report to an explanation of my conduct at the commencement of the action, before your own welcome appearance upon the scene to push on the fight and inspirit and direct the brave by your personal example and exertions. We were not quite through with scouring the woods south of Creppins, under your first orders, when your aide-de-camp brought the order to return to Dranesville. A party who sought me privately in the absence of the guide, Mr. Harra, had informed me of suspicious circumstances which I desired to report to you. I, therefore, marched to Drainesville very rapidly. It was from the first high ground north of the turnpike forks that I first saw men in motion south and southeast of the village, where there seemed to be no reason to look for the presence of our own forces. Soon after a Confederate flag was displayed, and as we opened in sight a few shots were fired. Others of the enemy also, at the same time, appeared in view from the edge of the woods on our extreme left. Being, fortunately, familiar with the ground, I saw at once the importance of occupying the hill on which the brick house stands, which was occupied in October as the headquarters of General McCall, and reaching it before the enemy. My men obeying the double quick with spirit, were formed there in line of battle by the time the enemy's guns opened from the road. As soon as I conveniently could, I sent my adjutant to you and our brave commander. I believe, sir, you were both good enough to approve of my course in taking this position. The enemy's opinion of its value was shown by the effort to turn it afterward. You saw the rest. The Bucktails will not forget you. Of my own officers and the men I love, I am too proud to say more than that they all, without an exception, did their duty. But it is my place to mention the courage of Captain Ent during the brief period when you were good enough to place the Sixth under my command. I cannot consider it out of place either for me to bear my own testimony to the admirable conduct of Captain Easton and the brave artillerists with him, who served the guns of battery A from the regiment of the gallant Charles J. Campbell. I enclose a copy of the report of Dr. S. D. Freeman, regimental surgeon, showing a list of three killed and twenty-seven wounded. I trust the life of Captain Niles will be spared to his friends and his country. He led the flankers on the left yesterday, and though his tall figure made him a conspicuous mark for the enemy's rifles, he did not cease exposing himself to cheer on his men until he fell. This was but a little before the enemy retired. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, THOMAS L. KANE. COL. McCALMONT'S REPORT. HEAD-QUARTERS TENTH REGIMENT PA. RESERVES, THIRD BRIGADE, MCCALL'S DIVISION, CAMP PIERPONT, December 21, 1861. SIR: I have the honor to report the part that | the Tenth took in the engagement of Dranesville yesterday. Two of my companies were on outer picket, and ordered to remain; three were detailed to cover and furnish fatigue party for the division quartermaster, under the command of Lieut.Col. Kirk. A platoon of skirmishers remained, by mistake, with the foraging party. With the remaining four companies I marched, in advance of the Sixth and Twelfth, to Dranesville, where we had been preceded by the advance of the brigade. At Dranesville, after a short halt, we received orders to return, as the object of the reconnoissance was accomplished. Immediately thereafter, the General of brigade informed us that the pickets of the Ninth had been driven in on our right. At the same time there was firing on the left of the line. The General, having moved the battery to the left, ordered me to flank the column and take position on the left of the battery under cover. In marching, we passed through the field directly in rear of our battery, which had commenced unlimbering, under a smart and direct fire from the enemy's guns. We took our position near the battery, in a growth of cedars, on its left. Being so posted, under orders from the General, I detached Captain McConnell, with his platoon as skirmishers, to approach the cannoneers of the enemy, and see if the enemy was endeavoring to turn our left. I believe this order was, in all respects, coolly, gallantly, and effectively obeyed. I enclose herewith the Captain's report. He soon sent me word that the enemy had broke, under the fire of artillery and musketry on the right, mostly in a southerly direction. The