Unknown to Brigadier-General Stone, November 4, 1861

Camp Lyon, near Poolesville, Md., November 4, 1861.

Sir: I herewith transmit to you a complete report of an engagement with the rebels at a point on the Potomac River, in the State of VirAe

ginia, known as Balls Bluff, in which the Tammany regiment from New York were active participants.

On the morning of the 21st ultimo Colonel Cogswell received orders from Brigadier-General Stone to hold the regiment in readiness to march on a moment’s warning to a point 2 miles below Conrad’s Ferry, – in the State of Maryland. On arriving at the point the whole regiment was transported in good order and without accident to Harrison’s Island, about midway between the Maryland and Virginia shores, in the Potomac River. z a

Here, in accordance with the orders of the general in command, the regiment commenced crossing to the Virginia shore to a steep acclivity, some 50 feet in height. .The passage across was slow and tedious, owing to the inadequate means of transit provided, only about a single company being able to cross at a time. Company A, Captain Harrington; Company O, Lieutenant McPherson; Company E, Capt. T. H. O’Meara; Company H, Capt. H. H. Alden, and. Company K, Capt. M. Gerety, had succeeded in crossing to the Virginia shore, and were hotly engaged in a sanguinary and uneven confliet with the rebels, when the boat used for the transportation of troops to the battle-field was swamped on a return trip, laden with wounded and dead soldiers . who had just fallen on the field of battle. How many of our bleeding soldiers were thus buried beneath the waters of the Potomae it was impossible in the confusion that followed to ascertain. No inconsiderable number were rescued by their comrades in arms on the island, and

others, not seriously injured, escaped by their own exertions, but there ` Es,

. is no doubt but some were drowned by this unfortunate occurrence. As

this was the only boat at command, Companies B, Lieut. J. McGrath; .

D, Capt. Isaac Gotthold; F, Capt. J. W. Tobin; G, Captain Quinn; and I, Capt. D. Hogg, were thus prevented from crossing to Virginia to assist their compatriots already in conflict with a largely superior force of the enemy. “The men evinced the deepest anxiety to go to the rescue of. their brother soldiers, and manifested the most unmistakable sorrow on learning the impossibility of engaging with the enemy.

The detachment of the Tammany which suceeeded in erossing to the

Virginia shore was marched up the steep acclivity, and immediately

entered into the conflict, already progressing, with a spirit and intrepidity that would have done eredit to older and more experienced soldiers, but the contest was too uneven, and, notwithstanding the valor `

and steadfastness of the men, the battle went against us, though twice the troops of the Tammany impetuously and with great effect charged on the enemy after the order for the retreat had been given. “The retreat . was conducted with the most perfect order to the river, our soldiers

contesting every inch of the ground in retiring. On arriving at the

river and finding no means. of conveyance to the island, our troops

were ordered to throw their arms into the river and such of them who could swim to do so, as this was their only alternative from being taken prisoners. E es Below I transmit to you a list of those killed, wounded, and missing. Having no means of ascertaining the actual facts in the case, of course there are many unavoidable inaccuracies in the list, and it is but reasonable to suppose that at least a large proportion of those reported as wounded and missing are among the dead.* : On the death of Col. E. D. Baker, acting. brigadier-general, Col.

i: The nominal lists omitted above show casualties to have been 9 killed, 10 wounded. and 135 missing; but see report No. 3. f A

Cuar. XIV.) > BALL’S BLUFF AND EDWARDS FERRY, VA. _ 325

Milton Cogswell, of the Tammany regiment, assumed command of the brigade. Though the fortunes of the Union forces had already com-

. menced to wane, Colonel Cogswell rallied them with consummate skill, _ and when retreat became inevitable, drew off the men in the best possible style, ordering them to cast their muskets and accouterments into the river rather than leave them as trophies for the rebels. He was wounded in the hand, though itis supposed not seriously, sufficiently

— 50, however, to prevent him from swimming to the island, in. consequence of which he was doubtless taken prisoner. _ Captain Harrington [Company A] conducted himself both on the battle-field and in the retreat with great coolness and discretion. On Seeing that he must either be killed: or taken prisoner, he threw his

_ Sword in the river, divested himself of his wearing apparel, and swam

to the island.

Too much praise cannot be awarded to Captain O’Meara [Company

. EJ and those under his command. They: fought with undaunted

bravery and great efficiency, and when vanquished at last, Captain

. O’Meara swam to the island and implored Colonel Hinks, then in command there, for the use of a boat to rescue his brave men from the hands of the enemy, and failing in this, he recrossed the river to Vir- ‘ginia in order to assist his men in person with the best means he could

devise to escape. As he did not return it is presumed that he is now a prisoner in the hands of the enemy. His persistent efforts in behalf

-of.the safety and welfare of those under hig command are worthy of

the highest encomiums.

Captain Alden [Company H] fell at almost the first volley from the enemy. His remains were afterward recognized by Captain Vaughan, of. the Third Rhode Island Battery, who crossed to the Virginia shore with a flag of truce on the 23d instant and buried a portion of the dead. Though deprived of their commander thus early in the action, the company still continued to fight with commendable ardor.

The supposition that Captain Gerety [Company K] is among the killed is well founded, though not fully authenticated. He shouldered a musket and was seen te be engaged in the conflict in person. It is credited that: he was killed pierced with several balls, and that his body was afterward terribly mutilated by passing cavalry of the enemy. Sergt. Thomas Wright, of Company G, who was detailed on the island

` to assist in the transportation of troops, is missing.

The detachment of the Tammany regiment that remained on the island in consequence of the accident heretofore mentioned—consisting of Companies B, Lieut. James MeGrath commanding; D, Capt. Isaae Gotthold commanding; F, Capt. J. W. Tobin commanding; G, Capt.

John Quinn commanding; and I, Capt. David Hogg commanding— were on active and arduous service from the moment of their arrival on the island until 2 p. m. of the succeeding day in taking care of and conveying the wounded to the hospital, and in standing in the intrenchments as a guard under a heavy and incessant fire from the enemy. Notwithstanding the inclement wind and storm that prevailed during the

night, the men performed the disagreeable task assigned them without

a murmur. ` During the forenoon of the 22d the Tammany regiment was relieved

“by the Twenty-seventh Indiana Regiment, of General Hamilton’s brigade. l The regiment was then marched back to Camp Lyon, and though

` grieved and disappointed at the result of the engagement with the .

enemy, their zeal and ardor are unabated. The inauspicious result,

which was entirely beyond the control of those engaged, and for which they cannot in the slightest be held responsible, has had the effect of inspiring the men with renewed determination, instead of producing discontent and disorganization, which too often follow upon the heels of such lamentable disasters.

It would be unjust to close this report without paying tribute to the exertions of Maj. Peter Bowe and Lieut. Thomas Abbott in superintending the transportation of troops to the Virginia shore and bringing back to the island the dead, dying, wounded, and discomfited soldiers. The task was a severe one, but they performed it with fidelity and promptitude. Their assiduous attention to the duties devolving upon. them deserves the highest and most honorable mention.

Begpoeubuly, : JAMES. J. MOONEY, Licutenant- Colonel, Comdg. Tammany Regiment N. Y. $. y. His Excellency Epwin D. MORGAN, Governor of the State of New York.

Report of Lieut. Col. Isaac. J. Wistar, Seventy-first Pennsylvania. In- ~ fantry.