURN, 



Assistant Adjutant-General. 

 4 



Later in the day General Stone replied to this 

 despatch as follows : 



OCTOBER 20, 1S6L 

 To Major-General McClellan: 



Made a feint of crossing at this place this afternoon, 

 and at the same time started a reconnoitring party 

 toward Leesburg from Harrison's Island. The ene- 

 my's pickets retired to intrenchments. Report of re- 

 connoitring party not yet received. I have means 

 of crossing one hundred" and twenty-five men once in 

 ten minutes at each of two points. River falling slowly. 

 C. P. STONE, Brigadier-General. 



On communicating General Stone's report of the 

 battle to the Secretary of War, General McClel- 

 lan, in a note, said : " My despatch did not con- 

 template the making an attack upon the enemy 

 or the crossing of the river in force by any por- 

 tion of General Stone's command." 



Immediately upon the receipt of these instruc- 

 tions, General Stone went to Ed wards'Ferry w ith 

 General Gorman's brigade, the Seventh Michi- 

 gan, two troops of the Van Alen cavalry, and 

 the Putnam Rangers. This was at one o'clock P.M. 

 At the same time he ordered four companies of 

 the Fifteenth Massachusetts to proceed to Har- 

 rison's Island, under Colonel Devens, who al- 

 ready had one company on the island. To 

 Conrad's Ferry above, which was in his depart- 

 ment, he also ordered Colonel Lee with a bat- 

 talion of the Massachusetts Twentieth, a section 

 of the Rhode Island battery, and the Tammany 

 Regiment. These three movements of troops 

 were ordered one to Edwards' Ferry, one to 

 Harrison's Island, and one to Conrad's Ferry 

 above. General Stone says that at this time 

 General McCall's movement on Dranesville had 

 evidently attracted the attention of the ene- 

 my, as a regiment appeared from the direction 

 of Leesbnrg, and took shelter behind a hill 

 about one mile and a half from his position at 

 Edwards' Ferry. This day is Sunday, and at 

 half-past four p. M. Van Alen's battery of two 

 twelve-pound Parrott guns opens with shell 

 npon the Confederate force upon the Vir- 

 ginia side. Their explosion can be distinctly 

 heard. Seven are thrown within ten minutes, 

 and no response comes across the water. The 

 direction given to the shells is varied so as to 

 find out the location of the force, which is sup- 

 posed to be concealed in a thick wood to the 

 southwest, on the hill. At five o'clock p. M. 

 the battery in charge of Lieut. Frink, a quarter 

 of a mile from the ferry, also opens with shell, 

 and the two batteries keep up the fire with 

 rapidity. Just as the sun is going down the 

 First Minnesota and Second New York come 

 down over the hill and take the road to the 

 ferry. The sun sets gloriously, his rays reflect- 

 ing from the thousands of bayonets which line 

 the road. 



Gen. Gorman is ordered to deploy his forces 

 in view of the enemy, making a feint to cross 

 the river with a view of trying what effect the 

 movement may have upon the enemy. The 

 troops evince by their cheering that they are 

 all ready, and determined to fight gallantly when 

 the opportunity is presented. Three flat-boats 

 are ordered, and at the same tune shell and 



