Chapter 3:
Battle of Ball's Bluff
McClellan's Operations in Northern Virginia
October 21, 1861
Only eight companies had fought at First Manassas; now G and K would join them to give, for the first time, a full regiment of ten companies. Never meeting the desired number of one thousand, the 8th Virginia was from first to last small, as it does not appear that they exceeded more than 750 men at any one time. Colonel Hunton, although lacking in combat experience, had handled his troops well. He had attained the goal that every commander cherished: the confidence of his men.
Back to Loudoun County they went in the early days of August, 1861. Their camp was established at Waterford, 7 miles northwest of Leesburg. Waterford was the heart of the strong Union sentiment in Loudoun. It was also a point from which the low-water crossings of the Potomac River could be watched. At this time, Colonel Hunton was in command of this important northern flank of the Confederate Army, then encamped around Centreville. While at Waterford, Captain Edmund Berkeley slept on a coffin, with his company headquarters’ gear stowed inside. At Manassas, when the count of the killed and mortally wounded was reported, one of the men from Company C did not expire; thus, he found a utilitarian use for it, possibly the first time such an eerie bed had been used.
Realizing the vulnerability to invasion, the Confederacy sent Colonel Nathan G. “Shanks” Evans to Leesburg to fortify and guard this exposed flank of their army. With Evans came three Mississippi regiments and to this brigade was added the 8th Virginia. Colonel Hunton, suffering from a fistula, was absent during much of this period in the hope that rest and medical treatment would bring relief. Lieutenant Colonel Tebbs, while liked by his fellow officers, offered little leadership; thus, the Berkeleys exercised a great influence on the conduct of the regiment. Dedicated, fearless men of high character, they gave to the 8th a spirit that Colonel Hunton had predicted when he spoke so highly of them back at Camp Berkeley to months earlier.
Despite the fact that they were camped in the open air, and with good sanitary conditions around them, close confinement took its toll on these farm boys. Surgeon Edwards reported 53 cases of illness within the regiment on August 31, forty-one of whom had been sent to general hospitals. Two deaths from illness were also reported. Colonel Hunton returned to duty on October 19th, still unwell, but all signs pointed to a movement by the enemy. General McCall’s Federal division had advanced on Dranesville, only 12 miles from Leesburg. Early on the 20th, the 8th Virginia was hurriedly dispatched to Goose Creek, where the road from Dranesville to Leesburg crossed that stream.
Late in the day of October 20, Brigadier General Charles P. Stone’s Union Corps of Observation started crossing the Potomac at Edwards Ferry, and a section of the river that had not been closely watched by the Confederates because of the rough terrain. Colonel Evans sent the 13th Mississippi to contain the enemy at Edwards Ferry and sent a hurry-up call to Hunton at Goose Creek. Leaving Company H at Goose Creek, the nine remaining companies hurried to Ball’s Bluff. With only a momentary stop at Fort Evans, double-timing most of the way, the 8th reached the bluff by noon. Supported by three companies of cavalry, they drove back the 15th Massachusetts to the top of the bluff.
It was 12:30 PM when the 8th Virginia marched into battle at quick time pace at Ball’s Bluff. Their weapons were shouldered, and they were ready for combat. It had been exactly three months since they last fought, and they were eager for another fight with the Yankees. Sergeant Clinton Hatcher was once again carrying the 8th Virginia battle flag into combat as the regiment set up positions in the trees just below the bluff. The 15th Massachusetts was in sight. Colonel Hunton positioned Captain Grayson's Company F 80 yards further up the slope of the bluff, then told them to begin shooting volleys on the Federals. While Captain Grayson gave the order for his company to march forward, Hunton looked over at Edmund Berkeley and ordered him to get his Company C skirmishers up the slope's right flank in support of Company F. The Company C skirmishers then broke off from the main formation to support Company F's battle line.
Company F began to advance at the quick time march toward the 15th Massachusetts line. Halting just 100 yards from the enemy, Captain Grayson ordered his company to form a line of battle. As the men readied their Springfield Model 1842 smoothbore muskets and Model 1855 rifles, Grayson gave the command to take aim and open fire. Grayson later wrote, "The pitter-patter sound of over fifty muskets going off at once violently rang through the air as I watched my company open fire across the field." Many soldiers from the 15th Massachusetts fell where they stood from the devastating volley.
