December 21, 1861 (Friday): "Yes, we are the Bucktails, don't fire."

Dranesville Battlefield, Google Earth (click to enlarge)

Report of Col. Conrad F. Jackson, Ninth Pennsylvania Reserve Infantry.

           HQRDS. NINTH REG’T PENNSYLVANIA RESERVE CORPS,

                                                                                                December 21, 1861.

   SIR: In accordance with your order of this date, to make out an official report of the conduct of my command in the engagement at Dranesville, I would respectfully state that in obedience to orders I marched my regiment into the wood or copse, forming in line of battle, and advanced as directed, with difficulty restraining the men from double-quick.  As there was nothing to indicate the position of friend or foe, I advanced until we saw and heard the movements of troops in advance of the right of our line.  I halted, and formed my right within 60 or 70 paces of the left of the troops referred to.  My men showed a great anxiety to fire.  At this time an officer of my regiment reported that the troops opposite were the Bucktails.  Determined to avoid falling into the fatal error of killing our own men, I at once used all my energy to prevent firing, nor did we fire until after we received a volley from the enemy, as they proved to be.  We received their first fire as Captain Galway was in the act of reporting that he had obtained a view of them, and assured me in the most emphatic manner they were rebels.  The order to fire  was then given and promptly obeyed, but I found there still existed a doubt on the part of the men as to the true character of the troops we were engaged with, which caused considerable confusion in the ranks, which was overcome to a great extent with some difficulty.  I feel perfectly convinced, had the men been assured at the onset that the troops before us were rebels, we might have driven them from their position before they could have fired on us, as we could hear them distinctly load their pieces.

    I afterwards learned that the impression that the Bucktails were forming in my front was strengthened by the following occurrence:  One of the enemy called out, “Don’t fire on us.”  One of my men imprudently asked “Are you the Bucktails?”  The answer was, “Yes, we are the Bucktails,; don’t fire.”

   I enclose surgeon’s report of killed and wounded.*

    Your obedient servant,

                                                                                    C. FEGER JACKSON,

            Colonel, Comdg. Ninth Regiment Pennsylvania Reserve Corps.

General E. O. C. ORD.

*See report No. 10, p. 480

Official Records, Series I., Vol. 5, Part 1, Page 482.

Dranesville holds the distinction of being the first time Union forces in the Eastern theatre bested their Confederate counterparts.  The two forces met without design while both were scouting and foraging.  Stuart managed to get his wagons off safely, but Ord’s men held the field and the advantage in casualties (71 for the Union, 230 for the Confederates).  As seen in the Google Earth image above, little remains of the battlefield.  The Confederate advance was along Centreville Road (now Herndon Avenue) toward the Union position along the Leesburg Pike (Highway 7).  The Union batteries were just behind the present day intersection, the bulk of their force just slightly advanced Southward of the Pike, with cavalry scouts thrown out to the right of Herndon Avenue (facing from the Confederate advance) along the Pike.  The Potomac would be about five miles to the rear of the Union position.  This was the first battle of the famous 13^th Pennsylvania Reserve (the ‘Bucktails’).  The regiment was composed of lumbermen known to be good shots.  They required new recruits to bring with them a buck tail to prove their ability with a rifle, and used their own weapons.