“Trial By Fire, The story of the 1st US regulars.”
To: Gen. Pope.
Report. Of the Us Regulars of the V Corps
Gen. Sykes (commanding)
By 10’o clock the Entire Army of Virginia was into formation. My boys were in the front column.and it not be 5 minutes before firing was heard in the region of Bald hill. King was being engaged heavily, that was where he was but we weren’t going there. we soon Soon recieved orders for my division to move to Buck hill and for my artillery to set up a support battery there. We put company G in front as skirmishers and began to march down the road with low heads thinking we weren’t going to see any action today. As I marched down the road next to Buchanan ,we were nearing our destination, we stopped and looked in fear at a skeleton w/ fragments of blue cloth.the body was leftover from first bull run. Grapeshot left indentations in his bones. We stopped and the entire division halted behind us. This reminded us of the grim task ahead.
We then continued our long march down the road. and as the division neared the vicinity of Buck hill. Our feelings began to turn. Drums Thundered in the background serenaded by Thunderous musketry. Artillery began to ring in closer. I deployed the Regular Brigades in front and left G.K. Warrens "zouave" brigade in support in an abandoned field with the crops cut in the summer months.
No man today was going to run.Not a man was going to turn. After hearing rumors that men of the Division had run in previous battles in the face of the enemy.Every man of the division wanted to prove his courage.
Before my boys could even rest. The flags of the 7th north Carolina were waving in the breeze up ahead, Lead by their red-shirted commander. The long column of the light division was snaking down the Warrenton turn pike. We allowed them to cross the ford in front of Henry House hill. And As Gen Sykes Gave the boys a final cheer. , He lifted his hat and speared it with his sword. The men, Turned and looked and with a thunderous hoorah that only the angels could have done better, the men then about faced and welcomed the rebels with devastating precision. Men of the rebel column fell where they stood. They tried to form into a battle line, But before they could Another volley this time from. Buchanan’s Brigade Shattered their morale. And they turned and ran after leaving nearly 100 men on the field.
We needed the high ground to hold the day. Sykes knew that , he ordered Randol’s battery to the top of buck hill. Giving him GK Warrens brigade. Warren was now in front and Chapman was left in reserve to guard Weeds battery. The New York Zouaves were by them self , Buchanans line extended from the ford up towards the stone house. Warren placed his line to the left of the battery on bucks hill and extended it from the battery to the Buck hill woods.
At a bout 9:45 the rebs of the light division were massed against our front. The massed artillery from my position poured it into the rebs as they crossed the ford. The water ran red , growing to a deeper shade with every explosion. The rebs made bridges out of the dead bodies. The combined massed artillery and musketry Poured it into the rebs. Gaps so big were left in the lines that its as if entire companys were swept away all at once. Randol’s battery loaded the ever deadly double canister.And fired point blank into the faces of the enemy.
The rebs massed the first wave against the skirmish line of the 5th Ny. Which was easily repulsed and they soon fell back and up over the hill. They reformed in battle line and marched up the hill and rejoined ranks with The 10th NY. The first wave came up the hill in devastating force, but not a man from new york budged.
Buchanan wasn’t even having an easier time either. The lines of 2 brigades of the light division smashed head on into his lines. But the regulars held their ground. I watched from my position on buck’s hill. The regulars fired then ducked and reloaded and then the line behind them would step forward and fire. It was devastating fire power and The rebels never knew what the hell had hit them. The boys of L.O. Branch’s brigade were decimated. The first rank of their line went running back like jackrabbits. The second line didn’t fare much better, and The second line retreated after taking volley after volley after volley. Randol’s battery poured it into their backs as they retreated across the ravine. The rest of the light division horrified by the failed attack stared in awe at the death of L.O. Branch’s men.
The rebs Held up on the attack for a few minutes. This gave Sykes the time to move chapman’s men below the crest of the hill but out of sight. If warrens flank was threatened, Chapman would be there. This was a costly mistake for the reb’s we now moved two batteries into firing position around that hill. A third brigade of rebs were now moving into the trap that Sykes had set. Chapmans brigade was ordered into the woods, and being in double line formation . The rebs,who were still in columns were Taken back by the sight of the brigade. Men in the front of the rebel lines tried to rally their comrades, but to no avail. Their commander realized the futility of the woods fighting and pulled his men back and out of sight. Warren with his Zouave brigade was holding steady still on the hill top.
However me and Sykes were beginning to notice something, their was nothing between Bucks hill and The stone house. Sykes then went with the most unusual option, the smallest option.
He took the detached “Company G” and placed them in that spot in skirmish formation. The smallest part of this Division was now in the center of the line.
This attack the rebs were commin up close. Randols battery was leaving gaps with the double canister. But the rebel wave was to much. The men tried to seize randols battery. Company G and the tenth new york fought them off. Brutal hand to hand fighting broke out. Screams of the stabbed and the wounded were heard from my postion.Co. G and the10th fought them off. The rebs retreated across the fordBut the damage was done. 16 men from the battery were killed or wounded. 3 guns had been scrapped and only 2 remained.As this wave fell back I knew that the next attack was going to be hell.
