W. H. Jenifer to George B. McClellan, October 28, 1861

GENERAL:

I have the honor to submit my report of a battle with the enemy which took place near Leesburg on the 21st instant.

At 8 o’clock a. m. it was reported to me that the enemy was crossing the Potomac River below Smart’s Mill, and about 2 miles distant from Leesburg. Their skirmishers of two companies were advancing rapidly on the town, when they were attacked and driven back by Captain Duff’s company, of the Seventeenth Mississippi Regiment. The loss of the enemy in this engagement was 2 killed and 3 wounded.

Soon after the enemy was driven back I arrived on the ground with

four companies of cavalry, and assisted Captain Duff in securing the wounded of the enemy. s *

At 9 o’clock I received an order to report with my cavalry to you at Fort Evans. After obeying this order you gave me permission to take

my cavalry near the enemy’s position in order to make an attack should he again advance. I eoncealed the cavalry in a ravine near Mr. Trundle’s house, ready to make a charge should an opportunity

offer. The enemy at this time was under coyer of the thick woods between the river and Leesburg, and reported by the prisoners just taken to be six full companies of 100 men each.

At 11 o’clock I determined to attack the enemy, and, if possible, .

drive him from his strong position, and. sent you a dispatch to that effect. Captain Campbell, of the Eighteenth Mississippi Regiment, with two companies of infantry, placed himself under my command.

I then sent an order to Captain Duff, who had taken his position about –

three-quarters of a mile on my left, to hold himself in readiness to attack the enemy’s right flank. So soon as sufficient time had elapsed for Captain Duff to receive the order I advanced towards the enemy’s position, and when within a few hundred yards of him two more companies of infantry joined me by your order. My whole command then consisted of three companies of cavalry, commanded respectively by

Capt. W. B. Ball, Capt. W. W. Mead, and Lieutenant Moorehead (Cap- .

tain Adams’ company), and five companies of infantry, commanded .

€mar XIV] — BALL/’S BLUFF AND EDWARDS FERRY, V. A. ..

respectively by Captains Campbell and Welborn, Eighteenth Mississippi Regiment; Oaptain Duff, Seventeenth Mississippi Regiment ; Captain Fletcher, Thirteenth Mississippi Regiment, and one other cap-

` tain, whose name I do not remember; numbering in all about 320 men.

Captain Campbell was ordered to deploy one of his companies, Captain Welborn’s, as skirmishers, and to feel the enemy’s position. The other companies were directed to advance in the following order: Captain Campbell on the right, Captain Duff on the extreme left, Captain Fletcher and the cavalry on the center. Capt. William B. Ball

was placed in command of the cavalry. ;

Upon a nearer approach to the enemy it was found to be impossible to charge with cavalry, owing to a high and strong fence between the enemy and my command. I therefore ordered Captain Ball, at his request, to dismount his company and fight on foot. The attack was then made, and a brisk fire kept up through the fence. Finding the enemy was not disposed to fall back, I ordered a charge over the fence, which order was promptly obeyed, and so soon as a portion of the fence could be torn down I leaped my horse over, followed by Captain Ball, Lieutenant Woolridge, Lieutenant Clarke, and Lieutenant Weisiger,

_of Captain Balls cavalry, and Lieutenant Baxter, Loudoun Cavalry,

and Mr. R. L. Hendrick, of Mecklenburg, Va., who kindly volunteered his services. The enemy was soon driven from his first position, but a heavy fire was kept up from the thick woods to which he had retreated. Fearing my small command would be led into an ambuscade, I ordered it to fall back and take position in rear of the fence it had just passed, and sent to you for re-enforcements.

Some twenty or thirty minutes elapsing before re-enforcements came, I had time to gather up the enemy’s wounded and 2 prisoners, including 1 captain, and send them to Leesburg. `

In this charge on the enemy I would respectfully call the attention of the general commanding to the officers who were with me. Captain Ball deserves particular notice for his coolness whilst carrying orders under a heavy fire, as well as for his words of encouragement to his own men and the infantry. Captain Campbell and the officers of the infantry companies also deserve much praise for their coolness in the charge. Lieutenants Wooldridge, Clarke, and Weisiger, Messrs. Hendrick and Peters, civilians, were among the first in the fight, and did good service. Lieutenant Weisiger, my acting adjutant, had his horse shot in the head whilst obeying an order just before the engagement commenced. These officers I particularly mention, having witnessed their individual coolness and courage.

