New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-08-20

Inoss pepIl1 so ;l;gorsnt whether glory or as
Grace led he wav proyided they could ma ~
the midst Of this extraordinary H. mex with
e,aored by some go5s, rode through fot yyitb
a I;olt carl in charge Another officer, on iO9 WI
Iis sword under his arm ran up against e. bodi
il ali this about p Why, "eI PlGs'yc ansral
whipped. We're all in retreat. -, 10 ron There
1'yer there badly wounded" ana on no M ~, oil
c:yae vet sro.her who said, We're oesSen on al
roipts The whole army Is IN re'Ieat: 'u., - NO
was no flight of troops. no reTeat Oh an army, Nv
reason for all thls preclpiIaon. ,bo' rear bnt II
MANY men in Uniform flying toward the rear, ouS II
did not appear they were beyond the proportions
of large baggage escort got my horse
up into the field out OF the road' anu WoI ven
dierr who were coming through the corn, mostly
without arms; and presently i saw hrel0cks, COOK
ing tins, knapsacss and greatcoats ON the grolnd,
and observed that the confusion and speed OF
the baggaye-cagts became greater, and i1at
many Of them were crowded with men, or were i0l-
lowed by Others VINO cling 10 them. The ambniapees
crowded with soldiers but 1t dd not look az IL
there many wounded. Negro servants on LED
horses dashed fisntically past men ~ uniform, whom
it were "a disgrace 10 the profession of arms to call
"sojiere," swarmed by on mules, charger, and even
draugbt horses which had been cut on Of carts or
wagons and went on with harness cllngng To thels
heels, as frightened their riders Men literally
screamed with rage ana fright when Their way was
blocked up. On rode, asking oil What Is all tins
about 20 and and then, but rarely, receiving the
answer, Were whipped" or "Were IepiiSed.'
Fnce, blsek and dusty tongues out in the hat eyes
starng-it was a most wonderful sight. On they came
ike him
who having once TONED round goes on,
Ard Turns his head
Doh close behind him tread
But where Was the fend! | looked in vain. There
Was. indeed some cannonadng In front of me and ia
their rear but still the firing was comparatively dis-
tant and the Tunaways were Ia ont OF range. Ne
advanced the number Of carts Diminished, but the
mounted men increased, and the column OF fdeiives
became denser 4 few buggies and light wagons Filed
! with men, whose faces would have made up "agreal
lenoreo in the ghost scene, tried 10 pierce the rear
OF the mass of carts, which wer" now sOhdlhed a'l
moving on Ike gl.Clcr. crossed sInall dltch Dy
the roadside got out on he road 10 escape some snake
fences and looking before me, saw there was still
/ crowd of men in uniforms coming along The road
was strewn with articles OF clothing-hrelocks,
waisbelts, cartonohb0Xes caps, great coats, mehs.
fins musical insruments, cartridges, bayonets and
sheaths, swords and p'stols-eyen biscuits, water
bottles and pieces Of meat Passing white Donse by
tile road eide Saw for The first time, body OF in
(anry with sloped arms marching regularly and rap
/ idlv toward me. Their faces were not blackened
by powder aud it evident they had not been
engaged. In reply to a question n?n-'on'H MS
! fell back TO our lines. Inc attack did not quite
succeed" This was assuring TO one who had
come through such scene az 1 had been witness
/ ing / had ridden, 1 suppose, about three or three
and a-balf miles from the hill though it is not
I possible TO be sure OF the distance; when, having
passed the white house, j came ont on IA open
/ piece Of ground, beyond and cireEng which wa
! forest. Two field pieces were unhmtered and
Guarding the road The painting and aded horses In t1e
/ rear looked as though they had been hard worked,
and the gnnuers. ami drivers looked worn and de-
cced Dropping shots sounded close IN 'front.' through
The woods; but the guns the left no longer main
tanned their fire. was just about to ask one Of the
men for a light when q sputteIlng Ire on my night
attracted my attention, AID ont OF the forest along
the road rushed number OF men. The gunners seized
the trail of the piece to wheel il round upon
them; others made for the tImbIlls and hoses AZ If 10
fiy when shout raised, Don't fire. they re- orr
own men; and in few minutes On came pell'ncll
whole regiment IN disorder. L rode across one
and etc pped him. "Were pursued by cavalry he
olsped; "a They We cut all to pieces. AS he spoke
a shell burst the column; another dropped on
the road and ont streamed another column Of
men, leeping tOQcthe VITA their arms, and closing
up the straogles OF the int regiment turned, and
10 NV surprise the artileTymen had gone oil, leav-
ing ono gun standing by itseii. They had reteated
with their hOres. While on the hill had
observed and pointed out my companions coud of
dust which through the trees our right front.
In my present position that place must have been on
the night rear and occurred 10 me mat aiter All there
really might be body OF cavalry in that direction;
but Murat himself would not have charged these
wagons in that deep, well-fenced lane Ii the da,t
came as believe i, did from field artillery that
would be different matter. Any way II was now
well established that the retreat had really commenced,
I though saw bus few wounded men, and tie regi-
ments which We're falling back had not suffered
much loss No one seemed TO know anything for
Several oficers said they had carried guns and
lines but then they dnited Into the nOnfeuse which
one reads aud hears everywhere about masked bat
teIies.' One or two talkea more sensbly about the
.IoDg positions Of the enemy, the fatigue Of their
men, the want Of reserve, severe losses and the bad
conduct Of certain regiments. Not spoke as il lie
thought OF retiring beyond Centreyie. The clouds of
dust rising above the woods marked the IeIest of the
whole army and the crowds Of tugIiives continued
steal away along the road. The was declining,
aud some thiIIy miles yet remained TO be accomplished
ere could hole u cam the shelter Of Washington.
No ore knew whittier any corps or regiment was
matching but there weIe ruD0Ts Of all kInds-" The
t.rh are cut 20 pieces" "lhe Fire Iouayes de-
siroved " and Presently tremor ran through the
men by whom wus riding IA the sharp reports OF some
i.ldpieccs latled through the wood close at hand. 1
sort Of bdued roar like the voice OF distant breakers,
yoe IN front of GLd the s0dieIs, who Were think,
Germans. broke into dOable looking now and then
over their shoulders. there was no choice for me
hut 20 redQn any further researches. The mall from
! Washington for The "Wednesday steamer a. Boston
leaves At ~ on Monday aHd 70 put my horse intOa
t,ut keeping IN the fields alongside the roads mcb
AS 1 could 10 avoid the fnei,ives, ill once
more on tho rear OF The baggage and store cs, and
the rro sure Of ihe crowd who conscious u the aid
which the vehicles would afford them agllnst cav
airy charge aud fearful, nevertheless OF their prox-
unity caIuOred aud shouted like nvdmen - they ran.
The road was now literally covered with baggage. IL
seemed 10 me as if the inside were throwing the
thug. out pnrposely. stop, cried 10 the criger
OF one of the carts, everything IL FILLING out.
--- YOU" shouted a fellow nside " if you stop
him, III blow your brains out Ny attempts 70 svo
Uncle Sans property were then and there diScOn.
tnued
ON approaching Centreyille body OF German in
fantry OF the reserve marching down aud stem.
me-, The current IN degree; they were followed
by brigade OF guns and another battalion 81 fresh
troops turned up on the nil half mile beyond
The vehicle had all leit but tTo-my buggy was
gous 4 battery Ct field guns IN position where
we had been standing. The men looked well. As