Edward W. Hinks to Nineteenth Mass. Vols., Commanding Brigade, November 5, 1861

November 5, 1861.

November 5, 1861. General Stone presents his compliments to General Evans, and acknowledges the receipt of his communication of the 4th instant, . through Lieutenant-Colonel Jenifer. In accordance with the terms of General Evans’ appreciated note, the sum of $100 is sent herewith} – for the benefit of the wounded of the United States service now at Leesburg, together with some articles of clothing whieh may add to their comfort, and a few hospital stores. Lieutenant-Colonel Palfrey will, as arranged with Lieutenant-Colonel Jenifer, be at Harrison’s Island to-morrow morning at 9 o’clock to attend to the disinterment of the body of the late Captain Alden. General Stone takes this occa- – sion to express his appreciation of General Evans’ soldierly courtesy, which the former will be at all times happy to reciprocate. CHAS. P. STONE, ‘ Brigadier-General.

Lieutenant-Colonel Palfrey, accompanied by Lieutenant Garland, of – the Tammany regiment, Captain Brown, and a lieutenant of the Thirtyfourth New York Volunteers, Mr, Comstock (friend of the late Captain —

. Alden), and assistants, ied at Harrison’s Island, NO abo 6, at

a. m. Had a courteous interview with Lieutenant- Colonel J enifer, to whom were delivered the stores and money intended for the wounded of our forces at Leesburg. The body of Captain Alden was disinterred and removed. Lieutenant-Colonel Jenifer assured Lieutenant-Colonel Palfrey that the wounded of our troops at Leesburg weré as well cared

for as their own wounded. He also stated that. six of our wounded

had died and that our dead had all been buried; that none of the field and staff of the Twentieth Massachusetts were wounded ; that Colonel Cogswell was slightly wounded in the finger, and nowhere else. (From report of Lieutenant-Colonel Palfrey.) CHAS. P. STONE, Brigadier-General, Commanding.

POOLESVILLE, December 2, 1861. E Colonel HARDIE, Aide-de-Camp:

Stated concisely, the pati would be this:

General Stone directed Colonel Baker to go to the right and in his discretion to recall the troops then over the river or cross more force. Colonel Baker made up his mind and declared it before he reached the crossing place, to cross with his whole force.

General Stone directed five companies to be thrown into a strong mill on the right of Ball’s Bluff. Colonel Baker allowed these companies to be diverted to the front.

.General Stone sent cavalry scouts to be thrown out in advance of the infantry on the right. Colonel Baker allowed this cavalry to return without scouting and did not replace it, although he had plenty at his disposition.

Colonel Baker assumed command on the right about 10 a. m., but never sent an order or messenger to the advanced infantry until it was pressed back to the bluff about 2.15 p. m.

Colonel Baker spent more than an hour in personally superintending the lifting of a boat from the canal to the river, when a junior ofticer or sergeant would have done as well, the mean time neglecting to visit or give orders to the advanced force 1 in the face of the enemy.

No order of passage was arranged for the boats; no guards were established at the landing; no boats’ crews detailed.

Lastly, the troops were so arranged on the field as to expose them all to fire, while but few could fire on the enemy. His troops occupied all the cleared ground in the neighborhood, while the enemy had the woods and the commanding wooded height, which last he might easily have occupied before the enemy came up.

The within narrative will be sent eE morrow, unless, as to- day, i imporuties prevent its being finishe eee E CHAS. P. STONE.

Return of casualtics in the Union forces in the engagement at Balls Bluff, Virginia, A October 21, 1861.*

Missing g 8 g Command H El El z el 8 218 3/5 2 a 9 * 9 1 & aaa ala 313 8 q o A o A < Fifteenth Massachusetts………-..-…–.–.—-.–.e– 2 12 4 57 8 219 302 Twentieth Massachusetts. ….-…——.—————- +2 1947 2^6 38 6 129 194 Ona Aew Moll alerte eere ed ree Cm D ICA 3 4]… 3 6 6 114 133 Sixth New York Battery…………. SLT. xS raises etes ia ides ce e se I E ORT Seventy-first Pennsylvania……………….. 3 10 3 37 6 222 281 First Rhode Island Artillery, Battery B……. ld aes aloes ee Dui kee s 4 9 First United States Artillery, Battery I………..–..-.. —— —— 10M repite e EAD gross 1 Total ti re Ure. E ERES 10 39 15 143 26 688

Report of Col. Charles Devens, Fifteenth Massachusetts Infantry.

