The Fourth Alabama Painting by Don Troiani

Fourth Brigade, First Division

Brethschneider's Battalion Light Infantry

Detachments of forty men from each regiment of the Fourth Brigade, First Division, McDowell's Army, were assigned to Brethschneider's Battalion Light Infantry on 14 July, 1861

CAPTAIN G R BRETHSCHNEIDER, Second Michigan Infantry, Company E
Captain G R Brethschneider, 2nd Michigan Infantry, Company E, was assigned to command Brethschneider's Battalion Light Infantry on 14 July, 1861.

First Massachusetts Infantry

Companies B & G Detachments: First Lt. G H Johnston
A detachment of the 1st Massachusetts Infantry (40), Companies B and G, under the command of First Lieutenant G H Johnston, Company E, and Sergeant G Forrest, Company G, was assigned to Brethschneider's Battalion Light Infantry on 14 July, 1861 (See the 1st Massachusetts Infantry).

Second Michigan Infantry

Unlettered Company Detachment
(See the 2nd Michigan Infantry)

Third Michigan Infantry

Company A Detachment
(See the 3rd Michigan Infantry)

Twelfth New York Infantry

Companies A & E Detachments: Ensign & Second LT. C B Randall
A detachment of the 12th New York Infantry (40), Companies A and E, under the command of Ensign & Second Lieutenant C B Randall, Company A, was assigned to Brethschneider's Battalion Light Infantry on 14 July, 1861 (See the 12th New York Infantry).

Organisation of Brethschneider's Battalion Light Infantry at the first battle of Bull Run, 21 July, 1861: Captain G R Brethschneider, 2nd Michigan Infantry, Company E; 1st Massachusetts Infantry, Companies B & G, detachment, First Lieutenant G H Johnston; 2nd Michigan Infantry, Companies Unknown, detachment, Unknown; 3rd Michigan Infantry, Company A, detachment, Unknown; 12th New York Infantry, Companies A & E, detachment, Ensign & Second Lieuetant C B Randall

Books/ Manuscripts

Until Antietam: The life and letters of Major General Israel B. Richardson, U.S. Army, by Jack C Mason

Supplement to the Official Records: Part II, Record of Events, Volume 43, Serial No.55: Record of events for Twelfth New York Infantry, May 1861-May 1864, edited by James B Hewett

History of the First Regiment, Massachusetts Infantry, from the 25th of May, 1861, to the 25th of May, 1864, by Warren H Cudworth

Notes

Brethschneider's Battalion Light Infantry was organised with detachments of the 1st Massachusetts Infantry (40), the 2nd Michigan Infantry (40), the 3rd Michigan Infantry (40), and the 12th New York Infantry (40), under the command of Captain G R Brethschneider, 2nd Michigan Infantry, Company E, on 14 July, 1861.

Note: Brethschneider's Battalion Light Infantry received intensive training in skirmish tactics between 14 and 16 July, 1861.

Department of Northeastern Virginia, 16-25 July, 1861

Brethschneider's Battalion Light Infantry was stationed at Camp Winfield Scott, Drover's Rest, H Barnes' farm, northwest of the Distributing Reservoir, two miles west Georgetown, D. C., between 14 and 16 July, 1861.

Disposition of Fourth Brigade, First Division, McDowell's Army, 15 July, 1861: Colonel I B Richardson, 2nd Michigan Infantry, Camp Winfield Scott, Drover's Rest, H Barnes' farm, northwest of the Distributing Reservoir, two miles west Georgetown, D. C.; 1st Massachusetts Infantry, Colonel R Cowdin, Camp Banks, Drover's Rest, H Barnes' farm, northwest of the Distributing Reservoir, two miles west of Georgetown, D. C.; 2nd Michigan Infantry, Major A W Williams, Camp Winfield Scott, Drover's Rest, H Barnes' farm, northwest of the Distributing Reservoir, two miles west Georgetown, D. C.; 3rd Michigan Infantry, Colonel D McConnell, Camp Blair, west of the Washington Aqueduct, on the heights southeast of the Chain/ Little Falls Bridge, on the Potomac River, D. C.; 12th New York Infantry, Colonel E L Walrath, west of the Washington Aqueduct, on the heights southeast of the Chain/ Little Falls Bridge, on the Potomac River, D. C.; Brethschneider's Battalion Light Infantry, Captain G R Brethschneider, 2nd Michigan Infantry, Camp Winfield Scott, Drover's Rest, H Barnes' farm, northwest of the Distributing Reservoir, two miles west Georgetown, D. C.; 1st United States Artillery, Light Company G, section, First Lieitenant J Edwards, Jr., 3rd United States Artillery, Company B, Fort Runyon, junction of the Columbia and the Washington & Alexandria Turnpikes, Alexandria County, Virginia

Advance to Centreville, 16-18 July, 1861

The Brethschneider's Battalion Light Infantry was ordered across the Potomac River at the Chain/ Little Falls Bridge, D. C., at 3/4 PM on 16 July, 1861, and arrived south of Vienna, via Lewinsville and Old Courthouse, a quarter of a mile southeast of Freedom Hill, Fairfax County, Virginia, at 9 PM the same day.