affair was soon over. The General then gave me orders to flank and support the "Bucktails" and Twelfth, which were in pursuit. Whilst doing so, we observed some of the enemy's wounded, whom I directed the attendants to remove to the brick house close by. A number of the enemy's rifles, muskets, caps, overcoats, &c., were picked up by the hospital attendants and servants. After this, we were ordered to take position south of Dranesville. It was reported to me by an officer of the Ninth, that they had observed from the hill where they were posted after their gallant conflict, a white flag south of us at a house. Major Allen led a small party to ascertain, but found none but female inmates, one of whom had appeared with a white head-dress, which occasioned the mistake. Our skirmishers observed wagon, and horse, and foot tracks through the fields leading south of Dranesville, and all the by-roads, of which there are quite a number in that vicinity. They reported that one horse had leaped quite a high fence, but I did not inquire in which direction, as such incidents merely afford the men amusement after the fatigue of the day. We were recalled to take our position in line preparatory to marching back to camp. Under circumstances new to nearly if not quite all of this regiment it behaved well, and | I believed obeyed with spirit every order. I have occasion to be thankful that I have the honor to report none killed, wounded, or missing. The men doubtless wished to seal their devotion to the Union, and their confidence in their generals, with their wounds. If the rebellion continues, they will likely have other opportunities. I have the honor to be, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHN S. MCCALMONT, Colonel, Commanding Regiment. Lient. S. B. SMITH, ing the fences in every direction, but fortunately did no damage to the men under my command. After firing about fifteen minutes, the enemy succeeded in getting a better range, and the shells burst over our heads, but without injury, the men on the left, the most exposed portion of the regiment, being ordered to lie flat on the ground. Easton's battery now opened upon the enemy from our left with such effect that the firing from the enemy ceased for a time, and we were relieved from the most annoying situation in which a soldier can be placed-that of receiving a fire from the enemy without returning it, which we could not do, as the enemy were entirely hidden from view. The conduct of the men during the time they were under fire, nearly all of them for the first time, was most commendable. There was no flinching, and the line was preserved unbroken. At this time, by your orders, I dismounted, leaving my horse in the road, and on foot conducted the charge of my regiment into the dense woods opposite the right wing, for the purpose of capturing the enemy's battery. We advanced into the woods as rapidly as the nature of the ground and the dense growth of timber would permit, without finding the enemy. We then advanced with a full battalion front to the left, where a heavy firing of musketry was going on. Before we emerged from the woods the firing ceased. We soon gained an open field, in the Nothing of special importance occurred until about one mile west of Difficult Creek, when the scouting parties reported that a consider able force of the enemy, numbering about four regiments, were drawn up on a field about one mile to the left of our line, apparently watch-direction of the enemy, where we halted and ing our movements. I immediately halted my regiment upon receiving this information, and formed line of battle, facing the enemy; but as they showed no disposition to engage, after waiting some time, the regiment was again put in march toward Dranesville. awaited orders, which were received from you, to charge into a wood in our front and take the enemy's battery, which was believed to be only a short distance from us. This order was instantly obeyed, and the Twelfth regiment dashed into the woods. We scoured the thickets in every direction without finding the battery, but discovered dead bodies of the rebel troops lying in every direction, besides a number of wounded, who were properly taken care of, and sent to the rear. visions being strewed around in every direction. By your orders we were recalled, and returned by way of a road we had crossed before charging into the woods. Here we discovered the location of the enemy's battery by the piles of cannon