Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1861-07-27

-bl1 lulO lut SuluC pluSO' b"' ~" 1850 /
to elicit any reply. Men could be seen
moving about the opposite slope, bnt the
batteries were silent. An hour or so after. |
wards we heard or 4 heavy guns from Col |
Richardson's column at Bulls Run, and !
these we're continued at intervals for or !
hours, but they were not answered, even 10y |
a single gun 1t vas very clear that The
enemy intended to take lis own time for
paying his rcpccis to Us, and that he
meant, moreover to do it in his Cwn way.
Meantime we could hear in the distance the
sound of Col Hunters nXcmen, clearing his
way, and awaited with some impalience the
sound Of his cannon on the opposite heights,
Time wore along with occasional shots from
our guns as well as those Of Col. Richard
sons column, but without, in single IN
stance, receiving any reply.
At little before ! l o'clock, the lst Ohio
and % n. Y. which were lying in the wood
on the left, were ordered to advance, They
did so-paSsing out of the road and climb
ing q fence into wood opposite, which
they had barely approached, however, when
they were met by tremendous discharge
Of a four gun battery, planted at the lett
in the woods, mainly for the purpose OF
sweeping the road perpcudicularly, and the
open field on its right, by which alone
troops could pass forward To the opposite
bank. They were staggered for moment
and received orders to retire. Capt. Ayers
Battery (foImcrly Sherman'S) was advanc-
ed little, so as TO command this battery
and by 20 minutes Of vigorous play upon ii
Sileuced it completely.
At halEpast l / we heard Hunters guns,
on the opposite height, over mile to the
right. lie was answered by batteries there,
and then followed the sharp, rattling vol
Ieys Of musketry, as their infantry became
engaged. The fighting was now inceSSent.
Hunter had come upon them suddenly, and
formed his line Of battle in au open field, at
the right Of the road. The enemy drew up
to oppose him, but he speedily drove them
to retreat and followed them up with the
greatest yigor and raridily. Meantime,
for some hours previous we had seen long
lines Of dense dust rising from the roads
leading to Manassas, and, with the glass
we could very clearly perceive that they
were raised by the constant and steady
stream Of reinforcement, which continued to
pour in nearly the whole day The 69,h
70 b, 2d and S'h \. Y. the lSt, I'd and Sd
Connecticut, and the 2d Wisconsin, were
brought forward in advance Of the wood
and marched across the field TO the right,
to 60 to Col Hunters support. They cross
ed the intervening stream and drew up in a
small open field, separate from Col. Hun
ter'S column by dense wood, which was
filed with batteries and infantry.
Our guns continued to play upon the
woods which thus concealed the enemy, and
aided them materially in clearing them for
the advance. Going down to the extreme
f ont Of the column, l could watch the pro-
gtess Of Col. Hunter, marked by the con,
stant roar Of artillery aud the roll Of mus
kerry It's be pushed the rebels back from
point TO point At O'Clock he had dry.
en- them out Of the woods and across the
road Which was the prolongation of that on
which We stood Here by the side Of
their batteries, the rebels made stand.
They planted their flag directly in thsroad,
and twice charged across it upon our men,
but without moving them an inch. They
were met by destructive fire, and were
complied TO fal! still further back. Grad.
ually the point Of fire passed further away,
until the dense clouds of smoke which
marked the progress of the combat were at
least half a mile to the left of what had
been the central position Of the rebels.
Ii was now y O'clock | was at the
advanced point OF the trout Of our column,
some hundred rods beyond the woods. in
which the few troops then there were drawn
up, when ! decided to drive back to the
town for the purpose Of sending you my
dispatch. AS l passed Up the road the
balls and shell from the enemy began to fall
with more than usual rapidity. ! did not
see the po'nt from which they came; bnt
meeting Capt Ayres, he said lie was about
to bring up his bNtteT, suppo ted by the
Ohio Brigade, under Gen. Schenck, to
rcpel a rumGred attempt of cavalsy to
ou flank the column. y, went forward
he passed down Gen. Schenck's brigade
was at once drawn up across the road, and
Capt. AyrcS' guns were planted on knoll
at the left, when powerful body Of rebels,
with heavy battery, came down from the
direction Of Bulls Run, aud engaged the
force with tremendous effect. ] went to
Centreville, sent of my dispatch, and start
ed with all speed to retulu-intending TO
20 with our troops upon what had been the
hotly contested field, never doubting for a
| moment that it would remain in their hands.
bad gone but quarter Of a mile when we
met great number Of fggitiveS and our
carriage soon became entauglcd in mass
OF baggage wagons, the officer in charge of
| which loid me it was useless to 90 in that
direction aS our troops were retreating.. Not
credlliug the story, which was utterly in.
consistent with what had seen but little
while before, | confined to push on. |
soon met QuarlermaSter Stetson, Of the L
ZouaTcs, who told me, bursting into tears,
that bis regiment had been utterly cut up,
that the Col. and Lieut.. were both killed
and that our troops had actually been re.
pulsed. | still tried to proceed hut the ad.
vancing columns rendered it impossible, and
l turned about. Leaving my carriage. |
went to high point Of ground and saw, by
the dense cloud OfduSt which rose over each
Of the three roads by which the three col
ums Of the Army had advanced, that they
were all on the retreat. Sharp discharges
Of cannon in their rear indicated that they
were being pursued. waited half an hour
or so, to observe the troops and batteries