The battle of Stone Bridge.
written by an eye-witness.
[special Correspondence of the Dispatch.] The armies of the North and South yesterday faced each other — the former not less than 50,000 men, the latter not exceeding 30,000--and wrestled together for six long hours, with that desperate courage which Americans only can show.
I proceed to give you, as near as I can, a full and detailed history of that terrible battle, which will, through all time, make famous Bull Run and the plains of Manassas.
On Friday, the 19th, Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, who had commanded the army of the Shenandoah, posted at Winchester, arrived at Manassas Junction with four thousand of his division, to reinforce Gen. Beauregard. The remainder of his army (with the exception of a sufficient force to hold Winchester,) were intended to arrive on Saturday, the 20th; but in consequence of some railroad casualty, they did not reach the scene of conflict until Sunday, between the hours of 2 and 3 o'clock, when the battle was raging at its height.
Gen. Johnston, although perhaps entitled, by strict military rule, to the command, being the superior in rank of Beauregard, with the magnanimity and chivalric courtesy for which that gallant soldier is distinguished, left the latter to execute the plans which had all been matured, assuring Gen. Beauregard of his earnest co-operation towards their success. And nobly did Gen. Johnston redeem his promise, contributing in no small degree to the victory which was achieved on the ever-memorable 21st, by his distinguished associate in arms.
The night before the battle, it was generally understood at Manassas Junction the enemy were gathering in great force, and designed turning our left flank, which rested a few miles above the scene of Thursday's engagement, at a ford on Bull's Run called Stone Bridge.
We retired to rest under the full conviction that on the morrow the fortunes of our young nation were to be staked on a mighty contest, and we were not disappointed.
There were not many spectators of the battle, the General commanding having, on Thursday, issued a general order requiring all civilians, with the exception of residents before military operations commenced, and those engaged necessarily in business at Manassas Junction, to leave the camp and retire beyond a distance of four miles.
The writer, however, with the following named confreres of the press; were privileged to remain to witness a scene not often enacted, and which forms an era in their lives for all time to come, a scene of terrific grandeur and sublimity, which is imprinted on their memories, with a recollection never to be effaced.
At seven o'clock on Sunday morning our party, consisting of Messrs. L. W. Spratt, of the Charleston Mercury; F. G. de Fontaine, of the Richmond Enquirer and Charleston Courier; P. W. Alexander, of the Savannah Republican; Shepardson, of the Columbus (Ga.) Times and Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser, and your correspondent, started from Manassas Junction.
The distant cannon at short intervals since daybreak, had apprised us that the enemy were in motion, but in what direction we could only surmise until we reached a point a mile and a half from the breastworks, at the Northwest angle of the fortifications of Manassas Junction.
Here we were joined by an acquaintance of your correspondent, Col. Wm. G. Bonner, formerly State Engineer of Georgia, now of the Vicksburg and Shreveport Railroad, who was an old West Pointer and a classmate of Gen. Johnston's and other distinguished officers now in the service.
So great was our excitement, we had left the Junction entirely unprepared, either in the way of the Commissariat or with glasses to view the distant field, and had it not been for Col. Bonner's forethought, in bringing a powerful opera glass, our party had lost much which through his politeness we were permitted to see.
The day was bright and beautiful — on the left, was the Blue Ridge, and in front were the slopes on the North side of Bull Run crowned with woods, in which the enemy had early planted his batteries, and all around us were eminences on which were posted small but anxious knots of spectators, forming the most magnificent panorama I ever beheld.
At about 8 o'clock we reached a hill above Mitchells Ford, almost entirely bare of trees, and sufficiently high to afford an unobstructed view of the opposite heights. After taking a leisurely survey of the beautiful landscape, spread out before us in all the loveliness and grandeur of nature, and listening with watchful intent to the booming of the heavy cannon on our right, and anxiously examining the locations where the guns of the enemy on the opposite hills were plainly to be seen with the naked eye, and the heavy clouds of dust rising above the woods in front and on either side, indicating the direction in which the heavy columns of the enemy were marching, we each sought the shade of a tree, where we drew forth our memorandum books and pencils, to note down for the information of the thousands who looked to us for a description of the day's occurrences, the various shiftings of the scene which henceforth forms an era in the history of our young Confederacy, and grandly inaugurates the march of glory on which she has entered.