Hpens. FIFTEENTH REGIMENT MASS. VOLUNTEERS, Poolesville, Md., October 23, 1861.

GENERAL: I respectfully report that about 12 o’clock Sunday night, — October 20, I crossed the Potomac by your order from Harrison’s Island to the Virginia shore with five companies, numbering about 300 men, of my regiment, with the intention of taking a rebel camp, reported by scouts to be situated at the distance of about a mile from the river, of destroying the same, of observing the country around, and of returning to the river, or of waiting and reporting if I thought myself able to remain for re-enforcements, or if I found a position capable of being defended against a largely superior force. Having only three boats, — which together conveyed about 30 men, it was nearly 4 o’elock when all the foree was transferred to the opposite shore. We passed down the river about 60 rods by a path discovered by the scouts, and then up the bluff known as Balls Bluff, where we found an open field surrounded by woods. -At this point we halted until daybreak, being joined here by a company of 100 men from the Twentieth Massachusetts, aecompanied by Colonel Lee, who were to protect our return.

At daybreak we pushed forward our reconnaissanee towards Leesburg to the distance of about a mile from the river, to a spot supposed to be the site of the rebel encampment, but found on passing through the woods that the scouts had been deceived by a line of trees on the brow of the slope, the opening through which presented, in an uncertain light, somewhat the appearance of aline of tents. Leaving the detachment in the woods, I proceeded with Captain Philbrick and two or three scouts across the slope and along the other line of it, observing Leesburg, which was in full view, and the country about it, as carefully as possible, and seeing but four tents of the enemy. My force being –

* Compiled from records in Adjutant-General’s Office. – t Including one drowned.

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. wel! concealed by the woods, and having no reason to believe my presence was discovered, and no large number of the enemy’s tents being in

he sight, I determined not to return at once, but to report to yourself, which

I did, by directing Quartermaster Howe to repair at once to Edwards Ferry to state these facts, and to say that in my opinion I could remain until I was re-enforced.

The means of transportation between the island and the Virginia shore had been strengthened, I knew, at daybreak, by a large boat, which would convey 60 or 70 men at once, and as the boat could cross and recross every ten minutes, I had no reason to suppose there would be any difficulty in sending over 500 men in an hour, as it was known there were two large boats between the island and the Maryland shore, which would convey to the island all the troops that could be conveyed from it to the Virginia shore.

Mr. Howe left me with his instructions at about 6.30 a. m., and during his absence, at about 7 o’clock, a company of riflemen, who had probably discovered us, were reported on our right upon the road from Conrad’s

. Ferry. I-directed Captain Philbrick, Company H, to pass up over the

slope and attack them, while Captain Rockwood, Company A, was ordered to proceed to the right and cut off their retreat in the direction of Conrad’s Ferry, and accompany Captain Philbrick as he proceeded to execute the order. Captain Philbrick’s command proceeded over the slope of the hill, and the enemy retreated down on the other side, taking the direction of a corn field in which the corn had lately been cut and stood in the shocks. The first volley was fired by them from a ditch or

. trench, into which they retreated. It was immediately returned by our

men, and the skirmish continued hotly for some minutes. I had ordered : Captain Forehand, Company G, to re-enforce Captain Philbrick, but a body of rebel cavalry being reported on our left, I directed Captain Philbrick to return to the wood, lest he might be cut off from the main body of the detachment. This he did in good oxder. ;

In the skirmish 9 men of Company H were wounded, 1 killed, and 2 were missing at its close, although the field was carefully examined by Captain Philbrick and myself before we left it. They probably were wounded and crawled into the bush, which was growing in portions of it. ;

On returning to the wood I remained waiting for an attack for perhaps half an hour. At the end of this time, as my messenger did not . return, I deemed it prudent to join Colonel Lee, which I did; but after remaining with him upon the bluff a short time, and having thoroughly

_ scouted the woods, I returned to my first position.

I was rejoined at 8 a. m. .by Quartermaster Howe, who reported to me that I was to remain where I was, and would be re-enforced, and that Lieutenant-Colonel Ward would proceed to Smart” Mill with the remainder of the regiment, that a cemmunication should be kept up

between u$, and that 10 cavalry would report to me for the purpose of reconnoitering. For some reason they never appeared or reported to me, but I have since learned they eame as far as the bluff. If they had reported to me, they could have rendered excellent service. I directed Quartermaster Howe to return at once and report the skirmish that had taken place, and threw out a company of skirmishers to the brow of the hill, and also to my right and left, to await the arrival of

more troops. At about 10 o’clock Quartermaster Howe returned and stated that he had reported the skirmish of the morning, and that Colonel Baker

would shortly arrive with his brigade and take command. Between

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and 11 o’clock I was joined by Lieutenant-Colonel Ward with the remainder of my regiment, making, in all, a force of 625 men, with 28 officers, from my regiment, as reported to me by the adjutant, many of the men of the regiment being at this time on other duty.

