Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-07-22
PARTICULARS OF Tine CLOSING CON.
PLICT AND DrFEAr, By An
EYE WITNESS
TT q sTANPEDS OF TRANSFERS, SPEC
TATORs, AND DRMORALiSED
SOLDIERS.
TzEYARI FORCED BACK TENPoAARII
Especial correspondence Of The Star

| and Bull Run Sunday morning via AleIan-
dria and Orange road, now opened to a point
/ q short distance this side Of Fairfax Station.
| Our train took up the De Kalb Regiment, which
we left temporarily at the station, and proceeded
| on foot via Fairfax Court House to the scene Of
| battle, the roar Of which could be heard with
terrible and increased distinctiveness as we ap-
preached within the last dozen miles Between
| Fairfax Court House and Centreville we began
| to meet carriage loads Of civilians, newspa per
men, Con grsssmen and others, Just from the scene
| OF conflict, and who, in elsted terms shouted to
US the news Of glorious victory az they whirled
past on their way to Washington with the joyful
tdings. "Three batteries taken," " The enemy
driven back upon Manassas Junction" was heard
In a continuous buzz for miles, and until we ar-
rived at the singular spur or elevation which
shoots up so commandingly and known az Cen
treyilie. Climbing TO the earthwork erected here
we could see clouds OF smoke and dust to the left
to the centre, and to the right, indicating active
Infantry and cavalry movements going on. hut
the artillery was quiet for the Eme. This was
about p m, or shortly before.
singular lull as to information Of what was
going on below and beyond was noticeable for a
few minutes Then the perturhed faces Of some
sweaty new corners from nearer the scene OF con-
1Ict showed that something was going wrong
The army wagons thst had advanced beyond
Centrevile began to make a retrog ade movement
towards Fairfax Court House 'to get them out Of
the way" II was said, but as squads Of dust be-
grimed, exhausted, spiritless looking soldiers
began TO arrive from the battlefield and hurry
forward in tie same direction, an uneasy feeling
began TO pervade the gathering Of spectators
Our reserve columns, however, commenced 10
form steadily on the rig ut Of the Crntreville
height indicated that 4 stand would be mad.
there, however the odds might 90 in the valley
below
battery Of our artillery now opened IRE from
the crown Of the height to the LIFT, apparently 10
make a diversion In favor of some Of our broken
columns. Pretty soon, however, this battery
crossed the road to the right to where our re-
serves were forming for stand. The stream IF
demo'alizsd soldiers who filed the roads and
overlooked into the fields on tie WAY toward.
Fairfax Court House began to look Ike SIAM
pede, especially rs many civilians, from Wash.
iagton and elsewhere, who had como out In prI
vate carriages to see the fight began to turn their
horses heads homewards putting whip t, their
horses with such activity that not few were
wrecked by the way, from coming In contact
with the heavy army wagons
Senators Chandler, Wilson, Wade, and othe,
members Of Congress, somewhat later set thsir
Some desultory artillery firing was occasionally
heard but II was evident that the davis wo,k Wa.
over and that the enemy, however successful In
his bushv coverts, was either not able or cour
ageous enough to follow and engage our columns
In the open fields for that night at least Passing
along the road towards Fairfax Court House we
saw the carriage way completely strtwn with diff
ferent articles thrown away by soldiers and team
sters The panic among the teams.ers was In
crs"sed by an accidental explosion of some cart
ridges, and they apparently thinking the enemy
was upon hem hastened to throw away Lays OF
grain, blankets barrels Of provisions kaa psack Ks
spad:s, &C., which were broken by tho hesvy
wheels ard presented the most singular medley
Imaginable IL Is estimated that not less than
Is 200 worth Of grain was thus thrown AWAY
within distance of four o, five miles In many
instances the drivers cut the horses loose from the
vehicles when there was block, and hurried on
Some Of them actually pricked their horses with
bowie knives to accelerate their speed
The squads Of dsnoralized sold iers We're mean.
time adding their quota 10 the panic by throw.
Ing away guns, kuaPsacks, canteens &c , and by
trying to mount upon and into private carriages
as means OF escape Half way to Fairfax Court
House dragon met the line OF fugit!ves and or
dered all to 20 back, that large reinforcsments
were hurrying up, and that all who attemp ted
6iy at would be shot
The First and Second New Jersey Regiments
now approached from the direction of the Cont
House, turning the heads Of the teams setting
tie stream Of fug!tiyes back upon CertIsviile At
the point OF the bsyonet Later In the evening
this check upon the fugitives seems 20 have hem
relaxed, for about ten O'Clock BODY. perbsns
two or three thousand strong Of them. reached
Fa!rfiX Court House from Centreville way. and
pr ceeded On In the direction OF Wssbinpton
This body, which stretched out Its strsUounu
length for long Distance, making II apneay
much more numerous than II really was, doubt
less caused the report that our whole forces w, 70
In rapid retreat from Cenrsvlle, which was not
al all the case. This party OF straggers was COM
posed OF oroEen-up, ofncerless, or otherwise dis,
organ zed regimen's, who had done some of the
hardest fighting Of the day.
There were many Of the Sixty ninth. who .u.-
tained themselves bravery through the day, and
who mourned the loss Of their Lieut. Colonel
Aaggerty; the Fire Zousves. who, according to
general testimony, performed prodigies Of waller.
ana who made i've distinct charges In the course
OF the action; few Of the Second Maine ReoI
ment, who distinguished themselves by their
dash upon the rebel batteries, and who lost their
brave Colonel, Kimball the seventy-ninth, who
also mourn the lamented Cameron the Eiotb
New York, Connecticut and Ohio regiments. Ec
Their passing down towards Fails Church was
much impeded by barbados Of trees, some of
them newly felled, and from the freshness of the
leaves, lats last evening! Much caution was
exercised by the troops In passing these points
| for fear Of an ambuscsde, and Ca plain Thomas
Meagher, who accompanied the Sixty ninth de-
tachment, caused scouts to be seut out 70 recon.
hotter the nei9hborhood Of these suspicious. look
Ing traps The probability Is, however, that the
newly felled trees were designed Only to impede
retreat OF the Federal forces and W ere leled bv
seces1lonists residing In those localities
Captain Meagher, by the way, had horse shot
under him during the engagement.
Incidents of the Battle.
poor little drummer boy was cut cou,p,etslv
In two by a canister shot which struck him ,u.,
under the arms. A piercing ooh" emitted I'm
Childish treble the soldiers who were near him