Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-08-29
MCLANAHAN & DILL

and the Losses Of the United States MARINES
argue tbas tbey had large share CT the enc,
my's fire. The artillery, who lost th5!-s guns,
speak, as artillery will do under the ciscpm-
STAGES, of the Infantry which ,es5.j55 them;
aud the general officers, who must sfter all,
be the best judges, bear strong testimony 20
the good services and general s.eadiHsss Of
The regulars engaged in the action.
When the statements in be American pa
pers are compared with the facts, am aware
it will be necessary to rely littie on "char-
aeteT," in asking faith for what I repors
There was not bayonet charge made bY be
federalist infantry during the day; Jhere was
not charge Of any kind made 5v toe con
federate cavalry upon any regiment Of their
enemy until the latter broke. There was not
a hand-to hand encounter between any Tegi-
meBts. There was not q single battery
charged" OF taken by he fedsralists. There
were no masked batteries IN play by the for
meT. There was no snnihi!ation Of rebel horse
by zoaaves, fire or other.
A vollsy fred by one battalion emptied three
saddles among a body Of horse who appeared
at some distance, and the inf4ni.v which per
formed the execution then re- red. There
were no desperate struggles except by those
who wanted to get away. The whole matter
ia plain English amounts 20 ths: The fed
srslists advanced slowly but stuadily, under
the fire of their artillery, driving the enemy,
who rarely showed out or cover, 10 line BE-
fore them, and gradually forced them back on
7be right and center for a mile End half to-
wards Manassas. As the emmy fell back they
used their artillery also, and there was a good
deal OF pounding away at long ranges with
light field guns aud some heavier Tihed ord
nance, the lines on both sides being rarely
within 800 yards OF each otber.
On enc occasion the regiments on the right
were received by a muskeiry fire from tae enc
ny which induced them 10 fan back but they
were rallied and led forS ard toward the front.
The ConfeaeTates again gave way and the
FedsrGlists advanced ~once more. Again The
line If the enemy appeared in front, and de-
liveTed FIRE. Tue ZouaFes, as they are called,
and The lIJb New York, which were on the
flank, fell into confusion not to be rallied, and
eventually retired from the field IN disorder, to
use the midest term, with a contagious effect
on their comrades and with The loss OF the
guns which they were supporting.
Nothing would, or could, CT did s.op them.
In vain they were reminded Cf their oatbs TO
favenge Ellsworth's destb.o Their hsg was
displayed 70 the winds; it hsd lost its attrac-
tions. Thev ran in an directions with a speed
which their fortune favored q tell the tale
as it was told % me" By one who had more to
do vita them, and bad better opportunity Of
witnessing their conduct than I had, for, ss
have already stated in ? previous letter, was
late on the grousd, and had not been able 20
see much ere the retreat was ordered. Though
WIS we'll mounted, and bad left Washington
with the intention OF returning early that
night, found lugitives bad preceded me in
masses all the way, and when ! crossed The
Long Bridge about eleven O'Clock, was told
that the city was full Of those WAC had re-
turned from the fight.
But, If the miserable rout and panic OF the
federaists have produced such deploraba re-
suits to their cause, they have still much 10 be
thankful for. Had tie Confederates been
aware Of their success, and followed up theiF
advantage early on Monday morning thsre
was no reason on earth WHY they SHOULD rot
have either got into Washington or compelled
the whole of the federal army that kept to-
gelheT and could not escape, as it was all on
one road, to surrender themselves prisoners
with all they possessed. II the atenent OF
the gedcTak papers as TO their strength be cor
rect, the rebels could have easily spared 30 0GI
men for that purpose, viii a reserve Of 10, ,000
or -. coo in their rear.
The chain bridge, the fOrds above The fails,
were open TO them-at least there could be bat
little or no opposition from The disurga nizgd
forces. The columns moving round from Fair
fax 10 their left By Vienna. would have been
bic certainly to cross at Msildaviile; others
could got over the fails, and stiii there would
have been enough to permit Beauregard to oc-
cupy Manassas, ard 10 send On 4 heavy col
ann to cover Alexandra, and TO shut up the
feJeraiist in the esrthwoTks and tete de p0Bt,
If not to wrest them from troops deeply
affected By the rout they were witnessing.
If the Confederates bad the cavalry Of which
60 much has been said, they were sssadzI6usIv
handled. A detouT BY cross road from Cen
terville to the Germantown road Wo1id have
placed the horse in the rear Of the retreatiBg
mass in half an bour, and it is not too much to
say that that mass would have tErown itself
on the mercy Of the pursuers. Il BsauTegard
or Lees force was small, as they say, and suf-
fsTed as much as the federalists aver, the flight
is the more incomprshensible. But still it is
very strange that the victOTs should not have
been aware Of their victory-that ia, Of the
utter rout which followed their repulse.
The attempt to form line on the top Of Cen
teTvile, Only partially succss sslul as it wac,
might have imposed on the enemy, and saved
Mcdowell from the pursuit which be did bis
best to avert. The journals, which at fifst
boasted Of the grand army Of 40 600 men. are
now anxious to show that only 20,000 were en-
gagged. Why did the other p 600 run away?
The German regiment, under Col. BluckeF, and
perhaps some other corps, may have retired in
good order, bat eventually few wi.hstood the
incessant alarms.
The rain, which commenced on Monday
morning early, may have bad much to do with
the undstUrbed retreat Of the fedsralists as the
enterprise and activity Of the enemy would be
much diminished in consequence, and as for the
beaten army, 1t has been always observed that
troops hold together and march well in rain.
But with all allowance and excuses, it is still
mvsterioGs inactivity. Johnston, whose juno
tion with forty thousand men Is said to nave
taken place (if he bad half the number it is
more than give him credit for) on the morn
Ing of the battle, must have swelled the force
under Lee and Beauregard to seventy thou'aud
men at the least. He is the best officer in the
Confederate army.
Before breakfast rode over the Long Bridge
to Arlington. There were groups Of soldiers
mostly without arms or belts, some few shoe
less, a good many feot-sor5, going along the
grouDd, or standing ia the streets Of the city,
engaged in the occupation called "loaing7 IN
these parts. Several Of the men stopped me to
inquire after the different regiments to which
they belonged They were detected and broken
looking fellows, but at all events their mien
was more becoming than that of their officers,
who are cTowding about the hotels and talking
Of their "whipping" with complacency and
without shame.
Great exertions were requisite yesterday to
prevent the moo or diSOTgdniZeu soldiers ana
the rsbb.e from maltreatiDg or numbering the
Confederate prisoners, and it was necessary to
rescue them By patrols Of dragons. Gen. Nc
Dowell has been much distressed by the das-
tardly conduct Of some of the hesten trooDs to-
ward their prisoners, and there have been
strange scenes in consequence.
General" said one man, chad known this
would have died hundred times before
fell into these wretches' hands. Let me go free
and let any two or four Of them insult me
then" The soldiers are, however, greatly ir-
Titsted not only by defeat, but byreports Of the
most horrible cruelties and atrocities toward
prisoners and wounded by the Confederates.
For one am 10th to credit these stories, bat
it is only right to say that there are many such
current, particularly in reference to the New
Orleans Zousves.
Gen. Mcdowell is a man ia the prime Of life
some forty and odd years Of age, very power
fully built, with a kindly, honest, soIdierly ex-
preston in face and manners, and it was
pleasant to see that, though be was not proud
Of being "whipped,' there was 10 detection
other than that q man should feel WHO has
been beaten by bis enemy but who knows he
las done his duty. Originally be lad proposed
a series Of operations different from those
which were actually adopted, and his dispose
tioDs for the advance Of his columns after the