Ball's Cross Roads Skirmish

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Title

Ball's Cross Roads Skirmish

Subject

Skirmish near Balls' Cross Roads

Description

Front page news account of military activity near Ball's Cross Roads. The NY Times reported the account of the skirmish from Col. H. C. Hoffman from the New York 23rd regiment.

Creator

Col. H.C. Hoffman

Source

New York Times

Date

September 1, 1861

Rights

Public Domain

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Text

New York Times August 29, 1861
Reported Skirmish at Ball's Crossroads Bailey's Crossroads and the Chain Bridge.

Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 28.

The city was rife last .night, and is also this morning, with the report of a fight on the other side of the Potomac. Even in usually well-informed quarters there is conflicting information on the subject. It Is certain, howeTer, that Gen. McClellan . with his customary activity and watchfulness, returned from thence at 11 1/2 o'clock last night, but from Lis conversations with military friends nothing of an important or serious character was elicited. It Is probable. however, as mentioned by a gentleman of respectability, that a disunion force of three companies of cavalry and about the same number of infantry, with two field-pieces, have been hovering in the vicinity of Ball's Cross Roads, maneuvering with a view to draw out a detachment of our troops into an ambuscade. As to several soldiers Having been killed on each ride in a skirmish, it may be only an imaginary incident to adorn a reported battle. Panic-making seems to be a favorite vocation, and the most preposterous reports are readily believed and circulated- It is now believed that several of our soldiers were killed, and a few ' others wounded, in the skirmishes on the Virginia side, yesterday, between the pickets.


New York Times August 30, 1861
The Skirmishes in Virginia - The Rebels Driven Back
A Yankee Trick Played Upon Them - Little or No Bloodshed
Washington, Thursday, Aug. 29

A messenger from the Virginia side this morning states that our picket forces advanced to Bailey's Cross-roads yesterday, and drove those of the Secessionists a mile and a half beyond, where, it is said the latter have taken possession of a commanding eminence, and are throwing up intrenchments. There was much firing during the day, but without fatal results. The inhabitants generally of that section have removed elsewhere some of them to this city.

A dash of secession cavalry, It is reported by the messenger, was male at what they supposed to be a deserted cannon, after about twelve rounds had been fired at it from one of the howitzers On a nearer approach, however, they, discovered It to be a aham ; -toss of the Michiganders barring deceived the enemy lot sport, by mounting an old stove-pipe on wheels.

It is extremely difficult to obtain reliable intelligence respecting the result of the picket encounter on the other side of the river, but there seems to be truth in the reports that several of our troops were killed and others wounded along our lines yesterday and last night.

Special Dispatch to the Washington Star. Alexandria, Wednesday, Aug. 28.

It turns out that they are not intrenching at Bailey's Cross Roads. Their nearest pretence of a temporary intrenchment is at Taylor's Tavern, a mile south of Falls Church, where they are believed to have five 9-pounder rifled guns apparently m battery behind a slight work of brush, which does not really amount to being in battery at all, I fancy. In the course of yesterday afternoon, a mounted company of them crossed Four-mile Run at Riley s Hill, and came down the county road to Mr. Southern's gate our pickets retiring before them to Ball's Cross Roads, half a mile below.

I hear from towards Alexandria that such apparent advances on their part took place over the whole line. What was meant by them, further than to obtain opportunities to murder a few Union pickets, I know not ; nothing like an attack, as is evident from the fact of their retirement before daybreak, everywhere. They succeeded, I hear, in killing (and bayoneting) two of our pickets near the Chain Bridge, and this morning - one of our mounted pickets (belonging to Capt. Geary's company of Col. Young's Mounted Regiment) is missing.

Yesterday, shortly after noon, our picket guard, 12 men strong, at Munson's Red Hill, a mile above Bailey's Cross Roads, was surrounded suddenly by a force of 300 Secessionists, who opened fire upon them, killing one man. Another was killed by being shot in the back by one of his own comrades. Six of the twelve were captured by the enemy, and the other four escaped back to our guard (oi a company; at Bailey's Cross Roads.

