Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-07-26
Editorial Correspondence OF the N. "
- Times. Cd "A 5Ag1a Go W. =
-f WASHINGTON, Monday morning,
f.. s... Jnly 90. 1861.

4 / came In from Centreville last evening for
the express purpose of sending you the latest
intelligence of the great battle Of yesterday.
left Centreville at half.past Sand reached here
at midnight. sent q dispatch TO the Office,
but, as it 10 70 be subjected to the censorship of
the Government, which gives no hint OF what II
refuses permission to pass, have no means Of
knowing whether its contents reached you or
not. must therefore repeatit contents. no!
The battle yesterday was one OF the most
severe and sanguinary ever fought on this Con-
tinent, and 10 ended in the failure of the Union
troops to hold all the positions which they
sought to carry, and which they actually did
carry, and In their retreat to Centreville, where
they have made stand, and where Gen. Nc.
Dowell believes that they are able to maintain
themselves. i,s4. eI.lr ra.l 1sss 60 q lsI1t
As telegraphed you yesterday, the attack
was made in three columns, two of which, how
ever, were mainly felnts, intended to amuse
and occupy the enemy, while the substantial
work was done by the third. 1t has been
known for long time that the range Of hilla
which border the small, swampy stream known
as Bulls Run. had been very thoroughly and
extensively fortified by the rebels-that bat
teries had been planted at every available point
usually concealed In the woods and bushes
every way OF approach to the region beyond
These are the advanced defenses Of Manassas
Junction, which is some three miles further of.
Until these were carried, no approach could be
made TO that place; and after they should bt
carried Others of similar character would have
to be overcome at every point where they could
be erected. The utmost that military skill ant
ingenuity could accomplish for the defense o.
this point was done. Gen. Mcdowell was un
willing to make an attack directly in face o.
theee batteries, as they would be OF doubtfu
issue, and must inevitably result In a very se
rious loss of life. After an attace had beer
resolved upon, therefore, he endeavored to fnt
some way OF turning the position. His frat in
tention was to do this on the Southern sde,-
to throw strong column into the place from
that direction, while feigned attack should b.
made in front. On Thursday, when the troop
| were advanced to Centreville, il was found tina
the roads on the south side Of these position
were almost mpracticable,-tha they wer
narrow, crooked and stony, and that 1t would b
almost impossible to bring up enough artiller
to be effective in the time required. This orig
inal plan was, therefore, abandoned; and FIR
day was devoted to an examination by the Il
biographical engneers, of the Northern side {
the position. Maj. Barnard and Capt. Whippl
reconnoitered the place,for miles around, an
reported that the position could be entered by
path coming from the north Though IL va
somewhat long and circuitious. This wa
selected, therefore, as the mode and point of al
tack.
On Saturday the troops were all brougt
closely up to Centreylle, ,--and all needful pr
paratons were made for the attack which wa
intended for the next day. Yesterday morI
ing, therefore, the army marched-by two road
l-Col Richardson with his command takin
the Southern, which leads to Bulls Run, an
Gen. Tyler the Notwithstanding parallel
IL at distance of about mile and o hal
| The movement commenced at about 8 O'Clock
got up at little before A, and found the Ion
/ line of troops extended far out on either roa,
| took the road by which Colonel Hunter wit
his command, aud Gen. Mcdowell and stat
had gone, and pushed on directly for the from
After going out about two miles Col. Hunt
turned to the right-marching obliquely +
wards the Run, which he was to cross some fo
miles higher up and then come down upon Il
intrenched positions of the enemy on the 9th
side. Col. Miles was left at Centreville and {
the road, with reserves which he was to brir
up whenever they might be needed. Ge
Tyler went directly forward, to engage the e
emy in front, and send reinforcements to Ca
Hunter whenever 1t should be seen that he WI
engaged. -a-.--
went out, as have already stated, upc
what is marked as the northern road. II
hilly, like all the surface of this section. Aft
going out about three miles, you come to
point down which the road, leading through
forest, descends; then it proceeds by succe
sion Of rising and falling knolls for quart
Of q mile, when il crosses o stone bridge al
then ascends by a steady slope to the heigb
beyond. At the top of that slope the rebe
had planted heavy batteries, and the woods
low were filled with their troops and with co
cealed cannon. We proceeded down the ro
, to the first OF the small knolls mentioned, VIII
the whole column halted. The 30,pounder Pi
rott gun, which has longer range than o.
other in the army, was planted, directly in &
road. Captain Ayres's battery was station
!. In the woods little to the right The FIJI
oil Ohio and Second New York Regiments VIC
5 thrown into the woods in advance on the lie
= The Sixty-ninth New York, the First, Seco
and Third Connecticut Regiments, were rang
behind them, and the Second Wisconsin v
thrown into the woods on the right. At abe
half past elk O'Clock the 30-pounder threw {
!, shells directly into the battery at the summit
% the slope, on the opposite height, one of viii,
as learned afterwards, struck and explod
= directly in the midst of the battery, a
occssioned the utmost havoc and con
i. sion. After about half an hour Captain Ay
Q threw ten or fifteen shot and shell tr,
V his battery into the same place. But both ia
ed to elicit any reply. Men could be seen m,
J, ing about the opposite slope, but the bstteri
were silent. An hour or 80 afterwards
heard three or four heavy guns from Colo
ye Richardson's column at Bulls Run, and Oh,
were continued at intervals for two or thl
70 hours, but they were not answered, even b.
single gun. Il was very clear that the enc
Z, intended to take his own time for paying his
spects to US, and that he meant, moreover,
ldo 1t In his own way. Mean time we CO.
lhear in the distance the sound Of Colo
!, Hunters axemen, clearing his way, and awi
ed with some Impotence the sound of his O
non on the opposite heights. Time wore alJ
with occasional ehots from our guns, as "
as those of Colonel Richardson's column,
without, in q single instance, receiving any
lplys ~ ,r.9. .isg, y,
, AT little before ii O'Clock, the First o
1 and Second New York, which were lying in
wood on the left, were ordered to advance
They did so,-pasaing out Of the road aud cli
ing fence into q wood ~opposite, which I
had barely approached, = however, when I
q we're met by tremendous discharge of (,
gun battery, planted at the LETT in the wo,
mainly for the purpose Of sweeping the +
q perpendicularly and the open field on the r
n by which alone troops could pass forsart
b the opposite bank. They were staggered e
moment, and received orders to retire. G.
Ayres's battery formerly Sherman's) was
vanced little, 90 as TO command this bait
and BY twenty minutes Of vigorous play upo
silenced 1t completely. k,.s ssh7o - h .
Athalf past II we heard Hunter's guns
. the opposite hight. over mileto the right.
o, was answered BY batteries there, and then
md lowed the sharp, rattling yolleys Of masks
as their infantry became engaged. The 4