At 12 o’elock you sent the Eighth Virginia Regiment, commanded by would send artillery, but none came. I again advanced upon the

enemy in the following order: Captains Campbell’s, Welborn’s, and Fletcher’s companies in front, with skirmishers in advance and on their right. These companies were supported by the Highth Virginia Regiment. Owing to thick woods and roughness of ground they were lost sight of for a few minutes, and the Eighth Virginia Regiment took its position in front, with the four companies first named on its right. Captain Duff’s company advanced on the left, throwing out skirmishers, supported by Captain Balls eavalry, dismounted. After marching several hundred yards through dense woods our troops were fired upon by the enemy’s skirmishers, who were concealed behind trees and in deep ravines. At the same time a constant fire was kept up by artillery, which had previously been landed on this side of the river, throwing

shell and round shot. Their artillery was also playing upon us from the opposite side of the river.

At 1.30 o’clock I left my position on the left and rode through the

thick woods to where Colonel Hunton’s regiment (Eighth Virginia) was stationed, and requested him to throw out his skirmishers to the right and left, to prevent the enemy from flanking us and getting to our rear. Colonel Hunton, like a true gentleman and soldier, granted my request, notwithstanding I was his junior in rank. I also suggested to him to make his men crawl on their hands and knees to the brow of the hill just in front, in order to make a more successful attack on the enemy, who was in the open field beyond, and not more than 50 or 60 yards distant; but before the colonel had time to place his men in this position the enemy opened a terrifie fire on his command with musketry, grape, and shell. To this fire Colonel Hunton gallantly replied, and soon drove the enemy back to his strong position behind the bluff at the river, killing all the cannoneers at the guns.

At this time (3 o’elock) you sent me a message that you would reenforce me with another regiment. The Eighteenth Mississippi Regiment, Colonel Burt, then came up and took position in the woods, and in advance of the right of the Eighth Virginia. The heavy fire of the enemy was still kept up, and was replied to with telling effeet by the Eighth Virginia and Eighteenth Mississippi Regiments. Here the gallant Colonel. Burt fell mortally wounded about 4 o’elock. The command of the Eighteenth Mississippi then devolved upon Lieutenant. Colonel Griffin. – E

_ About 4.30 or 5 o’clock you sent the Seventeenth, Mississippi, which I sent forward to support Colonel Hunton, whose men had been fighting for more than four hours. You also sent word by my adjutant (Lieutenant Weisiger) that “you would re-enforce me as long as I desired it.” At the same hour the Thirteenth Mississippi, Colonel Barksdale, was ordered up to me, but as the enemy was driven back to the bluff and our forces holding their position, I sent an order to Colonel Barksdale to resume his position, which he held most of the day, keeping the enemy’s extreme left flank in check. This regiment, though not in the engagement on the 21st, held one of the most important positions, and prevented the enemy from flanking us.

About 5.30 o’clock Colonel Hunton’s Eighth Virginia Regiment charged and eaptured two of the enemy’s 6-pounder howitzers. The regiment was without ammunition at the time. Between 5 and 6 o’clock I rode up to Colonel Hunton and asked if I could render him any assistance, observing that his men were completely exhausted and lying

flat on the ground within 125 yards of the enemy, but under eover of a small hil. The colonel replied that he was without ammunition, and that his men were broken down from fatigue and hunger. It was at this time I sent my adjutant to you for ammunition and provisions, and if provisions could not be had at once, to send a barrel of whisky to refresh the men. I told the colonel I would send to you for what

he required, and advised him to let his men rest until they could be refreshed.

