The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1861-08-29
The Battle Of. Bull, Rum,
July 2I-r. 1861.

JHIv 2I-I- 1861.
The following account OF the Battle of Bulls
Run, an which the Federal forces were routed. i
the only suecinct account which has come 10
hand. 1t is from the san Francisco BlaZetIn Of
Aug. 10, and was written by its editor, Mr.. 81
monitor, who was an eye witness Of it.
wAsHryeIoy, July p. 1851.
The telegraphIc wires during the last day or
two have carried out to you news Of saddeninr
import, embracing full accounts, | doubt not. Of
the great battle Of Bulls Run, bet ween the FEEDER
al forces and the rebels. IL would b. criminal To
deny that the result of that engagement has filled
all patriotic breasts here with deep distress and
the greatest modification. But it has neither
disheaTtened nor discouraged the friends of the
Union, nor impaired in the least the general con-
fdence in the ability of the Government To main
tain itself and to suppress the wicked rebellion
with which IL has 20 contend. All eye witnesses
concur in the opinion that our troops fought like
veterans. and with rare exceptions covered them
selves with glory The enemy had the advantage
of position, knowing the country well, fighting
behind their entertainments and masked batteries.
They were able, also, to bring their entire force
OF some 10000 men III action, by bringing for
ward fresh troops constantly to relieve those who
had become fatigued. On the Federal side not
more than $1,000 were engaged nevertheless,
they advanced steadily upon the rebels, forcing
them To retire slowly, and taking several of their
masked batteries For several hours they fought
WIN ucstfIdpc COiId1ts outstanding the lis-
heartening fact that the enemy was being con-
stantly reinforced by fresh troops, while from the
nature of the country it was impossible to bring
up to advantage any considerable additional num-
Der of the Union forces.
THE PANIC.
But at about 2 O'Clock on Sunday afternoon.
our hitherto victorious army were thrown into Il
panic, such rs seized upon the French at Solferi-
no, and has been known frequently before this to
seize upon veteran troops, for little or no cause.
No official explanation of the beginning Of this
panic has yet been given, but intelligent civilians
who were upon the field account for il thus Our
troops had beaten the enemy in every open en-
counter had never failed in a charge when thew
attempted II, had silenced and captured three
batteries, had successfully resisted every charge
OF the enemies cavalry, and were still fighting
their way bravely forward. This was the condi-
ton OF affairs when one of the batteries in the
advance exhausted Its ammunition. An order
being given for = fresh supply, the commandant
of q caIsson started his horses 1T a full run for an
ammunition wagon sOme half a mile in the rear.
This movement was misunderstood. The rumor
arose and spread on the wings of the wind, that
the column was wavering under an irresistible
charge of the enemies cavalry, and that the artil-
lery was already in retreat. Thus the panic be-
gan, and as the billy and wooded nature of the
country rendered it impossible for any consider
able portion of the force to see and Judge for
themselves, the entire army was soon en- route for
Centreville. / should have said that point was
gwen u the panic Dy TIE KNOWLEDGE OF our gX-
hausted men that the enemy was being constant
" reinforced
This explanation of the causes which led to the
unfortunate and notifying result of the battle
Is "A very reasonable one, and will probably prove
correct. Ii viii be remembered that the Tstnic nj
Solferino was occasioned by the sudden appear
ance in the road of several fleeing Austrians,
which gave rise To the cry of : = The Austrians
are coming, The Austrians are comingi' The
few thus first alarmed communicated their fright
In others and - naE.Hy hnI 49,, . -
whether there was occasion or not for fright. an
Immense body OF men RUSHED, helter-skelter,
away from the Austrian fugitives, continuing
their stampede for several hours. Ii will be seen
that the Federal army were not put TO ruut. Ii
was neither cannOnading nor charging by the
enemy which put them in retreat. Every real
danger they forced boldly and successfully; but
they were not proof against an alarm. for which
they had no cause, and the very uncertainty of
which constituted Its chief terror. The events of
the battle prove that our volunteer soldiers are
equal 10 the emergency-that they have the cour-
age required for bold deeds. and must cunouer
whenever they meet the enemy upon an equal
field.
CEN SCOTT POLICY INTERFERED wITH-CLAMoR OF
OUTSIDE PARTIES.
Now that the battle has been fought and viz
tuaily lost by our forces. people begin To see the
utter and criminal folly of the impotence and
haste which led To this premature advance upon
a desperate enemy. From the beginning it has
been apparent that the rebels would make their
chief struggle in Nirginia-for there alone have
they food for their army. and there alone can the
Cotton States maintain "A war without immediate
destruction to all their material interests. Ii was
TO he expected, then, that ut Manassas and Rich
mend they would make their most desperate
struggle. This the veteran Lieut.. Gen. Scott
fully understood, and, with some knowledge of
the topography of his native State of Virginia.
he was not disposed to hasten a movement direct
lv towards Richmond or upon Manassas Junction.
~ Tho readers Of rha RYHrg,u ,-r-. - "
formed by your correspondent. His plan was
that OF - mastery inactivity until late in the
summer-inactiyity at least So far as relates to
any general advance. He desired To have the
Union army thoroughly organized, drilled and
equipped, and thus prepared for heavy work.
while the enemy, so far inferior in resources of
of war, should be demOralized and crippled by
delay. Another months delay, too, would have
enabled Gen. Mcclellan to finish his work in The
West and cross the mountains, to cooperate
with Gen. Mcdowell army of the Potomac. and
Gen. PattersOn's column of some 30, 600 men,
would have either beaten OF dcmoralized John
stonis forces, So that the latter would have been
unable to give to Beauregard the timely aid
which enabled him 70 secure the field which our
brave volunteers had already won by several
hours of desperate struggle. \ months DELAY
would have given the nationals a force superior
to that of the rebels-and nobody can doubt now
that this superiority would have ensured n victO-
~ to the stars and stripes Victory ut Manassas,
VT = eee' tOO' "OuLu nave practically ended the
war, for nowhere else could the rebels make such
advantageous defense. The rebel leaders evident
ly 50 considered. for when they received news of
McDowell's contemplated advance. they immedi-
ately called in their forces from every available
point, and concentrated it ut Manassas Junction
and Bulls Run-the latter point being the key to
the former, because from it, chiefly. were the
rebels at Manassas compelled 10 obtain most of
their water.
But a portion Of the Press would not consent
to wait The Tribune assailed Gen. Scott. daily
accusing him by inference of imbecility. OF of