The story of Ball’s Bluff would be sadly incomplete if the operations of the game old Colonel Barksdale[14] and his noble regiment, the Thirteenth Mississippi, were omitted, because only by their splendid work in holding Gorman’s brigade quiet at Edward’s Ferry was Confederate victory made possible at the Bluff, and at one time he had begun his march to aid the boys at that point. But for Evans’ recall order the Thirteenth would have been among the Federals on the left, and at that time only a thin skirmish line with a few vedettes was all there was in front of Fort Evans and four thousand Federal troops. In the early days of the war there was one peculiar terror which often prevented Federal commanders from performing brilliant deeds, easy enough with their superiority in “men and metal,” and that was the astonishing crop of “masked batteries” planted in Southern forests and corn fields, which imaginary spectre was very potent here with Gorman’s men, holding them to the river bank for two days until Barksdale’s boys showed them their rearward crossing on the 22d in an attack conducted with great skill and daring, under the artillery fire from both sides of the river, killing and wounding about forty men. Had Evans supported this battle of Barksdale with his whole force, we have every reason to believe that Gorman would have been forced to surrender. Another instance of battlefield literature after the fact, is General McClellan’s order of thanks to his troops engaged in this battle; which leads us to wonder if the writer of “official reports” could have foreseen how they would read after the “clouds rolled by,” would they not have been more careful as to what they wrote? There is no harm, however, in this particular order except the General’s estimate of the Confederate strength.

GENERAL ORDER NO. 32.) HD. ORS. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC “WASHINGTON, Oct. 25, 1861.

“The Major General commanding the Army of the Potomac desires to offer his thanks, and to express his admiration of their conduct, to the officers and men of the detachments of the Fifteenth and Twentieth Massachusetts, First California, and Tammany regiments, First U. S. Artillery, and Rhode Island Battery, engaged in the affair of Monday last near Harrison’s Island. The gallantry and discipline displayed deserved a more fortunate result; but situated as those troops were, cut off alike from retreat and reinforcements, and attacked by an overwhelming force, 5,000 against 1,700, it was not possible that the issue could have been successful. Under happier auspices such devotion will insure victory. The general commanding feels increased confidence in General Stone’s division, and is sure that when they next meet the enemy they will retrieve this check, for which they are not accountable.

“By command of Major General McClellan.

“S. Williams,

“Asst. Adjt. General.”

The Confederate losses in the battle are accurately and easily verified:

18th Mississippi, 500 engaged; 22 killed; 63 wounded. 17th Mississippi, 600 engaged; 2 killed; 9 wounded. 13th Mississippi, ... engaged; 4 killed; 3 wounded. 8th Virginia, 375 engaged; 8 killed; 43 wounded.

Numbers engaged are taken from Lieutenant Colonel Jenifer’s report, and he makes none for the Thirteenth Mississippi, which was not engaged at the Bluff. He gives the number under his command in the morning as 20, including 70 cavalry, most of the latter being engaged in vedette and scout duty.

The Federal losses as officially reported were:

15th Mass. 14 killed; 61 wounded; 227 missing.
20th Mass. 15 killed; 44 wounded; 135 missing.
42d N. Y.
(Tammany) 7 killed; 6 wounded; 120 missing.
1st Cal. 13 killed; 40 wounded; 228 missing.
1st R. I. Art. (Batt’y B.) 5 wounded; 4 missing.
1st U. S. Art. 7 wounded.

The Confederates captured and sent to Manassas 710 prisoners, which accounts for only four otherwise missing, and it is well known that a considerable number were drowned, as was shown by a later investigation by Congress, when General Stone was arrested. The great portion of the heavy loss to the Eighteenth Mississippi was caused by the one terrible volley poured into it at the time Colonel Burt was wounded, while the comparatively small loss to the Eighth Virginia was due to the skillful handling of it by Colonel Hunton, during the long time it was engaged; and it is also true that Colonel Hunton was in command of the field from the moment of his arrival at about 12 M., and so as I know, ordered all the dispositions and movements of troops engaged in the battle.

General Evans maintained his position at the fort 2½ miles from Edward’s Ferry, where Gorman’s 4,000 were posted, and 1½ miles from Ball’s Bluff, where Baker’s 1,700 were fighting, during the whole day, and with the genius of intuition managed the business with superb generalship and daring, withdrawing nearly all his force from Gorman’s front at the critical moment to brace Hunton’s battle on the left; and the result proved his superior skill and generalship.

The officers making reports of the battle, which have been preserved, speak in terms of high praise of the excellent conduct of all the troops engaged, and especially mention for distinguishing gallantry Lieutenant Geo. Baxter, of the Loudoun Cavalry, who, with ten men, charged two companies of the enemy; Captain W. B. Ball and Sergeant Major Baugh, of the Chesterfield Cavalry; Sergeant Strostier, Madison Cavalry; Private Toler, Loudoun Cavalry; Captains Duff, Seventeenth Mississippi; Campbell and Welborn, Eighteenth Mississippi; Fletcher, Thirteenth; all of whom were in the reinforcing party sent to Duff’s support in the morning. Colonels Jenifer, Hunton and others make particular mention of “Mr. E. White, of Ashby’s Cavalry,” who, they say, assisted Captain Duff in the morning, and later “rode in front of the Seventeenth Mississippi, cheering and leading them on.”