Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1861-07-27

" "T'f Va AO0thet Huo cif~u w" hdWes VI Tue |
New York Second k"ird aud wounded
iiete we found n prisUutt, just brought 10,
who gave bw name es j. z. Pryor; and on
questioning him closely we sound he was q
first cousin OF Congressman Pryor, OF the
Potter duel notortefy He vas Brigade
Quartermaster OF the Mississippi, forces under
General Johnstop-was for five years editor
Of the Eagle, Published at Memphis, Tenn,
aud 10 the last campaign was the leader Of
the Douglas forces at V!cksborg, Mississippi,
where be edited the Vicksburg Sentinel.
He said their loss was heavy; that our
artillery outnumbered theirs. and .did great
execution wherever be had a sweep al them.
The first question he asked was, "how
about the uesroes-have you many of .hem
in armsf" "None at ALL" we told him
Eyes, you have" be answered. "I have seen
q good many, aud there is one now, with q
musket." We informed him that they were
servants, merely; be said that they bave
large numbers Of negroes in fine fighting |
order. He kept his hat down over his eyes,
and seemed very much downcast. he said
they had about $4,000 men, and though
whipped then, could never be conquered. Hs
bad no arms, not even sword bis pants
were miserable cotton stuff. with gol6 stripe
down the sides. and bis hat was X ossutb,
and fastened up at the sides with o button,
on which we're arms of the State Of Mssis
sippi.
A Georgian, who was taken, says their
loss was heavy at the Bulls Run fight, and
they would have retreated if we had charged
bayonets on the battery.
A Loulsianian, who was caught hiding 10 a
barn, states that he wes from Texas, and
drove cattle TO New Orleans, and one night
getting drunk, was arrested and forced to
join the Rebel army the next day, with
large number of others, who were in the same
predcameut; aud that O number in bis Revi.
ment would desert on the first chance
Another prisoner was "brickloyer," and had
to enlist or starve. "as there was no work
and he must live somehow"
About 2. NJ. report few from man to
man that General Cameron's brother, Colonel
of the Seventy'niDth, was shot through the
breast BY cannon ball. and instantly killed
Lieut.. Col. Elliott, of the Seventy y'ninth,
rode towards bis regiment having been after
reinforcements, when q ball cut his horses
head off, aud threw him down, bruising him
so that he could barely escape. All the
stragglers now commenced to run towards
CentreVllle, and the calssons, ambulances,
aud suffers wagons were ordered to BIZ taken
back at once towards CeutrevilIe.
The batteries were ordered around to cover
our retreat and keep the Rebels from cutting
, US of from Centreville, which was about three
miles ln our rear, and where we had about
four or five thousand of reserve force The
batteries wheeled off and took up the road
and were retreating in good order, when
about bali mile out, one Of the gun cdrria
2 ges was upset.
5 a portion Of Sherman's and Cariislet
: were left in the roadside, the gnnuers cutting
the traces and running their horses. Thi
mn nj in &c, H.,
broke ranks Unfortunately aud commeuceI
10 tuu huapsacAs. h.------~ne, e"..-. -, rid ~
s boxes, hats, coats and everything, bein,
D thrown in all directions. The men wer
u parched for water aud were falling in every 81
]. rec,ion. Officers we're equally pauic.stricke
,. with the privates, and in vain we eudeavore
to stop the retreat.
}. Charles Ogden, George r. Smith, She.
l. Harper. Russell Errett, of Pi:tsburg, uu
= pleaded with tears for them t. 90 back an
n get Col. Camerons body. We took musks,
y and threatened to shoot them down if the
did not; but We might as well have plea
= with the winds to cease blowing. The cloud
. OF dust were now perfectly suifocating.
- Give me water or III sink" was hear
, from oil sides; not drop was TO he haI Il
to drink the wells were oil drained, aud tn
> clouds of dust filled the dir at every point
We got ln the rear of negro hut, aud ther
!, secured water thick with filth bnt it was th
u best to be had number of buildings wer
+ used for hospitals, and on every side erie
: were made for surgeons
= The firing of the enemy was kept up o
our rear with artillery, and their cavalry rod
, through and through. cutting and slashin
= with perfect fendishness. We heard Of nun
u oers of the most infamous and damn,ug &C,
y ever committed by savage tribes
d Our wounded and dead are nearly all O
the battle field in the hands of the enemy
J such as could crawl or walk were irving I
get away, and such pitiable spectacles wer
seen as made our heart sick but we coul
', not help them; the few ambuances wei
y started oh early With the wonnded and upv,
returned. We saw a number living on th
u roadside, with medicine chests. aud bano e
70 The immense baggage train, consisting of son
;, SIX hundred or Il Thousand wagons, lined Il
II road for mile and and half on the Warenio
a road towards Bulls Run, two miles back
u Cenrevilie. When tho panic started Il
= :, wagons tried to fall back on Cenreye, but
a. number were upset and broken down; Il
drivers would Immediately leave them al
70 escape on the horses Others would throw o.
~ their lead of provisions and stores and fill ,
le with soldiers and muskets; the body of the Ia
-
j. 1t Is utterly impossible to ascertain the number
y lost, either prisoners, killed or wounded.
10 Col Miles was sen. with dispatches fro
Geo. Scott while be was lyiug'in Crurrev,ll
le in the hottest of the fight, for Gen. McDowel
10 which be had orders to deliver immediately.
n lie at once, withou. any attembt to do o
10 said II General Scott wanted his head blow
of, let him take them himself; be would u,
0. do so, and so they never went
= We left Centrevie with the cheering nev
= that General Mansfield, with artillery and a
- immense force was coming up to turn the Re e
back. About a mile east of Centreville we m
the First New Jersey, with the Colonel rldir
=. at their head and hls staff pleading for the me
" to return; his drummer corps were payin
u Yankee Doodle" and their colors were flyinf
y the men kept cheering all the time. and ureir
" one another to return; they were nearly wor
out with their forced march from Vienna. The
y were followed by the New Jersey Third.
10 They inspired courage into the ereating SC
IS diers. but many fell exhausted by the ysid
considering it safe 10 remain a few mluut
D, longer to rest. Large numbers Of the men le
le into their old camp grounds, and the baggsl
W wagons drove into the fields all along the road
hnt ,f,I -. ,I,