An interesting meeting here took place between our party and the venerable Edmund Ruffin, who had against the walls of Fort Sumter fired the first defiant gun at our insolent and braggart foe. He had come to this conflict, with his eighty odd years weighing upon him, and his flowing white locks, to take part in this fight, encouraging our young men by his presence and example. Agile as a youth of 16, with rifle on his shoulder, his eyes glistened with excitement as he burned to engage the Yankee invader.
Shortly afterwards, Generals Beauregard, Johnston, and Bonham, accompanied by their side, came galloping up the hill, and dismounted on the summit. The Generals held an earnest conversation for a few minutes, while taking a survey of the field, and watching the successive challenges from the enemy's batteries, directed against our right and among the woods near Mitchell's Ford, where a hospital was stationed and the yellow flag flying. This was also the point where their fire of Thursday was directed, and where the mark of a cannon ball is to be seen in the kitchen and stable of a house in which Gen. Beauregard dined on that day at the time the ball struck the building. Whether the enemy thought it was again his headquarters, or whether the fire was now playing toward that point to draw out a response from us, is not known. It is more likely, however, it was a more feint — an impotent attempt to deceive our skillful and able commander as to the point where the enemy was most in force, for so our wise General considered it, as he was seen to direct Gen. Johnston's attention particularly with his hand towards our extreme left, as if he knew the struggle was to be made there.
I should here remark that it had been Gen. Beauregard's purpose to make the attack, instead of waiting to receive it; but from some cause, unknown to me, he preferred at last to let the enemy take the initiative; perhaps for the reason that Gen. Johnston's division had been detained on the railroad.
As I have said, General Beauregard was not deceived, for the immense clouds of dust appearing above the woods, indicated beyond a doubt, the Federal columns were moving in solid masses in another direction, and one which was unmistakable.
Just at this time, by the aid of our glass, we could see their guns brought to bear on the hill where we stood, for in a few moments the smoke was discovered issuing from their batteries of rifled cannon, and before scarcely a word could be said, the peculiar whiz and hissing of the balls notified us that their aim had been well taken. Several balls fell in a field immediately behind us, and not a hundred yards from the spot where the Generals stood. An officer of Gen. Beauregard's staff requested us to leave that hill, and as we moved away a shell burst not seventy feet off. Gen. Bonner calculated with his watch the line taken by the balls to pass us, and made the distance 1¾ miles from the enemy's battery. The enemy no doubt discovered the houses of the Generals, and thought it a good opportunity to display their marksmanship, and credit is due to them for the accuracy of their aim. Providence, however, who governs all things, covered the heads of our Generals as with a shield, and preserved them for the hazardous service in which they were in a short hour or two to be engaged.
It was now about eleven o'clock, and the enemy having opened with rifle cannon and shell on their right, which they had continued for more than three hours, without .
At this point, Generals Beauregard and Johnston, accompanied by a staff of some 10 or 12 officers, passed at the full gallop, riding towards their headquarters for the day, which were on a hill immediately overlooking the ground where our brave soldiers were manfully and persistently struggling for the victory.
A large force of cavalry were here stationed, and as the Generals passed they called for three cheers for Beauregard, which were immediately given, with right good will, and which the General gracefully acknowledged by lifting his hat from his head and bowing his thanks.
Both of our Generals were plainly dressed. No large epaulettes, no gilt, nor any fuse and feathers; you could only distinguish them at a distance to be officers by their swords, but on a closer inspection, the marks of genius and military skill were unmistakable.--Their uniform was what I took to be plain undress. Not the least sign of excitement was to be seen on the countenances of either as they coolly rode forward into the storm of iron hail. Beauregard's eyes glistened with expectation, no doubt, when he afterwards threw himself into the very heart of the action, appearing then, as was afterwards most expressively said of him, to be the very impersonation of the "god of war." General Johnston, too, looked every inch a commander, and proved himself to be the worthy inheritor of the prowess and virtues of his ancestors.
