American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1861-08-03
Later from Manassas.

1
Manassas letter of tn 23d, to the Peters
burg Express, says:
| Slowly and steadily did the enemy advance.
continued fire of musketry was kept up by
the advanced pickets on the opposite side. AT
first we thought they Were advancing directly
upon our regiment, which was guarding a
| ford. They, however, fled to our left and
came up to the stream about half mile be-
low US, at stone bridge. Soon the fire of
cannon was heard-bang bang went the
guns; the whistle of balls cannot be describ-
ed. A steady cannonading was kept up for
/ two hours. Our company was about mid
way between the two fires, being a few hun
dred yards out of reach both of our own and
the enemy's guns. The cannonading ceased
about IL O'Clock, having lasted about three
hours.
Our men gave back, having used all their
ammunition. This of course encouraged the
Yankees who rushed upon the ford, yelling
and huzzaing. We could hear it all, beng
in musket shot of them, but concealed in the
woods. They filed past, leaving US in the
rear to their right. You may depend we
began to CULVER, not as much for our own
safety, Though we were greatly exposed as
for fear we had lost the day.
/ Our regiment was then brought just this
side of the ford, and again arranged to fight
In the meantime our men had procured am
munition, and were pressing hard upon the
enemy, who had succeeded In crossing the
ford. Fiercely ragged the conhict-long, des-
perate and doubtful. Our regiment by this
time had come In reach of the enemy's can
non. The balls fell before and behind US,
but no damage was done.
l We now threw our knapsacks away to en-
gage In hand to-hand fight. We now ran
to the point at which the fighting seemed to
be most severe. Advancing in front of can
non, we got within musket shot of our enc
my, and fell to the ground, having slight
mound to protect US. Had we been stand
| ing, scarcely one would have been left. Twice
did the cannon balls throw dirt on me, and
musket balls by the hundred whistled within
few inches of my head. Several of our
regiment (lSth Virginia1 We're killed, but
the exact number know not. Men would
raise their heads few inches from the
ground to peep. and several times were shot
in that position. Men fell on my right and
! left.
We remained about ten minutes receiving
| the eneDy's fire, and were not allowed to
return fire. The command to fire came at
last. We rose and fired with deadly effect
upon our foes. We rushed forward to the
top of the hill, and fired again; also third
time. Now, for the first time, the foe be-
gan to retire in a run in great disorder.
tD1nk LDdt a Dlaltrily Ol Tue regiment upon
which we fired were killed. Not Boosting,
God forbid; to Him all praise is due. At
our approach the enemy left an excellent
rife battery, mounted by regulars, in our
hands They fought until their horses were
| killed and nearly every man. We were now
| left victors of the field and started in pursuit
of the foe We followed them for mile or
so, and were then brought back within a
mile of Manassas, marching at night dis
lance of six or seven miles. The fight lasted
eight hours, from nine to five.
| Pen cannot describe the horrors of the
| fight Hundreds of our men were slain and
wounded. The enemy's loss was greater.
The enemy succeeded in carrying off humid
reds of their dead but left many behind.
Our cavalry who pursued them in the drec-
ton of Ceutreviiie report the road strewn
with dead and wounded.
They left all their artillery, with the ex-
ception OF two pieces, in our hands, among
which is Sherman's celebrated rifed battery,
which Magruder commanded in the Mexican
\ war. / can form no estimate of the loss of
small arms, as | left the field in a few mo-
ments after the fight decided. Some of
our company who did not have good guns,
procured Yankee guns. Our enemies not
towards. Many were found with bayo-
nets in them, some side by side, each with
his bayonet in the other. Our enemy are
with Our bayonets. Certainly this was the
worst part of the fight. Gen. Beauregard,
who commanded in person, told US that he
would principally depend upon the bayonet.
Gen. Beauregard cheered US as we advanced,
and our loud cheers in retarn were said to
have frightened the enemy. The men have
all implicit confidence in Davis and Beaure-
gard.
The following is extract from Manas-
,xt,o ;.b,
quirer;
Every account--and there have been seve-
ral--that reaches this locality from Washing
ton and Alexandria confirms the intelligence
already communicated by telegraph, that the
issue was not merely defeat, but complete
rout-in the language of the Washington
STAR result never equaled in the history
of modern warfare, except at the battle of
Waterloo The Federal army is thoroughly
demoralized-its crack regiment whipped by
one-fourth their number, its men frightened,
its batteries taken, and its best material left
along the road, for miles, to be appropriated
by every passer by. Between Stone Bridge
and Centreville, the scene presented is inde-
scribable. Within distance of three miles,
your correspondent saw scattered every arti-
Gle that could possibly enter into the compo-
sition of well equipped army-blankets,
shoes, havelocks, cartridge boxes, caps, can
teens by thousands, knapsacks, equipments,
muskets, axes, medicine chests, grape shot,
percussion caps, powder boxes, and even
several hundred Aand Cuffs, which were in
tended to be used upon their prisoners
when they got them. One of the most valu-
able captures was a batch of papers, specif-
cation and drawings, evidently the property
of general officer, relating to the movements
of the Federal army. Among other facts, it
was stated that the attacking force would
consist of ffty-three thousand, and the list
of regiments engaged was enumerated.
From other sources, it appears that Scott
had so admirably planned his attack that not
a thought of defeat was entertained.
He expected to march upon our left wing,
turn it with ease, get in the rear of our little
army, and with his overpowering forces, sur
round and cut US to pieces. Several letters
found upon the field and along the lines of
retreat, state this fact in plain words Others
which have read request of distant CORES
pondents, after Sunday next, to mail future
communications to Richmond or Manassas,
as the case may be. Another indication of
their contemplated success is in the fact that
a large number Of ladies and gentlemen fol-