About 12 o’clock it was reported to me a force was gathering on my left, and about 12.30 o’clock a strong attack was made on my left by a body of infantry concealed in the woods 4nd upon the skirmishers in . front by a body of cavalry. The fire of the enemy was resolutely: returned by the regiment, which maintained its ground with entire determination. Re-enforcements not yet having. arrived, and the attempts of the enemy to outflank us being very vigorous, I directed the regiment to retire about 60 paces into an open space in the wood, and prepare to receive any attack that might be made, while I called in my skirmishers. When this was done I returned to the bluff, where Colonel Baker had already arrived. This was at 2.15 p. m. He directed me to form my regiment at the right of the position he proposed to occupy, which was done by eight companies, the center and left being composed of a detachment of the Twentieth Massachusetts, numbering about 300 men, under command of Colonel Lee. A battalion of the California regiment, numbering about 600 men, Lieutenant-Colonel Wistar commanding; 2 howitzers, commanded by Lieutenant French, and a 6-pounder, commanded by Lieutenant Bramhall, were planted in front, supported by Company D, Captain Studley, and Company F, Captain Sloan, of the Fifteenth Massachusetts.

The enemy soon appeared in force, and, after sharp skirmishiñg on the right, directed his attack upon our whole line, but more particularly upon our center and left, where it was gallantly met by the Twentieth Massachusetts and the California battalion. Skirmishing during all the action was very severe on the right, but the skirmishers of the enemy were resolutely repulsed by our own, composed of Companies A and I, Captains Rockwood and Joslin, of the Fifteenth Massachusetts, and Company —, of the Twentieth Massachusetts, under the direction of Major Kimball, of the Fifteenth Massachusetts.

The action commenced about 3 p. m., and at about 4 p. m. I was ordered to detach two companies from the left of my regiment to the support of the left of the line, and to draw in proportionately the right flank, which was done, Companies G and H, Captains Forehand and Philbrick, being detached for that purpose. By this time it had become painfully evident, by the volume and rapidity of the enemy’s fire and the persistency of his attacks, that he was in much larger force than we. The two howitzers were silent and the 6-pounder also. Their commanders came from the field wounded.

Soon after I was called from the right of my regiment, there being at this time a comparative cessation of the enemy’s fire, to the center of the line, and learned for the first time that Colonel Baker had been killed, and that Lieutenant-Colonel Ward, of the Fifteenth Massachusetts, had been carried from the field severely wounded. Colonel Lee supposing it his duty to take command, I reported myself ready to exe-. cute his orders. He expressed his opinion that the only thing to be done was to retreat to the river, and that the battle was utterly lost. It soon appeared that Colonel Cogswell was entitled to the command, who expressed his determination to make the attempt to cut our way to Edwards Ferry, and ordered me, as a preliminary movement, to form the Fifteenth Regiment in line towards the left. The Fifteenth Regiment accordingly moved across from the right to the left of the original line. Two or three companies of the Tammany New York regiment, just then

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. Ome. XIV] — BALL’S BLUFF AND EDWARDS FERRY, VA. _ 311 arrived, formed also on its left. While endeavoring to make the necessary disposition to retreat, confusion was created by the appearance of an officer of the enemy’s force in front of the Tammany regiment, who called on them to charge on the enemy, who were now in strong force along the wood oceupied formerly by the Fifteenth Massachusetts during the former portion of the action. The detachment of the Tammany regiment, probably mistaking *this for an order from their own officers, rushed forward to the-charge, and the Fifteenth Massachusetts, supposing that an order had been given for the advance of the whole line, rushed with eagerness, but was promptly recalled by their officers, who

had received no such order. The detachment. of the Tammany regiment was received with a shower of bullets, and suffered severely. In the disturbance caused by their repulse the line was broken, but was promptly reformed.

After this, however, although several volleys were given and returned and the troops fought vigorously, it seemed impossible to preserve the order necessary for a combined military movement, and Colonel Cogswell reluctantly gave the order to retreat to the river bank. The troops descended the bluff, and reached the bank,of the river where there is a narrow plateau between the river and the ascent of the bluff, both the plateau and the bluff being heavily wooded. As I descended upon this plateau, in company with Colonel Cogswell, I saw the large boat, upon which we depended as the means of crossing the river, swamped by the number of men who rushed upon it.

