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The Official Records O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME 5 [S# 5] SEPTEMBER 11, 1861.--Union reconnaissance from Chain Bridge to Lewinsville, Va., and action at that place. HEADQUARTERS NEAR FAIRFAX CROSS-ROADS. SIR: Herewith I inclose two reports (of Brigadier-General Longstreet and of Colonel Stuart) of the affair of Lewinsville [Nos. 16 and 17]. I am much gratified at having this opportunity of putting before the Department of War and the President this new instance of the boldness and skill of Colonel Stuart and the courage and efficiency of our troops. Connected with this communication and these reports is a recommendation from General Longstreet, General Beauregard, and myself for forming a cavalry brigade and putting Colonel Stuart at its head. A new organization of the cavalry arm of our service is greatly needed, and greater strength as well as an effective organization. Our numbers in cavalry are by no means in due proportion to our infantry and artillery, yet without cavalry in proper proportion victory is comparatively barren of results; defeat is less prejudicial; retreat is usually safe. You will observe that I propose that Colonel Stuart shall be withdrawn from the immediate command of the First Regiment of Virginia Cavalry. Should this be done, as I hope it will be, other arrangements are necessary in the regiment. As they have served immediately under my eye, and as I thus know them thoroughly, I feel it my duty to make further suggestions. The regiment so far is exclusively Virginian. By all means keep it so, where it can be done without prejudice in other respects. State pride excites a generous emulation in the Army, which is of inappreciable value in its effect on the spirit of the troops. I therefore recommend that Capt. William E. Jones, who now commands the strongest troop in the regiment and one which is not surpassed in discipline or spirit by any in the army, be made colonel. He is a graduate of West Point, served for several years in the Mounted Rifles, and is skillful, brave, and zealous in a very high degree. It is enough to say that he is worthy to succeed J. E. B. Stuart. For the lieutenant-colonelcy I repeat my recommendation of Capt. Fitzhugh Lee. He belongs to a family in which military genius seems an heirloom. He is an officer of rare merit, capacity, and courage. Both of these officers have the invaluable advantage at this moment of knowledge of the ground which is now the scene of operations. I do not recommend Maj. Robert Swan of that regiment for promotion in it, because, though personally known to me as a capable and gallant officer, yet his service and experience in the Army heretofore have been in the infantry. I am informed that he would prefer that branch of the service. I therefore recommend his transfer to it. Being a Marylander, it would be preferable to place him in a Maryland regiment. He would be likely thus to serve our cause most effectively. Most respectfully, your obedient servant, J. E. JOHNSTON, General. Gen. S. COOPER, Adjt. and lnspr. Gen., Richmond, Va.
GENERAL ORDERS, No. 19 HDQRS. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, The commanding general has great satisfaction in making known the excellent conduct of Col. J. E. B. Stuart, and of the officers and men of his command, in the affair of Lewinsville, on the 11th instant, on which occasion Colonel Stuart, with Major [James B.] Terrill's battalion (Thirteenth Virginia Volunteers), two field pieces of the Washington Artillery (Louisiana), under Captain [T. L.] Rosser and Lieutenant [C. H.] Slocomb, and Captain Patrick's company of cavalry (First Virginia), attacked and drove from that position in confusion three regiments of infantry, eight pieces of artillery, and a large body of cavalry, inflicting severe loss, but incurring none. By command of General Johnston: THOS. G. RHETT, Assistant Adjutant-General.
O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME 5 [S# 5] SEPTEMBER 11, 1861.--Union reconnaissance from Chain Bridge to Lewinsville, Va., and action at that place. HDQRS. ADVANCED FORCES, ARMY OF POTOMAC, COLONEL: I have the honor to submit herewith the report of Col. J. E. B. Stuart of his affair of yesterday. My arrangements had been made to cut off the enemy at Lewinsville by moving a heavy force down during the night. It is probably better that Colonel Stuart did not receive my instructions, and drove the enemy back to his trenches at once. My movement was intended to be made at night, and the heavy rains of last night would have prevented anything of the kind. The enemy are so famous at burrowing, that the command would probably have been well covered before I could have reached it and might have cost us several men. Colonel Stuart has been at Munson's Hill since its occupation by our troops. He has been most untiring in the discharge of his duties at that and other advanced positions, after having driven the enemy from Mason's, Munson's, and Upton's Hills. In these and other less important skirmishes he has been entirely successful. Where he has lost a man, he has brought in at least two of the enemy, dead or alive. The affair of yesterday was handsomely conducted and well executed. He makes handsome mention of Major Terrill, Captain Rosser, and Lieutenant Slocomb, and others of his command. It is quite evident that the officers and men deserve much credit for their handsome conduct, one and all. It is difficult to say whether the handsome use of his light infantry by Major Terrill or the destructive fires of the Washington Artillery by Captain Rosser and Lieutenant Slocomb, is the most brilliant part of the affair. Colonel Stuart has, I think, fairly won his claim to brigadier, and I hope the commanding generals will unite with me in recommending him for that promotion. I am, sir, very respectfully, your most obedient servant, JAMES LONGSTREET, Brigadier-General, Commanding. Col. THOMAS JORDAN, Adjutant-General. Since making the above report Colonel Stuart reports 2 other prisoners and another body found in the field, besides additional evidences of havoc in the ranks of the enemy. Killed and prisoners, 11. Not even a horse of ours hurt. Respectfully, JAMES LONGSTREET, Brigadier-General. [Indorsement.] We think with Brigadier-General Longstreet that Colonel Stuart's laborious and valuable services, unintermitted since the war began on this frontier, entitle him to a brigadier generalcy. His calm and daring courage, sagacity, zeal, and activity qualify him admirably for the command of our three regiments of cavalry, by which the outpost duty of the Army is performed. The Government would gain greatly by promoting him. J. E. JOHNSTON, General. G. T. BEAUREGARD, General, Commanding First Corps, Army of the Potomac.
