The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-08-27
THE TRUTHFUL CORRESPONDENT OF THE
LONDON TlMES-HIS VERACiTY COM
PLETELY DISPROVED


Mr. Russcll's letter the Londn Times the greater
part of which We transferred columns yesterday
morning. is in many respects, remarkable paper We
enjoyed the privilege OF riding from point couple Of
miles east of Centrevie to another point Of Fairfax
Court House with Mr. Russell, and when he tells what
took place on that bit Of road competent judges OF
his truthfaness and fairness descriptive writer We
do not know and do not what he saw, says he
saw Of the fight and the flight before found him. but
from the and mstaemens in that portion of his
narrative with which we are Immediately concerned,
should be justified in believing that he not at the
battle Mt ALL and that the materials for his letter
were gathered from some Fire Zouave private of
the Ohio Second who left, terror stricken, in the
early part of the fray and carried the fatal news Of the
rout and the race TO the crednons We left Centre
vile without knowing that rcpulse had been felt, or
that retreat to that point had been ordered jogging
minutes, certainly not morc-ahead OF Mr.. Russell,
saw nothing Of the logging, ashing squirting, beating
and abandoning that he graphically describes. Tie
road was quiet and clear ii army were in the
vicinity mile from CenrevilIe met the New Jersey
regiment, private of which, Mr.. Russell says threat
ened to shoo him If he did not halt The officers
turning back the few fugityes-pot dozen in all-that
were On i,,tf way III; But recognized a civilian,
the Times correspondent must have been,
passed to the rear unch!llengcd MIR. Russell, at
that moment, could not have been half mile
behind US. Pushing on slowly we were ovcrtaken
by Colonel Hunters carriage in which he, wounded
going to the city Mr. Russell saw it, or says he saw it,
attended by escort of troopers at the head of whom
was Major who ''consiercd it right to take charge OF
his chief and leave his battalion We saw no troopers
Majsr. Hon. Isaac n Arnold, Of the House, was
riding by the side Of the vehicle; and he smooth
taken by Gown correspondent" for doubtful man of
war POSSIBLY miles and half from osstrsvliv we
stopped at roadside iai 49e6 We recognized b;n
rode along and engaged with him in discus
Sion OF the causes Of the check then known TO
be anything more; and in his company we went on
through FairfaX-n all q distance perhaps of six or
eight miles ard affirm that one incident uAich
ne reidtes as hdltning IL, that tttch had any foundation
IN fact We saw nothing of that Englshman of whom he
says
at about this time met a cart by the roadside
surrounded by group Of soldiers, some of whom had
go on their caps The owner, as took him to be-
in great distress, and cried out, passed. Can you
tell me- sir, where the Sixty ninth arcf These men say
they are cut TO pieces i can't tell YOU Pm in
charge of the mails, sir, and will deliver them il die
Tor IT, You are gentleman, al can depend ON your
word Is it safe for me to onY Not knowing the ex
tent Of the detdci, assured him it was and asked the
men of the regimen how they happened TO be there
'Shure, the Colonel himself told go of every man
on his own hook, and to fly for lives, replied
them. Tho matt agent, who told he an English
man, started the cart again sincerely hope no bad re-
suit to himself or his charge followed my advice.''
We rode into Fairfax together.
81 reached Fairfax Court House, the people, black and
white, with anxious faces, at the doors, The
MIA Try under arms was besicged with questions,
though hundreds of ugves had passed through before
me.
1t is small matter this but it marks rhe accuracy of
of US; notd "fa9ire,p me dare affirm had passed that
ray he iefaah yaaoer Neto ef7ey regiment, il ace are
not "'iddht'',ee1e at Their usual ereing parade sup
posing, no do~t tat Meaf companions tn had ovl
great rdctory
AT one house stopped to ask for water for my horse;
V,
house where bad in vain asked for something to cat in
the forenoon There's fright among thu M | OBJ
sarat drivers They're afraid Of the cnemys cavalry
Are you m Americana said the man. No am
not Well, then he said there will be cavalry on
them gh There's twenty thousand of The best
horsemen in the world III VirgnDy"
AT the little oneh horse tavern in Fairfax the horses
Mr.. RS and own--were watered, by a servant;
but the reported conversation did take place. A
short distance from that inn Mr. Russell put spurs his
animal, and riding furiously, left behind; he picked
up ample material for misrepresentation however he
went We point out the greatest lasehood one false
hood can be greater than another in the columns he
has devoted 70 the villiiCat n Of our troops
"Washington was still eighteen miles away. The road
was rough and uncertain and again NV poor st cd was
under way; but 1t was no use OF trying outstrip tho
runaways Once or twice imagined heard guns in the
rear but could not be sure consequence OF the roar
Of the flight behind II was most surprising TO see
how far the foot soldiers had contrved 20 on in ad
vance"
1t must have been surprising indeed From the mo-
ment Of meeting the First New Jersey regimen of which
we have Spoken not soldier, unless of baggage or
apicket guard, did we see on the road-not one. The
wagons going in were few and their progress not
such 70 indicate that they making retreat We
faced train after train going with supplies without
guard and without suspicion that the army was beaten
and IN Hight The defeat was not known to any the
road not even to Mr. Russell, Who informed that our
army astd fdH back and amp for the might ofy 10 re-
'1'c the tdt the mat day The roar Of the flight behind
me- stretch of the Imagination. We were ssbehind
me- and heard the guns and marked the time as 7l5
but save our poor old thick wndcd stecd there was not
another horse on the road within our sight few car
rages with the wounded, few retiring cviiians-none
making haste none suspecng the finale that was reach
edSoon passed US, but not an armed man, trooper nor
fcotman, was anywhere Mr.. Russell in the next
paragraph conicsscs much
II was strange ride, through country still as
death; the white road shining ike the moon.
light the trees black ebony in the shade and then
figure fitting by into the forest or across the read
frightened friend or lurking foe who could sayY Then the
anxious pickets and seDtrcs all asking What's the
ncwsT and evidently prepared for any of loss"
Thetruth is probably this Tho imaginative correspond
ent LETT the battle ground before any confusion occurred
and when the retrogade movement was ordered Hear
ing the exaggerated stories Of what proved TO be flight
after he got into Washington, Monday, while the ex
citement was at its height he them into his letter
o. facts OF his own observation The rout was disgrace
full enough to make any mans blood cold in his veins
but it Wa not what Mr. Russell describes. As we have
asserted, he did not see 1t.
THE POOR OF MEMPHIS.
The Memphis Acd'dnke says that the poor OF that city
daily the increase The sum donated TO the wives
and children of volunteers by the county court is no
longer paid the amount having been much larger THAI
was anticipated, emptcd the treasury The result is
that those soldiers who relied upon receiving the amup
appropriated now see their wives and children in an
actual suffering condition