Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1861-07-27
TEE GRAND ARMY-ITs ADVANCE
AND RETREAT.

The army Of the Potomac, under Gen.
McDovALL, moved from its lines, as we on.
uounced, on Tuesday Of last week. In
numbers It was about $1,000 strong, with
fair proportion Of heavy artillery. The
size of the force it expected TO meet was o
mere matter OF estimate. 1t was certainly
not less than our own, and probably con.
siderably larger. The advance went on
quietly. Our troops occupied, without re
Sisiance, Fairfax Court House and Centre.
vile, with but insignificant skirmishing
Considerable earthworks and batteries were
abandoned by the rebels, who obstrucied
the roads by Telling trees. On the night
OF Wednesday our troops rested at Fair
fax, Centrevlle and in the region adjacent.
On Thursday the advance was resumed,
and at an eatly hour in the day Gen. Ty.
ler's brigade came up with the enemy at
Bulls Run, a stream some four miles east
of Manassas Junction. Here it became
evident that the rebels intended to make q
stand. 1t is said that Beauregard had in,
formed his troops that the fate Of the Con.
federacy rested on the action at Manassas
and administered to them an oath 10 fight
to the last man.
Four miles from Centreville Gen Tyler
found a masked battery of the enemy.
which opened a rakibg fire on bis advance,
disabling the horses on one Of ShermaB's
guns, which however was brought off safe
ly. Gen. Tyler then planted a battery on
the top of hill, while Col. Richardson's
brigade reconnoitered the woods. During
the entire day the firing from the batteries
was continued, and lively action Of skir.
mishers going on ia the woods, our troops
losing some forty killed and sixty wounded
Night closed the action, and during Friday
and Saturday both armies rested without
fighting. The interval was employ ed by
McDowall in accommodating, and by the
enemy in reinforcing and extending bis
lines to avoid flank movement.
On Sunday morning at 3 a. m. the ad-
vance was resumed. Col Richardson held
the battery established on Thursday, COL
Heintzelman passing to bis left and flank.
ing the enemy's batteries from the south
McDow0lPs main body passed to the right
and North Of Bulls Run, on the other side
Of which the enemy were posted in en-
trenchments strongly fortified and mounted
with cannon. One by one successive bat.
teries we're carried, only to 6nd that 9th
ers commanded them further on bet the
heroism Of our troops was updaunted and
our dispatches Of Sunday evening closed
with the report that Col Heintzelman was
far in advance and shelling the eHtrench,
ments at Manassas Junction.
Here our fortunes took sudden and nm.
accountable change. The glorious results
of previous days, the unfinching courage,
which our noble volunteers had manifested,
gave way before one of those horrible pan.
les which afiict troops not thoroughly dis.
cipliued. 10 the very momeut Of victory,
after signalling their courage aud endu
rance by acts of wonderful valor, STAN
pede began among the teamsters and spread
to all parts Of the army. 1t is part ot
human nature, something Ike the canseless
retreat which after the day of Solferino
was won, sfrigbted large portion of the
French srmy, and which, had it happened
three hoars earlier, would have ruined tue
military glory Of Louis Napoleon. These
accidents are incident to men in masses
This involves vast disaster, one which
pales the cheek and sicken the heart
The cause of this unfortunate affair. from
all we can gather, was, that at,the moment
Of the advance Of reinforcements Of Gen.
JohRson's column, fresh for the continued
struggle against our wearied and haitian
ished men, hurried movement was mad
by the exhausted ammunition wagons tow
ards the rear, which was taken by tn
tesmstsFs wbo had advanced beyond thei
proper position, to be retreat, and tn
panic and confusion spread with fatal rap
iGiiy. The CONSERVATION seems to have
been nnbcunded. Every possible means
for facilitating fight was put to use, even
to the cutting Of the traces which attached
the horses to baggage-Wagons. the throw
ing away Of arms, &C. The confusion that
epsned, prepared the way for n terrible
slaughter, and the exaggerated reports Of
which. coming to band on Monday, carried
beaEiness TO every loyal heart. The re-
treat Was continued until the grand army |!
reOecupied the camps, they had left on the
Tuesday before.
An important consideration in this con-
peslioS, and which sofens somewhat the
severe features Of the affair, is, that the
whole four miles between BULBS Run and
Apnassas, was series Of earthworks and
msAksd, batieEies,. and ths taking Of one,
was onlE the opening Of lhs way TO the at
tack upon another with additional fresh
trOODa 10 annonnfer aud. naar.. .s.o,,t..i