balls, shells, and munitions of war. Here was one gun-carriage destroyed by the pioneers of my regiment, which was found damaged from the effects of our shot and shell. On approaching the village, our flanking parties were driven in by a large force of the enemy, who were posted in the woods, a dense thicket of pines on our left. Our scouts reported that they had been fired on by troops concealed in the woods. The fire was returned, when the We continued the pursuit for a considerable enemy, in large numbers, showed themselves, distance without meeting the enemy, but on and pursued our scouts for some distance to- every side there were evidences of a precipitate ward the left of my regiment, which was in-flight, arms, ammunition, clothing, and prostantly halted and formed into line, to receive the attack, on the turnpike road. My right rested on the hill leading into Dranesville, and the left opposite a brick house on the left of the pike, and behind which the enemy appeared to be in force. At this juncture Adjutant S. B. Smith was despatched to you on the right of the brigade, informing you of the state of affairs. Your immediate presence at the scene of attack, and the timely support of the other regiments of the brigade, the Kane rifle regiment, the cavalry force, and Easton's battery, are facts which came under your own notice, and therefore need no further mention from me. Before the regiments had got fairly into position, the enemy opened with a heavy fire of shot and shell, which fell thick and fast in the vicinity of the left of my regiment. The shells at first exploded in our rear, tearing up the ground, and splinter The conduct of the officers and men under the difficult circumstances in which they were placed, in searching a dense forest for a hidden foe, was eminently satisfactory. I desire to mention particularly the services rendered by Quartermaster E. D. Reed, who acted as my adjutant on the occasion. None of the fieldofficers were on duty except myself, and but three captains out of nine. Notwithstanding these disadvantages, the subaltern officers and the men conducted themselves with spirit and bravery, and obeyed with alacrity the orders given them. I am gratified to have only one casualty to report. Private William R. Fox, of company K, was shot in the right thigh during the first part of our advance into the woods. The wound is not serious. He made a narrow escape. A portemonnaie in his pocket was bored through, and a $2 50 gold piece in it was bent nearly double. I have the honor to be, general, your obedient Col. Commanding Twelfth Reg't P. R. C. LIEUT. PENROSE'S REPORT. effects of our artillery fire. The rebel battery, in my opinion, was unmanned by our third fire. They succeeded in drawing off their guns, but I captured one caisson and one limber, and one other was exploded, and the horses fatally injured. The woods in which the enemy were concealed was found thickly strewn with dead and wounded. The mangled bodies of the dead showed the terrible execution of our fire. Besides the ordnance captured, a large quantity of clothing, blankets, knapsacks, haversacks, &c., was found, which the enemy had cast off in their hasty and thorough rout. I have the satisfaction to state that, although the injury and loss of the enemy was so severe, in my battery there was not a man or horse lost, and no injury done my guns. Our only casualty was the slight wounding of one of my men, Charles Osborn, who was struck on the knee by a spent ball, which slightly lamed him. and SIR: I herewith transmit you a list of the killed and wounded of my command at the battle of Dranesville yesterday, December 20. I have only to add that I was firmly supportThe conduct of the troops under my com-ed by a detachment of the Tenth regiment, mand was all that could be desired, officers and Colonel McCalmont, and that my whole commen generally behaving with great coolness and pany, officers, non-commissioned officers, and bravery. I would particularly mention as de-men, acted with skill, and energy, courage serving of much praise Lieutenant Bonnawitz, worthy the highest praise. of Company K, and Adjutant McKean, for their Respectfully submitted. gallant and soldierly bearing; also Surgeon H. EASTON, Bowers, who was in the first fire of the enemy, Captain Commanding Battery A, First Regiment Penn. Art. and provided efficient means for bringing in the Brigadier-General E. O. C. ORD, wounded not only of our men, but other regiments, and