No. 2. Report of Col. Alfred T. A. Torbert, First New Jersey Infantry. HDQRS. FIRST REG'T, FIRST BRIG., FRANKLIN'S DIV., SIR: I have the honor to forward the inclosed reports concerning the First Regiment, First Brigade, Franklin's division, under the immediate command of Lieutenant-Colonel McAllister, being myself at the time unable to ride on horseback on account of rheumatism, but was in the field during the time, making myself as useful as possible under the cir cumstances. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. T. A. TORBERT, Colonel First Regiment New Jersey Volunteers. Capt. JAMES M. WILSON, Assistant Adjutant-General, First Brigade. No. 3. Report of Lieut. Col. Robert McAllister, First New Jersey Infantry. FIRST REGIMENT NEW JERSEY VOLUNTEERS, Camp Seminary, Va., March 17, 1862. SIR: In accordance with your request I here with transmit to you a report of the movements of our regiment. After leaving this place for Burke's Station, on Friday, March 7, we left our brigade drill ground and marched across to the Little River turnpike. On this side of Annandale I was ordered to send forward our two flank companies, leaving us seven companies (one company being on picket). We reached Burke's Station at about 1 o'clock a. m. on the 8th. Our regiment was then stationed along the edge of the woods near Burke's house. After General Howard's brigade left we were ordered to take a posi tion along the woods north of the railroad, which order I executed imme diately. I then examined all the roads leading to the camp grounds, placed pickets, and rested for the night. On the morning of the 9th I received an order to send three companies to Burke's house. We started at once. Then came another order to send two companies, under the command of Major Hatfield, to the old Braddock road. I detailed Companies B and E. They started without delay, leaving me but two companies. After 2 p. m. I received an order to bring in the three compa nies at Burke's house, and march up the railroad to support Colonel Simpson at the church near Fairfax Station. On reaching that I did not see Colonel Simpson, but met General Kearny, who ordered me to march up to Farr's Cross-Roads, leaving one company (Company K) at Payne's Church. With the remaining four companies I arrived at Farr's Cross-Roads about 5 p. m., and formed line of battle, and remained in that position until our general arrived from Fairfax Court-House, when he told me to encamp there for the night; to be on the alert; that it was an important point; that the enemy were in the neighborhood, and if attacked to hold it until re-enforcements came to my aid. I put out pickets up the Centreville road 14 miles, also down the Fairfax road towards Payne's Church, and also towards Fairfax. We were vigilant that night, but were unmolested. About 8 o'clock next morning received a verbal order from General Kearny, by his aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Barnard, to throw forward scouts in rear of Centreville, and am happy to say that I soon found a corporal and 3 men ready and willing to undertake this apparently dan gerous enterprise. In about an hour afterwards I received an order to send forward towards Centreville one company. I immediately ordered Company B, Captain Van Sickell, to push forward, and in accordanco with our general's instructions had a communication kept up with me, and through me with General Kearny, by Captain Van Sickell sending back a man every three-fourths of a mile that he advanced. Between 12 and 1 o'clock the general ordered me to advance with our regiment to Centreville, which I did, Captain Van Sickell and Lieutenant Tantum, with Company B, having reached that place before we did, and some hours ahead of any other troops. Permit me to say here that our regiment was the last to leave Centreville at the Bull Run retreat, and a part of it the first to enter it on the retreat of the enemy. We staid all night, and the next morning were ordered to return to Fairfax CourtHouse. In conclusion, permit me to say that General Kearny deserves a great deal of credit by this bold push towards the enemy's lines, and by the energy and bravery thus displayed caused the enemy to leave in great haste, leaving many valuables behind them. Respectfully, your obedient servant, R. MCALLISTER, Lieutenant-Colonel First Regiment New Jersey Volunteers. A. T. A. TORBERT, Colonel First New Jersey Volunteers. No. 4. Report of Maj. David Hatfield, First New Jersey Infantry. FIRST REGIMENT NEW JERSEY VOLUNTEERS, Camp Seminary, Va., March 17, 1862. SIR: On Sunday morning, March 9, I was ordered by General Kearny to take two companies and proceed to Farr's Cross-Roads by the old Braddock road, and there wait for re-enforcements from Fairfax Station. I arrived at the Cross-Roads about noon. My command consisted of Companies B and E. At the cross-roads we discerned the enemy's cavalry on a hill near the court-house, but having positive orders to