The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-07-24

LING Bridge, and if the Con ederatrs ro-day &C
cupy Centrevilie, Vienna ard Far fax Court House
as Is supposed, they will take very large numba
ot prisoners, whom they will at euce set TO worl
On their Notifications, and it will be very difficult
TO near from them again. large number will di
on the battlefield from wounds. aud it il
very questionable il flag OF truce viii be received
t toeF lines for the purpose OF collecting our deaC
and wounded.
. THE ACTUAL HORRORS OF THE WAR AS DESCRIBED BY
AN EYEWITNESS.
10 read Of battle. with its poetry of heroism, il
very fine thing. All men applaud the bold fe
low, and all women throw laures the gallant
soldier tho is ready to throw down his life for bis
cOuntry's fig. Ii one sees it, the thing is far dif.
ferent was at the defeat Of our forces Yesterday
near Centreviile, and as | witnessed the hot shot
ana the terrible she'll tearing through the air; as
saw the horrible grape and shrapnel doing it's too
certain work all around; | saw my friend storm
Ing beroicay masked batteries, which the terrible
Incompetence of their leaders did not allow them to
slence, owing to insufficient reinf0rcements being
sent In proper time; when saw these heroes at 81
month losing heads, legs and arms in thick pro-
FUSION around me, when | witnessed the horrible
rout brought about by mastery flank movement
OF their picked cavalry aud slarp-shonters, and
when saw our artillerymen uuiimber their guns
cut loose the traces OF their horses aud ee leaving
the pieces behind; when | saw, too, our boasted
cavalry flying in toe same mad haste, with regi-
ment after re, iment pushing after them like so
many sheep, throwing for three miles guns bavn-
away-dragoons riding over infantry in the flight
and the ground absolutely covered for three miles
with bodies, then realized as Only those can who
see 1t, the actual horrors of war.
TREY BEGIN To VALUE THE SOUTHERN STRENGTH
1t was perfectly evident to all who could see be-
yond red tape line that Generals Beauregard and
Lee looked upon Manassas as the kew Of Virginia
ana would expend their utmost energies in making
IL lmpreg gnabe. Our would-be wise rulers assumed
that there was no vslor in the Southern forces;
that they had no ammunition, but few riied cannon
and their army but an undjscipiined rabble
Yesterdays facts showed that they were perfect in
every detail and that their entire force fought with
pluck and intense vignr.
NEGLECT
1t is stated that the surgeons of the regiments
engaged in the Bull Ran battle, were not supplied
with the most necessary articles.
Even spoons, cups and cooking kettles were not
to be procured when they were needed.
WHY THE THREE MONTHS MEN WILL NOT RE-ENIIsT
l reached Fairfax Court House about 10 p. NJ,
ano from tnat period until A NJ, asteady stream
poured past, In perfect state of disorder muskets
ana blankets thrown away, and the men completely
broken down in spirits. A large portion, as is well
known, are three months volunteers, and with the
experience gathereI yesterday, of whole regiments
cut up because the officers incompetent, |
should like to know how many of these men will
re-eniist Tor the just at time, too when their
services are especially needed.
From, an Occasional Correspondentl
Further Details of the Great BattIe-Incom-
potency OF the Militia 0Aicers-ExceIlent
discipline of the Southern Troops-Demo-
rniiz: Il Condition of the Federal Army
Disgust of the Regular Officers.
WASHINGTON, July %, 1861.
CLEAN the following particulars from an officer
OF the United States Army who was in the whole
OF the battle on Sunday last, and who assisted in
the retreat of the Federal forces. |
give the account in bis words
ho E-,lf
ments fought brsvely, out were beaten from want
of proper generalship. The soldiers had not thu
slightest confidence in their officers and many of
them left the ranks and fought in their own way
This was particularly the case with the Zouaves
who stood up to the last. They were finally com
pletelF cut to pieces by charge of cavalry and
a flank fire from rifle corps. This nearly exter-
minated ;hem.
The officers in command were utterly incOfape-
tent. The loss was at least doubled bv-heir incapa
city to man9uvre their regiments. Col Cameron
lost his life from this cause. He seemed perfectly
unable 10 protect his men or to get them off the
Held At Centreville the army attempted to
be rallied bv the information that Gen. Mcclellan
had arrived and to take the field But it was
too late. The rOut arrested only for a mo-
ment.