Bullets whizzed through the trees, one zipping close to Corporal Thompson Kidwell of Company F as he reloaded his Model 1855. When he finished loading the weapon, he took aim again and fired away as the company spit out another volley of musketry. Gunpowder smoke engulfed Company F before floating across the grassy field. Meanwhile, skirmishers from Company C were opening fire on the 15th from the right flank. More and more of the Massachusetts men fell where they stood as the combined firepower from the Company F battle line and the Company C skirmish line devastated the 15th Massachusetts' line of battle.
The Yankees began to fall back from their position in the woods toward the top of the bluff.
Taking position in the woods and ascending the slope, Hunton contained the 15th and 20th Massachusetts Regiments until Colonel Evans could send help. Using the shelter of the woods, the 8th kept up a “spitting fire” that inflicted loss on the Federals without many casualties in return. Company F and the Company C skirmishers reformed ranks with the rest of the regiment and joined them in shooting at the Federal lines from the 20th Massachusetts and 1st California regiments.
It was not until Union Colonel Edward D. Baker brought over two mountain howitzers that Colonel Hunton’s men began to take heavy losses. From the surgeon’s report it would appear that “tree bursts” sent flying pieces of wood; thus the friendly woods now became an enemy. Major Norborne Berkeley watched as the two Federal mountain howitzers on the opposite side of the bluff opened fire on the 8th. There was a thunderous roar as the artillery shells burst through the trees, sending wood splinters in every direction. Major Berkeley could see several privates from Company E fall where they stood from the shrapnel. "I urged my men to remain calm and steady their aim. It wouldn't have done much use for us to panic in the face of heavy fire" Norborne wrote later on. At about 2:30 PM, the 18th Mississippi, closely followed by the 17th Mississippi, came up to relieve the pressure on the 8th Virginia.
A semi-circular ring was now drawn around the hapless Federals, still bravely holding at the brink of the bluff. Colonel Hunton, atop his war horse, began riding through the 8th’s battle lines. He ordered Companies A, B, and C to advance across the field directly across from the 20th Massachusetts and 1st California. Bright flashes of light burst from the Springfield Model 1855 muskets as the Company A, B, and C lines of battle opened fire. White gunpowder smoke was floating across the battlefield as Hunton commanded his Companies D and E to open fire while the former companies reloaded. While the left line of battle reloaded their muskets, the weapons of the middle rank and file were raised at the ready position. “Commence firing!” As the next volley flew across the battlefield, the Federals of the 20th Massachusetts line of battle returned fire. A few of the soldiers in Company D fell to the ground dead, shifting the battle line to fix the gaps. Colonel Hunton ordered the third rank and file line to open fire now, sending another devastating volley across the field. He could see through the smoke as a cluster of Yankees fell to the gunfire.
Some confusion ran through the ranks around this time, when Lt. Colonel Charles Tebbs, believing he had heard Colonel Hunton order a retreat, began shouting commands for his lines to fall back. It took several minutes, but Colonel Hunton and Major Berkeley were able to restore order and reform their lines. As the infantry clashed, Hunton noticed that the two mountain howitzers were preparing to fire once more. Seconds later, they opened up on the 8th Virginia, sending two round shots into their ranks. Many of the men from Company I fell wounded, their screams filling the air. Colonel Hunton checked his watch. It was 4:30 PM: two hours had passed in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, he could see the Union Colonel Edward Baker leading his troops of the 1st California into battle.
Hunton ordered his skirmishers out into the adjacent treeline to open fire on the commander and his men. Sergeant Benedict R. Lunceford led his squad into the trees to open fire on the Yankees. Loading his Model 1861 musket, Sergeant Lunceford took aim at Colonel Baker. Readying his shot, he squeezed the trigger and fired, sending a roundball through the neck of Colonel Baker. The Union colonel fell to the ground grasping his bloodied neck, choking to death on his blood. Sergeant Lunceford had just killed the first and only U.S. Senator to die in combat.
Colonel / Senator Edward D. Baker is shot dead by Sergeant Lunceford at the Battle of Ball's Bluff
The Union command was thrown into disarray as the 1st California troops were routed from the field due to the loss of their commander. Colonel Eppa Hunton took this to his advantage. “Eighth Virginia, rally behind me! This is our chance! Fix bayonets and charge them Yanks” The men of the 8th Virginia began fixing bayonets and joined their commander in his charge. The 8th Virginia charged across the clearing, overrunning and capturing the two troublesome howitzers. The 18th Mississippi joined in the attack to force the enemy over the bluff and down to the bench along the river below. While rushing across the open field and proudly waving the 8th Virginia's battle flag, Sergeant Clinton Hatcher of Company F was shot in the heart and chest three times. The 6' 4" flag bearer fell dead where he stood, dropping the flag before another sergeant rushed in to grab it and pick it up. Sergeant Hatcher wasn't the only man to die where he stood. Corporal George Donohoe would never again write of the tough bread and meat, nor of the cold nights, for he died that afternoon with a Union bullet through his heart.