remain at the Cross-Roads, I did not feel at liberty to pursue them. However, I sent out a small detachment, under command of Lieutenant Tantum, in order to get as near the enemy as possible under cover of the pines, so as to watch their movements. By so doing we found that the enemy was moving back and forth from the Court House to the old Braddock road, a distance of about 1 mile. At 4 o'clock the Fourth New Jersey, under Colonel Simpson, came up, when we marched to the Court-House. The two companies under my command were deployed as skirmishers. When near the Court House, by order of General Kearny, we marched on at double-qrick, and I may also add that the enemy did the same, only in an opposite direc tion. I then received orders from General Kearny to march back to the Cross-Roads and join my regiment, and there bivouacked for the night. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, DAVID HATFIELD, Major First Regiment New Jersey Volunteers. A. T. A. TORBERT, Colonel First New Jersey Volunteers. No. 5. Report of Capt. Sylvester Van Sickell, First New Jersey Infantry. FIRST REGIMENT NEW JERSEY VOLUNTEERS, Camp Seminary, Va., March 17, 1862. SIR: I have the honor to report that I was ordered by LieutenantColonel McAllister, on Monday morning, 10th instant, at 8.30 o'clock a. m., while stationed a Farr's Cross-Roads, to take my command and proceed cautiously up the Braddock road towards Centreville, and after passing our pickets to send out an advance guard, which I did, sending Lieut. William H. Tantum on with 14 men. I was also furnished with 4 cavalrymen to act as a patrol, and to report to him at intervals as we proceeded. I received the first communication from Lieutenant Tantum when at Cub Run, which I forwarded to Lieutenant-Colonel McAllister, saying that he had possession of five contrabands, and had caught up with the four scouts sent in advance. Lieutenant Tantum halted with his guard until I brought up my reserve. He then advanced about a mile, when I received word that appearances were favorable-to come on with all possible dispatch, as he would be in Centreville in an hour. The message I immediately sent to LieutenantColonel McAllister, and proceeded on. Lieutenant Tantum arrived at Centreville about 11.30 a. m., where he immediately posted four sentries in different places in the village, one at each of three forts. I arrived there at fifteen minutes after 12 o'clock noon, and took possession of General Johnston's headquarters, and there awaited the arrival of the First Regiment, which came in about 4 p. m. The New York Fortyfourth Regiment arrived at about 3.30 o'clock p. m. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, S. VAN SICKELL, Captain Company B, First Regiment New Jersey Volunteers. A. T. A. TORBERT, Colonel First New Jersey Volunteers. No. 6. Report of Col. Isaac M. Tucker, Second New Jersey Infantry. HDQRS. SECOND REGIMENT NEW JERSEY VOLUNTEERS, SIR: I proceed to furnish to the headquarters of the First Brigade (General Franklin's division) a detailed account of the movements of this regiment during the past week, while upon its march towards Manassas and vicinity. Pursuant to brigade orders, the regiment, excepting Captain Tay's company, doing picket duty at the time, repaired to the brigade parade on Friday, the 7th instant, at 1 o'clock p. m., where General Kearny's command was formed. The regiment was provided with the shelter tents, six days' rations, forty rounds of ball cartridges issued to each man and in the cartridge-boxes, together with thirty extra rounds to each man transported by the quartermaster. With the knapsacks packed and thus provided the regiment, in company with the rest of the brigade, proceeded on its march to Burke's Station, on the Orange and Alex. andria Railroad, by way of the Little River turnpike and the old Braddock road, reaching its destination about midnight, after a long and tedious march, the road after leaving the turnpike being considerably obstructed with mud. On the march the flank companies, commanded by Captains Close and Wildrick, were detached and placed under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Brown, of the Third Regiment, constituting, with similar companies from other regiments, a light battalion, in advance of the brigade. The remaining seven companies under my command encamped at the Station that night, and remained there until the morning of Sunday, the 9th instant, when, by order of General Kearny, we proceeded up the railroad to Fairfax Station, leaving two companies, under Captains Wiebecke and Stoll, at the rifle-pits constructed by the enemy in rear of the Station. From this point a scout of 20 men, under Lieutenant Vreeland, accompanied by 2 mounted dragoons, proceeded in the direction of Fairfax Court-House, while the balance of Lieutenant Vreeland's company, under Lieutenant Blewett, skirted the dense woods adjoining the Station on the north. Communication was at once opened with