A. Path by which the Rebels tried to enter the open field. B. Flank movement attempted by the Rebels; defeated by the California Regiment. command having received from Gen. Stone an order to support Col. Devens, or withdraw his force to the Maryland shore, at his discretion. It seems that Col. Baker had doubts, on reaching the river, whether unsupported, he fell back again nearly to the edge of the bluff, where he was soon after reënforced, as he had been promised, by the California regiment, Col. E. D. Baker,' who, being the ranking officer, assumed "U.S. Senator from Oregon; formerly in Congress from Illinois, and a Colonel in the Mexican War. RESULTS OF OUR DISCOMFITURE. 623 to reenforce or withdraw Col. Dev-| the struggle thus continuing for two ens's men; but, hearing that the ene- | hours with desperate energy on both my were already upon Col. D., he decided that he had no choice but to reënforce. The main current of the Potomac passes Harrison's Island on the Maryland side, where three flat-boats or scows, with a joint capacity of 125 persons, were used by our men; while only a life-boat and two small skiffs, together carrying from 25 to 30 men, were employed on the Virginia side of the island. Finally, one of the scows or flat-boats was taken around to that side. But the crossing of the river, here quite rapid, was still difficult and tedious; while it does not seem that competent persons had been detailed to supervise and effect it. A narrow, winding path led up from the immediate brink of the river to the open field on which our troops were formed, with the enemy swarming in the woods belting that field on three sides, within musket-shot. Col. Baker reached it between 1 and 2 o'clock, P. M. His entire force consisted of the New York Tammany regiment, Col. Milton Cogswell, the California regiment, Lieut.-Col. Wistar, and portions of the 15th Massachusetts, Col. Devens, and 20th, Col. Lee -in all, 1,900 men." The Rebels by whom they were assailed comprised the 8th Virginia, 13th, 17th, and 18th Mississippi, forming the brigade of Gen. Evans. Col. Baker had barely completed the formation of his men, when his right was heavily assailed by the enemy; the attack gradually proceeding to the center and left, and 8 9 California regiment, 570; Tammany, 360; 15th Massachusetts, 653; 20th Massachusetts, 318: total, 1,901. 'Gen. Evans's official report states his forces sides, but with far greater loss on ours, because of the uncovered position of our men. Col. Baker insisted on exposing himself with the most reckless bravery, and fell, shot through the head, a little before 5 o'clock. As our men, falling fast, began to waver, and some portions of the line to give way, in view of this calamity, Col. Cogswell, who succeeded to the command, resolved to charge the enemy on his left, and cut his way through to Edwards's Ferry, two or three miles, where Gen. Stone was known to be in force; but, upon attempting this movement, it was met by a fresh Mississippi regiment advancing from the direction of the Ferry, under whose destructive fire our decimated, discouraged troops gave way, and retreated in disorder down the bluff, just as darkness was drawing on. The triumphant Rebels now advanced from all sides to the bluff, and fired with impunity on the disorderly, straggling mass below. Meantime, the flat-boat on that side of the island, being overloaded, was soon riddled and sunk; the life-boat and skiffs were upset and lost; and the work of unresisted slaughter went on. Some were shot on the bank; others while attempting to swim to the island; while a number were carried down by the current and drowned. A few escaped in the darkness, by stealing along the bank of the river unobserved, and finally reached our lines in safety. But our actual loss by that bloody disaster in the engagement at 1,709; which evidently does not include the 13th Mississippi, with six guns, held in reserve, and so posted as to repel aid to our side from Edwards's Ferry. Meantime, Gen. Stone had directed Gen. Gorman to throw across the river at Edwards's Ferry a small force, which made a cautious reconnoissance for about three miles on the The second order was received on the battle-field, by the hand of Col. Cogswell, an hour before the death of Col. Baker, who had put it in his road to Leesburg, when, coming