50 



BALL'S BLUFF. 



spherical-case shot are thrown into the place 

 of the enemy's concealment. Elsewhere all 

 around the air is perfectly still, and the close 

 of the pleasant Sabbath is impressively beauti- 

 ful, while the view of the Virginia hills is al- 

 most enchanting. Soon something resembling 

 the sound of a drum corps is distinctly heard, 

 and the shelling and the launching of the boats 

 induces the quick retirement of the Confederate 

 force. Three boat-loads of thirty-five men 

 each from the First Minnesota crossed and re- 

 crossed the river, each trip occupying about six 

 or seven minutes. At dusk Gen. Gorman's 

 brigade and the Seventh Michigan returned to 

 camp. The other forces at Harrison's Island 

 and Conrad's Ferry remained in position. 



Here the movement should have stopped. 

 The orders of Gen. McClellan had been obeyed, 

 and their object 'had been accomplished. The 

 subsequent orders were not authorized by any 

 superior authority to Gen. Stone, and the re- 

 sponsibility for their consequences must rest 

 upon him. Had a brilliant achievement ensued, 

 the honor of it would likewise have belonged 

 to him. 



Previous to one o'clock p. M. four compa- 

 nies of the Massachusetts Fifteenth, as above 

 stated, had been ordered to Harrison's Island, 

 which had for some time been guarded by one 

 company of the same regiment. At night Col. 

 Devens ordered Capt. Philbrick of Company 

 H, and Quartermaster Howe of his staff, with 

 a detachment of twenty men, to cross from Har- 

 rison's Island to the Virginia shore, and follow 

 a bridle path which had been discovered, to 

 the vicinity of Leesburg, and report what was 

 seen. The party executed the order by ap- 

 proaching within three-fourths of a mile of 

 Leesburg, and returned to the starting-point by 

 10 o'clock at night, after having discovered, as 

 they supposed, a small Confederate camp one 

 mile from Leesburg. There appeared to be 

 about thirty tents. No pickets were out any 

 distance, and the party approached within 

 twenty-five rods without being challenged. 



Upon receiving this report, Gen. Stone in- 

 stantly ordered Col. Devens to cross over with 

 four companies to the Virginia shore, and march 

 silently imder cover of night to the position of 

 the camp, and to attack and destroy it at day- 

 break, pursue the enemy lodged there as far 

 as would be prudent, and return immediately 

 to the island his return to be covered by a 

 company of the Massachusetts Twentieth, to 

 be posted over the landing-place. Col. Devens 

 was ordered to make close observation of- the 

 position, strength, and movements of the ene- 

 my, and, in the event of there being no enemy 

 there visible, to hold on in a secure position 

 until he could be strengthened sufficiently to 

 make a valuable reconnoissance. At this time 

 orders were sent to Col. Baker to send the 

 First California Eegiment to Conrad's Ferry, 

 to arrive there at sunrise, and to have the re- 

 mainder of his brigade ready to move early. 

 Lieut.-Col. Wood, of the Fifteenth Massachu- 



setts, was also ordered to move with a battalion 

 to the river bank opposite Harrison's Island by 

 daybreak. Two mounted howitzers, in charge 

 of Lieut. French, of Ricketts' battery, were 

 ordered to the tow-path of the canal opposite 

 Harrison's Island. 



Col. Devens, in pursuance of his orders, 

 crossed the river and advanced to the point in- 

 dicated, while one company of the Massachu- 

 setts Twentieth, of one hundred men, took po- 

 sition at the landing-place on the bluff, to cover 

 the return of Col. Devens, as ordered. Upon 

 arrival at the point indicated as the position 

 of the enemy's camp, Col. Devens found that 

 the scouts had been deceived by the uncertain 

 light, and had mistaken openings in the trees 

 for a row of tents. He found, however, a wood 

 in which he concealed his force, and proceeded 

 to examine the space between that and Lees- 

 burg, sending back at the same time a report 

 that thus far he could see no enemy. 



In order to distract the attention of the ene- 

 my, during this movement of Col. Devens, and 

 also to make a reconnoissance in the direction 

 of Leesburg from Edwards' Ferry, Gen. Stone 

 now directed Gen. Gorman to throw across 

 the river at Edwards' Ferry two companies of 

 the First Minnesota, under covec of a fire from 

 Kicketts' battery, and send out a party of thirty- 

 one Van Alen cavalry under Major Mix, with 

 orders to advance along the Leesburg road 

 westwardly until they should come to the vicin- 

 ity of a battery which was known to be on that 

 road, and then turn to the left and examine 

 the heights between that and Goose Creek, and 

 see if any of the enemy were posted in the 

 vicinity, find out their numbers as nearly as pos- 

 sible, their disposition, examine the country 

 with reference to the passage of troops to the 

 Leesburg and Georgetown turnpike, and return 

 rapidly to cover behind the skirmishers of the 

 Minnesota First. This reconnoissance was 

 most gallantly conducted, and the party pro- 

 ceeded along the Leesburg road nearly two 

 miles from the ferry ; and when near the po- 

 sition of the hidden battery came suddenly upon 

 a Mississippi regiment, about thirty-five yards 

 distant, received its fire and returned it with 

 their pistols. The fire of the enemy killed one 

 horse, but Lieut. Gouraud seized the dismount- 

 ed man, and, drawing him on his horse behind 

 him, carried him unhurt from the field. One 

 private of the Fourth Virginia cavalry was 

 brought off by the party a prisoner, who, being 

 well mounted and armed, his mount replaced 

 the one lost by the. fire of the enemy. 



While this was going on, Gen. Stone re- 

 ceived the report of Col. Devens that no enemy 

 could be seen. On the reception of this infor- 

 mation, he immediately ordered a non-commis- 

 sioned officer and ten cavalry to join Col. 

 Devens, for the purpose of scouring the country 

 near him while he was engaged in his recon- 

 noissance, and to give due notice of the ap- 

 proach of any force. At the same time Col. 

 Ward was ordered, with his battalion of the 



