St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1861-08-22
t:fIEt|E - >
The Retreat.

Col. Richardson, commander of the 4th
brigade Of the first division, land part Of the
Reserve under Col. Miles, has published a
long report of the fort taken in the battle
by the Reserve force st Centreville. We
make the following extractj:t III: = :~..*
During this firing, which was shortly
after Eve o'clock, I received orders from
Col. Miles, through one of his staff, to re-
treat upon Ccntreville, and endeavor to
hold that position. Immediately collect:
ed together my brigade and put it in mo-
ton on the road towards Centrevillc, and
was at the head of the I'd Michigan regi-
ment in rear Of the brigade, when a staff
officer proposed to me to throw my regi-
meut in line,: face towards the enemy, be-
tween the house occupied the night before:
BY Hunts battery and the Union and Cen
treville road, upon which road the enemy
were supposed to be advancing ,...
r; / had gained position near the desired
point, when Twas met by Colouel Davies,
who Informed me that :he had'beaten the
enemy handsomely in front. I told him
I had been ordered back to CentrevilIe,
by Colonel Miles that the rest of my bri-
gade had gone on, and that I had been d.
rectcd to 60 to that point with my regiment
for the purpose of facing the enemy there,
which 1 had done, and COL Davies went,
as supposed, to his brigade. Soon after
this I was met by staff officer Of Gen.
McDowell's, who told me to put my bri-
gade in position on the left of the road
from Centrcville to Blackburu's ford, and
stretching towards the Union AM d Centre
Vile road facing the enemy. .~ y.
Other troops had also fallen back to this
point distant about mile from Centre
Vile land at about s o'clock, P. NJ, Cap
tain Alexander, of the Corps Of Engineers,
directed me, by order of Gen. Mcdowell,
to take the general arrangement Of troops
at that point IN my own hands,.. he sug-
gested as good line cf defence between a
piece of woods on the right and one On
the left, the line facing equally towards
1.-The enemy, who were supposed to be COM
ing either on the Union, or the Blackburn
road. / Immediately formed that line as
best I could Of the regiments nearest the
position; placing the men in the ravines,
and the artillery, as much as possible, on
the hills; in the rear of the infantry y !
+ Before Capt. Alexander: gave me this
last. direction l learned that Col. Miles
had altered the position Of some regiments
which I had placed before, especially the
| Sd Michiran rapiment. which I had ORDER
ed to form; closa column by division; to re
main as a, reserve, and await further or
ders from me" The officer in command of
the regiment at that time, ieut. Col. Ste
vens Colonel Mcdonnell being unwell, bat
on the ground( Immediately executed that
order, and put hi; regiment in close COL
umn.7:l went to some other part Of the
field, and on returning found this regiment
deployed in line of battle, and in another
position. 1 immediately inquired ot Coll
Stevens the reason Of their position being
altered: He told ne that Col. Niles had
directed this movement, 0' T asked him
why?. Coll. Stevens replied, Al do not
know, but he had no confidence IN Cot.
Miles." I inquired the reason why2. Z Col.
Stevens answered. t,tBecause COL Nile. is
drunk." )" That closed the conversation.
ri sent: Col. Stevens back with bis reg
iiment, to form, cloae cd}nmnsby division,
as at first. then reported to Capt Al:
exander that I had been interfered with
in my disposition Of the troops during the
day, and I could not carry out Gen Nc