rendering them timely assistance. Very respectfully, W. M. PENROSE, Brigadier-General E. O. C. ORD. CAPTAIN EASTON'S REPORT. Third Brigade P. R. C. HEAD-QUARTERS FIRST PA. R. CAVALRY, SIR: I have the honor to report that the only loss sustained by the cavalry was one horse, which was struck by a shell immediately after passing the enemy's battery. I am, very respectfully, your obedient ser- vant, Lieut. Col. Com. Detachment First Pa. R. C. Brigadier-General ORD. GEN. MCCALL'S REPORT. HEAD-QUARTERS MCCALL'S DIVISION, CAMP PIERPONT, December 21, 1861. GENERAL: I have the honor to report that, in obedience to orders from Brigadier-General McCall, commanding this division, I reported to you on the morning of the 20th of this month, at six o'clock A. M., and from thence proceeded with my battery, Company A, First Pennsylvania Artillery, in connection with your brigade, to a point on the Leesburgh Turnpike, near Dranesville. No appearance of the enemy was visible until we reached Thornton's house, near the junction of the Alexandria and Leesburg Turnpike, when a heavy fire of artillery and musketry was suddenly opened from a thick woods on our left, the enemy evidently lying in large force in ambuscade, while their artillery was posted on the Centreville road leading through the woods, and coming into the Alexandria turnpike between Thornton's and Coleman's houses. My guns were immediately put into battery and opened fire. Having nothing to indicate the position of the enemy but the smoke of their guns, I opened a brisk discharge of shells into the woods occupied by the enemy, On the evening of the 19th, having learned which was kept up until your order to cease that the enemy's pickets had advanced to withfiring. The examination of the ground after-in four or five miles of our lines, and carried wards showed the successful and destructive off two good Union men, and plundered and GENERAL: I have the honor to present, for the information of the general-in-chief, a more detailed account of the affair at Dranesville on the 20th instant, together with reports of Brigadier-General E. O. C. Ord, commanding third brigade of my division, and the commanders of the Sixth infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel W. B. Penrose; of the Ninth infantry, Colonel C. F. Jackson; of the Tenth infantry, Colonel J. S. McCalmont; of the Twelfth infantry, Colonel J. H. Taggart; of the First rifles, Lieut. Colonel T. L. Kane; of two squadrons of the First cavalry, Lieut.-Colonel J. Higgins; and Easton's battery, Captain H. Easton, Pennsylvania Reserve. threatened others, and that their reserve was in the neighborhood, at Dranesville, I gave written instructions (a copy of which is marked A) to Brigadier-General Ord to move with his brigade at six A. M. on the 20th to surround and capture this party, and at the same time to collect a supply of forage from the farms of some of the rank secessionists in that vicinity. Brigadier-General J. F. Reynolds, with the First brigade, was directed to move on to Difficult Creek, to be ready to support Ord in the event of his meeting a force stronger than his own. At half-past ten A. M. on the 20th I received a despatch from General Ord, written on the march, informing me that the guide had learned on the way that there was a full brigade, but without artillery, at Herndon's Station, five hundred infantry and cavalry at Hunter's Mill, and two hundred infantry between Dranesville and the Potomac. I immediately mounted my horse, and, with my staff and an escort of cavalry, moved rapidly forward to overtake, if possible, Ord's brigade. I stopped for a few moments with Brigadier-General Reynolds at Difficult Creek, and, having directed him to be in readiness to move forward rapidly in case he should be required to support Ord, I rode on. When within about two miles of Dranesville I heard the first gun fired by the enemy. It was soon answered by Easton's battery, which imparted to me the fact that the enemy had artillery with them. A rapid ride soon brought me to the field, where Ord was hotly engaged. I found Easton's battery judiciously placed and in full blast upon the enemy's battery about five hundred yards in front, on the Centreville road. Here I stopped to observe the practice of our battery, while one of my staff rode off to ascertain where General Ord was. While here, admiring the beautiful accuracy of the shot and shell thrown by this battery upon the battery of the enemy, a force of