For the purpose of retarding as much as possible the approach of the enemy, by direction of Colonel Cogswell I ordered the Fifteenth Regiment to deploy as skirmishers over the bank of the river, which order was executed, and several volleys were given and returned between them and others of our forces and the enemy, who were now pressing upon us in great numbers and forcing down furious volleys on this plateau and into the river to prevent any escape. It was impossible longer to continue to resist, and I should have had no doubt, if we had been contending with the troops of a foreign nation, in justice to the lives of men, it would have been our duty to surrender; but it was

. impossible to do this to rebels and traitors, and I had no hesitation in

_advising men to escape as they could, ordering them in all cases to throw their arms into the river rather than give them up to the enemy. This order was generally obeyed, although several of the men swam the river with their muskets on their backs, and others have returned to camp, bringing with them their muskets, who had remained on the Virginia shore fortwo nights rather than to part with their weapons in order to facilitate their escape.

Having passed up along the line of that portion of the river occupied by my regiment, I returned to the lower end of it, and at dark myself swam the river by the aid of three of the soldiers of my regiment. On

. arriving at the island I immediately gathered a force of 30 men, who

had reached it with safety, and placed them at the passage of the river to prevent any attempt of the enemy crossing in pursuit, but soon

learned that Colonel Hinks had arrived with the Nineteenth Massachu- .

setts Regiment, and would take charge of the island.

Our loss, in proportion to the numbers engaged of the regiment, is large, as will be seen by the list of the killed, missing, and wounded, which I annex.* A large proportion of those reported missing are probably prisoners in the hands of the enemy. j

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PI MS MEE, A He he TENIS ne ee oa 312 OPERATIONS IN MD., N. VA, AND W. VA. (Omar XIV.

Although the result of the day was most unfortunate, it is but jus-. tice to the officers and men of the Fifteenth Massachusetts Regiment, as well as to the other troops engaged, to say that they behaved most nobly during the entire day, and that the nation has no oceasion to blush for dishonor to its arms. The loss of the regiment in arms, equipments, and clothing is necessarily heavy, the particulars of whieh I will immediately forward. t ; :

In conclusion, it may not be improper for me to say that, notwithstanding the regiment mourns the loss of the brave officers and soldiers whose namés are borne on the list I annex, its -spirit is entirely unbroken and its organization is in no way demoralized. It will answer any summons from you to another contest with the foe, although with diminished numbers, with as hearty a zest às on the morning of October 21.

I remain, general, respectfully, nd CHAS. DEVENS, Colonel.

Reports of Col. Edward W. Hinks, Nineteenth Massachusetts Infantry.

HDQRS. NINETEENTH MAss. VOLUNTEERS, : Camp Benton, near Poolesville, Md., October 23, 1861.

SIR: Learning that a column of our troops was crossing the Potomac –

on the 21st instant at a point near the center of Harrison’s Island, in which the companies of my regiment, stationed as pickets upon the river, had been ordered to join by General Baker, I hastened thither in anticipation of orders from General Stone.

I arrived there about 1.30 p. m., and found among the troops at the point of crossing great confusion, no competent officer seeming to have been left in charge of the transportation, and the progress made in embarking was very slow. I at once took charge at this point; caused a line to be stretched across the river by which to propel the boats, and forwarded troops in the following order, to wit: Part of California regiment, not already crossed; the Rhode Island and New York Batteries ; the Forty-second New York (Tammany) Regiment, and the Nineteenth Massachusetts. With the latter regiment I proceeded to the island. . I learned that General Baker had been killed, and found everything in confusion, our column being entirely routed and in precipitate retreat, throwing away their arms, deserting their killed and wounded, and leaving a large number of prisoners in the hands of the enemy. I at once took command, arrested as far as possible the progress of the rout, restored order, and, to check the advance of the enemy, who threatened to occupy the island, I sent the Nineteenth Massachusetts Regiment to the front, and placed one gun of the Rhode Island Battery and two of the New York Battery in position, supported by two companies of the Twentieth Massachusetts and so much of the Tammany regiment as was upon the island and could be induced to remain, which disposition being made, and pickets extended upon the Virginia side of the island, I commenced active measures for the gathering of the wounded and the rescue of straggling parties of our troops upon the Virginia shore by the construction of rafts and the use of sniall boats _ the boats used for crossing to the Virginia shore having been swamped

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© Om. XIV] — BALL’S BLUFF AND EDWARDS FERRY, VA.

and lost in the precipitate and disorderly retreat. No field officer was on duty upon the island, with the exception of Major Bowe, of the New York Tammany regiment.