O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME 5 [S# 5] SEPTEMBER 11, 1861.--Union reconnaissance from Chain Bridge to Lewinsville, Va., and action at that place. HEADQUARTERS, MUNSON'S HILL, September 11, 1861. GENERAL: I started about 12 o'clock with the Thirteenth Virginia Volunteers, commanded by Major Terrill (305 men), one section of Rosser's battery, Washington Artillery, and a detachment of the First Cavalry, under Captain Patrick, for Lewinsville, where I learned from my cavalry pickets the enemy were posted with some force. My intention was to surprise them, and I succeeded entirely, approaching Lewinsville by the enemy's left and rear, taking care to keep my small force an entire secret from their observation. I at the same time carefully provided against the disaster to myself which I was striving to inflict upon the enemy, and felt Sure that, if necessary, I could fall back successfully before any force the enemy might have, for the country was favorable to retreat and ambuscade. At a point nicely screened by the woods from Lewinsville, and a few hundred yards from the place, I sent forward, under Major Terrill, a portion of his command stealthily to reach the woods at a turn of the road and reconnoiter beyond. This was admirably done, and the major soon reported to me that the enemy had a piece of artillery in position in the road just at Lewinsville, commanding our road. I directed him immediately to post his riflemen so as to render it impossible for the cannoneers to serve the piece, and, if possible, capture it. During subsequent operations the cannoneers tried ineffectually to serve the piece, and finally, after one was shot through the head, the piece was taken off. While this was going on a few shots from Rosser's section at a cluster of the enemy a quarter of a mile off put the entire force of the enemy in full retreat, exposing their entire column to flank fire from our piece. Some wagons and a large body of cavalry first passed in hasty flight, the rifled piece and howitzer firing as they passed. Then came flying a battery, eight pieces of artillery (Griffin s), which soon took position about 600 yards to our front and right, and rained shot and shell upon us during the entire engagement, but with harmless effect, although striking very near. Then passed three regiments of infantry at double-quick, receiving in succession as they passed Rosser's unerring salutation, his shells bursting directly over their heads, and creating the greatest havoc and confusion in their ranks. The last infantry regiment was followed by a column of cavalry, which at one time rode over the rear of the infantry in great confusion. The field, general, and staff officers were seen exerting every effort to restore order in their broken ranks, and my cavalry vedettes, observing their flight, reported that they finally rallied a mile and a half below and took position there, firing round after round of artillery from that position up the road where they supposed our columns would be pursuing them. Captain Rosser, having no enemy left to contend with, at his own request was permitted to view the ground of the enemy's flight, and found the road plowed up by his solid shot and strewn with fragments of shells; 2 men left dead in the road, 1 mortally wounded, and 1 not hurt taken prisoner. The prisoners said the havoc in their ranks was fearful, justifying what I saw myself of the confusion. Major Terrill's sharpshooters were by no means idle, firing wherever a straggling Yankee showed his head, and capturing a lieutenant (captured by Major Terrill himself),1 sergeant, and 1 private, all belonging to the Nineteenth Indiana, Colonel Meredith. The prisoners reported to me that General McClellan himself was present, and the enemy gave it out publicly that the occupancy of Lewinsville was to be permanent. Alas for human expectations! The officers and men behaved in a manner worthy the general's highest commendation, and the firing done by the section under direction of Captain Rosser and Lieutenant Slocomb, all the time under fire from the enemy's battery, certainly for accuracy and effect challenges comparison with any ever made. Valuable assistance was rendered me by Chaplain Ball, as usual, and Messrs. Hairston and Burks, citizens attached to my staff, were conspicuous in daring. Corporal Hagan and Bugler Freed are entitled to special mention for good conduct and valuable service. Our loss was not a scratch to man or horse. We have no means of knowing the enemy's, except it must have been heavy, from the effects of the shots. We found in all 4: dead or mortally wounded, and captured 4. Of course they carried off all they could. Your attention is especially called to the inclosed, which was delivered to me at Lewinsville, and to my indorsement. I send a sketch also. Please forward this report to Gen. Johnston. I returned here with my command after re-establishing my line of pickets through Lewinsville. Most respectfully, your obedient servant, J. E. B. STUART, Colonel, Commanding. General JAMES LONGSTREET.
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