Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1861-08-02
The Second Battle of Bull
Run.
WAsHINGToN, July %, 1861
To the Editor Of the Boston Journal:
A PAINFUL TASK.

story of yesterday. How can | write 1t !
And yet know that hundred thousand
hearts are swelling between anxious fears
and joyful hopes. There are eyes ready
to pour out floods OF tears for the loved
and lost. l shrink from the task,
shall not attempt to give a full account OF
the battle for it extended over an extent
of seven or eight miles, but onl y what
saw and heard, with such other incidents
as may readily be introduced without dis
lo;nting the narrative.
| have alluded to Ball Ran before, and
some weeks since stated that it was to be
the line of the rebels defense. Look OH
your map and you will see that it is a
branch Of the Occoquan river, that it
rises in Loudon county, near the Blue
ridge, and runs southeast. If you were
at Centreyille on a high elevation of land,
you could trace its winding course through
wide valley, mostly wooded, with here
and there an opening in the forest. If
we could get down to its banks, we should
find it to be a sluggish stream, with pools
of staynant water, here and there tords
with high banks, or wide marshy mead
ows, with sand hills, clumps of trees, dark
forests or almost impenctrable thckets.-
Nature has done a great deal for tae
stream as line of defense.
MANASSAS AND ITS APPROACHES.
To obtain the slightest idea of the bat
tie ground it is necessary for US to consid-
er the approaches to Manassas, or, in 9TH
er words, the crossings OF Bull Run, for
Manassas is plain or planteau of open
and-far from being a strong place OF de-
tense. Commencing near the Occoquan
there is a ford, with deep pools OF stag
nant water-a place easily defended
Farther up are one or two other tords In
addition to the railroad bridge, all strong
by nature, and made stronger by cngln'
eering art. These fords are crossed by
roads leading from Alexandria and Wash
ington direct, and are east of Manassas.
Now, starting from Centreville-which Is
brightly named, inasmuch as roads radlat6
Vim every direction from the place, on the
map looking very much like an old Father
Lonslegs, as the children term the insect
with aneRue, which cluster in the corners
of rooms. The most direct road from
Centreville to Manassas is that on which
the battle was fought on Thursday last
The next crossing is on the Warrenton
turnpike and there the grand battle OF
Yesterday was mainly fought, about five
miles from Centreville leading to Gains
Vile.
| do not know the character or condi
tion of the works thrown up by the enc
my, only that they were extensive an(
very strong.
THE MOVEMENT.
Richardson's Brigade, with the lsti
and 23i New York regiments, aud elgh
guns. took position on the road leading
from Centreyile direct to Manassas
Gen. Tyler, with Schcnck's Brigade, Sher
mans and Carlisie's batteries, also Key
Bricade, and Col. Sherman's Brigade
took the Warrenton Turnpike. The re
mainder of the force, including Hunter
Division. consisting of Porter's Burn
sides Hcintzelmans Wileox's and How
ards commands-all commanded by Nc
Dowcll-took road which led to tn
rear of Manassas, to make an attacI
some distance behind Tyler's. 1t was no
designed that Richardson should advance
but make demonstration and preserv,
our own flank and communication wit
our base of operations -Arlingto
Heights. It was bringing our forces t.
bear upon the enemy in three places, tina
he might be driven back toward Manas
sas. The following simple arrangement
of characters will explain the principle o
the movement, there beingin fact but tw
moving forces
Manassas.
EoNcDOwel'