W. S. Featherston to Seventeenth Regiment Mississippi Volunteers, October 25, 1861
Camp near Leesburg, October 25, 1861.
Str: In obedience to your order I beg leave to submit the following report of the action of this regiment in the battle of the 21st instant upon the banks of the Potomac, near Leesburg : i
rs dir mon ss ^ Een ST Ae ny
a > A Eo x AU iue Tee oh j A CR erent Es > Je ee a rire ‘ ie me EE a
On the morning of the 21st, intelligence having been received that the enemy had crossed the river at Edwards Ferry in large force, and it being expected that they would advance upon Leesburg by the road from that point, this regiment was ordered to move from its position at the Burnt Bridge upon Goose Creek, where we had been bivouacked during the preceding day and night, and to take a position upon the right of the road in order to meet and repel him.
The Eighteenth Regiment Mississippi Volunteers was posted on the left of the same road, and Colonel Barksdale, with the Thirteenth Regiment Mississippi Volunteers, was ordered to advance through the woods lying between the road on which we were posted and that leading from Leesburg to Kephart’s Mill, where it was expected that he would be the first to meet and engage the enemy.. We remained in this position from about 7 o’clock a. m. until between 2 and 3 o’clock p. m., when the Eighteenth Mississippi Regiment was ordered to move up the river in – quick time to a point opposite Harrison’s Island, where the enemy had crossed in large numbers and made an attack upon the Highth Virginia Regiment and some detached companies from this and the other Mississippi regiments which were stationed at that point.
About 3 o’clock p. m. I was ordered to advance rapidly to the support of these regiments, which were then engaged with a greatly superior force of the enemy, and accordingly we moved at a double-quick a distance of more than 2 miles to the field, when, perceiving that there was an interval of about 200 yards between the two other regiments, I immediately occupied it with my regiment. Learning that Colonel Burt had been dangerously wounded and borne from the field, I conferred with Lieut. Col. T. M. Griffin, commanding the Eighteenth _
Mississippi Regiment, and formed my regiment on the center of our line, in the edge of the woods, and immediately in front of the enemy, who were drawn up in the woods upon the opposite side of a small field, at the same time requesting Colonel Griffin to form the Eighteenth Regiment upon my right, which he did promptly. One company of the Eighteenth Regiment which was on our left fell into our line and continued to act with us in that position.
While we were forming our line, the Eighth Virginia Regiment, which, together with a detached company from this and one from the Eighteenth Regiment, was engaged with the enemy upon our left, made a gallant charge upon their right wing. At the same time Colonel Hunton, commanding that regiment, informed me that his ammunition was exhausted. :
I then ordered the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Mississippi Regiments to advance without firing until they were close to the enemy, and then to fire and charge. This order was gallantly obeyed. The two regiments moved forward slowly and steadily under a heavy fire, but without returning it, until we had crossed the field and penetrated the woods in which the enemy were posted, and to within 40 or 50 yards of their line, when we poured in a close and deadly fire, which drove them back, and continued to advance, loading and firing until the enemy were driven to seek shelter beneath a high bluff immediately upon the brink of the river, and some of them in the river itself.
A few shots were fired into them while in this position, when they –
begged for quarter and asked to surrender. 1 ordered our men to cease, and told the enemy that if they desired to surrender they must send up one of their superior officers, to which they replied they had no such officer, and all of them had been killed. I then told them to send up their captain, when one captain came up, bearing a white flag,
T2 «ar E aes R ze E AUNT S E HZ AA 5 di A ez HAL E SEDE E ~ Oma RIV] BALL’S BLUFF AND EDWARDS FERRY, VA. -359
and surrendered to me. I then ordered their men to lay down their
arms and march into our lines in small squads, which they did. Afterwards they were marched into town in charge of a company from this and one from the Eighteenth Regiment. The number of prisoners surrendered at that time in a body was about 300, among whom were two colonels and about twenty commissioned officers.
-In ail of the movements of which I have spoken the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Mississippi Regiments acted together, the Righth Virginia Regiment not being engaged after the charge which I have mentioned. J cannot refrain from expressing my admiration for the gallantry displayed by the officers and men of the Eighteenth Regiment while under my observation, and particularly of Lieutenant-Colonel Griffin and Major Henry, their commanding ofiicers.