During this conversation between Colonel Hunton and myself, a part:

of the Seventeenth Mississippi and Eighteeenth Mississippi, about 50 yards in advance of Colonel Hunton’s right, were engaging the enemy, and receiving his heavy fire like regular soldiers. These were the last volleys fired, and I left the battle-field to collect my seattered eavalry,

which had been watching the enemy’s flanks during the day. At8.

o’clock p. m. I reported to you at your headquarters in Leesburg. The

Air tes “a 22

_ Guar. XIV] — BALL’S BLUFF AND EDWARDS FERRY, VA.

forces engaged on the 21st were composed of the following regiments

and detachments: Detachments of three companies Virginia cavalry, numbering about 70; the Highth Virginia Regiment, 375; the Eighteenth Mississippi Regiment, 500; the Seventeenth Mississippi Regiment, 600; one company Thirteenth Mississippi, 60. Total, 1,605. Our loss in killed, 35; wounded, 115. No officer was killed in the action. Colonel Burt mortally wounded.

The enemy’s force engaged in the action was, as near as I can estimate it, about four or five regiments, with three pieces of artillery on the Virginia shore, and several pieces on the opposite side of the river. From: the report of prisoners taken in the battle the enemy numbered 4,000. Independent of this force engaged there were three or four regiments of infantry and one or two squadrons of cavalry on his extreme left, about 2 miles distant, at Edwards Ferry. This command was, as I have previously stated, held in check by Colonel Barksdale, Thirteenth

Mississippi Regiment. I think I can safely estimate the force of the

enemy’s infantry and cavalry on this side of the river at seven or eight regiments of infantry and one or two squadrons of cavalry. The number of pieces of artillery, except those captured, is not known. The prisoners taken in the action reported the companies of infantry to average 100 men.

The following regiments were represented in the battle, prisoners having been taken from all of them: First California Regiment, FortySecond New York (Tammany) Regiment, Fourth, Fifteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth Massachusetts Regiments, New York Zouaves, and artillery. Two or three regiments of infantry, with cavalry and artillery, at Edwards Ferry, as previously mentioned.

The following is the loss of the enemy, as near as can be ascertained, including two colonels and one major prisoners, and General Baker killed: In killed, 200; wounded, 500; drowned, 300; prisoners— privates, 692; officers, 24. Total, 1,716. The number of killed is from a report of a Federal officer, and is no doubt greater than stated. The number of arms taken from the enemy about 1,500, besides a large number of cartridge boxes and clothing of different kinds. The number of prisoners taken by each regiment will be stated in the regimental reports. The cavalry captured about 85 prisoners on the 22d, and brought them into Leesburg.

Before closing my report I would respectfully call the attention of the commanding general to the gallant conduct of the officers, non-commissioned officers, privates, and citizens who were with me during the day. Too much praise cannot be given to Colonel Hunton and Captain Ball for the manner in which they managed their respective commands. Lieutenant Baxter, of Loudoun Cavalry, deserves praise for the gallant manner in which he made a charge with 10 men on two companies of

the enemy’s infantry early in the morning. While assisting Captain

Duff, Mr. White, of Colonel Ashby’s cavalry, volunteered his services during the day. I never witnessed more coolness and courage than this young gentleman displayed, being exposed to the heaviest fire of the enemy. He rode in front of a part of the Seventeenth Mississippi, cheering and encouraging the men. Lieut. Charles B. Wildman deserves particular notice for his courage and gallant conduct during the day. Sergeant Strother, Madison Cavalry, Acting Sergeant-Major Baugh, Chesterfield Cavalry, and Private Toler, of Loudoun Cavalry, rendered good service in carrying orders. I have also to report that on the evening of the 22d, after I had executed your order to receive

QUE the enemy’s flag of truce for permission to bury their dead, some of my cavalry pickets who were stationed near the river were fired into several times by the enemy from the opposite side. This disgraceful act was committed by some of the troops under the command of Colonel Hinks, of the Federal Army, who was perfectly aware that some of his officers and men were on the Virginia side burying their dead. l

In submitting this report to you I have only stated what came under my personal observation, except in some cases where I have taken the reports from officers and men captured by us.

Feeling the position I held during the day a responsible one, and not at all coveted by me, I sent an officer to you at dark, with the request that you would send your orders to Colonel Hunton, as he ranked mie. Up to this time you had been sending all your orders to me, which compliment I highly appreciated, but preferred your paying it to Colonel Hunton.

very respectfully, your obedient servant,