Civil War Historians Remember Ball’s Bluff Tragedy

The Battle of Ball’s Bluff, Oct. 21, 1861, was not a particularly large conflict. The number of casualties was not overwhelming. No significant piece of property changed hands. And yet this is a battle about which books have been written. It was a battle that affected the way the remainder of the Civil War would be fought.

Bodies of Union soldiers killed at Ball’s Bluff floated down the Potomac River to be found by Washington, D.C., residents. The only U.S. Senator ever to be killed in battle died there, and adding to the horror, he was a close enough friend of Abraham Lincoln that the President had named his son, Edward, after him. Miscalculations, lack of equipment, and erroneous intelligence led to a lopsided defeat of the Union regiment.

On Thursday, Oct. 20, the evening before the 150th anniversary of the battle itself, historians will discuss exactly what made the Battle of Ball’s Bluff so significant to the history of Loudoun County and of the United States. The public is invited to join in this panel discussion at Morven Park, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Admission is free, but pre-registration is required by emailing kbowman@morvenpark.org or calling 703-777-2890, ext. 6625.

The panelists will be Jim Morgan, author of the book “A Little Short of Boats: The Fights at Ball’s Bluff and Edward’s Ferry;” Stevan F. Meserve, author of the book “The Civil War in Loudoun County, Virginia;” Robert Greenwalt, historical novelist and author of “1861: A Time for Glory;” and George Tabb, manager of the Ball’s Bluff Regional Park. Also on hand will be Ken Fleming, whose collection of items from the battle are among those on display in a Morven Park exhibit through Oct. 30. Guests are encouraged to arrive early for a private tour of the exhibit before the panel discussion begins. Both are located in the Gov. Davis mansion at Morven Park, 17263 Southern Planter Lane, Leesburg.