Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-08-16

brigade OF lylcrs division was on the LETT, attack
ing the batteries near the stone bridge. The
Rhode Island battery Of Bmmsidcs brigade also
participated in this attack 10y its fire from the
north of the turnpike. The enemy was under
stood To have been commanded by ~ +. john
ston. Ricketts, battery, which did such elective
service and played brilliant part IN this con
test was, together with Giiilin's battery, ON the
side oi the hill and became the object of the spec
ial attention Of the enemy, who succccded-our
officers mistaking one of his regiments for one Of
our own, allowing 1t to approach without firing
upon it-iu disabling the battery and then at
tempted 10 take il. Three times was he ropulsed
by different corps in succession aud driven back,
aud the guns taken by hand the horses being KILL
eel, and pulled away The third time IL was sup
posed 10y MS all that the rcpulse was final, for he
driven entirely frumthc hill and So far bcy ond
it as not 10 be ia sight and all were certain that
the day was ours. lie had before this been driv-
en- q mile and a half, and was beyond the War
rcntown road, which was entirely in our posses
sion from the stone bridge westward, and our en-
ginccrs were Just completing the removal OF the
ahatis across the road tu allow our reinforcement
(schenks brigade aud Ayers battery TO join us.
The enemy was evidently dishearicncd and bro
ken. But we had been lighting since hali-past ten
O'Clock in the morning, and it was after three
O'Clock in the afternoon. The men had been up
since two o'clock in the morning, aud had made
what 20 those unused to such things seemed long
udlih Dtloft coming mo MtlOnf though tllt long
est distance gone over not more than nine
and half miles aud though they had three days
provisions served out 60 them the day before,
many no doubt did not eat them, threw them
away ON the march or during the battle, and wcrc
therefore without food They had done much
we're fighting. Some of the regiments which had
been driven from the hill in the first two attempts
OF the enemy to keep possession OF H. had become
shaken, were unsteady, aud bad many men out Of
the ranks.
Il was at this time that the cncmys reinforce
mcnts came to his aid from the railroad train. I'M
dcrstoud 10 have just arrived from the valley with
tlcrcsiduc of Johu,ton's army. They threw them
selves in the woods on our right, aud toward the
rear of our right, and opened fire oi muskctry ON
our men, which caused them to break and retire
down the hillside. This soon degcncratcd into
disorder. for which there was no remedy. Every
effort was made to rally them, even beyond the
reach Of the cnemys fire but in vain. The. battal-
ion of regular infantry alone moved up the hill
opposite Ia the one with the house on il, and there
itself until our men could get down to
aud across the Narrcnton turnpike, on the way
back to the position we occupied in the morning
The plain was covered with the rircatng troops
and they seemed to infect those with whom they
caiuc in contact. The retreat soon became rout,
aud this degeucratcd still further into panic
Finding this state Of affairs was beyond the cf-
forts ot all those who had assisted faithfully du-
Ali- AhN rug anu hlih ihiN 8 NOlk III gaming III
most the object OF our wishes, and that nothing
manned on the field but Ia recognize what we could
no longer prevent, | gave the necessary orders TO
protect their withdrawal, begging the men Co form
m line, and offer the appearance at least OF organ
ihatou Ihcy returned 10y the iords To the War
rcnion road, protected, 10y my order. 10y Colonel
Porter force of regulars. Once ON the road and
Nc different corps coming together in small par
ties. many without officers they became ntcrniin-
trcd and all organization was lost
Orders had been sent back 10 Mes's division for
a brigade to move forward and protect this retreat
and Colonel Blcnkcr's brigade was detached for
this purpose, and ordered to 20 as far forward
as the point whore the road to the right left the
main road
by referring to the general order it will be seen
that, while the operations were TO 20 ON in front,
an attack to be made at Backbum's Ford by
the brigade (ltichardsons) stationed there. a ref
crrnce to his report. and to that of Major Hunt,
commanding the artillery, will show that this part
of the plan was well and effectively carried out.
II succeeded in deccivng the enemy for a consid-
cradle time, and in keeping in check part of his
force. The fire Of the artillery at this point is
as particularly destructive
Al the time OF our retreat seeing great activity
in this direction, much firing, and columns of dust
| became anxious for this place tearing If it were
turned or forced the whole stream OF our retreat
ing mass would he captured or destroyed. After
loI tnt OF Aiit ItAital 10y
ter's and Blcnkcr's brigades, found the whole
force ordered to be stationed for the holding of the
road from Manassas by Blackburn ford to Centre
Vile, ON the march, under the orders from the Di-
vision Commander for Centrcyillc. Immediately
halted it, and ordered it 10 take up the best line of
defense the ridge that their position admit
ted of, and subsequently taking IN person the
mand OF this part OF the army caused such dispo-
siton of the forces which had been added to by
First and Second New Jersey and the Dchalh reg
mcnts, ordered up from liunyon's reserve, before
going forward, as would best serve TO check the
enemy The ridge being held in this way, the rec
treating current passed slowly through CcntrcYillc
TO the rear. The enemy followed as from the ford
as far as Cab run, aud owing TO the road becoming
blocked up at the crossing, caused as much dau-
age there for the artillery could not pass and sew
cral pieces aud caissons had TO be abandoned In
the panic the horses hauling the cassons and ann
unitlOn were cut from their places hy persons to
escape with, and in this way much confusion was
caused, the panic aggravated and the road cncltm-
bercd Not only were pieces OF artillery lost, but
also many OF the ambulancrs carrying the wounded.
By shutdown most OF orr men had gotten behind
Ccntreylllc ridge, aud it became question whcth-
or WE should or not cndcavor 10 make stand
there. The condition of our artillery and its ann
muntiou, and the want of food for the men, who
had generally abandoned thrown away all that
had been issued the day before and the utter dis
organization and consequent decentralization of
the mass of the army, seemed to all who were near
enough to be consultcd-diyison and brigade
commanders and stail--to admit of no alternative
hut To fall back the more the position at
Blackburns ford was then in possession of the
enemy and lac was already turning our left. On
sending the officers of the staff to the different
camps, they found, they reported 10 me, that
our decision had been anticipated by the troops,
most OF those who had come in from the front be-
ing already on the road 10 the rear the panic
with which they came in still continuing and hur-
rying them along
At - o'clock, the rear guard (Blcnkcrs brig
moved, covering the retreat, which was effected
during the night and next morning. The troops
at Fairfax station leaving by the cars. took with
them the bulk of the supplies which had been sent
there. My aide-de-camp, Major Wadswouh,
stayed at Fairfax Court House till late in the
morning to see that the stragglers and weary aud
worn out soldiers were notlri behind.
| transmit herewith the reports of the several
division and brigade commanders, 10 which / ~
fer for the conduct of particular regiments and
corps, and a consolidated return OF the killed,
wounded and missing, From the latter il will be
seen that our killed amounted to nineteen officers
and four hundred and sixty non-commissioned
officers and priyatcs, aud our wounded 90 sixty
four officers and nine hundred aud lorty-scyen
non-commissioncd officers and priyatcs Many of
the wounded will soon be able TO Join the ranks.
and will leave our total killed and disabled from
further service under one thousand The return
OF the missing is very inaccurate, the men supposed