sud-hat without reading it. It is as denly upon a Mississippi regiment, it exchanged volleys and returned. Gen. Gorman's entire brigade was thrown over at this point during the , day; but, as it did not advance, its mere presence on the Virginia side of the Potomac, so far from the scene of actual combat, subserved no purpose. After the disaster was complete, Gen. Stone, about 10 P. M., arrived on the ground from which our ill-starred advance was made; as did Gen. Banks at 3 next morning, and Gen. McClellan on the evening of that day. But it was now too late. No relief was sent while relief could have availed. Even McCall retired from Dranesville southward on the day of the fatal fight. Col. Baker has been widely blamed for rashness in this conflict, and even for disregard of orders-it would seem most unjustly. The following orders, found in his hat after his death, deeply stained with his life-blood, are all the foundation for this charge: "EDWARDS'S FERRY, Oct. 21st, 1861. "COL. E. D. BAKER, Commander of brigade: "COLONEL: In case of heavy firing in front of Harrison's Island, you will advance the California regiment of your brigade, or retire the regiments under Cols. Lee and Devens, now on the [almost rendered il 10 Gen. Evans, in his report, claims 710 prisoners, including wounded, and guesses that we had “1,300 killed, wounded, and drowned." He thus makes our loss exceed by over 100 all our force engaged in the battle! He reports his follows: "HEAD-QUARTERS CORPS OF OBSERVATION, "EDWARDS'S FERRY, Oct. 22d, 11.50. “E. D. BAKER, Commanding brigade: "COLONEL: I am informed that the force of the enemy is about 4,000, all told. If you can push them, you may do so as far as to have a strong position near Leesburg, if you can keep them before you, avoiding their batteries. If they pass Leesburg and take the Gum Spring road, you will not follow far, but seize the first good position to cover that road. "Their desire is to draw us on, if they are obliged to retreat, as far as Goose Creek, where they can be reënforced from Manassas, and have a strong position. Report frequently, so that, when they are pushed, Gorman can come up on their flank. Yours, respectfully and truly, "CHARLES P. STONE, "Brig.-General Commanding." How Stone expected Baker to 'push' 4,000 men with 1,900, in an advanced and unsupported position, where the 4,000 might at any moment be increased to 10,000 or to 20,000, is not obvious. And why was not Gorman sent forward to come up on their flank, at any rate; without waiting for 1,900 men to 'push' 4,000 beyond Leesburg to a good point for covering that place? As to Col. Baker's reading or not reading this dispatch, it must be considered that he was at that moment engaged with a superior force, and own loss at 155 only, including Col. E. R. Burt, 18th Mississippi, killed. Gen. Evans says he had no cannon in the fight-which is true; for his artillery was where it could serve him best-by blocking the road from Edwards's Ferry. BALL'S BLUFF-FIGHT AT DRANESVILLE. 625 that retreat on his part was simple | sured, in a confidential whisper, that ruin. He must repulse the enemy assailing him then and there, or be destroyed; for no force that Stone might now send to his relief could be brought up in time to save him. our men had been so demoralized and spirit-broken by their rout at Bull Run, that there was no fight in them-that a whole brigade would take to their heels at the sight of a Rebel regiment advancing to the charge. Ball's Bluff repelled and dissipated this unworthy calumnyby showing that our soldiers, though most unskillfully handled, precipitated into needless perils, entrapped, surrounded, hopeless, had still the courage to fight and the manhood to die. The Ball's Bluff tragedy, grossly misrepresented as it was in Rebel bulletins and exulting narratives, tended to confirm and extend the vain-glorious delusion which was already sapping the foundations, if not of Rebel strength, at least of Rebel energy. Gen. Evans officially reported that he had fought and beaten 8,000 men,commanded by Gen. Stone -his troops using the musket alone; while the Unionists employed artillery, and fired on him with longrange guns from the Maryland shore! and that his brigade had driven "an enemy four times their number from the soil of Virginia, killing and taking