Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1861-08-02

pressing up against U.s. "lt'sno use.
Alexander" said, "you must leave with
the rest" "I'll be id if | WILL was
his sullen reply, and the splendid fellow
rode back to make his way as best he
could. Meantime I saw officers with
leaves and eagles on their shoulder straps
majors and colonies, who had deserted
their commands. pass me galloping as if
for dear life. No enemy pursued just
then; but l suppose all were afraid that
his guns would be traiued down the long
narrow avenue, and NOW the retreating
thousands, and batter to pieces army wag-
ons and every thing else which crowded
it. Only one field officer, so far as by
observation extended, seemed to haqe re-
membered his duty. Lieut.. Col. Speidel,
foreigner attached to Connecticut regi-
ment, strove against the current for
league. positively declare that, with
the two exceptions mentioned, all efforts
made to check the panic before Centerville
was reached, were confined to ciOilians.
l saw man in citizens dress who had
thrown off his coat, seized musket, and
was trying to rally the soldiers who came
by at the point of the bayonet. In reply
to request for his name, he said it was
Washburne, and | learned that he was
the member by that name from Illinois.
The Hon. Mr. Kellogg made similar
effort. Both these congressman bravely
stood their ground till the last moment,
and were serviccable at Centerville in as
sisting the halt there ultimately made
And other civilians did what they could.
But what scene! and how terrific the
onset of that tumultuous retreat. For
three miles, hosts of federal troops-all
detached from their regiments, all min
gled in one disorderly rout--were fleeing
along the road, but mostly through the
lots on either side Army wagons, SUIT
Hers teams and private carriages, choked
the passage, tumblipg against each other,
amid clouds of dust, and sickening sights
and sounds Hacks, containing unlucky
spectators Of the late ARRAY, were smashed
like glass, and the occupants were lost
sight of in the debris. Horses, flying
wildly from the battle field, many of them
in death agony, galoped at random for
ward, joining in the stampede. Those on
foot who could catch them rode them bare
back, as much to save themselves from
being run over, as to make quicker time.
Wounded men, lying along the banks--
the few either left on the field or taken to
the captured hospitals, appealed with
raised hands to those who rode horses,
begging to be lifted behind, but few re-
garded such petitions. Then the artillery,
such as was saved, came laundering along,
smashing and overpowering everything.
The reguler cavalry, I record it to their
shame, joined in the melee, adding to its
terrors, for they rode down footman with
out mercy. One of the great guns was
overturned and lay amid the ruins of a
casson, as passed it. Isaw an artillery
man running between the ponderous fore
and after-wheels of his gun carriage,
hanging on with both hands, and vainly
striving to jump upon the ordnance. The
drivers were squirting the horses; he could
not cling much longer, and more ago
nizcd expression never fixed the features
Of drowning man. The carriage bound
ed from the roughness of a steep hill lead
ing to creek, he lost his hold, fell, and
in an instant the great wheels had crush
ed the life out of him. who ever saw
such fight? Could the retreat at Boro-
dino have exceeded it in confusion and
tumult? ! think not. 1t did not slack
in the least until Centerville was reached.
There the sight of the reserve--Miles'
Brigade-formed in order on the hill,
seemed somewhat to reassure the van.
But still the teams and foot soldiers pushed
on passing their own camps and heading
swiftly for the distant Potomac, until for
ten miles the road over which the grand
army had 50 lately passed southwark, gay
with unstained banners, and flushed with
: surety of strength, was covered with the
J fragments of it's rctreating forces, shat