dispatched Major Vogdes, with two companies of regulars, to the scene of conflict. The men soon became intermingled with the enemy, who succeeded in taking the Major prisoner. Major Arnold, with two additional companies, was soon after sent out from the fort, and favored by the light of the burning tents, they were enabled to ascertain the position and force of the enemy, and gallantly rushed to the attack. Captain Hildt, now in command of the two companies which had been led on by Major Vogdes, extricated his men from their perilous position, and opened a well-directed fire on the enemy, compelling them reluctantly to give way. Colonel Wilson, who had succeeded in bringing a body of his men together after their sudden surprise, formed them into line, and now joined in the battle, when the insurgents were very soon thrown into confusion, and made a rapid retreat to their boats, pursued by a victorious force of only one-fourth their number.

Colonel Brown, in his report, says that "the plan of the enemy's attack was judicious; and, if executed with ordinary ability, might have been attended with serious loss to the Unionists. But he failed in all save the burning of one-half of the tents of the Sixth regiment, which, being covered with bushes, were very combustible, and in rifling the trunks of the officers. He did not reach within five hundred yards of either of the batteries, the guns of which he was to spike; nor within a mile of the fort he was to enter with the fugitives retreating before his victorious arms!"

Many of the rebels were wounded by the sharp firing continued by the Federal troops during their re-embarkation. One of their flat-boats sunk, and many bodies were found floating in the water on the following day. The Federal loss was fifteen killed, forty-one wounded, and eighteen prisoners; that of the rebels in killed and wounded was over one hundred, and thirty-five of them remained prisoners in the hands of the Federal forces.

BATTLE OF BALL'S BLUFF.
OCTOBER 21, 1861.

Perhaps no event in the course of the war thus far produced a more profound sensation than the news of the Battle of Ball's Bluff, which occurred on the 21st of October. The loss of life was heavy on the part of the Federals. Several accomplished and valuable officers were killed, among whom was the distinguished and eloquent Senator from Oregon, General Baker. The fatality attending this battle caused it to be regarded with peculiar interest, and remembered as fruitful in daring deeds and memorials of terrible bloodshed.

The north and south banks of the Potomac river, from the Great Falls, a few miles above Washington, to Harper's Ferry, were held by the Federal and secession troops respectively. Great care was taken by the Government to defend the north bank, in order to prevent the threatened incursion of the enemy into Maryland, from whence, aided by the disunion sympathizers of that State, they designed to make the long contemplated attack upon the capital. Among the troops stationed on the Potomac, extending from Great Falls to Edwards Ferry, was the division of General Banks; from Edwards Ferry to Conrad's Ferry, a division under General Stone; while Colonels Lander, Geary, and others held the line thence to Harper's Ferry.

On the south side of the river, two strong positions were held by the enemy-Dranesville and Leesburg. The latter is the terminus of the Loudon and Hampshire railroad, about five miles from the Potomac, and opposite Edwards Ferry. The Southern commanders having determined to abandon their design of crossing the Potomac, had commenced the withdrawal of their troops from various points towards Manassas.

General McClellan, anxious to ascertain whether any movement of the forces at Leesburg and Dranesville had been made, directed General McCall, on the 18th, to push a reconnoissance in force in the direction of Dranesville. General McCall penetrated to that town, found that the enemy had evacuated the place, and was informed that Leesburg had also been abandoned.

While this reconnoissance was progressing, General McClellan informed General Stone of the fact, and directed him to make careful observations of the movements of the enemy, to ascertain what effect was produced by the expedition of General McCall. He also suggested that a slight demonstration on his own part might be successful in expediting their removal.

In obedience to these orders, General Stone, on the 20th, made a feint of crossing the river at Edwards Ferry, while four companies of the Fifteenth Massachusetts were sent to Harrison's Island, in the Potomac, situated between Edwards and Conrad's Ferries. At ten o'clock, P. M., Lieutenant Howe, Quartermaster of the Fifteenth Massachusetts, reported that Lieutenant Philbrick had returned to the island from his reconnoissance to Leesburg, and that he had been within one mile of that place, discovering only a small encampment of thirty tents, and without encountering any of the enemy-no pickets being out at any distance from their camp.

The Federal forces in that vicinity were then posted as follows:General Stone, with General Gorman's brigade, Seventh Michigan, two troops of Van Alen cavalry, and the Putnam Rangers, at Edwards Ferry; five companies of Massachusetts Volunteers, under Colonel

Devens, at Harrison's Island; and Colonel Lee, with a battalion of the Massachusetts Twentieth, a section of the Rhode Island battery, and the Tammany regiment, were sent to Conrad's Ferry. A section of Bunting's New York battery was planted at Edwards and a section of Rickett's battery at Conrad's Ferry.

When the report of the scouts was received, orders were sent to Colonel Devens to march four companies to the Virginia shore, from Harrison's Island, and under cover of the night, take up a position near the camp referred to, and attack it at daybreak, drive out the enemy, pursue them as far as prudent, and return to the island. Orders were also sent to Colonel Baker, to march the First California regiment to Conrad's Ferry, to arrive there at sunrise, and to have the remainder of his brigade ready to move at an early hour.

Lieutenant-Colonel Wood, of the Fifteenth Massachusetts, was also ordered to move with a battalion to the river bank opposite Harrison's Island by daybreak. Two mounted howitzers in charge of Lieutenant Trench, of Rickett's battery, were ordered to the tow-path of the canal opposite Harrison's Island.

