The Battle At Bull's Run

Camp of the Ftturtb Urigarte of Ty Ier' División, ) inJ (Ha. Mc'HtiwuU'a Corps, SNmr Alhnglon, July 25, 1861. j General- 1 havo the honor to sub ruit the tollowing report of the operations of rny brigade in front of the en emy at JJull's Run, on Sunday, July 21. On the nigtat of the 20th of Jüly I was summoned to attend a meeting of the cotnmanders of brigades, at the headquarters of thecommanding officer of the field, (ien. McDowell ; and, in conimon witli the othur coramanders of brigades, I was instructed what was expected of my particular cornmand on the following day - that ia, I was to defend the posiüoa which I then ocjupied in front of the enemy, called the JJlaokburn Ford, and about one mile in his front, where we had been for the last three days. I was also ordered to consider mysult under tlie eommand of Col. JJ. S, Miles, United States Anny, ■svho vvns to eommand his own brigade at Centreville, as we!l as rny own and that of Col. Davies, midway betweon the two, these threo brigades constituting what was then called the reservo. Atlached to rny brigade was the field battery oí M:ijor Jlunt, United ötatos Army, and also the ritled battery of ten pounders, uodur Lieut. Green, United States Anny. I was to open fire on tho enemy tor the purpose of raaking a divorsioo, not betore, but soon aiter hearing the report of Oen. Tyler's command on my right, to carry out vvhicb purpose I made the following disposition of the brigade : The two batteries upon the ridge of the hill, in view of the enemy ; the Third Michigan Infautry on tho leit of the road, in line of battle. Still further, ais hunIred yards to the left, on a cominandDg h il], I had placed the day before ;vocompanic3 of the First Massaehuctt Regiment, f'or the purpose of cupying a log barn and a frame barn, which compaiiics pushod pickets still further to our lelt tor the security of tbat point, which I considcred a good position for artillery. Iu a ravine, half-way betwoon the two positions, I placed also a company ot the First MassacljusoUs Regiment, which pushed pickets down the ravine to its front; and on the extreme right of all I placed the balance of the Müssaehusetts Jiogiment, in line of battie, with two cornpanies of that regiment pushed four hundred yards to tbe rigiit and ;ront, which two companies again nushed pickets in adeanca. The New ïrork and Second Michigan Hegiments [ placed in the road, five hundred yards n the rear of the line, as a reserve. öoon after making these arrangenents, which I did on hearing the re3ort oí artillery on our right, Col. Daviöd' brigage made its appearaqce, with nm at its head, and, ioqniring ot me ,ho duto of niy coinmission, found that ie ranked rae by two days, and he assumed the command. That officer flished a good position for artillery to open, and I immediately proposod the position on our left, near the log house, oalled by the peoplu of tho country the enemy's'headquai-ters, might bd tained. Col. Davies brought up witf him the rifle twenty pounder battery o Lieut. 13upjamin, and ordered it to open tire itnmediutely. Ha directed also Hutu's battery to his aesistance, and I ordered Green's battory to opea its fire at the same time. Tho enemy ap pearod to havo withdrawn his guns from that position, as he returned no fire, or he might have boon reserving his fire for the last att&ck. An hour's cannonading, hovvever, brought in view a column of the eneiny's infantry, whieh 1 observed with my glas?, of at least twenty-five hundred men, and soon after two other bodies of men of at least a regiment cach, who now occupied tholines on the other side of the run, which lines now appeared full to overflowiug. Supposing now that they intended to mako a push across our front in column, or would eüdoavor to turn our left, about 11 A. M, I began to fortify my position by throwing up an oarthen parapet for three guns, with embrasurcs across the road, and commenced an abattis of timber, by feiling trees, pointing outward, between this battery and the log house to the left. About this time the enemy on tho oppósito gide appeared to be falling back n ooniusion from our right attack, which continuod for sjme time, and thon the tide changad, and they syemoq to be returning in large massas. At the interval between these two extremes I was ordered by Col. D. S. Miles to throw forward rny skirmishers and feel the onomy, and accordingly two companies of the Michigan Third regiment were sent forward and down the ravine, to cover the front and advanue. These were supported by Capt. Brethschnoidur's light infantry battalhon, which also advanced down the raviue, accompaniod by Lieutenant Prime, corps oí United States Engineers, who went ior the purpoae of asertainiug thü oneiny's positnn - lie volunteering his services ior that parieular purpose. Col. Davies also threw fornard a company of skinnishers on his right. The enemy's skirmishers vvero in force in the woods in front, and covered thernsolves with trees and rifle pits, ■whioh had baon thrown up before. Qur two advance companies were clriven back. the enemy pursued, aud wore ia turn driven back by the spberioal case shot oí Green's battery, and I ordered back the light infanti-y, and ulso the two companies to their lortner position. ïhe company in irout of Col. Davies' coinmand j-otired about ihe same time. By five P. M. I had tho bnttery and the abattis nearly completod, making my defenses as secure as tho short time and tbo few implernents