Breaking Camp at Wigfall.
The March to the Battlefield.
General Beauregard and His Appearance and Advice.
First Cannon Shot.
Battle of Bull Run.
The Advance.
The Charge.
The Wounded.
Isaac Hare and John Q. Martin.
Retreat of the Enemy.
Severe Artillery Duel.
The Dutchman and His Chunk of Fat Bacon.
Casualties.
Breaking camp at Wigfall Wednesday noon, July 17, the 7th regiment
marched in the direction of McLean's ford on Bull Run, halting on the
high land nearly a mile from the Run, and going into bivouac, or rather
lying down in an uncultivated field, where we rested quietly during the
night. Moving next morning a short distance, we halted on an eminence,
overlooking Mitchell's, Blackburn's and McLean's fords, and the country
beyond, whence about noon we observed clouds of dust to the north. Very
soon after this came the sound of brisk skirmish firing, and the roar
of cannon from the direction of Mitchell's ford.
The 24th Virginia, 7th Louisiana, and 7th Virginia regiments
constituted a brigade commanded by Col. J. A. Early. Longstreet's
brigade, holding Mitchell's ford, against which the enemy directed his
principal attack, consisted of the 1st, 11th and 17th Virginia
regiments.
The 7th Virginia moved towards the firing along a narrow country road
and over a field which had been planted in corn, in which field near
the road, in charge of a guard, was a Federal prisoner. We eyed him
closely, Bob, the colored cook, especially observing him with interest.
At McLean's gate, as we passed, stood General Beauregard, the commander
of the Confederate forces,--slim, strong shouldered, five and a half
feet high, of swarthy complexion, and lightish mustache. He appeared
calm, and collected, saying as we passed, in a quiet, low tone: "Keep
cool, men, and fire low; shoot them in the legs."
I am reminded to state here that in the earlier battles of the war I
have seen men in their excitement fire their muskets into the air at an
angle of probably forty-five degrees, and others so lowering their guns
that the ball would strike the ground but a few feet in front of them.
This, however, was soon corrected, and the men took good aim.
[Illustration: Lieut. Eustace Gibson]
Pushing forward from this point some two hundred yards, we halted on
the left of the road under cover of a belt of pines, which sheltered us
from the view of the enemy. Soon came the boom of a cannon, the ball
whizzing and buzzing over our heads. All eyes turned in the direction
of the noise of the ball, which struck the house near where General
Beauregard was standing. A second shot came, the ball cutting away an
apple tree near the house referred to, causing a team of horses to take
fright and run away, as well as the colored man, Bob, who, musket in
hand, had halted at the house, and the last seen of him that day he was
making rapid speed for Manassas. Bob never expressed any regret for the
run he had made, satisfied with his experience. The rattle of musketry
in our front made strange music, affecting some of the men very
peculiarly, especially John W. East, of our company, who, on account of
a severe pain in the region of his stomach, clasped both hands across
that locality, becoming almost doubled, which wholly disabled him for
the fight.
The order for the advance came, and forward we went along the narrow
country road, through the pines, with a wild yell, and at double quick,
accompanied by a section of the Washington (Louisiana) artillery,
commanded by Lieutenant Squires. Meeting on the way some wounded men of
the 1st Virginia regiment, pale and bleeding, had any other than a
pleasant and happy effect upon our nervous systems, tending somewhat to
dampen the ardor.
Emerging into an open field two hundred yards from Bull Run, by a
movement by the right flank, we were in line advancing towards the
stream, the banks of which were covered with timber, the opposite bank
sloping from the stream, high and precipitous. Within one hundred yards
of the stream, from the opposite bank the enemy poured into our ranks,
or rather at us, a volley of musketry, which, thanks to his bad
marksmanship, went high, doing little or no damage, but causing us, by
common impulse, as is usual with soldiers in their first battle, to
fall flat on the ground, and down we went. On the side next the enemy,
in front of Isaac Hare, was John Q. Martin, who sprang over Ike,
leaving him next the enemy. Ike, with a curse and threatening gesture,
compelled Martin to resume his former position. The men of the regiment
were immediately upon their feet. As they rose, Lieutenant Squires,
whose section of artillery had unlimbered immediately in our rear, gave
the command, "Fire!" which command, being mistaken by our men for that
of our own officer, caused us to let fly, a terrific volley at the
enemy in the woods in our front, and this was followed by a rush with
fixed bayonets for the stream, behind which the enemy was posted,
forcing him to retreat in confusion, leaving his dead and wounded,
knapsacks, haversacks, hats and part of his small arms. Reaching the
bank of the stream, the regiment lay down, and there followed for more
than an hour a fierce artillery duel between the Federal batteries and
the Confederate, the latter under Lieutenant Squires, which resulted in
the withdrawal of the former. During this bombardment, shell, shot and
shrapnel fell around and among us, wounding a few men of the regiment,
but all were quiet, and continued to hug the ground. This was about
five o'clock in the afternoon.
George Knoll, "Dutchman," as we usually called him, being in his
characteristic mood, but hungry, took from his haversack a chunk of fat
bacon, stuffing himself while the artillery fire was in progress.
Quiet now reigning, we began to look after the wounded and prepare
for spending the night in battle line in front of the enemy, who had
retired from our immediate front, but still hovered near by.
The troops engaged on the Confederate side, save the artillery
mentioned, were principally the 1st, 11th and 17th Virginia of
Longstreet's brigade, with the 7th Virginia of Early's. The losses in
Longstreet's regiments, as reported, were: Killed and mortally wounded,
15, and slightly wounded, 53. Of these casualties 40 were of the 1st
Virginia. Seven were wounded in the 7th Virginia of Early's brigade,
one killed and five wounded of the artillery. In Company D of the 7th
regiment Isaac Hare and James H. Gardner were slightly wounded by spent
balls. H. C. Burrows of E Company got a musket ball through his hand; a
man of B Company had his hand or fingers mangled by a piece of shell.
The Federal force that attacked us was Richardson's brigade, of Tyler's
division, consisting of the 1st Massachusetts, 2d and 3d Michigan, and
12th New York regiments; Ayers' battery, and Brackett's cavalry. The
Federal loss, as reported, was 19 killed, 38 wounded, and 26 missing.