Col. E
To: Gen. Pope.
Report. Of the Us Regulars of the V Corps
Gen. Sykes (commanding)
By 10’o clock the Entire Army of Virginia was into formation. My boys were in the front column.and it not be 5 minutes before firing was heard in the region of Bald hill. King was being engaged heavily, that was where he was but we weren’t going there. we soon Soon recieved orders for my division to move to Buck hill and for my artillery to set up a support battery there. We put company G in front as skirmishers and began to march down the road with low heads thinking we weren’t going to see any action today. As I marched down the road next to Buchanan ,we were nearing our destination, we stopped and looked in fear at a skeleton w/ fragments of blue cloth.the body was leftover from first bull run. Grapeshot left indentations in his bones. We stopped and the entire division halted behind us. This reminded us of the grim task ahead.
We then continued our long march down the road. and as the division neared the vicinity of Buck hill. Our feelings began to turn. Drums Thundered in the background serenaded by Thunderous musketry. Artillery began to ring in closer. I deployed the Regular Brigades in front and left G.K. Warrens "zouave" brigade in support in an abandoned field with the crops cut in the summer months.
No man today was going to run.Not a man was going to turn. After hearing rumors that men of the Division had run in previous battles in the face of the enemy.Every man of the division wanted to prove his courage.
Before my boys could even rest. The flags of the 7th north Carolina were waving in the breeze up ahead, Lead by their red-shirted commander. The long column of the light division was snaking down the Warrenton turn pike. We allowed them to cross the ford in front of Henry House hill. And As Gen Sykes Gave the boys a final cheer. , He lifted his hat and speared it with his sword. The men, Turned and looked and with a thunderous hoorah that only the angels could have done better, the men then about faced and welcomed the rebels with devastating precision. Men of the rebel column fell where they stood. They tried to form into a battle line, But before they could Another volley this time from. Buchanan’s Brigade Shattered their morale. And they turned and ran after leaving nearly 100 men on the field.
We needed the high ground to hold the day. Sykes knew that , he ordered Randol’s battery to the top of buck hill. Giving him GK Warrens brigade. Warren was now in front and Chapman was left in reserve to guard Weeds battery. The New York Zouaves were by them self , Buchanans line extended from the ford up towards the stone house. Warren placed his line to the left of the battery on bucks hill and extended it from the battery to the Buck hill woods.
At a bout 9:45 the rebs of the light division were massed against our front. The massed artillery from my position poured it into the rebs as they crossed the ford. The water ran red , growing to a deeper shade with every explosion. The rebs made bridges out of the dead bodies. The combined massed artillery and musketry Poured it into the rebs. Gaps so big were left in the lines that its as if entire companys were swept away all at once. Randol’s battery loaded the ever deadly double canister.And fired point blank into the faces of the enemy.
The rebs massed the first wave against the skirmish line of the 5th Ny. Which was easily repulsed and they soon fell back and up over the hill. They reformed in battle line and marched up the hill and rejoined ranks with The 10th NY. The first wave came up the hill in devastating force, but not a man from new york budged.
Buchanan wasn’t even having an easier time either. The lines of 2 brigades of the light division smashed head on into his lines. But the regulars held their ground. I watched from my position on buck’s hill. The regulars fired then ducked and reloaded and then the line behind them would step forward and fire. It was devastating fire power and The rebels never knew what the hell had hit them. The boys of L.O. Branch’s brigade were decimated. The first rank of their line went running back like jackrabbits. The second line didn’t fare much better, and The second line retreated after taking volley after volley after volley. Randol’s battery poured it into their backs as they retreated across the ravine. The rest of the light division horrified by the failed attack stared in awe at the death of L.O. Branch’s men.
The rebs Held up on the attack for a few minutes. This gave Sykes the time to move chapman’s men below the crest of the hill but out of sight. If warrens flank was threatened, Chapman would be there. This was a costly mistake for the reb’s we now moved two batteries into firing position around that hill. A third brigade of rebs were now moving into the trap that Sykes had set. Chapmans brigade was ordered into the woods, and being in double line formation . The rebs,who were still in columns were Taken back by the sight of the brigade. Men in the front of the rebel lines tried to rally their comrades, but to no avail. Their commander realized the futility of the woods fighting and pulled his men back and out of sight. Warren with his Zouave brigade was holding steady still on the hill top.
However me and Sykes were beginning to notice something, their was nothing between Bucks hill and The stone house. Sykes then went with the most unusual option, the smallest option.
He took the detached “Company G” and placed them in that spot in skirmish formation. The smallest part of this Division was now in the center of the line.
This attack the rebs were commin up close. Randols battery was leaving gaps with the double canister. But the rebel wave was to much. The men tried to seize randols battery. Company G and the tenth new york fought them off. Brutal hand to hand fighting broke out. Screams of the stabbed and the wounded were heard from my postion.Co. G and the10th fought them off. The rebs retreated across the fordBut the damage was done. 16 men from the battery were killed or wounded. 3 guns had been scrapped and only 2 remained.As this wave fell back I knew that the next attack was going to be hell.
Col. E