usecl would allow. No enemy appeared in force in my front with h disposition to assault, but about that time a heavy column of infantry appeared to the leit of Cd, Davies, in a raviue, moving up to the attaek, This brigade opened a heavy tire upon them, and giillantly drove them baok, as ho informed me afterwards. During this flring, whjch was shortly after 5 o'clock, I ruceived Oft der.s trom Colonul Miles, through one of his staff, to retreat upon Centerville, and endeavor to hold that positioo. I immediately collected together my brigade, and put ït in motion on the road towards Centerville, and was at j the head of the Second Michigan regiment in rear of the brigade, wben a 6taS officer proposed tb :ne to throw ny ' ment in line, face towards the enemy, between the house occupied the night before by Hunt's battery and the UnTon and Centreville road, npon which road the enemy was supposed to bo ndvancing. I hud gained a position near the desired point, whon I was met by Col. Davies, who informed me that he had beatón the enemy handsomely in front. I told him that Í had been ordered to Centreville by Col. Miles ; that the rest of my brigade had gone on, and that 1 had been directed to go to that point with my regiment for the purposo of faeing the enemy there, which I had done, and Col. Davies ent, as I suppoaed, to hia brigade. Soon after this I was met by a staff officer of Gen. MeDowell's, who told roo to put my brigade in position on the left of the road from Cenlrevillo to Blackburn Ford, and stretching towards the Union and Centrevillo road, faeing the enemy. Other troops bad also fallen back to this point - distanf about a inile from Centreville and at about 6 P. M. Captain Alexander, of the corps of Engineers, directed me, by order of Gen. McDowell, to take tho general arrangement of the troops at that point nto my own hands, he stiggesting asa jood line of defenso between a. piece )i woods on tho right and one on the luit, tiie lino íacingequíilly towards the enemy, who wcro supposed to be coming either on the Union or Blackburn road. 1 immediately iormed that ine as I best could of the régimen ts nearest the position, placing the men in the ravines, and the artillery, as muoh as possible, on the bilis, in the rear of the infantry. Beforo Captain Alexander gave me this last direoiion, I learned that Col. Miles had altered the positiou of some regiments wbich I had placed before, especially the Thii'd Michigan regiment, which I had ordered to form close column by división, to romain as a reserve, and avvait further orders 'rom me. Tho ofh'cer in cominand of he regiment at that time, Liet. Col, Stevens, (Col. McConnell being unwell, jut upon the ground,) immediately eseuutetl that order, and put his regiment in closo column. 1 went to sonio other pnrt of thu field, and on returning Sound t.hia regiment deployed in lir.e of batilo, and in anotber position. I immediately inquired of Col. Stevens the reason of their position being altered. Ho lold ,-ne that Cul. Miles had directed this moveir.ent. I asked liim why. Cul. Stevens replied thut he did not know, but that he had no confidentie in Col. Miles. I nquired the reason why. - Col. Stevens answored, "Büoauso Col. Miles is drunk." Ttiat ulosed the versation. I sent Uoi. stevens oacs with his regiment, to form close oolurun by división as before. I then roported to Capt. Alexander that I had been interfured with in my disposition of the traops d. uring the day, and that I could not execute Gen, JVIcDowell's orders as long as I was intoríepcd with by a dranken man. Captain Alexander thea auswcred that Gen. McDowell now vested the whole disposition of tho troops with rao, and that I must use my own judgmetit. I went to place another batinlüon in line, and I was met by Col. Milos, who ordered rne to forin thnt regiment in another direction. I replied that l'I should oboy no moro orders that he raighi seo fit to give me." Col. Miles then said, 'Col. iiichardson, I shall put you under arrest." I told hitn "I never should obey his arrest, and that he never could. put me in that position." Col. Miles answered thut he did not understand this. 1 eaid nolhing, but went on with the i'urther disposition of the troops, whiuh was done according to the next diagram. As soon as tho 'ino of battle was well formed, the enemy's cavalry made ita appearaneo on the Centreville and Manassas road, and I ordered Lieut, Jion. amin to open his rifled cannon upon them, which ho did, and the cavalry disappeared after a lew shots. It was now nearlv dark, and the troops encaruped in their present position. At about ten o'clock P. M. Gen. McDowell informed me that a retreat had been reiiolved upon ; that the troops mut be started on the road to Pairiax as soon as possible, and ordered me to move ast and cover the rotrcat of the army with my brigade. I told the General ! would do so, and would stand by hini as long as any man would. I left with mv brigade at two o'clock A. M., alter all the other regiment and batte'los had retired. On reaching Faiifax, bund it ubandoned by our troops, and . covered the rear, bringing up my jrigade in good order, the NöW York iegiment in lront, and the Massachuetts regiment and the two Michigan Cígimeots in the rear of the vhole. Arrivod at AHington at two 'clock P. M. on Monday alter the ación. I have the honor to be, very resnectfullv, your obedient servant, J. B. KICUARDSON, Coloncl CummanJing Fourtli Brigaijcjen. Tïler, Cüinmanding First División.