Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1861-08-01
More Of the Dattie-From an Aid 10 Gen.
Nc DeweiIs

More Of the DattIe-From an Aid 10 Gen.
Nc DsweiI.
From letter Of one of Gen. Mcdowell
Aids. to his wife. says the Cincinnati Ga
zette. we have been permitted to make
some extracts. which are very cfeditablc
to the two Ohio Regiments. The letter re-
veals something we have not seen stated
elsewhere. When the rescr-e advanced to
support the advance. which at that time
had driven the enemy some distance. it
fred on their own men and threw them in
disorder. The writer says;
The srmy was to move st 2 p. a., in
two columns---one approaching the en-
cmy direct aud the other. on its flank. We
all moved off in time. andthe two columns
reached their destined positions. IS had
been planned, and the engagement com
meuced in two places. The column in di.
rect advance attacked them long distance
off. while the other column came round
commenced the attack on the SHE of the
enemy. This thanking column drove the
enemy from its place across tho country
Tor two miles. when our two columns
made junction. then we mado general
attack, and drove the enemy off into the
corner Of open fats Surround by woods. -
At this time our reserve came ND, and
opened their fire on our own men. which
threw them into disorder; and Just when
we had whipped them frem every position
they had taken. our men were thrown into .
panic by our troops firing on thom, taking
them for the enemy. for there was no way
of telling friends from foes in the general
engagement. And then came sight--may
he spared from seeing such another -
Two thousand men started panic stricken,
running through some five thousand who
were on their way TO assist them. The
panic spread through the Eve ihousasa
and it was not in the Cover Of human ex.
ertion to restrain them to form them into
any kind of shape. Appeals of all kind.
aud threats were alike UNDECIDED, and the
only men uumoved were our regulars
They moved on in compact form and
fought the advance enemy On one side
holding them in check. and on the othe,
our two Ohio regiments. supporting Capt
Ayers battery. which kept the panic strik.
en- men FROM being cut To pieces while try
ing to Te-organize them into some shape
on plain opposite 10 where we had been
SO hotly engaged. f
] looked also on that. plain and Their.
was our small band of segulars and the
Ohio brigade under Schsnok. with Aver,
battery. holding the enemy in check and
giving US time to draw Off our disorganized
msss " men. and then commenced . re-
treat. = y
."0ur General is now subject to all III.
blame and Disgrace defeated General i,
made liable to. He Is conscious of having
done all that is in his power. and that too
Of tho best officers in the army to assist
him. In no one point did he allow an,
changes when he couLl By any means pre-
vent. Two things he could not provid,
for: ono was Gen. Johnstan's army re-en
forcing ReauFegard: and the other the un
disciplined troops thst were so easily de
morslizsd and thrown into panic. Their
is . vast difference between disciplined and
undisciplibsd troops in Geld Of battle
Our regulars and some of the volunteers
such as Burpsides' Brigade Of providence
Scheuck's Ohio Brigade. the Connect
cut Brigade. somo Of the Boston and New
York Volunteer Regiments did .wsll, AMI
all these were in the first of the engage
ment except the Ohio and Coppecticu
troops. The great mass Of the troops wer
green men that had just come into the ser
vice, for the very morning we had our en-
gagement. some Of the three mouths me.
marched from the field for home, Thi
had bad effect on our men.
i We suppose that this account win deep
On the impression on every ones mind tha
our men are required to do impossibilitics
Their number was entirely inadequate 70
the undertaking. They best the sneml