The Southern troops fought desperately and
well. They were in the highest state of discipline
Their firing was as regular in an old trained
dIJ dhu III LDelF D2HOnGL charges not
hinched. saw no conduct at any time in all the
Mexican war that surpassed theirs. Their cavalry
which must bave numbered 1000, did fearful exc
cution after the tight commenced
The Decentralization of our army is complete; and
still it is only what to be expected 1t is per-
iectly impossible to hope to gain victory gn
army so thoroughly organized and so excellently
disciplined rs the Southern evidently is Men can
not he disciplined, to attack them with success, for
six months. The officers of the regular army are
dissatisfied and disguised. They are mortified and
ashamed at the egregious Ignorance and blunders
OF thelF commanders, and are perfectly indifferent
whether the army is disbauded or not.
Il is nov acknowledged that the advance has
beea Bia4se * stuat the adv ice of General Scott
The Administration forced to it from the ont
side pressure of the Northern politicians who de-
clared tnat the North could not stand the terrible
depression OF business for ninety days longer, and
the advance therefore must be a speedy ONE
Gen. Scotrs opinion was that the war might be
considered speedy one ii it could be terminated
by the month of May next.
The account of the inhumanity practised by the
Southern troops is, believe, incorrect. | saw and
heard of but one Instance One of the Massachu-
setts men was bayonetted after he was shot The
Southerners, however, be it said, particular
ly indignant against this regiment for the outrapes
ii had committed on private property and persons
The defeuces of the Confederates were evidently
arranged with the greatest military skill. As one
series OF batteries We're evacuated and entered by
our troops, they were suddenly opened upon by
deadly fires from other batteries. Each advance
only seemed to be another step to destructnn Re-
treats made evidently for the purpose OF en-
trapping us, and positions which were apparently
abandoned from inability to hold them, were on|y
given up to ensnare our troops. In my opinion the
defeat is of such nature that if not absolutely ir
reparsble vii! be found difficult to FROM
Our loss in killed alone must have been 6 900 to
s 900 and it is impossible to estimate the number
wounded and taken prisoners.
1T was the best organized and best appointed ar
my We have ever brought into the field Its c0ur-
age was sustained by its enthusiasm, and the men
almost without an exception marched to battle
with an slacrity and confidence | have never seen
surpassed. They returned from it utterly broken
down and dispirted and question whether doz-
en- companies could be selected from all the regi
ments the Potomac who would face
those terrible batteries with the same reckless ar
dor that distinguished those that badly cut
to pieces in the two recent attempts to storm the
enemy's position.
Extract of Letter Received i'm this City
from Manassas junction, July 10.
A letter received by private hand from Sir. j.
w Parsons, of the Washington Artillery, dated
Manassas Junction, July TO- states that their arma
ment consists of four rihed cannon, four II pound
howizers and six G-pound guns. The last named
are part of Ringgold's celebrated battery, and
have his initials stamped upon them. Major J. b.
Walton is in command.
The writer further says: awe have plenty of
men at the right place. Movements take place
very often which seem to indicate retreat; but
the Federas wi learn to their cost that the word
"retreat" is not in jeff. Davis vocabulary. What
may seem sudden retreat will only prove their
defeat and ruin in certain localities | could men
ton"
This is the battery which did such splendid SER
vice on Sunday last. The fapidity of their evolu-
tions aud the handling of their guns particularly
attracted the attention of the officers of the Federal
army. The. military discipline exhibited by them
is beyond praise-EDs.
From the Washington Star Of yesterday
ABOUT THE BATTLE.
Details and Incidents.
The New York Fire Zjuaves certainly perform
ed prodigies of vslor and hard service during the
engagements. Their cha yes were never surpass-
ed by those of either of Napoleon's most renowned
corps. They well nigh annhilaed two OF the
enemy's best corps, one Of them being the corps
known McCullough's Texas men. They made
tremendous havoc also with the best corps of the
enemys cavalry, waiting to receive its charge un.
til their sabres were ready to descend in an instant,
and then firing deliberate volley, that changed
the charge into complete rout, emptying sad
dies by the hundred.
The best brigade, perhaps, of Gen. McDowelI's
army not called into the engagement-did not
fire gun. We refer to Gen. B.enksr's brigade,
the German Turner's, GarbaIdians, and two other
frst-class regiments. They were held back
reserve on Tue ueiu pE "eh McDoWeii, anu the I'M
portant duty of bringing up the rear on the re-
treat, assigned to them by Gen. Med.
The momentary arrival in Washington of squads,
companies and battalions Of our retreating men,
throughout yesterday and last evening, kept the
excitement upon Pennsy ylvania avenue up to the
highest conceivable pitch until midnight, nntwith
standing the prevalence of the disagreeabe rain
storm. General Mansfield caused the many bui d
ings over the city in which arriving regiments had
been previously quartered temporarily, to be
opened for their accommodation, and provisions to