general to the valuable services of Dr. Bronaugh, of Virginia, who conducted me to the ground and assistant me in selecting my position to commence the action.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

N. G. EVANS,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Colonel PHILIP ST. GEORGE COCKE,

Commanding Fifth Brigade.

Numbers 111. Report of Colonel J. B. E. Sloan, Fourth South Carolina Infantry.

HDQRS. FOURTH REGIMENT SOUTH CAROLINA VOLS., Stone Bridge, Bull Run, Prince William Co., Va., July 23, 1861.

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that about 3 o'clock a. m. Sunday, July 21, the officer of the guard awoke me and stated that my picket towards the stone house reported that he heard commands in the woods beyond, as if some one was commanding forces. I ordered him to report the same to you. Towards 4 o'clock I heard the firing of pickets on the opposite side of Bull Run from my camp, and at once ordered the men to be waked up. In a few moments afterwards your orders came, ordering me to get ready and move up on the hill at once. I ordered the men to fall in, and before 5 o'clock formed in line of battle on the left side of the road, covered by an undulation near the bluff of the hill, about six hundred yards distant from stone bridge.

I sent out, as ordered by you, Captain Kilpatrick's company, Calhoun Mountaineers, to deploy as skirmishers on the left of the bridge, and Captain Anderson's company, Confederate Guards, to the right of the bridge, both of them sending their advance skirmishers to the bank of Bull Run. Captain Dean's company and the Palmetto Riflemen, the latter commanded by Lieutenant Earle, was left at the camp, some three hundred yards distant, as a reserve. The enemy could be seen in the woods opposite. About six o'clock the enemy sent a man out with a flag, which he attempted to plant in the road about two hundred yards from the bridge. Captain Kilpatrick fired at him five or six shots. The man with the color fled precipitately to the woods. The enemy's battery, which was planted on the left side of the road in the edge of the woods, then commenced firing at intervals in different directions, as if to make us show our position, which was still concealed from them. Sometimes they would burst a shell about the bridge; again, fire a ball from a rifled cannon just over us. I could also hear firing of cannon below. Up to 8.20 they had fired six times towards us.

About 8.30 o'clock your ordered me to get ready and move up on the ridge, leaving the reserve and the companies sent out as skirmishers. After advancing one-fourth mile I formed in line of battle on the left of Major Wheat's battalion, he having already formed on the right of the field. Your cannon formed in our front. I had not occupied this position but a few moments when, by your orders, I moved a little to the front and about three-fourths of a mile to the left, and formed in line of battle in a ravine, my left resting on the pike road leading from stone bridge by Sudley's Mill, and about two hundred yards in advance of