Ball's Bluff, Va., Oct. 21, 1861.
Part of Stone's Division, Army of the Potomac. After the battle of Bull Run, Gen. Patterson was superseded by Gen. Banks, who took position at Harper's Ferry. From that point down the Potomac to Washington the Federal pickets lined the river to guard against any invasion of Maryland or an attempt to turn the right flank of the army which Gen. McClellan was organizing at Washington. About half-way between Harper's Ferry and the national capital was Edwards' ferry. Five miles farther up was Conrad's ferry, at the head of Harrison's island. In front of these ferries, on the Virginia side of the Potomac, lay the town of Leesburg, some 4 or 5 miles from the river. Gen. Beauregard stationed Brig. -Gen. N. G. Evans, with his brigade of four regiments, at Leesburg to keep watch on the ferries and guard against a flank attack on the Confederate left. Ball's bluff lay along the Virginia side of the river opposite Harrison's island, from which it was separated by a channel about 100 yards wide. The bluff varied in height, rising in some places to over 100 feet, and the front next to the river was difficult of ascent, being steep and covered with a thick growth of bushes. Almost opposite Edwards' ferry Goose creek flowed into the Potomac from Virginia and across this stream ran the Gum Spring road from Leesburg to Manassas. Toward the middle of October Banks' division was stationed at various points along the Potomac; Geary was at Sugar Loaf mountain on the Maryland side of the river, a short distance below the Point of Rocks, from which position he could observe the movements of the enemy ; Stone's division was at Poolesville, Md., from which place a road ran to Leesburg, crossing the river at Edwards' ferry. These troops were all in favorable positions for cutting off Evans' brigade, but the Federal commanders were misled as to the strength of the enemy through a ruse to which Evans resorted of showing his men suddenly at various places at short intervals to give the impression that his force was greater than it really was. On the 19th McClellan ordered Gen. McCall to occupy Dranesville with his division. This move was successfully executed and the Gum Spring road thus fell into the hands of the Federals. Early the next morning the signal officer at Sugar Loaf mountain sent word that the enemy was moving out of Leesburg, and the following telegram was sent to Stone : "Gen. McCall occupied Dranesville yesterday and is still there. Will send out heavy reconnaissances to-day in all directions from that point. The general desires that you keep a good lookout upon Leesburg to see if this movement has the effect to drive them away. Perhaps a slight demonstration on your part would have the effect to move them."
Stone immediately moved Gorman's brigade, the 7th Mich, and part of his cavalry to Edwards' ferry ; ordered Col. Devens to occupy Harrison's island with live companies of the 15th Mass.; and sent Col. Lee, with part of the 20th Mass., the 20th N. Y. (the Tammany regiment) and a section of Battery B, ist R. L artillery, to Conrad's ferry. A section of Bunting's battery was already at Conrad's ferry, and Ricketts' battery, commanded by Lieut. Woodruff, was posted at Edwards' ferry. On Sunday afternoon (the 20th) three flatboats were brought from the canal to the river; Gorman displayed his brigade in view of the enemy, while shells and spherical case shot were thrown into the woods on the opposite side of the river, Stone's object being to create the impression that a crossing was to be made. The three boats, each loaded with 35 men from the ist Minn., crossed and recrossed the river and at dusk Gorman's troops returned to camp. Stone has been criticized by some writers for not stopping his demonstration at this time, as McClellan's order had been carried out and the object of the movement had been accomplished. Instead of ceasing operations, however, he directed Devens to send Capt. Philbrick, with 20 men, across the river at Harrison's island soon after dark, with instructions to move by a bridle path through the woods toward Leesburg and ascertain the position of the enemy. Toward midnight Philbrick returned with the information that he had discovered a camp of some 30 tents about a mile from Leesburg and had approached close to it without being challenged. When this was imparted to Stone he ordered Devens to cross over with four companies and take position to destroy the camp at daybreak, pursue the enemy as far as would be prudent and returned to the island, his withdrawal to be covered by part of the 20th Mass. In order to cover Devens" movement. Stone ordered Gorman to send over two companies of the ist Minn, at Edwards' ferry, and sent Maj. Mix with a small detachment of the 3d N. Y. cavalry along the Leesburg road until he should come to the vicinity of a battery known to be there and then turn to the left and reconnoiter toward Goose creek. Baker was directed to have his brigade in readiness to move from Conrad's ferry at daybreak, and the 15th Mass. was to be at Harrison's island at that hour ready to cross and support Devens if necessary. Devens made his reconnaissance and discovered that in the uncertain light Philbrick's scouts had mistaken openings in the woods for white tents. He therefore sent back word to Stone that no enemy was in sight in the vicinity of Leesburg. The reason he found no Confederates there was because Evans had withdrawn his brigade to a line of entrenchments along Goose creek to meet an attack from the direction of Dranesville.
