Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1861-07-26
THE LATE7BATTLEs.

last Monday A few days before that we had in
ieligence Of the marching Unto Virginia of Lin
coins grand army. On Wednesday of last week,
Mt O'clock. p. ~, that immense host of armed
men took up their line Of march for Richmond
1T was an army that had been made up under Gen
Scots own direction and supervision. More than
two months had been occupied with its formation,
outfit and preparation for the field. 1t was made
up Of fresh men, gathered from every quarter OF
Liucoln's domains. They were armed with the
most approved weapons known in modern warfare,
and commanded by the best military talent that the
dissolution of the Union had left TO the Niger
worshippers-talent not by any messs to be de-
splsed This army had long been represented as
eager for an opportunity to vndcate the honor and
sgiory of their flag and to punish the presumptuous
Arebels," who had dared to insult it--anxious for
the "iorward march" that should be the signal of
destruction to the TRAITORS" who had lifted their
pony arm against the authority of the mighty
Abraham.
The welcome day had come Gen. Scott after
many weeks of deliberate planning and prepar ing
had pronounced the grand army ready for the work
before them. Their tents were struck, their camp
fires extinguished and ninety thousand men, with
fifteen powerful batteries of cannon, turned their
facss and commenced their march towards the cap
. ital of the proud old commonwealth of Virginia.
They went forth encouraged by the glad hurrahs of
thousands who cheered them in their march from
she Potomac To whatever there might be of SOL
dterly gallantry and patriotism in their heart, were
added an intense bate of the Southerner, and the
glad hope of pluRder, TO urge them on. From
their camp to Fairfax c. H.. and from Fairfax to
Centerve, the march of the grand army was I'M
opposed except by occasional Instructions of feled
trees, which only indicated to them the terror and
dread the 'rebes felt at their approach. Wherever
they caught sight Of the "traitors it was only to
see them fly; and glad would have been Abraham's
heart could he have heard the grand armys jokes
about the 'Virgnia races shooting on the wing"
the selection of eligible farms" &c. The rebels
had ed in '.cowardly haste from Fairfax and from
Oen.crville, and the grand army began to fear that
they would be denied too, the loug-covetted go-
res of 6glS at Manassas and that they might
even have to take possession of Richmond without
fight! Anxiously did they look for some sign of
n stand by the rebels; and at length they found
~.
rebel entertainments that looked like fight. This
was small game, but it must be tagged" so a
small force was sent forward for that purpose
They started upon their efrand, and as they ap-
. preached the intrenchaents4 they began to fear
that the game was flown, 50 still was all within
them but when they had gone to where the white
OF an eye could be seen, there was poured upon
them such murderous discharge of musketry and
artillery as sent hundreds of the deluded and
doomed assailants to whatever Of paradise per-
dition awaits a Lincoln soldier. The ball was
opened Thousands more of the invading host now
rush upon the entertainments and again are moved
down, like grass, by the scythe of fire from that
deadly battery Three times did solid mass Of
thousands of men attempt to storm the entrench-
ments, and three times they driven back by
the tempest of fire and lead that was poured upon
chem; and then panic stricken and confused they
fy like scattered sheep, leaving hundreds of their
dead and dying on the bloody field Such wasthe
intia;ory battle at Bulls Run. Our victory was
complete, although we fought them at great odds
against US, aud it cost the life of many Of our gal
liant men.
After this disastrous defeat Gen. Mcdowell took
up his position near the battle ground and spent
two days in collecting his entire forces for another
attack; for he coald not yet hai Dor the thought
that the "grand army was to be stopped in its on
ward march.
Al length on Sunday morning the great battle
occurred, near Manassas Junction. Each side had
over fifty thousand men. Gen. +Beauregard COM
mauded our forces, and Gen. Mcdowell the FEEDER
als. The conflict was terrible The details of it
have not reached yet but We know that from
early morning till nightfall-thirteeu long hours
under burning July sun, the battle ragged with
dread intensity, Nearly an hundred thousand
men struggled in the deadly fight aud upon its is
. sue hung interests weghty as the sword ever
decided More than twenty batteries of cannon
belched forth their thunders, and with them was
mingled the rattle of seventy thousand muskets.-
A solid bridge of fire seemed 10 span the distance
that separated the combattants, now and then only
darkened by the bayonet charge of opposing col
umns or by the wild sweep OF the maddened caval-
~ For nine hours the issue of this battle if not
doubtful, was at least undecided; but at 3 p, NJ
the Lincoln host began to waver, and though they
continued to fight for two or three hours, it was
evident that they were giving way; and at last
panic seized them, and the entire host fed in the
utmost confution, towards Alexandria; leaving
their cannon, their baggage their provisions theiI
dead and their wounded behind, and throwing
away arms and accoutremens and everything else
that impeded their flight
The slaughter in this battle was terrible. No
less, we are told, than 10000 men, including many
al wa Lass M mp
bah, il indeed over a third, of what the Fedora
loss waA
Thus has the grand army Of the Black Republi
can usurper been met by the gallant men of thu
South whom they thought to whip into subms
siou 10 his rule, Thus in the first few days Of the
march, have the hirelings ofthc despot nearly beer
swept from the face Of the earth Thank God fo