Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-08-23
THE BATTLE OF BULL RUN.
Mr.. RusselI's Account of the Rout.
ICONCLUDED.l

rapidly toward me. Their faces were not
blaekened by powder, and it was evident they
had not been engaged. In reply to a ques-
ton, a non-commi STONED officer told me in
broken English: I'VE fall back to our lines
The attack did not quite succeed" This was
assuring to one who had come through such q
scope 1 had been witnessing. had ridden,
suppose, about three or three and half miles
from the hill, though it is not possible to be
sure Of the distance; when, having passed the
white house, came out on an open piese of
ground, beyond and circling which was forest.
Two field pieces were unlim bered and guard
ing the road; the painting and jaded horses in
the rear looked as though they had been hard
worked, and the gunners and drivers looked
worn and detected. Dropping shots sounded
close in front through the woods, bat the guns
on the left no longer maintained their fire.
was just about TO ask one of the men for q
light, when sPuttering fire on my right at
trscted my attention, and out Of the forest or
along the road rushed a number of men. The
guDners seized the trail Of the nearest piece
to wheel it round upon them; others made for
the tumbrils and horses as if to fly, when q
shout was raised, Don't FIRE; they're our own
men," and in a few minutes on came pell-mell
awhole regiment in disorder. / rode across
one and stopped him "We're pursued by
cavalry" he gasped; They've cut us all to
pieces" As he spoke she'll burst over the
column; another dropped Oh the road, and out
stresmed another column ot men, keeping
together with their arms, and closing up the
stragglers Of the frg. regiment l turned,
and to my surprise saw ihs srtillerymen had
gone on, leaving one gun standing by itself.
They had retroated with their horses. While
wewere on the hill had observed and pointed
out 10 my companions a cloud Of dust which
rose through the trees on our right front. In
my present position that place must have been
ON the right rear, and it occurred to me that
after sll there really nigh be body Of cav
any III -.2t direction, but Murat himself would
not have charged thess wagons in that deep,
well-fenced lane. If lle dust came, as / be-
Gsve it did, from field artillery. that would be
a different matter. ANY Wy il wss now well
established that the retreat mad really COM
melced, though saw but few wounded men,
and the regiments which were falling back
had not suffered much loss. No one seemed
TO know anything for certain. Even the cav
airy charge was q rumor. Several officers
said they had carried guns and lines but then
they drifted into the nonsense which one reads
and hears everywhere about masked bat
teries" One or two talked more sensibly about
the strong position Of the enemy, the fatigue Of
their men, the want Of a reserve severe losses
and the bad conduct OF certain regiments. Not
one spoke rs il he thought of retiring beyond
Centreville. The clouds of dust arising above
the woods marked the retreat of the whole
army, and the crowds Of fugitives continued
TO steal away along the road. The sun was
declining and some thirty miles yet remained
to be accomplished ere I could hope to gain
the shelter Of Washington. No one knew
whittier any corps or regiment was marc hing,
but there were rumors of all kinds-"Ths seth
arc out to pieeesi' Z" The Fi.s zouavss De
stroyed, and so on. Presently a tremor ran
through the mon by whom was riding, as the
sharp reports Of some field pieces ratified
through the woods close at hand A sort of
subdued roar like the voice Of distant break
ers, rose in front Of US, and the soldiers who
were, think, Germans, broke into q double,
looking now and then over their shoulders.
There was no choice for me but to resign any
further researches. The mail from Washing
ton for the Wednesday steamer at Boston
leaves at 2:3O on Monday, and so 1 put my
horse into trot, keeping in the fields along
side the roads, as much as I could, to avoid
the fugitives, till came once more on the rear
Of the baggage and store carts, and the pres
sure of the crowd, who, conscious Of the aid
which the vehicles would afford them against
cavalry charge, and fearful, nevertheless, of
their proximity, clambered and shouted like
madmen as they ran. The road was now lit
orally covered with baggage. 1t seemed to me
as If the men inside were throwing the things
out Purposely. "stoP," cried to the driver
of one Of the carts, everything is falling
out" 6 you" shouted a fellow inside.
eff you stop him I'll blow your brains out"
Ny attempts to save Uncle Sans property
were then and there discontinued. On ap-
preaching Centreyille, body Of German in
fantry, of the reserve, came marching down,
and stemmed the current in some degree; they
were followed by brigade of g3Ss and another
battalion Of fresh troops. l tu3ed up on the
hill half q mile beyond. The vehicles had all
left but tWo-my buggy was gone. A battery
Of field guns was in position where We had been
standing The men looked we'll. As yet there
was nothing 70 indicate more than a retreat
and some ill-behavior among the wsgoners
and the rifraf Of different regiments. Gen.
treville was not bad position properly &C.
cupied and saw no reason why il should not
be held If IL was meant to renew the attack,
nor any reason why the attack should not
be renewed, If there had been any why it
should have been made. 1 swept the field
once more. The clouds Of dust were denser
and nearer. That was all. There was no fr-
ing-nO musketry. / turned my horses head,
and rode away through the village, and after
got out upon the road the same confusion pre-
vailed. Suddenly the guns on the bill opened,
and at the same time came the thuds of artil-
lery from the wood on the right rear. The
stampede became general. What occurred at
the hill cannot say: but all the road from
Centerville for miles presented such sight
can only be witnessed in the track Of the run
Always Of an atterly demoraliIed army. Drivers
logged, lsshed, spurred and beat their horses,
or leaped down and abandoned their teams,
and Tan by the side Of the road; mounted men,
servants, and men in uniform, vehicles Of all
sorts, commissarist wagons thronged the mar
~" "eye' A1 every snot cOnFuIslOn rs IL
were seized upon the morbid mass Of bones,
nneW, wood, and iron, and thrilled through it,
giving new energy and action to its desperate
e1ors TO get free from iLset. Again the cry
OF cavalry" arose. "What are you afraid
OFT said TO man who was rur ming beside
me: N not afraid of yOu," replied the
ruhan, leveling his piece at me aud pulling
the trigger II Uss not loaded, or the cap was
not on, for the gun did not 20 of IWas uu-
armed, and did go of as fast as could, re.
solved T. keep my own counsel for the second
time that day. And - the fight went on. At
one time whole mass " infantry, with fixed
osyonets ran down The bank Of the road, and
some falling as they ran must have titled and
wounded those amouS whom they l.lI. As I
knew the road would soon become impossible
OF blocked up, put my hOrse to a gailop and
passed on toward the front. But mounted men
stu rode faster, shouting out cavalry are
coming Again yentursd to speak to some
omeers whom overlook, and said, If these
IunsHays are not stopped the whole of the
pests and pickets into Washington will fy
also One Of them, without saying a word,