All resistance on the part of the enemy having ceased, and night rendering further movements impracticable, the main body of the Seventeenth and Highteenth Regiments was withdrawn to an open field near the town, where they bivouacked for the night, leaving two companies upon the field under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel McGuirk, of this regiment, to secure stragglers from the enemy. About 11 o’elock p. m. I sent another detachment of 90 men from my regiment to the field, to gather up and remove our dead and wounded. ‘These detachments, together with one from the Highth Virginia Regiment, secured about 200 additional prisoners during the night and about the same number during the next morning. .
I have neglected to mention that in our advance upon the enemy we captured one 12-pounder rifled cannon near the banks of the river. The other gun captured was taken in the same movement a little in advance and to the left of the rifled cannon. Lieutenant-Colonel McGuirk having been ordered on detached service by vou as field officer of the day was not able to act with the regiment till late in the day. As soon, however, as it was possible, and before the battle had closed, he joined the regiment, and entered at once upon the discharge of the duties of his position with courage and skill. During his absence I requested Major Lyle to aet as lieutenant-colonel and Capt. W. D. Holder to act as major. Both of these gentlemen discharged the responsible duties of their respective positions in a manner entirely satisfactory and worthy of all commendation. : :
Capt. E. W. Upshaw, of this regiment, who had been ordered to the left to re-enforce the Eighth Virginia Regiment, joined that regiment in their last charge, in which they drove back the right wing of the enemy, foreing them to abandon a piece of artillery whieh was afterwards brought off by our troops. ;
For two months previous to the battle Captain Duff, of this regiment, had been stationed with his company on picket duty at Big Spring, between Leesburg and the river. “Their position was a dangerous and trying one, being constantly exposed to sudden attacks from the enemy, and its duties were at all times arduous, but I am only the more gratified to say that théy were uniformly discharged in the most satisfaetory manner. Early on the morning of the 21st Captain Duff was attacked near Big Spring by a body of the enemy outnumbering his own command at least four to one, but after a sharp skirmish he repulsed them
with considerable loss. Later in the forenoon of the day, he, in con- – nection with two companies of the Eighteenth Regiment and Captain Ball’s troop of cavalry, who had. been sent to his support, engaged the enemy twice, in both of which affairs they were successfully met and
y Ps A ; xt P E 4 q E s EUN ED 360 – OPERATIONS IN MD,, N. VA., AND W. VA. [Cmar XIV ^.
repulsed. I submit herewith the report made to me by Captain Duff,
giving a detailed account of his movements during the day. _
It gives me much pleasure to express my entire satisfaction with the eonduet of the officers and men of my regiment during the entire day. Indeed too much praise cannot be given to our troops for the coolness and courage with which they met and repulsed the enemy at every ‘ point. In the last charge, which erowned our success and completed the discomfiture of the enemy, no troops could have behaved better. “The whole line moved forward in the most admirable order upon a vastly superior force, reserving their fire until within the most effective range; then pouring it in with deadly effect, and rushing forward over ground broken into abrupt hills and ravines and covered with thick woods, without a single halt or waver, until the enemy were literally
driven into the river; and this, too, under a heavy fire, and after having –
been under arms almost without intermission for more than thirty-six
hours, and while wearied with several long and rapid movements made –
during the preceding day and night. While such a spirit animates our soldiers we can never know defeat.
In all our movements during the battle, as well as those preceding and following it, I was much indebted to the officers of my staff for their active and cheerful exertions and co-operations. Adjutant Fiser, in particular, rendered most important and effective service upon the left of our regiment during the battle, and also in carrying communications between myself and other commanders, in which he was often .
exposed to great danger.
When all the troops engaged, both officers and men, behaved with so –
much gallantry, it would be unnecessary and invidious to attempt to particularize any of the numerous instances of individual heroism which have come to my notice. x
In conclusion I would state, with much pleasure and thankfulness, that notwithstanding the heavy fire to which we were exposed our loss is remarkably small, being only 2 killed and 9 wounded. I can-attribute this under Providence only to the fact that throughout the entire
engagement my regiment preserved the most perfect order in their
alignments and obedience to orders. lam,
very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Colonel Seventeenth Regiment Mississippi Volunteers.
General N. G. EVANS, ; eee
No. 27.
Report of Lieut. Col. John McGuirk, Seventeenth Mississippi Infantry, of
events October 20-23.