After the passage of the Nineteenth Massachusetts Regiment no reenforcements crossed to the island, although several regiments were upon the tow-path on the Maryland side, but returned to their camps during the night. .A considerable number of unarmed fugitives, from various regiménts, were passed to the Maryland shore during the night, n the transportation of the wounded was continued until noon of the . . On the morning of the 22d I dispatched Lieutenant Dodge, of the Nineteenth Massachusetts, with a flag of truce, to request of the Confederate commander permission to remove our wounded, of which numbers lay in view, uncared for, on the Virginia shore. This request was denied, except in the case of a few, apparently mortally wounded. The remainder were taken prisoners. Permission for my surgeon to cross and treat the wounded was also refused, except upon condition that he should remain a prisoner in their hands. Subsequently I dispatched Captain Vaughan, of the Rhode Island Battery, with another flag of truce, to obtain permission to bury the dead, which was acceded to, with the stipulation that no movement of troops should be made from the island to the Maryland shore in retreat while the burying party was employed, and I dispatched Captain Vaughan, with a party of 10 men, for that purpose, who remainéd until after dark, and succeeded in burying 47 bodies, which he reported to be about two-thirds of the num’ber lying upon the ground; but night coming on, he was unable to bury the remainder. : :

During the afternoon factious complaint was made by the rebel commander that I had violated the stipulations under which the flag of truce was protected,* accompanied by a threat to retain Captain Vaughan and his party as prisoners of war. I at once addressed a note to the rebel commander denying the accusation; threw up new entrenchments, and made disposition of troops, with a view of renewing hostilities if the threat was carried into execution. Subsequently, however, Captain Vaughan returned with his party, and informed me that my explanation was deemed satisfactory by the rebel commander.

Immediately after Captain Vaughan’s return, under cover of the night, I commenced a retreat, in pursuance of orders previously received from General Hamilton, and transported three pieces of artillery, with caissons and ammunition, thirty-six horses, and the eleven companies of infantry under my command, numbering some 700 men, in good order, to the Maryland shore, without any casualties or loss whatever, and, completing the retreat at 12 o’clock, I immediately passed my compliment to the rebel commander in the form of four shells from Captain Vaughan’s guns, which had been placed in battery upon the high ground overlooking the canal and river.

During the retreat I was re-enforced by five companies of the Second Massachusetts, under the command of Captain Tucker, who remained upon this side of the river, where I stationed him, with his command, in support of the battery, and ordered to camp the companies of the Nineteenth and Twentieth, who were greatly exhausted, having been constantly employed in the intrenchments, burying the dead, removing the wounded, and transporting the artillery to and from the island. The enemy known to have been engaged consisted of the Eighth VirY *See note at close of report.

ginia Regiment, under command of Colonel Jenifer, and the Seventeenth and Righteenth Mississippi Regiments, with a squadron of horse and battery, the whole under command of General Evans. y

Our loss in killed, wounded, and missing cannot be determined, as large numbers of wounded and unwounded were drowned*when the boats were swamped as well as in attempts to swim the river during the night, and no reports as yet have been sent to me. The Fifteenth and Twentieth Massachusetts Regiments, Baker’s California regiment, and a part of the Tammany regiment lost a large number of men, who were made prisoners. Colonel Lee and Major Revere, of the Twentieth, and Colonel Cogswell, of the Tammany regiment, are reported missing. Lieutenant-Colonel Ward, of the Fifteenth Massachusetts, was severely wounded. We have lost two howitzers and one rifled gun belonging to

Japtain Vaughan’s Rhode Island Battery, and a considerable number .of small-arms (say 1,500), with equipments. I shall make a further report of the killed that were identified before burial.

I have to report that the remnant of the Tammany regiment, under command of Major Bowe, deserted its post in the intrenchments on the – . island at an early hour in the forenoon of the 22d, and passed to the Maryland shore in disobedience of orders, while I was engaged in arranging for the removal of the wounded and the burial of the dead.

Respectfully submitted.

Colonel Nineteenth Mass. Vols., Commanding Brigade.

NoTE.—The fact that the remaining fragment of the Tammany regiment had left the island without orders was construed by the Confederate commandant as a violation of the stipulation that no movement

of troops should be made from the island to the Maryland shore while

the burying party was employed. >

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