infantry and cavalry made their appearance from cover on the enemy's right, moving in a direction to turn our left. Col. McCalmont, whose regiment was on the left, was notified of this movement; but a few shell from our battery, skilfully thrown into their midst, checked their advance, and drove them back ignominiously to cover. battery. The road was strewed with men and horses; two caissons, one of them blown up; a limber, a gun-carriage wheel, a quantity of artillery ammunition, sinall-arms, and an immense quantity of heavy clothing, blankets, &c. The battle was now over, and the victory won. With my consent General Ord made an advance of about one-half mile, but nothing further was to be done, as the enemy, in full flight, had passed beyond our reach. I then recalled Ord and prepared for the return of my command. I ordered the harness to be taken off the enemy's horses which lay dead in the road, and to be put upon horses of my escort, and brought away the perfect caisson and the limber. Early in the day, not knowing what force might be thrown forward from Centreville to support the troops we had encountered, I had called forward Brigadier-General Reynolds, First brigade, and Brigadier-General Meade, Second brigade, from Camp Pierpont, to the support of the Third brigade. Both these distinguished officers promptly brought forward their commands, and I only regretted that the fine disposition of the regiments and battery of Ord's command, together with the gallantry of Colonels Jackson, McCalmont, and Taggart, and Lieutenant-Colonels Kane, Higgins, and Penrose, and Captain Easton, had left nothing for Reynolds and Meade to do. The rout of the enemy was complete. But as I did not consider it justifiable to bivouac at Dranesville when my ammunition was much exhausted, and the enemy might easily throw ten or twenty thousand men between me and my camp during the night, I ordered every arrangement to be promptly made for the return march. Some time was required to prepare our wounded, (sixty officers and men,) to be transported to camp, and it was very nearly dark before I got the column in motion. Our killed and wounded, as well as so many of the rebel wounded as could be moved, were brought away. The troops we had engaged and defeated were the First Kentucky regiment, Col. Tom Taylor, about eight hundred strong on the field; the Tenth Alabama, Colonel Forney, nine hundred strong; a South Carolina regiment, whose colonel was not known to the prisoners in our posNot hearing any thing of General, Ord I set session, who informed me that no intercourse out in search of him on our right, where brisk between different regiments was ever allowed, firing was at the time going on. Here was the and a Virginia regiment. The Kentucky prisNinth infantry, Colonel Jackson, who had gal-oners informed me they believed a fifth regilantly met the enemy at close quarters, and nobly sustained the credit of his State. By this time Captain Sheets, of my staff, reported that he had found General Ord near the centre front. Proceeding there, I found the rifles and a part of the Sixth Infantry Pennsylvania reserve engaged under a brisk fire with the enemy. Having met General Ord, we moved forward, and the position where the enemy's battery had been placed was soon gained, and here we had evidence of the fine artillery practice of Easton's ment was present, as two or three regiments had left Centreville at three A. M., and they, the Kentucky and Alabama regiments, together with Captain Cutts' Georgia battery, and Stuart's Virginia regiment of cavalry, left at five A. M. The whole were under command of Brigadier-General Stuart. General Ord reports as worthy of notice his personal staff, and also Colonels McCalmont and Jackson, Lieut.-Colonel Kane, Captain Easton, First Pennsylvania artillery; Captain Niles, First rifles; Captain Bradbury, Sixth infantry | been killed; this, however, is not so satisfactoriP. R.; Captains Dick and Galway, Ninth in- ly ascertained. General Stuart is reported by fantry, P. R. one of the prisoners to have been killed or wounded. The number of killed found in front of the position occupied by the Ninth infantry, Col. Jackson, is, in my estimation, proof enough of the gallantry and discipline of that fine regiment; but where all behaved nobly it is difficult to discriminate. I must, however, call your attention more particularly to BrigadierGeneral E. O. C. Ord, commanding Third brigade, for whose able disposition of his