This disposition of the troops having been made for the commencement of the movement, it was necessary to provide the means for their transportation across the river, which is quite rapid at this point. Ed. wards Ferry is below the island, which is about three miles in length, and Conrad's Ferry is a short distance beyond the upper end. The island lies about a third of the distance from the Virginia shore, while a swift current of three hundred yards separates it from the Maryland banks, traversed by a tow-path of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal. The Virginia bank opposite the island is steep, and is backed by a precipitous bluff, varying in height from eighty to one hundred and fifty feet, covered with brush, trees and undergrowth.

There was no adequate preparation to effect the passage of troops at these points. The means were scanty either for reinforcement, or for retreat, if that should become necessary. On the Maryland side of Harrison's Island were two scows, capable of carrying thirty persons each, which could make two trips hourly, thus conveying one hundred and twenty men. On the Virginia side was one scow and a small boat. At Edwards Ferry there were two scows and a ship's yawl. With these insufficient means of transportation an attempt was made to land the forces on the opposite shore.

The landings at both of the ferries are good, but stretching almost the entire distance between them is the high and steep bank known as Ball's Bluff, where the crossing was attempted, and which has given its name to this bloody struggle.

Passing along and up the steep and difficult way from the landing

below the bluff until it turns at the top, the road enters an open field of some six acres, surrounded on all sides by a forest. In this field the battle took place, the rebel forces being posted in the woods.

At daybreak, four companies of the Massachusetts Fifteenth, under Colonel Devens, had reached the opposite shore, and after reconnoitering had formed their line on Ball's Bluff, on the edge of the corn-field. While in this position they were attacked by a considerable body of the enemy, with whom an irregular skirmish was kept up. Colonel Baker had during the morning been transferred from Conrad's Ferry to Harrison's Island, and appointed to the command. About noon the reinforcements began to come up, consisting of three companies of the Massachusetts Twentieth, six hundred of the California regiment, two companies of the Tammany regiment, with two howitzers and one rifled. gun, in charge of Lieutenant Bramhall of the New York Ninth.

In the mean time the rebels, well informed of the difficulties of the Federal position, and only awaiting the arrival of a larger number that they might add to the magnitude of the victory which was within their grasp at any moment, having engaged the Federals by a series of irregular skirmishes during the earlier part of the day, concentrated their forces on General Baker's command at half past two o'clock. With a force of three thousand men they commenced a vigorous attack from the woods on three sides of the Federal position. A portion of Colonel Gorman's command at Edwards Ferry crossed over, but from want of means of transportation could not make either their numbers or presence of effective service.

The real battle, however, commenced on the left. Baker threw the whole responsibility of that wing upon Wistar. The latter did not like the appearance of the adjacent wood region, and threw forward companies A and D of his battalion to test them. Captains Markoe and Wade, the former well ahead, accordingly advanced on their hazardous duty; passed through the forest to the horn-like projection of the field, crossed it, and had arrived within ten paces of the further thicket, when a murderous fire blazed out upon them.

The poor fellows gallantly sprang through it upon their assailants, and were in a moment fighting in the woods. Not half of this noble band ever came back. The rebels, taking this as a signal for the commencement of the action, now bestirred themselves in force, and fired a terrific volley along their whole front. Only the sheeted flash showed. itself from those frowning forests; the foe still clung to cover; but the hail of bullets rattled against the Union lines, and many brave souls were sent into eternity by that first fiery revelation of the enemy's strength. The reply was instant and extended. In a second both ends of the field were clouded with smoke, the day's skirinishing was over,

and the contest that was to rage so hotly for an hour had commenced its fury.

The battle on the part of the Federals was fought heroically, and in a true sacrificial spirit. The enemy was in force in front; he began to creep down the treacherous sides of the enclosure; his sharpshooters climbed the trees everywhere, picking out the stateliest and most gallant forms for the death they so unerringly dealt. The lines thus received a scathing fire from the front, from above, and à cross-fire at angles right and left. All they could do in reply was to aim steadily and swiftly at the places whence the loudest yells and deadliest volleys proceeded. But the men dropped everywhere, and were borne by dozens to the gory skiffs below. On the right the Massachusetts men were more than decimated by the regular, unavoidable shower of bullets. But against the left, where Wistar commanded, the rebels, confident of their force and the effect of their deadly fire in front, began to make venturesome charges, each one repelled by the gallant fire of the Californians, but each one getting nearer the Federal lines than the last. On the fourth charge they actually flanked the left, and sprang forth, savage and eager, from the thicket beyond the ravine. Down this they were about to plunge. "Hold!" cried Wistar to his men; "not a man of you must fire;" and he dashed at the piece of one; "wait till they reach the bottom of the ravine; then we'll have them."

So they charged down the hill, only to meet the most effective volley fired on the Union side during that day. When the smoke rose their front ranks lay fallen in the hollow of the valley of death, and the rear had broken and fled in disorder through the forest.

Lieutenant Bramhall had posted his gun near the centre of the line, and opened fire to the best advantage possible. When he mounted the piece, he had eight artillerists, three riders, a corporal and sergeant. In ten minutes, five of these were shot down; in the end, all but two were killed, wounded or missing. Lieutenant Bramhall himself was severely wounded, but stood by his gun. Colonel Coggswell saw the necessity of the case, informed Colonels Wistar and Lee, Adjutant Harvey (of Baker's brigade), and Stewart (of General Stone's staff, present on the field); and those five distinguished officers and determined men manned the piece themselves. Coggswell and Harvey, understanding the business, would load, while Lee and Wistar were giving orders to their commands, and spurring them into the fight; then Wistar and Stewart would wheel the gun forward to position; Coggswell would take aim and give the word to Harvey, who held the percussion lanyard. In this way and by these men a dozen of the twenty rounds used were fired, doing more effect than all the musketry volleys. When the enemy was making his fifth charge on the left, the cannon had just been loaded