On reaching the top of the hill, where was a white house, owned, I believe, by a Mr. Lewis, they were again discovered by the enemy, as the rifled shot and shell whizzed thro' the air and lodged in the hollow behind. The aim was not so good at this time, the accurate artillerists three miles below not having yet come up with the enemy's main body.
At about 12 o'clock Beauregard and Johnston assumed the command of our main body at the Stone Bridge.
The line of battle extended some seven miles up and down the creek, and during the day there were some minor engagements at other fords.
At Blackburn's Ford, General Jones' Brigade made an attack upon the left flank of the enemy, who had two strong batteries in a commanding position, which it was important to capture. The fifth S. C. Regiment led the attack, but our troops were compelled to retire for a while under the heavy fire of the batteries and musketry, and the enemy immediately retreated. Up to the time of this attack, these batteries had been bombarding all the morning General Longstreet's position in his entrenchments on this side of the Run.
General Evans, of South Carolina, was the first to lead his Brigade into action at Stone Bridge. It consisted of the Fourth South Carolina Regiment and Wheat's Louisiana Battalion. Sustaining them, was General Cocke's Brigade, consisting of the 17th and 19th and 28th Virginia Regiments, commanded respectively by Cols. Cocke, Withere and Robt. T. Preston. These Brigades were the first to bear the brunt of the action, as they were exposed to a concentric fire, the object of the enemy being to turn our left flank while we were endeavoring to turn his right. These regiments of Infantry were sustaining the famous Washington Artillery, of New Orleans, who had two of their guns at this point, which made terrible havoc in the ranks of the enemy. The Federal troops leading the action consisted of 10,000 Regulars, sustaining the celebrated Sherman's Battery, these Regulars being in their turn sustained by immense masses of volunteers, the New York Zouaves among the number. General Beauregard estimated the enemy's numbers in the action to be not less than 35,000 men.
Their artillery far outnumbered ours. We have captured 67 pieces cannon, while we had only eighteen guns on that part of the field. It has been stated to me by so many of our soldiers I cannot but believe it, that the enemy by some means had obtained our signal for the day — they also used our red badge, which fortunately was discovered in time, and they carried into action the flags of the Palmetto State and the Confederate States. It has been asserted, too, by numerous individuals engaged in the battle, that there was great confusion and slaughter among our own men, who mistook them for the enemy. This was less to be wondered at from the similarity of uniform and the mean advantages above referred to taken by our unscrupulous foes.
They pressed our left flank for several hours with terrible effect, but our men flinched not until their number had been so diminished by the well aimed and steady volleys, that they were compelled to give way for new regiments. The 7th and 8th Georgia Regiments, commanded by the gallant and lamented, Bartow, are said to have suffered heavily during the early part of the battle. Kemper's, Shields' and Pendleton's batteries were in this part of the field and did fearful execution.
I regret to be unable to name all the regiments engaged, in their order, not having succeeded in ascertaining their position.
I am inclined to believe there was some mistake during the day in the delivery or execution of an order of Gen. Beauregard's, respecting an attack on the enemy's rear, which was not effected.
Between two and three o'clock large numbers of men were leaving the field, some of them wounded, others exhausted by the long struggle, who gave us gloomy reports; but as the fire on both sides continued steadily, we felt sure that our brave Southerners had not been conquered by the overwhelming hordes of the North. It is, however, due to truth to say that the result at this hour hung trembling in the balance. We had lost numbers of our most distinguished officers.--Generals Bartow and Bee had been stricken down; Lieutenant Colonel Johnson, of the Hampton Legion, had been killed; Colonel Hampton had been wounded, but there was at hand the fearless General whose reputation as a commander was staked on this battle; and with that chivalry which is his nature, Gen. Beauregard promptly offered to lead the Hampton Legion into action, which he executed in a style unsurpassed and unsurpassable.
General Beauregard rode up and down our lines between the enemy and his own men, regardless of the heavy fire, cheering and encouraging our troops. About this time a shell struck his horse, taking its head off, and killing the horses of his Aids, Messrs. Ferguson and Heyward.
