Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-08-23


evidence of one sense that great contest
was being played out below in bloodshed,
or imagine, as Mr.. Seward sometimes does,
that it was n deluson when he wakes i'll
the morning and finds there is civil war
upon the land. But the cannon spoke out
loudly from the green bushes, and the
plains were mottlcd, so to speak, with
putfS of smoke, AMI by white rings from
bursting shells and capricious howiizerS.
1t was no review that was going on be-
meath US. The shells gave proof enough
of that though the rush of the shot cnnld
not be heard Mt the distance. Clouds of
dust came up through the tree-tops where
infantry were acting, and now and then
their wavering mists Of light blue smoke
curled up, and the splutter of musketry
broke through the booming guns. With
the glass | could discover now and then
the fash of arms through the dust clouds,
but no one could tell to which side the
troops who were moving belonged, and |
could only judge from the smoke whether
the guns were fired towards or away from
the hill. 1t was evident that the dust in
the distance on our righ: extended beyond
that which rose from the Nationals. The
view towards the left was as have said
interrupted, but the firing was rather more
flank, and q glade was pointed ont in the
forest as the beginning of Bnll or Poole
Run, on the other side of which the Con-
federutcs were hid in force, though they
had not made any specific reply to the
shells thrown into their cover early in the
morning. There seemed to he a continu-
Gus line. which was held by the enemy,
from which came steady, solid firing
against what might be supposed to be
heads of columns stationed Mt various
points or advancing against them. 1t was
necessary to feed the horses and give them
some rest after hot drive Of scme twenty
six or twentyseven miles, or | would have
proceeded at once to the front As was
watching the faces of the Senators aud
Congressman, l thought | had heard or
read of such scene as thiS.-hut there
was much more to come The soldiers
who followed each shot with remarks i'll
English or German were not as enger as
men generally are in watching fight
Once, as Il cloud Of thick smoke Asc"Hded
from the trees, n man shouted out, ''Thats
goUd-we've taken another battery there
goes the magazine" But it looked like,
and l believe was, the explosion of Il cais-
son. In the midst OF our little reconnoiS-
sance, Mr.. ViZctelly, who has been living
and, indeed, marching with one OF the
regiments as artist of the Illustrated Lon
don Ne'cs, came up and told us the action
had been commenced in splendid style by
the Federalists, who had advanced stcadi-
Ey, driving the Confcderates before them
part of the plan, as | firmly believe,
to bring them under the range of their
guns. lie believed the advantages on the
Eederalist side were decided, though won
with hard fighting, and he had just come
up to Ccntrevlle TO look after something
to eat and drink, and to procure little nee
essarieS in case of need, for his comrades,
HIS walk very probably saved his life
Having seen all that could be disccrnrd
through Our glasses, my friend and myself
had made feast on our sandwiches in tie
shade of the buggy; my horse was eating
and resting, and was forced to give MN
halfau hour or more before mounted and
meantime tried to make out the plan OF
battle, but all was obscure and dark. Sud-
denly up rode All officer, with a crowd OF
soldiers after him, from the village. -
'We've whipped them on all points y he
shouted. "We'yc taken their batteries, and
they're all retreatingr' Such an uproar
as followed. The spectators and the men
checred again and again, and cries OF
"Bravo I" "Bully for us |" Didn't tell you
Deutschland folk, and loud .'horroos' from
the Irish Soon afterwards, my horse was
brought up TO the hill, and my friend and
the gentleman l have already mentioned
set out to walk towards the front-the lat
ter to rtjoin his regiment il possible, the
former to get closer view OF the proceed
ings. As | turned down into the narrow
road, or lane, already mentioned, there was
Il forward movement among the large four
wheeled tilt wagons, which raised good
deal of dust. My attention was particular
ly called to this by the occurrence Of IL few
minutes afterwards. bad met my friends
on the road, and after q few words, rode
forward at Il long trot as we'll as could
past the wagons and through the dust,
when suddenly there arose II tumGlt in
front of me at a small bridge across
the road. and Immediately | perceived the
drivers ola set of wagons, with the horses
turned towards me, who were endeAyorlng
to force their way against the stream OF
vehicles setting in the other direction
By the side of the new set OF wagons there
were n number of cOmmssariat men aud
soldiers, whom Mt first sight took to be
the baggage guard They looked excited
aud alarmed, and were rEnning by the
side of the horscs-in front the dust quite
obscured the view. AT the bridge the
currents met in wild disorder. "Furn
backl Retreat !" shouted the men from
the front, "We're whipped! we're whipped"
They cursed and tugged at the horses
heads, and struggled with frenzy to get
past. Running by me on loot WAS man
with the shoulder straps of an officer
"Pray what is the matter, Sir?' sit means
were pretty badly whipped, and that's
fact" he blurted out in puffs. and con-
tinued his career. I observed that he
carried no sword The teamsters of the
advancing wagons now caught up the cry.
"Turn back-turn your horses" was the
shout up the whole line, and, backing,
pluuging, rearing and kicking, the horses
which had been proceeding down the road
reversed front and went off towards Centre
Vile Those behind them went madly
rushing on, the drivers being quite indif-