Mr. Daniel Munson, hearing the fire so near his residence, mounted his horse to ride towards our lines. As he emerged from his gate on the turnpike, a volley was fired from the hill, two hundred yards up the road, one shot bringing his horse to the ground. The horse fell, and he extricated himself and ran across Bailey's field, in the direction of Bailey's house. Nothing of his whereabouts has since been heard here. He probably got off safely, however.

The Secessionists pursued the four retreating men to a point near Bailey's Crossroads. when the appearance of a company of regular cavalry coming to the reinforcement of the guard there caused the enemy to face about and make again for Munson's hill.

Heretofore that guard has been but a single company. I do not believe that it will soon again be set upon in any such fashion, unless a general attack be designed by the enemy.

About thirty rounds were exchanged, and Carroll, of Elmira, was killed by a shot from the enemy. He was a young man, and was very popular with his regiment. Another of our men was wounded in the neck, and had a finger shot on. whether the confederates suffered any loss is not known. Our companies and the pickets fell back to the camp, about half a mile beyond Arlington.

Col. Hoffman and the Quartermaster of the regiment, hearing that a large force of Secessionists were In the vicinity of Falls Church, took a circuitous route and go on top of a house about a mile from the church to reconnoitre. They had a good glass, but were unable to detect the presence of troops In any force in that vicinity.

PROSPECTS OF A BATTLE.
The Washington Star of yesterday is responsible for the following :

Washington is full of rumors of the near approach of a battle on the other side of the river. The circumstances on which they are based amount to little more than the gradual advance oi the scouting outposts of Beauregard's army to points almost within range of the guns of the fortifications of the United States, which, however, have not been attempted to be held (by the enemy) so far, tor more than sufficient time in which to make reconnaissances. It is by no means improbable that if the enemy persevere in making such reconnaissances, a considerable affair of outposts may come -off within, possibly, twenty-four hours, somewhere not more than four or five jnlles distant, in a direct line, from the Capital, as such collisions almost Invariably grow out of such advances. We elate the fact that our fellow-citizens may at once know, If hearing the boom of artillery over the river, just what it amounts to. Gen. McClellan, who is constantly In the saddle, is well informed as to ail the movements and plans of the enemy, and is certainly prepared for them at all points from Harper's Ferry to Point Lookout We may add that It Is utterly Impossible that Beauregard contemplates a serious movement against the fortifications on the other side of the river.

The New York Times, September 1, 1861

The Skirmish Near Ball's Cross Roads

The following, from CoL H. C. Hoffman, Colonel of the Twenty-third New-York Regiment, gives , a correct version of the skirmish on the 38th lost, ' tear Ball's Cross Roads : The detachment was sent out for picket duty, eon- ; sisting of five companies, three from the Eleventh Wisconsin state Militia Regiment and two from the Twenty-third New-York Volunteers. The skirmish took place about one mile in advance of the Cross Roads, just this side of the railroad, between the enemy and two companies of too Twenty-third New. York and a part of one company of the Twelfth New-York, who had not been relieved. The attack was made by about five hundred rebels. For a few moments the fire was rapid on both side-. The companies under the command of Capt Todd and Capt Dingleday. of the Twenty-third New-York Regiment conducted themselves heroically, returning the enemy's fire, which evidently told upon them severely, and repulsed them, and after the rebels had. retreated, fell back to the Cross Roads in good order, after which the pickets were again advanced to their original position, and there remained. Too much credit cannot be given to the officers and men, as each man behaved splendidly. Our loss was one man killed and two wounded of Cpt. Dingleday's company from Elmira, N.Y. It is supposed that the rebels lost about fifteen men. The detachment was under command of Lt. Col. Cram, Twenty-third New York.

Collection

Citation

Col. H.C. Hoffman , “Ball's Cross Roads Skirmish,” Mapping the Civil War in Arlington, accessed March 28, 2024, https://mtcwia.com/items/show/148.

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