New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-07-31
Letter from the sI-id of Battle.

The following is private letter from gensle-
man belonging to Company G, Crescent Rifles, adj
dressed to a friend in this city. 1t contains some
interesting items in regard to the. great battle:
sF0Sz BalnsH BaF1ss Saly Is. sfssso issi'
Dear B-Aeain we are victorious having driven
the enemy beyond Fairfax, taken all their rihed
cannon, among them the celebrated sherman Bat
terry, the finest in the States, fifty wagon loads OF
provisions. absut fifteen hundred stand OF arms,
killing between four and FIVE thousand Of them,
and taking fifteen hundred prisoners. Such VIC
tory was never known since the days OF NAPOLEON,
and it was fought on Sunday, the day Waterloo
was won. The Tigers commenced the fight at 8
O'Clock A. NJ, charging on and taking battery
having TO give it up twice, but at last succeeding
ip uilmhering it. Gen. Scott was in the vicinity
Of the battle 80 was President Davis, who visited
our regiment in person. He compmented MS
highly for the work we had done. We had been
maneuvering all the morning before the enemy,
deceiving them as to our numbers, but getting
shellsd all the time. -Four men were killed not six
feet from me by the explosion OF a shell thrown
two miles from hill commanding our position;in
fact they always had the advantage, because we
| had to force them to fight US. You should have
Heen the devils run when We, with our brigade,
charged up the hill their left flank, the Wash
ngton Artillery pouring shot and smell into theni
| General Beauregard was with the detachment of
| Washington Artillery when his horse was shot IN
| der him. BE, seems perfectly happy in the result,
and says two millions of dollars VIII not replace
A the things taken from the enemy. 1t has been
| glorious victory. One would suppose. from the
finrs thev brought with them that all they had to
| do was come and conquer. Cooking stoves, all
kinds of cooking utensils, and provisions enough
to. last the army for sometime TO come, they had
| hut fortune and the God OF Battles was against
| them, and now we are enjoying all their good
| things. Yesterday cut one-half a fine fruit cake
| made by some Yankee girl for her sweet-heart.
| And the letters! you would laugh to read them.
| Everything has been done and said to encourage
their soldiers for their cause. Envelopes, with all
| kinds of bombast such as jeff. Davis hanging by
| io,hr IF a tree and the Manassas Railroad with U,
| S. soldiers, their flag flying, with the following
| words: " Come on, boys only SIX miles to the
Junction." (meaning Manassas) and hundreds OF
| others too numerous to mention. Be assured,
| never wish to such another light. The horrors
of this battlefield are enough to make the stonfest
heart quake-horses, friends and enemies laying N
heaps all around US and to think of cur sleeping
on the field, when we could hear the groans of the
wounded and their piteous cries for water, was as
much as l could endure. The amhulances we're
going all night, carrying OF the dead ana wound
ed The enemy did not stop to pick up their dead
We had to bury them to get clear OF the stench,
which was intolerabe. In the first fight we were
in, selected, after it was over, to watch the
. motions of the enemy. They were all around me.
They shot at us o great many times during the
day. Some of my men crept through the woods
and picked off two of their sentineis. Colonel
UGvs COMMUNICATED our behavior on that day, haV-
ing the.most dangerous position on the whole llne
But on Sunday our brigade turned the battle IN our
favor. Our coming up, whooping and yelling, II NE
many devils, struck terror lnto tneif sous; hau
, would have been different; as it was, we had
marched twenty-five miles nnder double quick
. time We were tired, indeed, without water,
dusty and black as negroes. Ihave had nochance
to wash my face for five days We have not slept
in our tents for ten days. We have been out in the
open fields with the rain u.s. for three days, and
nothing but the blankets we gathered up from .ne
enemy to cover with. You can Judge from that
we have had no child's play. The Washington AT.
tiery boys are trumps, you can tell all and are
considered by all the commanding oncers 70 4.u ne
the best in the United States, Chat way9 They
1 returned shot for shot, even when shot and shell
: were flying all around them; in fact, Louisiana
can boast of her soldiers in Virginia. They have
done their duty. I might write you sheet on sheet
of the Incidents of this bat1le, but will reserve
until / can see you, if everI do. God knows,
wish this battle may DO the thing and peace be de
. cared, as it is horrible thing to see friend ant
. brother against friend and brother.
This is Yankee paper, pen and ink am Wrl1lps
| with. e.
: God bless you and yours, is the earnest prays
: | of your friend.