prisoners a greater number than our whole force engaged." These fables were repeated in general orders, with the necessary effect of inflating the whole Confederate people with an inordinate conceit of their own prowess, and misleading them into an intense contempt for Yankee cowardice and inefficiency. The natural consequences of this delusive swagger were evinced in the encounters of the ensuing Spring. DRANESVILLE. At 6 A. M., of Dec. 20th, Gen. E. O. C. Ord, commanding the 3d Pennsylvania brigade, in pursuance of orders from Gen. George A. McCall, commanding the division holding the right of Gen. McClellan's army, moved forward from Camp Pierpont toward Dranesville, Loudoun County, Va., instructed to drive back the enemy's pickets, procure a supply of forage, and capture, On the other hand, Ball's Bluff dispelled, though at a terrible cost, some of the aspersions which had been sedulously propagated with regard to the spirit and morale of the Union rank and file. Whoever asked of any champion of the prevailing strategy why our armies stood idle, and as if paralyzed, in the presence of inferior forces of Rebels, were as40 present, losing 65-in part, by the fire of the 1st Kentucky (Rebel), which, mistaking them for Unionists, poured a murderous volley into them at forty yards' distance. It was a foolish affair on the part of Stuart, who was palpably misled by the gasconade of Evans, with regard to his meeting and beating more than four to one at Ball's Bluff. When he found himself overmatched, losing heavily, and in danger of being outflanked and destroyed, the Rebel General withdrew rapidly, but in tolerable order, from the field; and Gen. McCall, who came up at this moment, wisely decided not to pursue; since a Rebel force thrice his own might at any moment be interposed between him and his camp. Each party returned to its quarters that night. if possible, a small cavalry force-running off their guns by hand; scouting betwixt Dranesville and the the 6th South Carolina, out of 315 Potomac. Gen. Ord's brigade consisted of the 9th, Col. C. F. Jackson, 10th, Col. J. S. McCalmont, 12th, Col. John H. Taggart, the Bucktail | Rifles, Lt.-Col. T. L. Kane, a part of the 6th, with Easton's battery and two squadrons of cavalry; in all, about 4,000 men. While halting to load forage just east of Dranesville, he was attacked by a Rebel brigade, led by Gen. J. E. B. Stuart, composed of the 11th Virginia, the 6th South Carolina, 10th Alabama, 1st Kentucky, the Sumter Flying Artillery, and detachments from two cavalry regiments-the whole force numbering, according to Rebel accounts, only 2,500. Stuart appears to have been likewise on a foraging excursion; as he had with him about 200 wagons, which probably returned empty of aught but wounded men. They came up the road leading southwardly from Dranesville to Centerville, some fifteen miles distant, and were foolishly pushed on to attack, though the advantage in numbers, in position, and even in artillery, appears to have been decidedly on our side. They were, of course, easily and badly beaten; the Pennsylvanians fighting with cool intrepidity and entire confidence of success. Our aggregate loss was but 9 killed and 60 wounded-among the latter, Lieut.-Col. Kane, who led his men with signal gallantry. The Rebels lost, by their own account, 230; among them, Col. Forney, of the 10th Alabama, wounded, and Lieut. Col. Martin, killed. They left 25 horses dead on the field, with two caissons—one of them exploded, The victory of Dranesville, unimportant as it may now seem, diffused an immense exhilaration throughout the Union ranks. It was a fitting and conclusive answer to every open assertion or whispered insinuation impeaching the courage or the steadiness of our raw Northern volunteers. The encounter was purely fortuitous, at least on our side; two strong foraging parties, believed by our men to be about equal in numbers, had met on fair, open ground; had fought a brief but spirited duel, which had ended in the confessed defeat and flight of the Rebels, whose loss was at least twice that they inflicted on us. Admit that they were but 2,500 to our 4,000; the Army of the Potomac, now nearly 200,000" strong, and able to advance on the enemy "Gen. McClellan, in his deliberately prepared, loudly trumpeted, and widely circulated Report, |