Vienna to Piney Branch, three miles west of Germantown, Fairfax County, Virginia, 17 July, 1861: Brethschneider's Battalion Light Infantry was ordered to Fairfax Courthose, Fairfax County, Virginia, at 6 AM on 17 July, 1861, and arrived by the road between Germantown and Flint Hill at Germantown, Fairfax County, Virginia, at 1 PM the same day. The battalion was ordered to Centreville, Fairfax County, Virginia, in the afternoon on 17 July, 1861, and arrived at Piney Branch, three miles west of Germantown, Fairfax County, Virginia, at 5 PM the same day.

Advance of Fourth Brigade, First Division, McDowell's Army, 8/9 AM 17 July, 1861: The Fourth Brigade, First Division, McDowell's Army, was stationed at the road between Flint Hill and Vienna, north of Flint Hill, Fairfax County, Virginia, at 8/9 AM on 17 July, 1861.

Piney Branch, three miles west of Germantown, to Little Rocky Run, one mile east of Centreville, Fairfax County, Virginia, 17 July, 1861: Brethschneider's Battalion Light Infantry y was ordered to Centreville, Fairfax County, Virginia, at 7 AM on 18 July, 1861, and arrived at Little Rocky Run, one mile east of Centreville, Fairfax County, Virginia, at 9 AM the same day.

Reconnaissance one mile north of Blackburn's Ford, on the Bull Run River, 18 July, 1861: Brethschneider's Battalion Light Infantry, under the command of Colonel I B Richardson, 2nd Michigan Infantry, was ordered on a reconnaissance one mile north of Blackburn's Ford, on the Bull Run River, at 9/10 AM on 18 July, 1861, and was accompanied by the 2nd United States Cavalry, Companies G and I, under the command of Captain A G Brackett, 2nd United States Cavalry, Company I, and Brigadier General Tyler, Connecticut Militia (See the United States Battalion Cavalry).

Skirmish at Blackburn's Ford, 18 July, 1861

Brethschneider's Battalion Light Infantry was engaged in a skirmish at Blackburn's Ford, on the Bull Run River, between 11 AM and 4.30 PM on 18 July, 1861.

Troops engaged in a skirmish at Blackburn's Ford, on the Bull Run River, 18 July, 1861: Brigadier General Tyler, Connecticut Militia; Colonel I B Richardson, 2nd Michigan Infantry; Brethschneider's Battalion Light Infantry, Captain G R Brethschneider, 2nd Michigan Infantry, Company E; 2nd Michigan Infantry, Major A W Williams; 3rd Michigan Infantry, D McConnell; 12th New York Infantry, Colonel E L Walwrath; 1st Massachusetts Infantry, Colonel R Cowdin; 2nd United States Cavalry, Companies G & I, Captain A G Brackett, 2nd United States Cavalry, Company I; two 20 pounder Parrott rifles, 1st United States Artillery, Light Company G, First Lieutenant J R Edwards, Jr., 3rd United States Artillery, Company B; two 12 pounder field howitzers, 3rd United States Artillery, Light Company E, Captain R B Ayres, 5th United States Artillery, Light Company F

Return of casualties in Brethschneider's Battalion Light Infantry, Fourth Brigade, First Division, McDowells Army, at Blackburn's Ford, on the Bull Run River, 18 July, 1861: Killed 2, wounded 4, missing 2, total 8

Note: Brethschneider's Battalion Light Infantry was ordered south of Centreville, Fairfax County, Virginia, in the evening on 18 July, 1861, and to the road between Blackburn's Ford and Centreville, one mile north of Blackburn's Ford, on the Bull Run River, in the morning on 19 July, 1861.

Road between Blackburn's Ford & Centreville, one mile north of Blackburn's Ford, 21 July, 1861: Brethschneider's Battalion Light Infantry was stationed on the road between Blackburn's Ford and Centreville, one mile north of Blackburn's Ford, on the Bull Run River, in the morning on 21 July, 1861.

Retreat to Washington, 21 July, 1861

Brethschneider's Battalion Light Infantry, under the command of Captain G R Brethschneider, was ordered to escort Mrs F Richardson to Alexandria, Alexandria County, Virginia, in the evening on 21 July, 1861.

