80 



BULL EUN. 



fore the head of the division reached Bull Eun. 

 This was about half-past nine o'clock, and in- 

 telligence was- here received that the Confed- 

 erate troops were in front with considerable 

 force. A halt of half an hour was now or- 

 dered, to obtain a supply of water, and to rest 

 and refresh the men. The shade of the green 

 and waving foliage of the trees, and the water 

 of the creek, on this hot summer morning, were 

 delightful to the perspiring men. Only the 

 gleam of bayonets and the equipments of war in 

 sight on every side, indicated the terrific con- 

 flict so close at hand. 



Not only was the intelligence received that 

 the enemy was in front with a considerable 

 force, but from the heights where the troops 

 rested, a vast column could be plainly descried, 

 at the distance of a mile or more on the left, 

 moving rapidly towards the line of march in 

 front, which the halting troops were about to 

 resume. Skirmishers were now thrown out 

 upon either flank and in front, by Col. Slocum, of 

 the Second Khode Island. The column moved 

 forward, however, before this was completed, 

 and in about thirty minutes emerged from the 

 timber, whence the rattle of the musketry and 

 occasional crash of round shot through the 

 branches of the trees indicated the opening of 

 the battle. The Second Khode Island, of the 

 second brigade, under Col. Burnside, was imme- 

 diately sent forward with its battery of artillery, 

 and the balance of the brigade was formed in 

 a field to the right of the road. At the same 

 time the head of the first brigade was turned 

 slightly to the right, in order to gain time and 

 room for deployment on the right of the second 

 brigade. Griffin's battery found its way through 

 the timber to the fields beyond, followed prompt- 

 ly by the marines, while the Twenty-seventh 

 took a direction more to the Mt, and the Four- 

 teenth followed upon the trail of the battery 

 all moving up at double-quick step. 



Since this division left the "Warrenton turn- 

 pike by turning to the right, it had moved in 

 a semicircle, crossing Bull Eun at Sudley's 

 Spring, and it was now approaching the turn- 

 pike again. Along this turnpike the enemy 

 now appeared drawn up in a long line, extend- 

 ing from a house and haystack upon the ex- 

 treme right of the advancing division to a house 

 beyond its left. Behind that house there was 

 a heavy battery which, with three others along 

 the Confederate line, but on the heights be- 

 hind it, covered with all sorts of projectiles 

 the ground upon which the Union force was 

 advancing. A grove in front of the enemy's 

 right wing afforded it shelter and protection, 

 while the shrubbery in the fences along the 

 road screened somewhat his left wing. The 

 battery of Griffin advanced within a thousand 

 yards, and opened an unerring and deadly fire 

 upon the enemy's batteries, (on the right,) which 

 were soon silenced or driven away. The right 

 of the Union force was now rapidly developed 

 by this first brigade of the second division 

 the marines, the Twenty-seventh, Fourteenth, 



and Eighth, with the cavalry in the rear of the 

 right. The enemy retreated in more precipita- 

 tion than order, as this part of the line ad- 

 vanced. Meanwhile, it appearing that the 

 Second Ehode Island, of the second brigade, 

 was closely pressed by the right of the en- 

 emy, Col. Burnside ordered the Seventy-first 

 New York and Second New Hampshire to 

 advance, intending to hold the First Ehode 

 Island in reserve ; but, owing to delay in the 

 formation of the Seventy-first and Second, the 

 First Ehode Island was at once ordered on the 

 field. It performed most efficient service in 

 assisting its comrades to repel the attack of 

 the enemy's forces, which the Second Ehode 

 Island had steadily borne, and had bravely 

 stood its ground, even compelling him to give 

 way. Soon the Seventy-first came into action, 

 planting the two howitzers belonging to the 

 regiment upon the right of its line, and work- 

 ing them most effectively. Next came the 

 Second New Hampshire into the field ; and 

 the whole of the second brigade was engaged 

 in action on the right of the enemy. 



The enemy now clung with so much tenacity 

 to the protecting wood, and the Ehode Island 

 battery became so much endangered, as to im- 

 pel the commander to call for the battalion 

 of regulars. This battalion was composed of 

 two companies of the Second, five companies 

 of the Third, and one company of the Eighth 

 U. S. Infantry. It was a part of the first bri- 

 gade, and was at once ordered to support the 

 second brigade, under Col. Burnside, which 

 was now suffering from a severe fire in its 

 front. The line of the battalion was rapidly 

 formed, opening fire, and a column xmder Col. 

 Heintzelman appearing at the same moment on 

 the left of the battalion, the enemy fell back 

 to the rising ground in his rear. 



The third division, consisting of three brigades, 

 under Col. Heintzelman, was under arms, in light 

 marching order, with two days' cooked rations 

 in their haversacks, and commenced the march 

 at half-past two in the morning. It followed 

 immediately in the rear of the second division, 

 Col. Hunter, and with that division, turning to 

 the right from the turnpike by a country road, 

 and crossing Bull Eun at Sudley's Spring. It 

 was the intention that this division should turn 

 to the left and cross a ford about midway be- 

 tween the "Warrenton turnpike and Sudley's 

 Springs. But the road was either missed or 

 did not exist. Probably missed, as there is a 

 ford called " Poplar or Eed Hill Ford," mid- 

 way between the Stone Bridge and Sudley's. 

 Before the third division reached Sudley's the 

 battle had commenced. Smoke could be seen 

 rising on their left from two points a mile or 

 more apart. Two clouds of dust were also 

 visible, showing the advance of troops from 

 the direction of Manassas. Two regiments 

 were at this time ordered forward, to pi-event 

 the enemy from outflanking the second divi- 

 sion, under Col. Hunter. Accordingly, the 

 Minnesota advanced on the left of the road 



