Delaware State journal and statesman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1855-1870, 1861-07-26
THE BATTLE AT RULES RUN.

THE BATTLE AT BULLS RUN
STATEMENT or EYE Observation-Disclosures OF
THE BLAoK-HoRsE cAvALRY-GALLARTRY OF
THE NEW YORK BoYs.
Mr.. A. W. Grswold of New York, arrived in
that city, on Tuesday, morning from Washing
ton. lie was in the rear center column most Of
the time during the action Sunday When
he arrived at Celtreville at 10 o'clock, heavy
firing of artillery was heard some four miles and
o half beyond at the head of the center column
led by Brig Gen Tyler. Mr. Grswold drove
on between two and three miles on the central
road, and at II o'clock guns were heard at the
extreme right, % miles west of the center, from
Col. Hunters column. This was followed by
sharp and ncessant infantry firing while at the
same time, our long riiled cannon which had been
placed directly in The road, and Col. Ayrcs
formerly Sherman's) battery, in position on
either side of the 80 ponder Parrot gun, began
to work with great vigor. The surface Of the
country was rough and billy. On the sides Of
the hill the Rebels had planted their batteries,
which formed the advanced defenses Of Manassas
Junction. In the rOud and in front of the woods
below, there were the I'd, 9Th, Goth, list, and
10th New York, the I'd Wisconsin, ard the let,
I'd, and Sd Connecticut Regiments. Our own
and the enemys batteries en- the Warrington
road were distant about halt mile from each
other, the latter being upon ground some 40 or
so feet higher than ours. Between / and 2
o'clock, the battery of the center column (Ayres')
opened upon the large battery of the Rebels,
which in less than twenty FIVE minutes was
slenced The other side fell back, and after
sharp contest, lod by the Fire zouaves, Col.
Farnham, the Massachusetts lltb, Col. Clark,
and the New York fist, our regiments succeeded
in getting behind tho breastworks of the enemy,
and drove the Rebel troops over the hin. Mean
while, Col. Hunter, who was at tho extreme
right, had turned the enemy's left The enemy
onf hxyf H.,
nassas, aud n charge was made by the Black
horse Cavalry on the Fire Zounves who stood the
charge bTnvely, and detachment closed In be-
hind 10 cut oil their retreat. From among the
trees, the Zouaves decimated this famous cavalry,
and it is believed that not fourth part escaped.
The Massachusetts, men, who had held the bat
teres O little below the IOuaYes, came up to aid
the latter but the cavalry had been totally rout-
ed. Aud now the fortunes of the day began to
turn. Fresh infantry from the Rebel side poured
in. Five regiments char sed upon the zOuaves
and the Eleventh, in an attempt TO retake their
batteries. The charge was repused three times
the Rebel brigade being driven into the woods
three several times by one third Of their num-
ber The fourth charge of this large force oil
fresh troops could not be successfully resisted BY
our men, who were comparatively few In number
and in nearly an exhausted condition. Here wal
where the great slaughter Of the AOuaves occur
red. As these regiments retired over the hill
they could be seen by our baggage train, which
was placed about two miles beyond Centrevill'
on the center column. Behind these were mum
Der of other wagons with a bridge which hal
been prepared to throw across Bulls Run creek
Hearing of the successful carrying of the bat
teries by our men, the ammunition train, tOgeth
CIR with that having the bridge, was ordered I
advance. Upon that order there was q joint nd
vance OF large portion of the baggage until til
road was lined for two miles and half with III
advancing baggage train.
About'four 0 o'clock in the afternoon news cam
down the road that our troops were retreatinl
and the head of the baggage train was turne
upon the rear, blocking up the road and pro
ducng the greatest confusion. The teamstei
in their CONSERVATION began to unhitch the
horses, mounted them, and rode of. The team
sters Of the Massachusetts 1lth, with som
twenty-five wagons in its line, stood fast u
the aid of officers and civilians twenty or thlri
of these retreating Transfers were caught an
brought back to their wagons. Their retui
seemed to restore confidence, and the Wagon
were nearly all brought back to Centreville. III
Massachusetts 18th, the Fire Zouaves, ond Il
list retreated in good order, and reached Cent?
vile OF % O'clock The retreat Of the who
force was covered by the Garibadi Guar
Blenker's LIST Rifle Regiment, Col. Enstein's 81
Pennsylvania Regiment, with its batteries, Il
DeKab Regiment, and the LIST and I'd New Jers
Regiments, which had been ordered from Vienn
distant FIVE miles. Some 1000 cavalry hover
on the left of the retreating troops, but there W
no other attempt at pursuit.
Mr.. Griswod represents the whole affair al
fight in the woods Indeed there could n
fairly be said to have been any in open feel
1t was diminishing ON grand scale. The reb
never left their entertainments except VIII
driven out The clouds Of smoke told whit
actions were going on but the woods in eve
direction obscured the troops from sight Thou
MIR. Griswod was on an eminence betwe
Centreville, ard the hill occupied by the rebe
be could mot at any one timc see large bodies
troops
AS an instance of the spirit Of the soldie
Mr.. G. mentioned the case OF one who was 80
twenty yards distant from him, and was stru
by the fragment OF shell that took the visor
his cap grazed his Iorhead severely, and knocl
him down. His comrades picked him up,
were about taking him to the hospital, but
had no idea of being put on the sick list,
cried, "Giye me my gun-giye me my gum"
There was properly no stand made at Cent
vile as the enemy was not in pursuit But
hills all about were covered with our cal
WHICH had been brought along to provision
army A stand was made long enough to sec
the cattle, bring in the baggage wagons, ant
give q chance for stragglers to come up.
Retreat was covered by regiments designated
that purpose, and there was no annoyance f
the cavalry Of the enemy.
--ssast-