Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-08-22
THE BATTLE OF BULL RUN.
klf. Russelr's Account Of the Rsut.
CONSEQUENCES OF TIE DEFEAT
From the London Times, August 6 I

JULY III sit down to give an account
not Of the action yesterday, but of what saw
with my own eyes, hitherto not often deceived
and Of what heard with my own ears, which
in this country are not so much to be trusted
Let me, however, express an opinion a. to the
sfair Of yesterday. In the first place, the re-
pulse Of the federalists, decided as it was,
might have had no serious effects whatever
beyond the mere failure-which politically
was Of greater consequence than il was in a
military sense-but for the disgrseeful con-
duct Of the troops. The retreat on their lines
ut Centreville seems to have ended in a cow
ardly rout-a miserable, csuselcss panic,
Such scandalous behavior on the part of SOL
diers should have considered impossible as
with some experience Of camps and armies,
have never, even in alarms among camp fol-
lowers, seen the like of it. How far the disor-
ganiEation of the troops extended know not;
but it was complete in the instance of more
than one regiment. Washington this morning
Is crowded with soldiers without officers, who
have fed from Centreville, and with "three
months men" who are going home from the
face OF the enemy on the expiration of their
term Of enlistment. The streets, In spite of
the rain, are crowded by people with anxious
faces, and groups Of wavering politicians are
assembled at the corners, in the hotel pas
sagss and the bars. If in the present state of
the troops the Confederates were to make a
march across the Potomac above Washington,
might fall into their hands Delay may place
that event out of the range Of probability
The North will, no doubt, recover the shock.
Hitherto she has only said, $50 and fight for
the Union" The South has exclaimed, "Let
ne fight for our rights" The North must put
its best men into the battle, or she will in
eVitsh!y fail before the energy, the personal
hatred, and the superior fighting powers of
her antagonist. In my letters, as in my con-
versation, have endesvored to show that the
task which the UniOnists have set themselves
Is one of no ordinary difficulty, but in the state
OF arrogance and supereilious confidence
either real or affected to oonseal a sense of
weakness, one mig bit as well have preached to
the Pyramid Of Cheops Indeed, one may form
some notion Of the condition Of the public mind
by observing that journals conducted by men
OF disgraceful personal Characteristic be-
whipped and be-kicked and uurecognized ps-
rishs Of society in New York-are, neyerthe-
less, In the very midst of repulse and defeat,
permitted to indulge in ridiculous rhodomon.
tAde towards the nations Of Europe, and to
move our laughter impstently malignant
attacks on ''Our rotten old monarchy" while
the stones of their bran new republic are tum-
bling about their ears. 1t will be amusing to
observe the change Of tone, for we can afford
TO observe and to be amused at the same time
On turning into enc of the roads which leads
to Fairfax Court House and to CenteryiIle be-
yond 1t, the distant sound of cannon reached
US. That must have been about 9: 80 a. m IL
mover ceased all day at least, whenever the
IsTIle LaIi OF tne gig ceased the booming of guns
rolled through the woods on our ears One
man said ii began at O'Clock but the pickets
told Us it had really become continuous about
z. or o. clock. In few minutes afterward
body OF men appeared On the road, with
their backs toward Centeryille and their faces
toward Alexandria. Their march so disorderIv
that could not have believed they were sol.
diers in an enemy's country-for Virginia
hereabouts is certainly so-but for their arms
and uniform. IL soon appeared that there was
no less than an entire regiment marching
away, slngly or IN small knots Of two or three,
extending for some three or four miles along
the road. A Babel of tongues rose from them
and they were all in good spirits, but with an
air about them could not understand Dis
mounting at stream, where a group of thirs-
ty men were drinking and halting in the shade,
asked an officer, "Where are your men 90
ing sir! Well, we're going home, sir. 1
reckon, to Pennsylvania Itwas the Fourth
Pennsylvania Regiment, which was on its
march, as learned from the men, 81 sup-
pose there is severe work going on behind YOU,
judging from the fring?" "Well, I reckon,
sir, there is" Were going home" he ad,
ded, after pause, during which it occurred to
him, perhaps that the movement required ex-
planation-" because the mep's time is up.
We have had three months of this work -
proceeded on my way, ruminating on the feel.
ings OF General who sees half q brigade walk
quietly away on the very morning of an action,
and on the frame OF msnd Of the men, who
would have shouted till they were hoarse about
their beloved Unien-possibly have hunted
down any poor creature who expressed belief
that it was not the very quietessence of syery
thing great and good in government and eio-
rious and omnipOtent in arms-eoolly turning
their backs on 1t when in its utmost peril be.
cause the letter Of their engagement bound
them no further. Perhaps the Fourth Penn.
sylyania were right, but let us hear no mere
Of the excellence Of three months service vol.
unteers.
On our left front gap in the lowest chain Of
the bills showed the gap Of Manassas, and to
the left and nearer TO rs lay the Junction
OF the same name, where the Alexandria rail-
way unites with the rail from the west of Vir
ginia, and continues the route by rails of yari-
Gus denominations TO Richmond. The scene
was 30 peaceful a man might well doubt the
evidence Of one sense that great contest WAS
being played out below in bloodshed, or ina
gine, as Mr.. Seward sometimes does, that il
was delusion when he wakes in the morning
and finds there is civil war upon him. But The
cannon spoke out loudly from the green bushes
and the plains below were mottled Do 10 sneak
by pufs Of smoke and by white rings from
bursting shells and eapricious howitsers. IL
was no review that was going on beneath us.
The shells gave proof enough Of that, though
the rush Of The shot could not be heard at that
distance. Clouds Of dust came up in regular
lines through the tree-tops where infsntry
were acting, and now and then their uayerins
mists Of light blue smoke ourlsd up, and the
spluttsr Of musketry broke through the boom.
ing of the guns. With the glass could de-
tsct now and then the fash of the arms through
the dust clouds in the open, but ne one could
tell TO which side the troops who were moving
belonged, and / could only judge from the
smoke whether the guns were nred towards or
away from the hill. 1t was evident that the
dust in the distance on cur right extended be-
yond that which rose from the fsderalists. The
view toward the left, as have said was inter-
rspted, bat the firing was rather more heavy
there than on the front or right flank, and q
glade was pointed cut in the forest as the be-
ginning Of Ball's or POOLS Run, on the other
aide o. which the Confederates were hid
in force, though they had not made any
specific reply to the shells thrown into
their cover early in the morning.
There seemed to be continuous line, which
was held by the enemy, from which came steady
solid hring against what might be supposed to
be heads OF columns stationed at various points
or advancing against them. It was necessary
10 feed the hOrsaa md 81 H..