At Centreville, on the 18th, Richardson’s brigade was sent by General Tyler to reconnoitre Blackburn’s Ford across Bull Run, and he found it strongly guarded.  From our camp, at Centreville, we heard the cannonading, and then a sharp musketry-fire.  I received orders from General Tyler to send forward Ayres’s battery, and very soon after another order came for me to advance with my whole brigade.  We marched the three miles at the double-quick, arrived in time to relieve Richardson’s brigade, which was just drawing back from the ford, worsted, and stood for half an hour or so under a fire of artillery, which killed four or five of my men.  General Tyler was there in person, giving directions, and soon after he ordered us all back to our camp in Centreville.  This reconnoissance had developed a strong force, and had been made without the orders of General McDowell; however, it satisfied us that the enemy was in force on the other side of Bull Run, and had no intention to leave without a serious battle.  We lay in camp at Centreville all of the 19th and 20th, and during that night began the movement which resulted in the battle of Bull Run, on July 21st.  Of this so much has been written that more would be superfluous; and the reports of the opposing commanders, McDowell and Johnston, are fair and correct.  It is now generally admitted that it was one of the best-planned battles of the war, but one of the worst-fought.  Our men had been told so often at home that all they had to do was to make a bold appearance, and the rebels would run; and nearly all of us for the first time then heard the sound of cannon and muskets in anger, and saw the bloody scenes common to all battles, with which we were soon to be familiar.  We had good organization, good men, but no cohesion, no real discipline, no respect for authority, no real knowledge of war.  Both armies were fairly defeated, and, whichever had stood fast, the other would have run.  Though the North was overwhelmed with mortification and shame, the South really had not much to boast of, for in the three or four hours of fighting their organization was so broken up that they did not and could not follow our army, when it was known to be in a state of disgraceful and causeless flight.  It is easy to criticise a battle after it is over, but all now admit that none others, equally raw in war, could have done better than we did at Bull Run; and the lesson of that battle should not be lost on a people like ours.

I insert my official report, as a condensed statement of my share in the battle: 

HEADQUARTERS THIRD BRIGADE, FIRST DIVISION FORT CORCORAN, July 25, 1861

To Captain A. Baird, Assistant Adjutant-General, First Division (General Tyler’s).

Sir:  I have the honor to submit this my report of the operations of my brigade during the action of the 21st instant.  The brigade is composed of the Thirteenth New York Volunteers, Colonel Quinby’s Sixty-ninth New York, Colonel Corcoran; Seventy-ninth New York, Colonel Cameron; Second Wisconsin, Lieutenant-Colonel Peck; and Company E, Third Artillery, under command of Captain R. B. Ayres, Fifth Artillery.