Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/208

188 city, particularly those from the lower Shenandoah valley and northeastern Piedmont, Virginia.

On October 19th McCall's Federal division advanced to Dranesville, on the road to Leesburg and about 15 miles from that place, "in order to cover the reconnoissance made in all directions the next day;" and later, Smith's Federal division advanced along a parallel road to the west, acting in concert with General McCall, and pushed forward strong parties in the same direction and for the same purpose. About 7 p.m. of the 19th, Stone's advance opened a heavy cannonade on the Confederate positions at Fort Evans, on the Leesburg pike, and at Edwards' Ferry; and at the same time General Evans heard heavy firing in the direction of Dranesville. At midnight General Evans ordered his whole brigade to the front, along the line of Goose creek, 3 miles southeast of Leesburg, where he had a line of intrenchments, to there await an expected attack from General McCall, the next morning, Sunday, October 20th, as it had been reported that the Federal advance was moving in force from Dranesville toward Leesburg. Evans' scouts captured McCall's courier bearing dispatches to General Meade, directing him to examine the roads leading to Leesburg. The Federal batteries kept up a deliberate fire during the day, but no assault was made.

On the morning of the 20th the Federal signal officer on Sugar Loaf mountain, in Maryland, reported, "The enemy have moved away from Leesburg." This Banks wired to McClellan, whereupon the latter wired to Stone, at Poolesville, that a heavy reconnoissance would be sent out that day, in all directions, from Dranesville, concluding: "You will keep a good lookout upon Leesburg, to see if this movement has the effect to drive them away. Perhaps a slight demonstration on your part would have the effect to move them." McClellan desired Stone to make demonstrations from his picket line along the Potomac, but did not intend that he should cross the river, in force, for the purpose of fighting. Late in the day Stone reported that he had made a feint of crossing, and at the same time had started a reconnoissance from Harrison's island toward Leesburg, when the enemy's pickets retired to intrenchments. That "slight demonstration" brought on the battle of Ball's Bluff (or, as it is variously called, Leesburg, Harrison's Island, or