Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-08-08


wait for Patterson's arrival But it appears
that Gen. Mcdowell considered the prestige of
the Federal cause and his own good luck as
equal to all the odds which treason could ac
cumulate, and accordingly be decided to stake
the fortunes of the Republic against the reb-
els in general battle as he stood. A strong
evidence of patriotic sefreliance but not an
abundant proof of judgment. The army, how
ever, did not question the determination of
their General, but, with the wholesome vanity
of va!or, each soldier felt the happiness of ex-
pectation, and slept the sounder for the pros
poets of the morrow.
POSITION OF THE REBELS.
On their part, the Rebels lay on that brill,
liant moonlight evening enfolded in vast
strength; their position being that Of triangle
with the poin: towards US, and branching up
ward to Manassas with an open base of several
miles. The point or open of this triangle,
about a mile round, was most heavily pro-
tected at Bull Run, where the direct road to
Manassas crossed the Ocoquan All up its
branching sides, however, batteries faced out
ward in deep rows, their pOnderous iron tuSkS,
concealed by artificial masks, whenever natur
al groves did not volunteer a screen. \
stronger field position could hardly be imag-
ined. Defended as it was by 10000 men, to
be increased to 10000 in the morning, it
would scarcely suffer in comparison of strength
with SoIferno or SavastOpoI; and | doubt if
there is any French or Russian engineer who
would have undertaken to assail it, eXcept,by
regular approaches, and several respectful
days of distant compliment with heavy shot
and she'll. Brigadier General Irwin Mellow
| ell, however, was going at it with a few 80
Founders and 10 field battereS) nearly all of
them light backed 10y some five or six brig,
AIDES, whom, mentally, he gave the credit Of
believing to be equal to its capture. Had
our poor fellows but known the depth of the
compliment thus lavShed on their proweSs, |
doubt if they would have risen so joyful for
the fray on the Sunday morning now so near
Upon us. What rendered things even still
more desperate, could we but have known
their state the enemy were thoroughly ac
quainted with our strength and intentions,
and awaited our coming with the greatest ca
gerneSS. Their anxiety, however, was deeply
mixed with dread that our General might
change his mind. With them, therefore, the
eve of this battle was night of true hopeful
| ness and intelligent reliance; and well might
/ the rebel chieftans, as they looked proudly
!
perate energy had got together, aatter them,
selves that they now had the fo tunes of the
! Great Republic which they had so long con
tcmned and plundertd, securely in their grasp.
In this belief, Davis aud his legions carly went
to Sleep while our battaions, half rested, rose
a little after midnight, to be wcaried by sew
eral hours Of hot march before entering upon
the more violent latigueS Of the attack.
Il
morning was promulgated in our camp at 10
o'clock on Saturday night and we now have
reason to believe that the order of march and
battle, then distributed among our militia Ma.
jor-GeneraiS was in possession OF the Confed
crate leaders before our troops had risen for
the conflict. From the hour Of midnight, our
semtineIs could hear the oft-repeated distant
railway whistle at the Junction, signaling the
arrival either Of the last regiments of John
stOn, or Of fresh troops coming up from Rich
mond.
AS the time of our start was fixed at $50
a. m, the entire army was awake an hour be.
fore, and in marching order at the indicated
moment 1t was bright moonlight yet
through the brian: sheen some of the
stronger stars looked curiously down, as il
they shared with US our wonder at the specta-
Gle. From the hill of Centreville backward
toward Fairfax, the whole valley, so lately un.
trodden in its verdure was sparkling with O
frost of steel; and, as the thirty thousand bay
onets moved forward in the uncertain light.
with that bilowy motion peculiar to the step
of troops, the stirring mass looked like a
bristling monster lifting him-eIf by slow,
wavy motion up the laborious ascent. To
the left, and forward through the village in
the direction of the Run, the ground decend
cd three or four miles toward the Occoquan,
and then rose in a gradual acsent to ManaS
sas 1t was a scene of mingled grove and
opening, and the moonlight slept as pla
cidIy upon the jungles of that rise, as if Trea
son, armed in triple strength, were not syly
watching from its lair our ignorant advance
ready to belct forth upon US its deadly ant
malignant fires.
PLAN OF THE ATTACK.
J The plan of Gen. Mcdowell was, as have
already indicated, to advance upon the enemy
in TWO directions, launching his main and cen
tral column along the Warrenton road in a
direct line, until he reached their batteries
while strong column, by circuit to the righ
was to smite them in the rear. The road tC
, Bull Run on the left, and the hostile batterie
: at its end, were to be merely watched through
out the day, so that the enemy could not ISSUE
Q from that quarter aud turn our left. CoIone
$ Richardson, with the lst Massachusetts, p
s and Sd Michigan, and New-YOrk Voluntee
S 18th, and U. S. Artillery, was charged witt
' this duty while to support him, in case b
: should be seriously attacked Gen. Miles, wit
, nine regiments, was posted in reserve, but ia
: enough back toward Centreville to give aid o
e succor also to the main column in case it shonl
1 meet with a reverse These nine regiment