Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1861-07-24

q Il
by their spirited assault upon the batteries
at the point of the bayonet, but it is
feared that their loss is immense. Up to
the hour of three o'clock P. VI. it was gem
orally understood that We had hemmcd In the
enemy entirely and that they we're gradually
retiring that Hunter had driven them back
In the rear, that Heintzleman scomnand was
meeting with every success, and that 1t re-
q1ired bat the reserves Of Tyler's division to
push ON TO Manassas Junction.
Further Details Of tie Battle.
Washington, July D, 1861.
After the latest information was received
T from CentreEille, Al half past seven O'clock
! last night, series Of events took place in the
1 intan nsest degree disastrous Many confused
statements are prevalent, but enough Is
known 10 warrant The statement that we have
suffered in a degree which has cast gloom
+ over the remnant of the army. and excited
/ the deepest melancholy throughout " ashing
! ton. The carnage has been tremendously
+ heavy on both sides, and ours is represented
as frighttui.
We were advancing and taking the masked
batteries gradually but surely, and driving
the enemy towards Manassas Junction, when
they seemed to be reinforced by Gen. John
: son, and Immediately commenced driving u
back, when panic among our troops sud
denly occurred. and a regular stampede took
place
II is thought that Gen. Mcdowell under
touk u make a stand at or about Centreyille,
but the panic WAS 50 fearful that the whole
army became demoralized. and it was i'm
possible 10 check them either at CentreviIle
or Fairfax Court House.
Gen. Mcdowell intended TO make another
stand at Fairfax Court House but our forces
Z being in full retreat he could not accomplish
! the object. Beyond Fairfax Court House the
retreat was kept up until the men reached
their regular encampments, portion of whom
f.. returned to them, but still larger portion
( coming inside Of the line of intrenchments
/ A larg" number Of the troops in the retreat
Z fell on the wayside from exhaustion and
f! scattered along the entire route all the way
I from Fairfax Court House. The road from
: Bulls Run TO Centre7ile was strewed with
kuapsacks, arms, &c. Some Of the troops
deliberately threw away their guns and ap-
purtenances the better 10 facilitate their trav-
el.
I Gen. Mcdowell was in the rear at the re
/ treat, exerting himself to rally his men, but
/ with only partial effect. The latter part of
4 the army, it IS said, made their retreat in
/ good order. He was completely exhausted.
/ having slept bat little for three nights His
I orders on the field did not at all times reach
those for whom they were intended.
Ii is supposed that the force sent against
/ our troops consisted, according to a priso-
ner's statement, Of about 80 900 men, iHclu-
ding large number Of cavalry. lie says
4 further that owing 10 the reinfJrcements from
/ Richmond, Strawsburg, and other points, the
/ enemy's effective force was 90 1000 men
! According to the statement Of the Fire Zou-
4 aves they have only about six hundred men
4 left from the slaughter, while the Sixty ninth
4 New York regiment has suffered frghtfully
/ in killed and wounded.
Sherman's, Carlisle's an3 tie West Point
Batteries were taken by the enemy and the
eight seige Thirty two pound rifsd cann1n.
! The latter being too cumbrous to remcve they
were left tw0 miles the other side of Centre
/ vile. Such Of the wounded as were brought
to the CentrevilIe hospital were left there af-
/ ter having their wounds properly dressed.
4 Tho panic was 50 great that the attempt 70
rally thrin IN 4 stand at Centrcvilie was en-
tirelv in vain II firm stand had been
made there our troops cnuid have been rein
forced and much disaster prevented.
General McD we'll thus fyiled in his
well arranged plans 1t is sufficient that all
the provision trains hc!ungir TO the United
States Government are saved Some regimen
tai wagons were overturned bv accident ar
the wheels came off and had therefore to lie
abandoned. Large dr0ves If cattle were Saged
by being driven back in the advance Of the
retreat.
1t is supposed here that len. Mansfield will
I take command Of the fortifcatiJns on the 9th.
er side of the river which are able it is said
by military engineers, to hold them against
any force the enemy may bring. Large ri
fed cannons and mortars are being rapidly
1 sent over and mounted
F, Col. Marston, of New Hampshire regi-
ment reached here this morning. He was
wounded Ueintzleman was also wounded in
the wrist. In addition to those reported yes
terday il is said that Col Wilcox, comman
I der Of brigade, was killed. Also Capt. Me-
Cook, brother Of Capt. McCook cf Ohio
Cause Of tie Panic.
The following is an account of the inaug-
/ uration of the panic which has operated so
I disas trously to our troops. Il receives un-
usual interest from the subsequent events.
/ All our military operations vent on SWIM
mingly, and Col. Alexander was about erect.
! ing pontoon across Bull Ron. The enemy
were seemingly in retreat, and their batteries
/ being unmasked one after another when a
/ terrific CONSERVATION broke out among the
! teamsters who had ineautiously advanced i'm
! mediately after the body Of the army and lin
ed the Warrentown road. Their consterna-
! ton was shared in by the numerous civilians
who were on the ground and for time it
! seemed as if the whole army was in retreat.
Many baggage wagons were emptied of
their contents and the horses galloped across
the open fields. All the fences were torn
down to allow them a more rapid retreat
! For time perfect panic prevailed which
communicated Itself TO the vicinity of Cen
trevilIe, and every available conveyance was
seized upon by the agitated civilians. The
wounded soldiers ON the roadside cried for as
sistance, but the alarm was so great that mum
bers were passed By. a
Sazeral similar alarms occurred on nre7i-