The Battle Of Ball’s Bluff

The second major engagement of the Civil War, fought on October 21, 1861, resulted in a devastating defeat for the Union troops. The Battle of Ball’s Bluff in Virginia produced the war’s first martyr and led to the creation of a Congressional committee to monitor the conduct of the war.

Wars can bring changes in command when the losing side is given a new leader. It reminds me of how a losing year in sports can result in a new coach being appointed. Of course, that is very different, I suppose. Nevertheless, following the Battle of Bull Run in Virginia on July 21st, President Abraham Lincoln appointed General George McClellan to reorganize the defeated Federal Army of the Potomac. It was a huge undertaking, and throughout the fall, McClellan focused on assembling and training his troops, while still facing mounting pressure from Lincoln, the public, and Congress to act against the Confederates stationed just across the Potomac River. The army just wasn’t ready, however. Finally giving in to the pressure, McClellan directed General George McCall to conduct a reconnaissance mission across the river and instructed General Charles Stone to monitor the nearby town of Leesburg, Virginia, while McCall’s men were on the move.

Then, on the fateful night of October 20th, Stone sent a detachment across the river. It was a disaster. The inexperienced soldiers mistook shadows for a Rebel camp. They were literally freaked out by every shadow. Stone decided to send more men over, eventually amassing a force of 1,600 under Colonel Edward Baker, who was a close friend of Lincoln, and had even named his second son after him. Unfortunately, Baker positioned his men dangerously in a clearing at the edge of Ball’s Bluff, a 100-foot cliff above the Potomac. The men now had their backs to the drop and faced a wooded ridge filling with Confederate troops. The Confederates attacked that afternoon, and Baker’s forces quickly found themselves in trouble. Baker was killed, and many of his men either jumped to their deaths or scrambled down a narrow trail, only to find their boats swamped in the river. Less than half made it back across the Potomac.

It was a disaster. The Union suffered 49 killed, 158 wounded, and 714 missing or captured, while the Confederates had 33 killed, 115 wounded, and one missing. Lincoln was devastated by the loss of his friend, Baker, who became a Northern martyr despite his poor leadership in the battle. As often happens in the political arena, angry Republicans who distrusted McClellan, a Democrat, and other generals, blamed them for the loss. In December, the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War was formed, dominated by Republicans who wanted harsher measures against the South and slaveholders. The committee’s first investigation targeted the Ball’s Bluff disaster, making General Stone the scapegoat. He was arrested for treason and jailed for six months for his “crimes.”