regiments and battery, and personal exertions to encourage and urge on his men, too much credit cannot be accorded him. To Captain H. J. Biddle, assistant adjutantgeneral of my staff; Lieutenant H.. A. Sheets, aide-de-camp; Captain Clow, brigade commissary, acting aide-de-camp, and Lieutenant E. Beatty, ordnance officer, acting aide-de-camp, my thanks are due for their gallantry in carrying orders under fire, and for encouraging and urging on the men; and also to Captain Chandler Hall, brigade-quartermaster, who was energetically employed in collecting forage. It is proper to mention that, deeming it necessary to leave one of my staff at head-quarters to superintend the telegraph, and to order forward the reserve, viz: the Second brigade and three squadrons of cavalry, if required, the lot fell upon my aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Elbridge Maconkey, who discharged the responsible duty entirely to my satisfaction. LIST OF KILLED AND Wounded. Sixth Wounded.-Sixth Infantry, Captain Bradbury. Ninth Infantry, Captain Dick; Captain Galway. First Rifles, Captain Niles. Infantry, privates H. Lathrop, dangerously; W. H. Payne, severely; James Turenne, severely; W. R. Vandyke, severely; W. H. Dinsmore, slightly; Edgar Smith, severely; Thomas Conroy, slightly; Charles Yahn, severely; Benjamin Seely, severely; John M. Brown, severely; George Brown, slightly; Edward Demander, severely. Ninth Infantry, privates, Alexander Smith, gun-shot in neck; John Schmidt, severely in arm; William Earnest, left leg; Joshua McMasters, in the thigh; George Motor, thigh and arm; William O'Mither, in lumbar region; John Raymond, severely in arm; Cadwallader E. Patton, in the thigh; William Lindsay, in hip; John F. Heron, in hand; Corporal Pierceall, slightly in hand; privates Ralph White, slightly in neck; Wm. McGill, in abdomen; John Hatch, in the hand; Seven prisoners were taken, whose names, &c., are as follows: Corporal Ferris E. Long, and privates Wm. Nelson and Patrick Hughes, of the First Kentucky regiment, and privates Robert R. Moss, Ira Channey, William Morris, and J. Williamson, of the Tenth Alabama regi-William Millson, in the hip; Edward Davis, in ment. The want of ambulances was felt on this oc casion, and I would respectfully suggest that a few more be ordered to each regiment of my division, as I was unable, for want of transport, to bring from the field all the wounded prisoners taken in the affair. Those left I had placed in comfortable quarters in Dranesville, where they can be well attended to; but owing to this deficiency of transportation for the wounded, I was compelled to leave in the hands of the enemy some of my prisoners. the leg; Silas B. Newell, in the pharynx; John II. Weber, in the thigh. Twelfth Infantry, private William R. Fox, slightly in thigh. First Rifles, Lieutenant Colonel T. L. Kane, wounded slightly; privates H. G. Wolf, severely; John Pannell, severely; A. Swager, slightly; F. A. Foster, slightly; George Cook, slightly; George McGowan, slightly; J. B. Blair, slightly; Geo. Frine, slightly; Neston Gier, slightly; M. C. Cobb, slightly; Sergeant Geo. Ludlow, slightly; privates Barseley Dewry, slightly; Parish Mazier, slightly; Sainuel Campbell, slightly; John Last, not least, I brought in sixteen wagon Botts, severely; Charles Meddier, slightly; loads of excellent hay, and twenty-two of corn. Fred. Eikoop, slightly; Fidel Armbuster, slightThe following list of killed and wounded only; John Brink, slightly; Taylor Brink, slightly; our side is, I regret, greater than I at first reJames Freel, slightly; Robert T. Lane, slightly; ported, viz: seven killed and sixty-one wound- James F. Barnes, severely; John Green, seG. A. MCCALL, ed, including one lieutenant-colonel and four verely. Brigadier-General. captains, and three missing. From what I have gathered from various reliable sources, I am satisfied that the loss of the enemy was, at the very least, ninety killed left on the field, besides those carried off, amongst whom was, certainly, Colonel Tom Taylor, commanding the First Kentucky regiment, whom the Kentucky prisoners in my custody state they saw fall from his horse. Colonel Forney is also said to have GEN. ORD'S REPORT. CAMP PIERPONT, Virginia, January 19, 1862 SIR: In obedience to a letter, dated January 13th, 1862, from the Secretary of war, and in accordance with paragraph 743, Revised Regu lations, I have the pleasure of transmitting special recommendations of commanders of re |