The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1861-08-29
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
THrRSD4E. AEGrST %.

two last arrivals. chroniclius the defeat Of the
Federal forces in the battle of Balls Run, i the
first important turning Of the tide Of affairs in
favor Of the Southern Rebellion. Il was more
than a simple d.tsof or retreat it was the
g Generalization" OF breaking W Of that mill
tarv order and system. which should De- observed
even in a retreat. \ weil-reEulIt,I and orderly
retreat has often proved equal 10 "a victory. by
placing the retreating army IN 81 position 70
improve any opportunity Offering This unfor-
nate reverse. while il will stimulate the United
States Government and the entire North TO
renewed exertions. and create the largest army
that ever existed on tine American Continent,
will have Il similar effect throughout the South.
IL will have the same effect IN stirring up the
public enthusiasm there that the fall Of Fort
Sumpter had in the North. This. then, will be
the result, that both the North and the South
viii redoublc their military cffprts-the former
to crush the rebellion, and tie latter 10 render
1t permanent
ON our last Iage, we publish a full and inter
esting account Of this battle. 1t may appear
strange that the Rebel forces did not take advan-
tage of the disorderly retreat Of the Federal
army, and follow it up. But it must be reInem-
bered that the Rebels had been Tetre,lting for
some two miles, until they We're reinforced by
5000 troops or more under General johnson,
which turned the scale. Besides this, the
strength OF the Rebels lay in their entrench-
ments and Notifications 30 long as they re-
manned by them, they were strong. but SO soon
as they left them to pursue even u retreatlng
enemy, they relinquished what they probably
relied on as their main support and strength,
which consisted Of entrenched batteries. Still
they might have followed NJ the advantage had
they been fully acquainted with tine state Of
things. There appears 10 have been some blum
dering on both sides, but this should not be
wondered ut, when both armies and their officers
consisted chiefly of new recruits
The position which has been chosen by the
Rebel forces is one Of great natural strength,
and as it is likely to be the seat of more fighting,
and perhaps of some hard battles, we copy the
following account Of it from the New Orleans
Picdy1me-
MANASSAS JuxcIIoS.-This place still continues
the headquarters of the army Of the Potomac. There
are many indications Of an intended forward move
ment, the better To invite the enemy 10 an engage
ment, but the work Of fortiicaiion still continues.
By nature, the position il one OF the strongest
that could have been found in the whole State. About
half way between the eastern spur OF the Blue Ridge
and the Potomac. below Alexandria, IL ~sOmmands
the whole country between 80 perfectly ina iheIe Is
scarcely a possibility Of its being turned. The right
wing stretches of toward the headwaters Of the
OccOquan, through a wooded country, which ~
easily made impossible by the telling Of trees. The
left is Il rolling table of land, easily commanded from
the successive elevations, till you reach a country so
rugged and rough that it is a defense to itself.
The key to the whole position Is precisely that
point which Gen. Beauregard chose for his center,
and which he has fortified 50 strongly that, in the
opinion Of military men, 5000 men could there hold
10000 1T bay. The position, III fact, Is fortified, in
part. by Nature herself. IL il 4 succession OF hills.
nearly equidisiant from each other, ia front Of which
is a ravine go deep and so tnickly wooded that it is
impossible except at two points, and those through
gCrges which fifty men can defend against Il whole
army. II was At one Of these points th1t the Wash
ington Artillery were 1t first encamPed, and though
only half the battalion was then there, and We had
only one company Of infantry TO support u, We slept
rs sOundly under the protection Of our guns "a If We
had been in n fort of the anpiest dimensions. OF the
fOrtIdcatiOns superadded here by Gen. Beauregard
to those Of nature, it is Of course not proper for me
20 speak. The general reader. in fact, will have
n sufficiently precise ltea OF them by cOncciEing L
line Of forts some two miles in extent, zig-zig IN form.
with angles, salieuts, blstiOus, classmates, and every
thing that properly belongs 10 works Of this kind.
The strength and advantages of this position at Ma
nassas are very much increased by the fact that Ii
miles further on Is a position OF similar formation,
while the country between Is admirably adapted TO
the subsistence and entTenchment Of troops Ia num-
bers as large a. they can be easily maueuyered on
the real battle field. Water Is good and abundant;
forage such as IS everywhere found IN the rich farm
ing districts of Virginia. and the communications
with all parts Of the country easy.
Here overlooking an extensive plain, waterei by
mountain streams which ultimately find their way TO
the Potomac, and divided into veTdant fields Of wheat
and oats und corn, pasture and meadow, are the head
quarters of the advanced forces OF the army OF the
Potomac. They are South CarOlinians, LOusianians,
A~labamians, Mississippians and NirgInlans, for the
most part; the first two, singular enough, being III
front, and they will keep it, their friends At home
may res; assured. Never have | seen a finer body Of
~. uar r1prp ph4lIpur Il nT-cIplIa q
breathed a more self sacrificing patriotism. As
might be expected from the skill with which he has
chosen his position and the system with which he
encamps and moves his men, Gen. Beluregnrd Is
very popular here. | doubt if Napoleon himself had
more the undivided confidence OF his army. BY IA
ture, as also from a wise policy, lac Il very reticent.
Not an individual here knows his plans or a single
move Of q regiment before II Is made, and then only
the colonel ard his men know where it goes to. There
Is not n man here who can give anything like a sat
isfactory answer how many men he has, or where his
exact lines are. For the distance Of IA miles around
yOu see tents everywhere, and from them you can
make a rough estimate OF his men, but how many
more are encamped ON the by-rUads and in the for
esis none can tell. The new conner, from what he
sees at a first glance, puts down the number At about
$4,000 men; those who have there been the longest es-
timare his force 1t 10000, 10000. and some even Co.
900 strong. And there l. the same discrepancy rs to
the quantity Of his artillery. so close does the Cen
eral keep his affairs to himself, his left hand hardly
knows what his right hand doeih. and - Jealous Is
he Of this preTogative Of \ commanding officer, that
| verify believe that if be suspected his coat Of ac-
quaintance with the plans resolving within him, he
would cast II from him.
Regarding the relative strength Of the con-
tending armies, it IS difficult to get ut the exact
truth. particularly of the Rebel forces. The
Secretary of War reports to Congress that there
were in the service Of the United States in July.
after deducting the 10000 volunteers whose
term of service had expired, 100000 men.
then, was the highest number engaged.
these soldiers were stationed 1T Fortress
Monroe. o.. OOO.D IT Alexandria and around it,
as .OOO) around Washington come 10000 or