This was one of the bloodiest battles of the war, clear infantry contest , a fair stand-up fight face to face, both sides sufficiently firm to keep each other from gaining ground or position. By order of Gen. King we retreated to Manassas Junction, leaving our dead unburied, and the wounded and hospital attendants to fall into the hands of the enemy. The Second Wisconsin Regiment suffered a loss of eighty five killed , two hundred and twenty-seven wounded and missing. One hundred and sixty-two were wounded and four hundred and forty-nine engaged.
Among the killed were Col.. Edgar O’Connor and Capt. Randolph of H Co. Col. O’Connor’s loss fell upon the Second with deep sorrow, for his boys had learned to love him. No sooner was the regiment brought into action then he placed himself to the rear of his colors. There he sat on his horse, cool and collected, the personification to the Napoleonic idea of a soldier. He kept his horse until wounded a second time, carried from the field, and died soon after. Maj. Allen was wounded , but did not go off duty, but stood by Gen. Fairchild, who had assumed Command. The Seventh Regiment having suffered severely, was consolidated with for the time being, the whole under command of Col.Fairchild.