Battlefield.
In the morning bouillon with beef, rice and coffee. Every now and then cannon shooting, otherwise rest. Troops still continue to arrive from all sides. The brigade will be marching off about three-thirty o'clock. The fire to our left, toward south, which had quieted down starts anew. The sky has been grey and cloudy all day therefore oppressive humidity with a slight breeze. Towards three o'clock numerous wounded are brought in from the battlefield. Now our brigade too, is being led forward, right Blenkers, twenty-seventh-forty-fifth left De Kalb. We march about one-eighth of a mile and halt behind the elevation of a hill, left from a farmhouse. In front of us, however not seen by us, rages the battle. The wounded are brought in from all directions, some led and some carried by comrades. Others arrive alone with or without weapons, on horseback and on foot. A captain - a strong handsome man shot through the breast hanging with both arms on the shoulders of soldiers. Others on stretchers, a Colonel Towers, wounded, is carried past us in his uniform. Now to the right of us, regiment after regiment is returning over the hill, consisting of small groups of men and everyone flocking around his flag.
Battlefield by New Market Bullrun. [p. 2]
"A most painful sight."
Yet, we too, united after such sacrifices, want to return. Now we advance. Vigorous and determined, we too are ready to give our last drop of blood if victory cannot be bought any other way. Our brigade still is under the command of General Stahl.
The Blenkers and the twenty-seventh advance - forty-fifth and De Kalb after them, the last ones on a hill on which a farm used to be located, fortyfifth to the right of the farm, De Kalb to the left. We are there as cover for the battery (regular) and to the left of us are standing under a very heavy cannonade from the front as well as from our left.
After a short halt we are led into the garden along the fence of the farm under the lead of Chief Wratislaw. We are then in control of the valley where right now the enemy broke out of the brush and are chasing two regiments of ours in front of them 5th N.Y. Duryeas Suaves? and Brooklyn forteenth regiment. By the time ours retreated into our lines, the enemy had reached the middle of the valley, themselves not very well organized, they presumably try to flank our battery which, right now, lets loose with a terrific fire towards them. In that precise moment we too start with our file firing, although not too regulated, still is so effective that the enemy retreats. With rejoicing and cheers we follow over
Battle by Bullrun - New Market. [p. 3]
fence and ditches down into the valley until the enemy disappears into the brush. In the heat of the pursuit our men too managed to get into the same disorder the enemy had shown before and all efforts to get them back into line to make a proper stand along the fence in the valley was fruitless since authoritative command was lacking. Chief Colonel Wratislaw, whose horse was wounded, could not be found anywhere and the regiment was obliged to return to the farm in order to let the batteries operate to full effect. As we arrive there we find the batteries divided into two fronts, besides the second Wisconsin regiment. Here too the fire of the artillery was quite heavy. After a short period we are ordered to retreat without apparent reason. We retreat under a continuous hail of bombs out of the entire battlerange.
About a half mile from the battlefield we are put into division formation. During the battle, up by the farm, Corporal Pfoertner Company C, received a light wound in the shoulder, Captain Spangenberg a shot through the left side between the ribs. Wounded through the knee one Sergenat Ives, Company C and so on.
After the battle we count sixtynine wounded, including two dead, aside from that, one is fatally wounded. Captain Hoefer received a grazing shot through the top of his hat. Sergeant Maurer Company C was hit on his back with a piece of matted bomb where it bounced off and it flew against Lieutenant Basson's neck without doing damage to either one of them. Brevet Lieutenant Heisterberg also was hit with a
Battle by Bullrun and New Market. [p. 4]
piece of matted bomb on his nose and cheek for he was looking up, at the time, the consequences were a terrific nosebleed and a badly swollen face. Sergeant Weber a pointed bullet diagonally through his nose. The rebels have cartridges and three pointed bullets. Hence many lightly wounded etc. Up by the farm was a very unfortunate one shot through his belly and through his arm close by the hand; he was lying there helpless and the fighting soldiers from different regiments had to pass him a number of times.
As we marched back from the battlefield apparently completely out of line of fire when a stray bullet came through the forest and wounded a Sergeant through the arm. While we chasing the Rebels back into the forest a number of them remained behind on a field in the valley and were trying to hide by throwing themselves onto the ground.An officer and two privates were taken prisoners. Woerle, Company C, took the officers. He relieved him of his revolver and swordbelt. The swordbelt, a good as new, and of durability. According to regulations of the United States I bought the swordbelt from Woerle for $2 - since mine is quite worn out. The officer apparently had thrown his sabre away before taken prisoner.
According to his statements three mixed up regiments of Rebels are in the forest before us; Second Miss? By sundown our brigade again had retreated from the battlefield onto a hill.
Battle by Bullrun [p. 5]
I was hastily ordered to accompany a transport of wounded to the hospital. Before they could be gathered darkness had set in and I only had three wounded of which one of them was shot through the breast. He was accompanied by four men on the Centerville road where I was supposed to find another troop in order to bring them to the hospital. I found there returning regiments who advised us to go with them. We were told that the enemy is advancing from the side. Here we had to wade through a river "Bullrun" and since regiment upon regiment surged forward in the darkness we had great difficulty in remaining together. Nevertheless the return march proceeded fairly quietly and only through the great masses who were at the same time marching together through darkness as well as forests, became a little irregular. Later half way to Centerville many stragglers severd (sic) from us and here and there grouped around watchfires and cooked coffee etc. Our small train of seven men who in all the congestion, were separated and the only Corporal Frey, who had suffered a light grazing shot through his shoulder made more about it than it was worth. We had to rest on account of him and after giving him coffee I had difficulty transporting him further.
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The majority of the action today took place to the north of the intersection of Warrenton Turnpike and Manassas Sudley Road. The regiments are so closely massed on the map that many of them are unmarked, therefore it is not possible for me to pinpoint the exact location of the 45th. Duryea's brigade is at the front along the unfinished railroad just to left of halfway between Lewis Road and Manassas Sudley Road.
TROOP MOVEMENT MAP 9
SECOND BATTLE OF MANASSAS
AUGUST 30, 1862 12:00 MIDNIGHT to 12:00 NOON
MANASSAS NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD PARK, VIRGINIA
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR : NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
379 |25,001
DSC|Oct. '85
Between noon and 3 P.M. Stahel's brigade was to the south and east behind Dogan Ridge NW of the corner of Warrenton Turnpike and Manassas Sudley Road.
TROOP MOVEMENT MAP 10
Between 3:00 and 3:45 P.M. Stahel's brigade and the 45th NY regiment were hard by Warrenton Turnpike just to east of J Dogan.
TROOP MOVEMENT MAP 11
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