General Beauregard's Aids deserve honorable mention, particularly those just named, and Colonels W. Porcher Miles, James Chesnut, John L. Manning and A. R. Chisolm.
Gen. Johnston also threw himself into the thickest of the fight, seizing the colors of a Georgia Regiment and rallying them to the charge. His Staff signalized themselves by their intrepidity, Col. Thomas being killed and Major Mason wounded.
Your correspondent heard Gen. Johnston exclaim to Gen. Cocke just at the critical moment, "Oh for four regiments!" His wish was answered, for in the distance our reinforcements appeared.
The tide of battle was turned in our favor by the arrival of General Kirby Smith, from Winchester, with four thousand men of Gen. Johnston's division.
Gen. Smith heard while on the Manassas Railroad cars the roar of battle. He stopped the train and hurried his troops across the fields to the point just where he was most needed. They were at first supposed to be the enemy, their arrival at that point of the field being entirely unexpected.
The enemy fell back, and a panic seized them. Cheer after cheer from our men went up, and we knew the battle had been won.
Thus was the best appointed army that had ever taken the field on this continent beaten, and compelled to retreat in hot haste, leaving behind them everything that impeded their escape. Guns, knapsacks, hats, caps, shoes, canteens and blankets covered the ground for miles and miles.
At about five o'clock, we heard cheer upon cheer, and the word "Davis" ran along the ranks, and we saw in the distance the tall, slender form of our gallant President, who had arrived upon the field in time to see the total rout of the army which threatened his capture, and the subjugation of the South.
The President left Richmond at 6 o'clock in the morning, and reached Manassas Junction at 4, where, mounting a horse, accompanied by Colonel Joseph B. Davis and numerous attendants, he galloped to the battle-field, just in time to join in the pursuit by a magnificent body of cavalry, consisting of 1,600 men, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Stewart.--This sight, of itself, was worth the fatigue of the day's journey. We saw the poor wounded soldiers on the roadside and in the fields, when they observed the President's manly form pass by, raise their heads, and heard them give shout upon shout and cheer upon cheer.
It has been stated the President commanded the centre and joined in the charge, but this is a and arrived at the Junction two hours behind its time, which must have been a grievous disappointment.
The Washington Artillery, who had drawn their guns up the hill and in front of the house known as Mr. Lewis'--Gen. Cocke's and Gen. Jefferson's headquarters, and which was pieces artillery, drive back ingloriously a force exceeding 35,000, supported by nearly a hundred pieces of cannon. I believe the official reports will sustain me in the assertion that General Beauregard did not bring more than fifteen thousand men into the action.--The total force under Gen. McDowell was over 50,000, but 35,000 will probably cover the force in action at the Stone Bridge.
Many of the prisoners say that General Scott slept on Saturday night at Centerville, and was within two miles of his lines on Sunday in his carriage. Whether this be so or not, this defeat is his, and the first he ever suffered; but the men who fought and won his battles were now arrayed against him, and they were determined not to be conquered.
Secretary Cameron, of the War Department, Washington, was also stated to have been on the field, in company with Mr. Ely, Congressman from the Rochester District, N. Y., who was captured, and Senator Foster, of Connecticut. They came to witness a Waterloo defeat of the Confederate Army.
They fled after witnessing a Waterloo defeat of Gen. Scott's grand army.
Of the pursuit, already the particulars are known. Suffice it to say, we followed them on the Leesburg road and on the Centreville road as far as Centreville and Fairfax. The poor wretches dropped their guns, their knapsacks, their blankets, and everything they had — they fell on their knees and prayed for mercy.
They received it — Southerners have no animosity against a defeated enemy.
We have captured 900 prisoners, and they will be treated with kindness. We have also captured 67 pieces of cannon, among them numerous fine pieces, Armstrong guns and rifled cannon, hundreds of wagon loads of provisions and ammunition.
The credit is accorded them that they fought well and long, but their cause was bad — they were on soil not their own, and they met their equals who were fighting in defence of their homes, their liberty, and their honor.
D. G. D.
