Worcester daily spy., 1861-09-17
QNortester Da1lp Syn.
Dark Days in War.

during my residence III London had sew
eral very interesting conversations with the
Duke OF Wellington on the subject of the bat
tie of Waterloo One OF them took place in
the ball room at Devonshire House as we
stood watching the dancers. He informed me
that he had lately received Il letter from
person about to write an account OF the great
battle, asking some information as 10 its de-
tails. II answered him." said the duke
''that by comparng and studying the almost
innumerable printed descriptions of the battle
English, French, and German, a man OF
sense could acquire better knowledge of it at
the present day than anybody, even the conf
manderin chief, could get at the time, from
persoual observation. Suppose any one,' he
added, Isl loud ask us to morrow morning TO
describe the position and movements OF all the
groups OF dancers in this small space before
us, we should not be able to report anything
beyond what concerned a few OF the more
prominent personages ON the floor Much less
can any individual observation extend to the
detailed movement OF numerous bodies of men
extended over several miles" Ii such was
the modest reserve with which so cOnsummate
chief as Wellington habiluay spoke OF his
personal knowledge of the details OF the great
event OF his lte-the memorable engagement
fought under his own orders-how little can
be expected of the most intelligent and active
spectator, who necessarily occupies ost of
safe observation, who is borne away in tu
multuOus retreat, and writes hurried report
by the next mail
There is reason to think that, though the
United States forces engaged ON the 2lst Of
July under almost every conceivable disadvan.
tage-(raw troops 10 Il great extent, whose
term OF service was expiring, coming under
fire for the first time, after a weary march un.
der blazing sun, conending on strange
ground with fresh opponents, sheltered by
field works that had been in course of con
struelion for weeks, )-nothing happened be-
yOnd the average ill luck of unsuccessful bat
ties Ii such battles, instead of being describ-
ed from carefully prepared official returns,
were habitu1lly narrated in glowing newspa-
per reports, from the first impressions of c-
villains who have huyered in the rear of the ar
my, they would. l apprehend, in most cases,
exhibit similar scenes OF panic and disorder
The English press, with scarce an'exception,
finds in the recent panic at Bull Run not
merely theme for the bitteres! tauuts, but
the completion OF the proof that "the bubble
OF democracy has burst, as if drawn battle,
or, it you please, an ignominious rout, suffered
by an army OF raw volunteers at the com
mencement of war, proved anything one
way or another in reference TO theE eEcompara
tive stability OF different forms of government.
What bubble burst when Charles Edward on
bark" OF eighteen guns, Furnished by private
gentleman in France) on the western coast of
Scotland, Tor the conquest of Great Britain,
and the overthrow of the house OF Bruins wick
AT The head OF Il handful OF clansmen, OF whom
half were armed with scythes and bludgeOns
the youthful adventurer marched upon the
ancient capital of Scolland-an object one
wonld Lave thought, to England, in the middle
OF the last century, not so much Of fear as of
pity. A monarchy consolidated by ages,
whose virago queen, two centuries before, had
brought the royal beauty of Scotland TO the
block-whose armies, under Marlborough in
the preceding generation, had humb!ed the
pride of Louis XIV. in the dust-quailed be.
tore an unbreecheG rabble of two thousand
men from the Highlands. Panic fear marched
in their van the roy al army bundered up to
the north, while the pretender was hurrying
southwark +; the gates Of Edinburgh flew open,
and on the l7th OF September, just three weeks
alter his landing, the heir OF the Stuarts was
seated on the throne of his ancestors in Holy
rood House. Chat two thousand men,"
wrote the Marquis OF Tweedale from White
hall, to Lord Milton, who had escaped from
Edinburgh. "and these The scum OF two or
three Highland gentlemen, the Camerons, and
few tribes OF the MacdOnalds, should be able
in short time, to make themselves masters
OF Edinburgh, is an event which, had it not
happened, ! should never have believed posi-
Bile" The panic' says another letter,
wrought so powerfully on some, and worse
arguments on others. that the town is now in
the hands OF the rebels
What "bubbe burst" when the forces of the
pretender, few days later, met The royal
army at Preston; the numbers about equal,
but the llighlanders were without artillery
or cavalry, while the royalists were pro
vided with bOtll-troUps that had triumphed
under George H., at Deuingeu, two years
before, and had suffered defeat scarcely less
glorious than a triumph in the spring OF this
year, at the memorable brittle OF FOntenOy
AL four i'll the morning the young Pretender
reused himself from his pillow OF pease straw,
beneath the open canopy Of heaven, and the
fight begun; and Sin less than five minutes"
says the Chevalier de Johnstone who was in
the battle, 'we obtained a complete victory,
with a terrible carnage on the part of the enc
my. ii was gained with such rapidity, that
in the second line, where l was still by the side
OF the prince, we saw no other enemy on the
field OF battle than those who were lying on
the ground, killed and wounded, though we
were not more than fifty PAGES behind our first
line, running always as fast as we could to
oyertake them, and near enough never to lose
sight OF them" Not bay0net was wet, nor
is il in one battle out OF a hundred. Artillery
men and dragoOns fled at the approach OF the
Highlanders, who threw away their guns
those who had guns-and with terrific screams
rushed on with the claymore. "All rene.
dies" says Rult, a Toyast Sin every shape
were exerted by General Cope and his brother
officers, among whom was the Earl OF Lou
don, afterwards commander-in- chief in this
country to regulate the disorder, but i'll vain.
Neither the example nor the entreaty of the
officers could animate the dastardly dragons
to return TO the charge; the other body of
dragons Joined in the flight; they opprobri-
ousy fled without welding their swords,
through the town of Preston" A portion of
the infantry made momentary resistance un-
der the brave Colonel Gardiner, who, after the
flight of the dragons, dsmounted and placed
himself at the head of the foot, where be go-
riously persisted" Like the noble Lyon, the
other day in Missouri, seeing detachment of
infantry fighting without Il leader he eXclainl-
ed, "rhese brave Il tllows will be cut to pieces
for want OF commander" placed himself in
their 'front.' cheered them on, and was soon cut
in two with Highland scythe Not above
one hundred and seventy OF the royal infantry
escaped all the rest being killed or taken pris.
oners. Twenty captains, twenty-four lieuten-
ants, twenty.nine ensigns, with all. the trains
OF artillery, baggage, tents, colors, and mill
tary chest containing E6000 valuable acqui-
stion for the Pretender, who, as he had only
two captains and thirty men killed, and eigh-
ty three wounded, made a triumphal entry INTO
Edinburgh carrying all the wounded prison.
ers, with The colors and baggage, in procession
through the city, guarded by the 1ighlanders
and attended by all the bagpipes of the rebel
nI ms fl,as,, afr kinr