Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1861-08-02

road, but mostly through The lots on either
side. Army wagons, suffers teams and
private carriages, choked the passage. tumb.
ling against each other, amid clouds Of dust,
and sckening sights and sounds. Hacks,
containing unlucky spectators Of the late
affiay, were smashed like glass, and the oc.
cupants were lost sight of in the debris.-i
Horses flying wildly from the battle field,
many of them in death agony, galloped at
random forward, joining in the stampede.
Those on foot who could catch them rode
them bareback, as much to save themselves
from being run over, as to make quicker time.
Wounded men, lying along the banks-the
few either left on the field nor taken TO the
captured hospitals, appealed with raised
hands to those who rode horses, begging to
be lifted behind, but few regarded such pc
titons. r
Then the artillery, such as was saved,
came laundering along, smashing and over
powering everything. The regular cavalry,
l record it to their shame, joined in the
melee, adding to its tenors, for they rode
down the footmeu without mercy. One of
the great guns was overturned and lay amid
the ruins of a casson, as passed it. saw
an artillery-man running between the pom
derous fore and after wheels Of his gun car
riage, hanging on with both hands, and
vainly striving to jump on the ordnance
Tho drivers we're spurring the horses; he
could not cling much longer, and more
agonized expression never fixed the features
of drowning man. The carriage bound
ed from the roughness of a steep hill lead
ing to creek, he lost his hold, fell, and in
an instant the great wheels had crushed tho
life out of him. Who ever saw such flight
Could the retreat at Borodino have exceeded
it in confusion and tumult9 | think not.
1t did not slack in the least until Centre
vile was reached. There the sight of the
reserve-Mies' gade-formed in order
on the hill, seemed somewhat TO reassure
the van. But still the teams and foot SOL
diers pushed on, passing their own camps
and heading swiftly for the distant Poto-
mac, until for ten miles the road over which
the grand army had so lately passed south
, ward, gay with unstaned banners, and
flushed with surety of strength, was covered
. with the fragments of its retreating forces,
J shattered and panic stricken in single day.
From the branch route, the trains at
tached to Hunters division had caught the
contagion of the fight, and poured into its
: already swollen current another turbid
| freshet Of confusion and dismay. Who
} ever saw a more shameful abandonment o.
munitions gathered at such vast expense
The teamsters, many of them cut the trace:
of their horses and galloped from the wag
5 ons. Others threw out their loads to ac
celerate their flight, and grain, picks ant
shovels, and provisions of every kind lay
} trampled in the dust for leagues. Thous
ands of muskets strewed the route; anc
when some of us succeeded in rallying
body of fugitives and forming them in a
line across tho road hardly one but had
thrown away his musket. If the enemy
had broughtup his artileryand served itupor
our train,or had intercepted ourprogress will
] five hundred of his cavalry, he might have
J captured enough supplies for a weeks feas
! of thanksgiving. AS it was enough wa
+ left behind to tell the story of the panic
Q The route of the Federal army seemed
= complete.
CHECK TO THE RETREAT.
! The sight of Miles reserve, drawn up ol
4 the bills at CentrevilIe, supporting ful
r battery of field pieces and the efforts of
few officers, still faithful to their trust en-
couraged many of the fugitive infantry t
, seek their old camps and go no further
But the majority pushed on to point neal
: the late site of Germantown, where Lieut.
Brisbane had formed line of Hunts ar
tillerists across the road, and repulsed al
who attempted to break through. l par
ticularly request attention to the servic,
thus rendered by this loyal young officer.
While he was thus engaged a courier ar
S rived with the news that Col. Montgomer,
: was advancing with New Jersey brigade
i from Falls Church and that the retroa
S must be stopped, only the wagons being al
. lowed to pass through. Some thousand
d Of the soldiers had already got far on thei
t way to Washington. These were thos
t from whom the details of tho repulse wer
S gathered this morning. Poor fellows, VIII
could blame them? Their own Colonel
0 had deserted them, only leaving orders 70
: them to reach Arlington Heights as soo
= as they could. A few miles further l me
/ Montgomery, swiftly pressing to the rescue
and reported the success of Lieut.. Brisbane
efforts. And so l rode along, as well as m,
t wearied horse could carry me, past group
r Of struggling fugitives, to Fairfax,-wher
Col. Woodbury. was expecting and guarding
" against, flank movement-and on agai
a to the Potomac. But the van of the run
/" away soldiers had made such time that
= found host of them at the Jersey entrench
), ments begging the sentinels to allow ther
J. to cross the bridge. To-day we learn G
G the safe retreat of the main body of th
l. army; that they were feebly followed b
f the rebels as far as Fairfax, but are no,
+ within Arlington lines, and that Ger
It Mcdowell a stunned and yanquished ger
S eral, is overlooking the wreck of his col
p umus from his old quarters at the Custi
mansion.
4 ABSENT SoUTHERNERs ORDERED HoME