After reconnoitering in the direction of Leesburg and failing to find anything of the enemy, Devens concealed his force in a' wood and took steps to hold his position. In the meantime Stone had directed Baker to use his judgment about withdrawing Devens or sending over reinforcements. Baker decided on sending over more troops, but the transportation was so inadequate that it was nearly noon before all of the 15th Mass. was on the Virginia shore. From the redoubt called "Fort Evans," to the eastward of Leesburg, the Confederate commander could see the movement of the P'edcral troops and sent a detachment under Col. Jenifer to hold them in check until his plan of attack could be fully developed. About 10 a. m. he sent the 8th Va. under Col. llunton to the support of Jenifer, and a sharp skirmish occurred between these two Confederate detachments and the advance companies of the 15th Mass. A little after 12 o'clock the enemy appeared in force in front of Devens, who retired to prevent being outflanked, taking place in line with the troops brought over by Baker. By 2 130 the musketry firing became very brisk and Baker ordered 4 pieces of artillery to be sent over the river. One gun and 2 small howitzers were crossed and did effective service until Lieuts. Bramhall and French were both wounded, when the guns were dragged to the rear by hand to prevent their falling into the hands of the enemy. About 4 o'clock Baker fell while cheering on his men and the command devolved on Col. Coggswell of the Tammany regiment, who ordered dispositions to be made to cut a way through to Edwards' ferry. Concerning this movement Coggswell says in his report : "I was followed by the remnants of my two companies and a portion of the California regiment, but, for some reasons unknown to me, was not joined by either the istli or 20th Mass. regiments. We were overpowered and forced back to our original position, and again driven from that position to the river bank by overwhelming numbers. On the river bank I found the whole force in a state of great disorder. As I arrived, two companies of my own regiment, under Capts. Gerety and O'Meara, landed from the large boat. I ordered these fresh companies up the bluff, and they instantly ascended and deployed as skirmishers to cover the passage to the island, while I took about a dozen men and moved to the left to check a heavy fire of the enemy which had opened on us from the mouth of a ravine near. We were almost immediately surrounded and captured."
On the river bank the Union troops maintained for nearly half an hour a hopeless contest rather than to surrender. The smaller boat had gone, no one seemed to know where, and the larger boat swamped within 15 feet of the shore on account of being too heavily loaded. There was nothing left but to surrender, swim or die. Many of the men, while negotiations were being conducted, threw their arms and cartridge-boxes into the Potomac to prevent them from falling into the hands of the enemy. Some plunged into the swift current, others saved themselves on floating logs, and still others concealed themselves in the brush along the face of the bluff and after dark made their way to the Union lines. The Federal loss at Ball's bluff was 49 killed, 158 wounded and 714 missing. Evans reported his loss as 36 killed, 117 wounded and 2 missing. He claimed the capture of 710 prisoners, 1,500 stands of arms. 3 cannon and a flag.
Ball's Bridge, Va., March 4, 1865. Detachment 2nd N. C. Mounted Infantry. Lieut. -Col. Bartlett with 103 men, reconnoitering from Cumberland gap. Tenn., toward Jonesville, Va., was attacked in the morning at Ball's bridge, by 250 Confederates, but drove them back up the valley. High water made pursuit impracticable beyond 2 miles.
Source: The Union Army, Volume 5, pages 72 - 74