Colonel I B Richardson, 2nd Michigan Infantry, Fourth Brigade, First Division, McDowell's Army, 25 April, 1861: I B Richardson was appointed colonel, 2nd Michigan Infantry, by Special Orders No.6, Paragraph I, Military Department, Michigan, Adjutant General's Office, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, on 25 April, 1861, and was assigned to command the 2nd Michigan Infantry, the 3rd Michigan Infantry, the 1st Massachusetts Infantry, and the 12th New York Infantry by Special Orders No.167, Paragraph II, Headquarters, Department of Washington, Washington, D. C., on 1 July, 1861. Colonel I B Richardson, 2nd Michigan Infantry, was assigned to command the Fourth Brigade, First Division, McDowell's Army, by General Orders No.13, Headquarters, Department of Northeastern Virginia, Arlington, Alexandria County, Virginia, on 8 July, 1861, and was appointed brigadier general, United States Volunteers, by General Orders No.62, Adjutant General's Office, Washington, D. C., on 20 August, 1861, dated 17 May, 1861.

General Orders No.21, War Department, Adjutant General's Office, Washington, D. C., Cadet R L Eastman, United States Military Academy, 17 May, 1861, dated 6 May, 1861: Cadet R L Eastman, United States Military Academy, was ordered to Washington, D. C., in the afternoon on 5 May, 1861, and arrived by the Washington Branch, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, in the evening on 8 May, 1861. He was appointed second lieutenant, 6th United States Infantry, Company K, by General Orders No.21, War Department, Adjutant General's Office, Washington, D. C., on 17 May, 1861, dated 6 May, 1861, and was assigned as acting assistant adjutant general, Fourth Brigade, First Division, McDowell's Army, at the first battle of Bull Run on 21 July, 1861.

Note: Cadet C H Brightly, United States Military Academy, was ordered to Washington, D. C., on 30 June, 1861, and arrived in the morning on 3 July, 1861. He was appointed brevet second lieutenant, 4th United States Infantry, by General Orders No.41, War Department, Adjutant General's Office, Washington, D. C., on 3 July, 1861, dated 24 June, 1861, and was assigned to special duty as a drill instructor at Washington, D. C., in the afternoon on 3 July, 1861. Brevet Second Lieutenant C H Brightly, 4th United States Infantry, was assigned as acting assistant quartermaster, Fourth Brigade, First Division, McDowell's Army, at the first battle of Bull Run on 21 July, 1861.

Brigadier General D Tyler, Connecticut Militia, First Division, McDowell's Army, 10 May, 1861: D Tyler was appointed colonel, 1st Connecticut Infantry, on 23 April, 1861, and brigadier general, Connecticut Militia, on 10 May, 1861. Brigadier General D Tyler, Connecticut Militia, arrived at Camp McDowell/ Tyler, a quarter of a mile south of W Taylor's Tavern, north of the Leesburg & Alexandria Turnpike, one mile southwest of Falls Church, Fairfax County, Virginia, on 18 June, 1861, and was ordered to Washington, D. C., in the evening on 6 July, 1861. He was assigned to command the First Division, McDowell's Army, by General Orders No.13, Headquarters, Department of Northeastern Virginia, Arlington, Alexandria County, Virginia, on 8 July, 1861, and was mustered out on 11 August, 1861.

Note: Cadets J C Audenried, P H O'Rorke, and E Upton, United States Military Academy, were ordered to Washington, D. C., on 30 June, 1861, and arrived in the morning on 3 July, 1861. Cadet J C Audenried, United States Military Academy, was appointed second lieutenant, 1st United States Cavalry, Company F; Cadet P H O'Rorke, United States Military Academy, brevet second lieutenant, United States Corps Engineers; and Cadet E Upton, United States Military Academy, second lieutenant, 4th United States Artillery, Company H, by General Orders No.41, War Department, Adjutant General's Office, Washington, D. C., on 3 July, 1861, dated 24 June, 1861, and were assigned to special duty as drill instructors at Washington, D. C., in the afternoon on 3 July, 1861. Second Lieutenant J C Audenried, 1st United States Cavalry, Company F; Brevet Second Lieutenant P H O'Rorke, United States Corps Engineers; and Second Lieutenant E Upton, 4th United States Artillery, Company H, were appointed aide de camps to Brigadier General D Tyler, Connecticut Militia, at the first battle of Bull Run on 21 July, 1861.

Reports

OFFICIAL REPORT NO.28: Series I, Volume 2 (Serial No.2), Chapter IX, pp373-377
Colonel I B Richardson, Second Michigan Infantry, Fourth Brigade, First Division, McDowell's Army, dated Arlington Heights, Alexandria County, Virginia, 25 July, 1861

OFFICIAL REPORT NO.16: Series I, Volume 2 (Serial No.2), Chapter IX, pp348-352
Brigadier General D Tyler, Connecticut Militia, First Division, McDowell's Army, dated Washington, D. C., 27 July, 1861