The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1861-08-03
Mistakes of the Battle.

made.
The battle of Thursday afternoon, for
instance Gen. Tyler led the advance to
Centreville. Friday no enemy there, he
advances two miles further 10 reconnoiter
lie is occupied in the business but a shor,
time, when he wakes up masked battery
or two and finds the enemy in formidable
force. Was this not enough? Why mu.
he make that unfortunate attack, with hi.
FIVE or six regiments fatisued by heavy
days march, only to he repulsed with a
heavy loss?
Mcdowell spends Thursday and Friday
In accommodating. He becomes satisfied
that not only is the whole ground between
Bulls Run and Manassas Junction covered
with masked batteries, but that B.aure
gard has at hand force Of 10000 men
Not only this but lie has almost oos;
tive information that Johnston has e..
capped from Patterson with 10000 more, and
Is about to join Beauregard On Saturday
Mcdowell SO clearly understood his posi-
ton, that he declared his purpose not 10
renew the battle for week, unless heavily
reinforced, either by Patterson or from
Washington. But cabinet officer was
at his tent until 10 o'clock on Saturday
.ht. Why was the battle renewed in
tae face of such odds on Sunday morning ?
Sunday morning the army advances in
their divisions. Gen. Tyler goes straight
along the Warrenton road to where j,
crosses Bulls run; Heintzelman moves
somewhat to the left Of this, directly &c.
wards Manassas; and Hunters division
moves by flank to the right to cross the
run three miles above The first two
movements are teints, to engage the enc
my, while Hunters was the real attack.
his object being 10 get forward far enough
t. attack the Bulls run batteries in the
rear when Tyler and IIeintzel,nan were
t. cross the run and join him, and all
three thus united were to pass down he
tween the run and the railroad and sweep
everything before them to Manassas-
Tyler very naturally learns that the pass
where lie must cross the run is er.iladed
By heavy masked battery. He prudent
ly rauses and tiTows some shells to COM
pei 1t to unmask. 1t prefers MOTTO. Gen.
Schehk part OF Iylei division advances
to the run q little to the lett and also
throws some shells TO unuask the battery.
Again no response; 50 he concludes there
y hos
In another Vienna ambuscade, mistake
No. B Tyler now brings up battery or
two and his heavy siege piece and silenc
tie battery Very good Tut man Is
not always killed or couvinc, Il when lie
l. sIleaced and SO with this battery. |,
was p detected by four stout regiments.
who Were left uudis,urde.l 10 remourt
their guns and attack our ADVANCING
Columns in flank and rear in III. after
noon, aiding largely in turning the for
tunes Of tie day against Us Why va,
not this battery taken when silenced in
the morning?
Hunter, in his movement to the RIGHT
Crosses the lun a. proposed. engages Il G
enemy on his left, drives him gradually
towards our left, or towards Maua~s .,s: II g
light RACES with tremendous fury as fast
as one range tf batteries and one il .
Column OF infantry are taken ~ Dispersed
others seem to take their place vet our
hosts move steadily on, gaining upon the
enemy Inch by inch until Hunter reaches
the Warrenton road then " Ter hurres
u 10 his and lieinlzemam follows: and
b. ) o clock in the afternoon, the enemy
wen from his extreme left 10 his *.
,remc right almost directly in front Of
NJ ,nassas, is apparently beaten and has
nothing left but to retreat to the Junction.
There is now pause. All our troops
Hunter, Tyler, IieintzeIman. and Richard.
sna--are in the centre of the field, having
been fighting desperately since morning,
AMI done, according to Gen Scott. 1ull
three days work, having had nothing to
eat since daylight, and choking for water.
NJ les. with division at Cen;erville is the
only reserve. Imagining themselves VIC
t"rious the regiments were allowed par
disappeared, probably i'll pursuit Of refresh,
mrnts. No General officer but Tyler
Seemed To be around, and fcw Colonies or
other field officers. Capt Alexander, with
corps of sappers aud miners, protected
by Carliles battery and few tired res.
ments, is endeavoring to lay pontoons
across the creek a little to the left of the
mined bridge on the Warremton road. APP.
parently to enable our troops to return
from the field. Our right and centre are
secure enough, but what of our left? 1t
had apparently been wholly forgotten!
Suddenly there is Il swhoop and body
of cavalry rushed out of the woods Oh
our extreme left down upon the rear of
the forces at the bridge. An immense
body Of infantry pour out behind them
Alexander and his pontoneers, with the
infantry left to support him, take to their
heels; Carlile's battery is captured; our
baggage trains, transfers, civilians, &c,
between the bridge and Centreville are
panic stricken, and break headlong cc.-
Washington. simultaneously with this
apparition OF the enemy on the north side
OF the bridge, another force of cavalry and
infantry pour into the road ON the oppo-
site side. and the very battery silenced ut
this spot in the morning, opens deadly
fire upon our rstreating forces. Our it,
fantry, out on the field, see the movement,
break rank, plunge into the woods to avoid
the road, and get back TO Centreville as
best they can. Thus the headlong hid
eous route continues to Centreville, where
it is at length nartiallY checked Ly Mile.,