No. 3. Return of casualties in the Union forces in the engagement at Ball's Bluff, Virginia, October 21, 1861.*

Killed. Wounded.

Command. Officers Enlisted Officers Enlisted

men men

Fifteenth 2 12 4 57

Massachusetts

Twentieth +2 13 6 38

Massachusetts

Forty-second New 3 4 ..... 6

York

Sixth New York ..... ..... 1 .....

Battery

Seventy-first 3 10 3 37

Pennsylvania

First Rhode Island ..... ..... ..... 5

Artillery, Battery B

First United States ..... ..... 1 ....

Artillery, Battery I

Total 10 39 15 143

Missing.

Command. Officers Enlisted Aggregate

men

Fifteenth Massachusetts 8 219 302

Twentieth Massachusetts 6 120 194

Forty-second New York 6 114 133

Sixth New York Battery ..... ..... 1

Seventy-first Pennsylvania 6 222 281

First Rhode Island ..... 4 9

Artillery, Battery B

First United States ...... ..... 1

Artillery, Battery I

Total 26 688 921

No. 4. Report of Colonel Charles Devens, Fifteenth Massachusetts Infantry.

HDQRS. FIFTEENTH REGIMENT MASS. VOLUNTEERS,
Poolesville, Md., October 23, 1861.

GENERAL: I respectfully report that about 12 o'clock Sunday night, October 20, I crossed the Potomac by your order from Harrison's Island to the Virginia shore with five companies, numbering about 300 men, of my regiment, with the intention of taking a rebel camp, reported by scouts to be situated at the distance of about a mile from the river, of destroying the same, observing the country around, and of returning to the river, or of waiting and reporting if I thought myself able to remain for re-enforcements, or if I found a position capable of being defended against a largely superior force. Having only three boats, which together conveyed about 30 men, it was nearly 4 o'clock when all the force was transferred to the opposite shore. We passed down the river about 60 rods by a path discovered by the scouts, and then up the bluff about 60 rods by a path discovered by the scouts, and then up the bluff known as Ball's Bluff, where we found an open field surrounded by woods. At this point we halted until daybreak, being joined here by accompany of 100 men from the Twentieth Massachusetts, accompanied by Colonel Lee, who were to protect our return.

At daybreak we pushed forward our reconnaissance towards Leedburg to the distance of about a mile from the river, to a spot supposed to be the site of the rebel encampment, but found on passing through the woods that the scouts had been deceived by a line of trees on the brow of the slope, the opening through which presented, in an uncertain light, somewhat the appearance of a line of tents. Leaving the detachment in the woods, I proceed with Captain Philbrick and two or three scouts across the slope and along the other line of it, observing Leesburg, which was in full view, and the country about it, as carefully as possible, and seeing but four tents of the enemy. My force being

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*Compiled from records in Adjutant-General's Office.

+Including one drowned.

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