Colonel Taylor, in command of the Third Regiment, in advance, at Sangster's Station, and with Colonel Simpson, in command of the Fourth Regiment, in the rear. While occupying this position two companies (Captains Bishop and Hopwood), under command of Major Ryerson, were sent forward to act as flankers for Colonel Taylor's command. About 11 o'clock a. m. I received information that the enemy's pickets had been driven back by a detachment of cavalry just in front of Colonel Taylor's regiment, and at the same time was ordered to withdraw the companies acting as flankers, also Lieutenant Blewett's command, skirting the adjoining wood, and proceed with my battalion to the support of Colonel Taylor, which order was promptly executed. About 2 p. m. I was ordered with my command, consisting of five companies, to take position in line of battle on a commanding hill just in advance of Colonel Taylor's regiment, and bold it until the darkness of the evening would enable me to withdraw without being observed. This hill was the picket station occupied by the enemy and from which our cavalry had just driven them, and was but little more than 5 miles from Manassas Junction. About 7 p. m. I left this position (the companies retiring behind the hill separately) and proceeded back to Fairfax Station, where we encamped, in company with the Third Regiment, and where we remained until the morning of Tuesday, the 11th instant, when, pursuant to orders (the flank companies and the picket company having now joined us), we took up our line of march to Fairfax Court-House, and entered the town with band playing. Here we encamped upon the ground selected by Colonel Simpson for this regiment, and remained in camp there until Friday, the 14th instant, when, in company with the whole brigade, at 7 p. m., we struck our tents and took up our line of march back to this camp, arriving here about midnight. The men returned in good health and full of enthusiasm, created by the movements of this brigade during its absence from camp. A single casualty occurred during our absence. Captain Duffy's company was detailed by Colonel Taylor, commanding the post at Fairfax Station, on Monday, the 10th instant, as a guard for the erection of the telegraph from the Station to the Court-House. A private of this com. pany (Thomas W. Spriggs) was accidentally shot through the head while removing his musket from the stack, and expired in a few moments. Your obedient servant, I. M. TUCKER, Colonel Second Regiment New Jersey Volunteers. Capt. JAMES M. WILSON, Assistant Adjutant-General. No. 7. Report of Col. George W. Taylor, Third New Jersey Infantry. CAMP NEAR FORT WORTH, VA., March 16, 1862. SIR: In pursuance of order, this moment received, I have the honor to report the following as an account of the movements of the Third Regiment New Jersey Volunteers during the march of the last week towards Manassas: Left Camp Fort Worth Friday, March 7, 1862, about 4 p. m., with the First Brigade (General Kearny's). That night marched to Burke's, 12 miles, and bivouacked. On the 8th the Third Regiment marched to camp near the railroad, one mile east of Fairfax Station, and relieved the picket of the Sixty-fourth New York State Volunteers. Left camp the 9th on a reconnaissance, with 20 cavalry of the First New York Regiment, towards Occoquan. Returned to Fairfax Station about noon. Soon after received orders from yourself in person to take some five companies, or parts thereof (the balance of our regiment being picketed to guard our left flank and Fairfax), and proceed by railroad and march upon Sangster's Station, 3 miles east of Bull Run. About half a mile this side of Sangster's the enemy appeared in reconnoitering parties of cavalry and some infantry on the right and left of the railroad. They fell back as our flankers advanced. The regiment marched steadily until the advance reached Sangster's. There, in your presence and by your orders, they occupied a commanding position in line of battle on the crest of a hill to the right of railroad. I had under my orders of the First New York Cavalry 16 men and one corporal, under First Lieutenant Hidden. Just before leaving the railroad I ordered this officer to advance in the open fields and reconnoiter, and if the force was not greatly superior to his own he might charge them. He went off at a brisk trot, nor did he check his horses until he charged into the midst of their pickets, the enemy being greatly superior in numbers, and having the advantage of cover of pines. He lost his life in the gallant charge, but drove the enemy into a rapid retreat, leaving arms and many knapsacks and blankets. Thirteen prisoners were taken, with a lieutenant and non-commissioned officer. They proved to be the First Maryland Regiment. Very soon after the Second Regiment of Kearny's brigade came up and joined us. They occupied the ground of the enemy's picketing regiment until night, when a small company was left to guard Sangster's |