Litchfield enquirer., 1861-07-25
gs,vs ot the Week.
THE WAR NEWS.


 . division to Fairfax Court house. The advance , was made in four columns, one under command } of Gen. Mcdowell, consisting of 5000 men, one
 under command of Col. Tyler of F, GOO men, one under command of C6 Miles of 5,700 men, and the other of 10, 900 men, under command of Col Heintzleman-the whole amounting to force ot about 35, ,OO0 The rebels fled before the ad- vancing army without firing shot. At Center ville Gen. Mcdowell intended stopping for the night, and pushing on for Manassas in the morn ing the chances are that the rebels will make a stand there, but it is somewhat doubtful.
 SArURDAY.-The engagement at Bulls Run proves to have been less important than appear ed from the first dispatches. Gen. Tyler was making reconnaissance in force when portion of his brigade was fired into from masked bat
 eries of rifed cannon, stationed Tn the woods across the creek. The advance was gallantly ! sustained by Col Richardson, in command of , three companies of the Massachusetts First and , Sherman's s battery. After being relieved by the Michigan Second and the New York Twelfth, Volunteers, (not Col Butterfeld's) the National forces took up position on nelghborlng hlli' and planted rife cannon, supported by Captain Brackets cavalry, and the troops already nam ed. From this position steady hre was Kept up on both sides until yesterday morning, doing some execution-accounts differ much as to the loss of either side. Gen. Mcdowell estimates the loss of killed and wounded at about forty on the National side Other accounts, however, magnify the numbers considerably. After sev- eral hours firing, the attacking forces retired beyond the range of the rebel batteries whil @ vigorous preparations were made for flank move ments, attacking the secession batterles on all sides. A number of Members of Congress wit messed the engagement, in which about four thousand troops on either side particip pated. It will be perceived by all accounts that the rebels, as usual, dared not show themselves in force, but kept their usual shelter of ravines and bat tories. Gen. Mcdowell had made thorough ar engagements for reconnoitering the enemy's posi- tion One of the rebel batteries was abandoned
 and if the others could not be hanked they were to be attacked in front with heavy artillery, of which there was plenty at Gen. McDowell's com lnand. Tie aepredations of our troops excited the greatest indignation among the officers, and steps were taken to punish the offenders
 SUNDAY was glorious day for the national arms and one in which Rebellion Was taught a lesson which it will rot soon forget, though at the expense of a sad loss of life. In accordance with preparations made on Saturday night, based
 IL, ul,.l, b,-,
 noisances of the enemv's position after the bat tie of Bulls Run. the National Army was put in motion before daylight, yesterday morning, and advanced in three columns-the masl body passing CentrevilIe in the direction of Perrys- vile, by which movement the position of the reb els was outl!anked The head of the centre col unn was preceded by thirty pounder rihed cannon, to clear i.c way of any masked batte- rics which the enemy might open, and at 6 O. clock the first shot was fired from it. which, bow
 ever, was not replied to. Col Richardson coln- mauded the column which too! the road to Bull s Run, where the fight of Thursday took place :; Gen. Tyler commandc'i the centre column, which took the Warrclton road and Col. Hunter com mandcA the flank movement. hv which the main attack was nlatietEe two other n,oro'"etts be- ing intended as fciats. Cur artcr, m lda yar ous attempts to draw tho fire of the enemy, but they kept silent srntH near nine o'clock, when rapid shots Were exchanged between the skir- mishers Soon afterwards heavy clouds of dust were seen ill the rear of the rebel position, indi- eating large achievements from Manassas, from which they had probably been waiting, before replying to the fire of our artillery. At half past eleven, the head of Hunters column was discov- cred across the Run, advancing upon the rebel flank, and the engagement then soon became very active. A constant roll of musketry mark ed his advance swhile the artillery of the centre column played necessarily upon the enemy, for cing them to fall back They made three at tempts to charge with the bayonet upon our troops, but were each time repalsed with terrible loss. Their cavalry also made an attempt upon our flank, but that met with no better success.
 According to the latest bulletins received at Head. quarters in Washington, the rebels were finally compelled to retire with precipitation from their Pooltloh, tsLu lell Dach DenlnQ th2lr Manassas |. hnes--somc accounts say with the loss of all their ordnance and equipments. The losses in
 killed and wounded on our side arc very heavy those of the rebels must have been fearful from
 the superior nature of our arms, and the rapidity and precision with which they were served.
 TUEsDAT.-The partial success of the Nation al arms, which was chronicled yesterday, was , followed by disaster which more than counter balanced it, and Gen. McDowelrs comm and, in f stead of pushing victorious, through the Rebel lines at Manassas Junction, has fallen back, and ; now re-occupies the intrenched position at Ar lington Heights and Alexandria, having been
 terribly cut up, and having lost great number of cannon and other appliances of war. From among the numerous and evidently exaggerated
 stat ements it is impossible to extract the exact truth relative to the cause and progress of this
 retrograde movement. It is encouraging to
 know, that the latest telegrams which reach us are of decidedly more cheerful character than
 the first ones. It appears that up the date of dispatches from the battlefield on Sunday even
 ing, the greatest success was attending the move ments of our Army. The Engineer Corps were about erecting pontoon bridge across Bull Run, the batteries were being unmasked one after the
 II,