This is the spot where Sergeant Clinton Hatcher, the 8th VA's flag bearer from Company F, was shot dead.
As the Federals began running down the bluff, they were shot in the back by the men of the 8th Virginia and 18th Mississippi. The battle became a real disaster for the Union forces, as they would show casualties of more than 900 from a force of 1700. The men had fought with great bravery, doing everything that was asked of them, but through the ineptitude of their officers, they had been placed in a position from which not even seasoned troops could have extricated themselves. Out of ammunition, and exhausted after five hours of fighting, the 8th Virginia was recalled and started back to Leesburg for a well-earned rest. A picket line was established under First Lieutenant Charles Berkeley, to guard the battlefield and watch the struggling Federals recross the river.
The 8th Virginia charges the Federals along Ball's Bluff
Union troops are gunned down retreating off the bluff into the Potomac River at the end of the battle
Many local citizens lined the hillsides watching the battle that afternoon; now they would come forth looking for sons or family members. Black powder smoke hung dense over the wooded battlefield, making shadowy figures of the men as they withdrew from the bluffs edge. “Father, don’t you recognize your own son?” Private Lewis Shumate of Company C replied to the question of a worried father, “Have you seen my son Lewis?” Powder-blackened faces showed little resemblance to the clean-cut farm boys of that morning.
About dark, Lieutenant Berkeley, hearing the enemy still trying to cross back to the safety of the Maryland shore, sent a request back to the regiment for volunteers to attempt their capture. Some 50 men responded under Captain William Berkeley, and under the guidance of Corporal E.V. White of Ashby’s cavalry, a volunteer on the field that day, they rounded up 325 Federals who were sent off to Richmond as prisoners of war. From a total of 450 men committed, the battle cost the 8th Virginia Infantry Regiment 14 dead, 33 wounded, and 1 missing.The name of Sergeant Clinton Hatcher would live on, first with the original camp of Confederate Veterans, and today, in Clinton Hatcher Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans. The work of the regiment that day did not go unnoticed, as Mrs. Beauregard made a flag from one of her silk dresses for presentation to the regiment. General Beauregard had this to say in presenting the flag: “For distinguished valor on the field of battle at Ball’s Bluff, October 21, 1861.”
The 8th Virginia battle flag, made and presented to them by Mrs. Beauregard and her husband, General P.G.T. Beauregard
In mid-November, General Joseph E. Johnston began to implement Jefferson Davis mandate that troops should be brigaded according to the states from whence they came. A Mississippi regiment was sent to Leesburg to join the three already there, and the 8th Virginia was sent to the main army at Centreville. There they were again assigned to the brigade commanded by General Philip St. George Cocke. This brigade was now composed of the 8th, 18th, 19th, and 28th Virginia Infantry Regiments. Later, the 56th Virginia was assigned to form the unit that would remain together throughout the war.
A royal reception greeted Colonel Eppa Hunton’s men when they arrived at Centreville. As the heroes of Ball’s Bluff, they received the plaudits of the army. The dreary duty of picketing occupied their time for the remainder of November. Captain William Berkeley of Company D worte that the men were well and hearty, and that they had selected a fine campground that was dry and warm. On November 30th, they commenced building winter quarters. The men built fireplaces and stone chimneys to the tents, which made them quite warm until permanent buildings could be constructed. Several men reported that this new camp was in a warm, sheltered spot.
Units were ordered out on December 9th to witness the execution of two members of the celebrated Louisiana Tigers. The 8th Virginia was one of these units as Captain Berkeley wrote home under date of December 10th: “Yesterday we all turned out to witness a military execution. Two of the notorious Tigers were shot by sentence of Court Martial. It was an imposing and awful sight. I never wish to witness another.”
Campaigning was over for the year of 1861, and the men were comfortable in their newly-constructed quarters. However, homesickness and illness were taking their toll. The returns for the month of December show a regimental strength of 33 officers and 511 men, of which 133 were sick and 42 were AWOL.