Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-08-25
Mr. Russslrs Letter on the Battle Of Hanas
sas Plzins.
Special Correspondence Of the London Times.
w.sgIsoTos. July %, 1861.

tDfFt1p0ff<cft-- ~~~'-~~~--
wAsHIsoros, July %, 1861.
set down to give an accountant of
the action Yesterday, but of what / saw
with nv own eyes. hitherto not often
deceived, and of what / heard with my
own ears, which in this country are not
40 much to be trusted. Let me, howev-
er. express an opinion as to the affair of
YESTERDAY. In the first place, the re-
pulse of the Federalists, decided as it
was might have had no serious effects
whatever beyond the mere failure
which politically was of greater conse-
ouence than it was in military sense
but Tor the disgraeeful conduct of the
troops. The retreat on their lines at
Centreville seems ID have ended IN
covardly rout-a miserable, causeless
manic. Such scandalous behavior on the
mart of soldiers should have considered
impossibIe. as with some experience of
camps and armies have never, even In
alarms among camp followers, seen the
like of it How far the Reorganization
of the troops extended L know not; but
IL was complete in the instance OF more
than one regiment
Washington this morning is crowded
with soldiers without officers, who have
fled from Centreyille, ant with "three
month men," who are going home from
the face of the enemy on the expiration
of their term of enlistment. The streets,
in spite of the rain, are crowded by peo-
ple with anxious faces, and groups OF
yayering politicians are assembled at
the corners, in the hotel passages, and
the bars. If, in the present state OF the
IL fa1a a
march across the Potomac above WASH
ington, turning the works at Arlington
the capitol might fall into their hands.
Delay may place that event out OF the
| range of probability. The North Will,
no doubt, recover the shock. Hitherto
he has only said, $50 and tight Tor the
Union" The South has exclaimed, Let
us fight for our rights" The North
must put its best men into the battle, or
she will inevitably fail before the ener>
gy. the personal hatred, and the superior
fighting powers of her antagonist.
On Saturday night resolved to pro-
coed to Gen McDowelPs army, as it was
obvious to me that the repulse at Bull
Run and the orders of the General di-
rected against the excuses of his SOL
dierv indicated serious defects In the
army. not more serious, however, than L
had reason to believe existed. Curiosity
was aroused by the story that NcDoaoeH
had been actually ordered to make an at
tack ON Manassas. and that Gen. Scott
had oiren him till II o'clock to be master
of Reoureoards lines. If General Scott
ordered the attack at all, venture to
saw he was merely the mouthpiece OF the
more violent civilians of the Government,
who mist Ike intensity of feeling tor mill
tary strength. The consequences OF the
little skirmish at Bull Run, ending IN the
repuIse of the Federalists, were much
exaggerated and their losses were put
down at any figures the fancy OF the IndI-
yidual item who was speaking suggested.
81 can assure yOat, SIR, that The troops
had 500 killed and soounded; L kn0D
it," / went off to the headquarters, and
there Gen. Seott's aid informed me Gen.
McDowell's official report gave 90 killed
and 81 wounded.
When [ spoke with officers at General
Scott's headquarters of the expedition, 1t
struck me they were not at all sanguine
about The result of the day, and one of
them said as much as induced me to
think he would advise me to remain IN
the city if he did not take it for granted
it was part of my duty to 60 to the scene
of action. An English gentleman who
accompanied me was strongly dlssuaded
from going by Colonel of cavalry On
the staff, because, he said, 1.-THE troops
are green, and no one can tell what may
happen" But my friend got his pass
from Gen. Scott, who was taking the
whole affair of Bull Run and the pres
sure of the morrow's work with perfect
calm, and we started on Sunday morn
inc for Centerville. defiant about twenty
FIVE miles southwest of Washington. The
long and weary way was varied by DIFF
ferent pickets along the road, and by the
examination OF our papers and passes at
different points. But the country
Looked vacant in spite of crops OF Indian
corn, for the houses were shut up, and
few indigenous people whom we met
looked most blackly under their brows
at the supposed Abolitionists-
On turning into one of the roads which
leads to Fairfax Court House and to
Centerville beyond it, the distant sound
of cannon reached US. That must have
been about $50 A. NJ. 1t never ceased
all day. at least whenever the rattle of
the gig ceased the booming of guns. roll
ed through the woods on our ears. One
man said it began at 2 o'clock, but the
pickets told US it had really become con-
tinuous about u or o'clock. In few
minutes afterward body of men ap-
neared on the road, with their backs to-
ward Center5ille and their faces toward
Alexandria. Their march was so dis
ORDERLY that could not have believed
thew were soldiers in an enemy's coun>
try-for Virginia hereabouts is certainly
so-but for their arms and uniform. Lit
soon appeared that lhere was no less
than an entire regiment marching away,
singly or in small knots OF two or three,
extending for some three or four miles
along the road. A Babel of tongues
rose from them, and they were all IN
good spirits, but with an air about them
l could not understand.
Dismounting at a stream, where a
group of thirsty men were drinking, and |
halting in the shade, asked an officer, |
"Where are you men going, Sir p "Well,
we're going home, Sir, l reckon, to Penn |
sylvania." 1t was the 4th Pennsylvania
regiment, which was on its march. as l
learned from the men. 81 suppose there |
is severe work going on behind you,
Judging from the nrlng! ven,
reckon, Sir, there is" "We're going |
home," he added after a pause, during |
which it occurred to him, perhaps, that |
the moment required explanation, "be-
cause the mems time is up. We have /
had three months of this work" Ipros
ceeded on my way, Illuminating on the
feelings of General who sees half a
brigade walk quietly away on the very
of action, and on the frame of
mind of the men, who would have shout
al till they ware hoarse about their be.
Owed Union-posslUIy nave hunted down |
any poor CT eature who expressed a be-
lief that it was not the very quintessence
If everything great and good in govern
nent and glorious and omnipotent in
.rms-coolly turning their backs on it
when in its utmost peril because the let
er of their engagement bound them no