Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1861-08-02
THE GREAT MANASSAS BATTLE.
INTERESTING DETAILS.
From the N. Y. world)


(From the N. Y. world)
1t was noon, and now the battle com
menced in the ferceness of its most extend
ed fury. The batteries on the distant hill
began to play on our own, and upon our ad-
vancinp troops, with hot and thunderous
effect. Carlisle answered for us, and Sber-
man for Hunters Division, while the great
32 FOUNDER addressed itself resistlessly to
the alternate defences of the foe. The
noise of the cannonading was deafenipg and
continuous. Conversely to the circumstances
of the former engagement, it completely
drowned, at this period, the volleys of the
musketry and riflemau. 1t blanched the
checks of the villagers at Centrevile, to the
main street of which place some of the
enemy's riAed she'll were thrown 1t was
heard at Fairfax, at Alexandria, at Wash
iugton itself. Five or six heavy batterie.
were in operation at once, and to thei
clamor was added the lesser roll Of twenty
thousand small arms. What could we civ
ilians see of the fight at this time? Little
yet perhaps moro than any who were en-
gagged in it. How anxiousy we strained
our eyes to catch the various movements
thoughtless of everything but the spectacle
and the successes or reverses of the Federal
army. Our infantry were engaged in woods
aud medows beyond our view. We knew
not the nature or position of the force they
were fighting But now and then there
would be a fierce rush into the open pros
pect, gallant charge on one side and re-
treat on the other, and we saw plainly that
our columns we're gaining ground, and
steadily pursuing their advantage by their
gradual movement which continued toward
the distance and the enemy's center.
We indeed heard continuous tidings o
heroism and victory; and those in the tree
above US told us of moro than we could dis
cover with our field glasses from below
We heard that Hunter had fairly rounded
the enemy's flank, and then we listened 70
ourselves to the sound of his charges in tn
northern woods, and saw for ourselves tn
air gathering up smoke from the branches
and the wavering column Of the Mississip
plans as they fed from their first battery
and were forced into the open field Thel
we saw our own Sixty-ninth and Seventy
ninth corps, animated by chivalrous nation
al rivalry, press on to the support of The
more distant column. We could catct
glimpses of the continual advances and re
treats; could hear occasionally the guns o
a battery before undiscovered; could CUES
how terribly all this accumulation of deatI
upon death must tell upon those undaunteC
men, but could also see-aud our cheers
continually followed the knowledge-tha
our forces were gradually driving the righ
of the enemy around the second quarter O
circle, until by 10 o'clock the main bat
tie was raging at point directly opposit
our standing place-the road at the edg
of the woods-where it had commenced
six hours before.
There was hill at the distance of a mil,
and a half to which have hitherto allud
ed. From its height, overlooking the whole
plain, few shell had reached US early il
the day, and as it was nearer the Mannassa,
road than almost any other portion of the
field, more reinforcements gathered about
its ridge than to the aid of the beaten reb
els in the woods and valleys. Hero there
was an open battery, and long lines of In
fantry in support, ready for wonder, to lie
our wearied fellows see the fresh forces the,
had to conquer.
AS the Sixty-ninth and the Seventy
ninth wound round the meadows to tn
north of this hill, and began to cross th
road apparently with the intention of sea-
ing it, we saw column coming down fror
the furthest perspective, and for a momen
believed it to be portion Of Hunters Di
vision, and that it had succeed in complete
ly turning the enemy's rear. A wild shou
rose from us all. But soon the lookout
saw that its ensigns bore secession banners
and we knew that johnson, or some othe
rebel general, was leading horde of fresl
troops against our united right and cen
tire. 1t was time for more regiments to b
sent forward and Keyes was ordered to ad
vance with the first Tyler Brigade. Th
three Connecticut regiments and the Fourt
Maine came on with will; the First Con
necticut was posted in the reserve, and th
otheritbree corps swept up the field, by th
ford on the right, to aid the struggling aC
vance.
All eyes were now directed to the distan
hill top, now the centre of the fight. A
could see the enemy's infantry rangin
darkly against the sky beyond, and the fir;
lines of our men moving with fine determ
nation up the steep slope. The cannon
aiding on our Advance, the struggle upo
the hill top, the interchange of position b,
tween the contestants, were watched
us, and as new forces rushed in upon tn
enemy's side the scene was repeated oyC
and over again. 1t must have been here,
think, that the Sixty-ninth took and lost
battery eight times in succession, and fina
were compelled, totally exhausted, to resig
the completion of their work to the Coz
neticut regiments which had just come u
The Third Connecticut finally carried thI
summit, uufurled the stars and stripes abo'
it, and paused from the fight to cheer fl
the Union cause.
Then the battle began to work down Il
returning half Of the circle, which the arm
described during the day, driven before Il
desperate charges Of our troops, until the
reached the very point where TylePs az
vance commenced the action. Down ii