History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, by Samuel P. Bates.

1861 BATTLE OF BULL RUN. 789
teries to the right bank of the James, and succeeded in throwing a few shells
into it, but were soon driven away, and a picket line established so as to completely shield it from future attempts. The Ninth, together with the Tenth and
Twelfth regiments, were engaged in this duty. As the troops advanced, the
enemy, together with the inhabitants, for a radius of three miles around, withdrew, leaving the district clear. Details were established to guard the new
line, and the Ninth remained engaged in this duty until the 16th of August.
In the meantime the Army of the Potomac had withdrawn from the Peninsula,
and was proceeding to join the Army of Northern Virginia, under General
Pope. The Reserves were the last to leave, and embarking upon transports
moved up the Potomac to Acquia Creek, and debarking, thence marched to
Falmouth Heights. Resuming the march after a brief halt, they moved via
Kelly's Ford, through Rappahannock Station, Warrenton, New Baltimore and
Hay Market, to meet the right wing of the rebel army under Jackson, in the
vicinity of Manassas Junction. This forced march of five days without adequate supplies of provisions, with the enemy hanging on flank and rear, proved
one of the most exhausting which it was ever their lot to endure.
On the 29th of August, the division arrived in the neighborhood of Groveton, and on the afternoon of that day a rebel battery was discovered posted
on its left, six hundred yards away. The Ninth and Tenth regiments were
ordered to reconnoitre the ground and ascertain the enemy's strength and
actual position. When within one hundred yards of his lines it was found
that his guns were supported by a large force of infantry, which opened a
murderous fire upon them, and from which they withdrew under cover of our
guns. A stronger force was then sent forward, when he hastily abandoned
the ground. On the 30th, the regiment was on the extreme left flank of
the division and of the union line. Very soon after the battle commenced the
enemy outflanked us on the left, and gave the Ninth an enfilading fire which
inflicted most grievous injury; but notwithstanding this, it was the last to
leave the line, and the withdrawal was executed in good order. It re-formed
under cover of Cooper's Battery, where the Third Brigade was posted for its
support. Orders were soon received to fall back to a point five hundred
yards to the rear, and re-form, but were scarcely executed when the line in front
gave way, and it was ordered to retire across Bull Run. Here the regiment reformed under command of Colonel Sickel, the senior officer of -the division then
on the field, under whose orders it marched to Centreville, arriving at ten
o'clock P. M. The battle was disastrous to our arms, and particularly so to this
regiment, losing heavily on account of its exposed position. Not the lack of
valor on the part of the brave men here engaged, but a want of harmonious
composition and movement of the army, made the result of the great slaughter
and the hard fighting, vain.
Previous to entering upon this campaign Colonel Jackson had been promoted to be a Brigadier General, and had been assigned to the command of the
Third Brigade, the command of the regiment devolving upon Lieutenant Colonel Anderson, who was subsequently commissioned Colonel, to date from 15th
of July, 1862. During the battle Colonel Hardin, who was commanding the
brigade, in the absence of Colonel Jackson, was wounded and carried from the
field, when Colonel Kirk, of the Tenth, assumed command, who was also
wounded, and Colonel Anderson succeeded him, and Major Snodgrass succeeded t tthe command of the regiment.