Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-08-23

lhiouSu, uuCcEtolu III cOulQ now gain the
Long Bridge in time to pass over without the
cOuntersign. 1t was about this time I met a
cart by the roadside surrounded by a group OF
soldiers, some Of whom had "60" on their
caps. The owner, as / took him to be, was in
great distress, and cried out as 1 passed, "Can
you tell me, sir, where the Sixtyninth are
These men say they are cut to pieces" Il
can't tell you" II am in charge Of the mails,
sir, and will deliver them if / die for it. You
are a gentleman, and can depend on your
word. Is it safe for me to 90 on?" Not know
ing the extent Of the debdcle, 1 assured him ii
was, and asked the men of the regiment how
they happened to be there. "Shure, the
colonel himself told Hs to 20 off, every man on
his own hook, and to fly for our lives" replied
one Of them. The mail agent, who told me he
was an Engllshman, started the cart again.
sincerely hope no bad result to himself or his
charge followed my advice. / reached Fair
fax Court House; the people, black and white,
with anxious faces, were at the doors, and the
infantry were under arms. 1 was besieged
with questions, though hundreds of fugitives
had passed through before me. At one house
L stepped to ask for water for my horse; the
owner sent his servant for it cheerfully, tho
very house where he had in vain asked for
something to eat in the forenoon. There's a
fright among them," observed, in reply. to
his question respecting the commissariat dri-
vers. They re afraid Of the enemy's cavalry "
"Are you an American" said the man mo,
am not" 'Well, them" he said, "there
will be cavalry on them soon enough There's
10000 Of the best horsemen in the world in
Virginnyr' Washington was still IS miles
away. The road was rough and uncertain, and
sgain my poor steed was under way; but it was
no use trying 10 Outstrip the runaways. Once
or twice | imagined heard guns in the rear,
but could not be sure of it in consequence of
the roar of the ai ght behind me. 1t was most
surprising to see how far the foot soldiers ad
contrived to get in advance. After sun
set the moon rose,, and amid other ac-
qualntances l logged alongside an officer
who was in charge Of Colonel Hunter. the
commander of brigade, / believe, W ho was shot
through the neck, and was inside of a cart, es-
cOrted by few troopers. This officer was,
ss l understood, the major or second in com
mand of Colonel Hunter regiment, yet he had
considered it right to take charge of his chief,
and to leave his battalion. He said they had
driven back the enemy with ease, but had not
been supported. and blamed-as bad officers
and good ones will ds-the conduct of the gen.
eral: I" So mean a fight never saw" was
reminded of Crimean general who made us
all merry by saying, after the bOmbardment,
I'm the whole course of my experience l never
saw siege conducted on such principles as
these. Our friend had been without food, but
not, L suspect, without drink-and that, we
eAOSNo CLupby eLOuluCus very mQCl-
since two o'clock that morning. Now what is
to be thought of an officer-gallant he may be
as steel-who says, as heard this gentleman
say to picket who asked him how the day
went in front. "Well, we've been licked into
a cooked hat; knocked to -" This was his
aud mUu Uu guard and detachment, rbiio L,
ignorant Of the disaster behind, tried to mol
lify the effect of the news by adding, "Oh, it's
q drawn battle. The troops are re-Occupyng
the position from which they started in the
morning" Perhaps be knew his troops better
than did. 1t was q strange ride, through a
country now still as death, the white road
shining like river in the moonlight, the trees
black as ebony in the shade; now and then a
figure fitting by into the forest or across the
roaa-frightened friend or lurking foe, who
could say? Then the anxious pickets and
sentinels all asking, whats the news?" and
evidently prepared for any amount Of loss.
Twice or thrice we lost our way, or our GER
tainty about it, and shouted at isolated houses
and received no reply, except from angry
watch dogs. Then we were set right as we
approached Washington by tesmsters For an
hour, however, we seemed to be travelling
along road which in all its points far and
near wasa'' IL miles from the Long Bridge"
Up hills, down into valleys, with the silent
grim wood for ever by our sides. Now and
then, in the profound gloom, broken only by
spark from the horses hoof, came a dull but
familiar sound, like the shutting of a distant
left the colonel and his escort at some seven
miles on the south side of the Long Bridge, I
found the grand guards, pickets' posts and in
dividual sentries burning for news, and the
word used to pass along, "What does that man
say, Jack? ?" "Begoara he tells me we're not
het at all-only retraiting to the ould lines for
convaniency Of fighting Tomorrow again. Oh,
hot ~ ~, a. l.
however, the countersign was demanded; of
course bad not got it. But the officer passed
me through on the production of Gen. Scott's
safeguard. The lights of the city were in
sight and reflected on the waters of the Poto-
mac, just glistened by the clOuded moon, shone
the gay lamps Of the White House, whore the
President was probably entertaining some
friends. In silence l passed over the Long
bridge. Some few hours later it quivered un-
der the steps Of rabble Of unarmed men. At
the Washington end q regiment with piled
arms were waiting to cross over into Virginia,
singing and cheering. Before the morning
they received orders, / believe, to assist in
keeping Maryland quiet. For the hundredth
time repeated the cautious account, which
to the best Of my knowledge was true. There
were men, women, and soldiers to hear ii.
The CLOCKS had just struck IL p. m. as passed
Willsrd's. The pavement in front of the hall
was crowded. The rumors of defeat had come
In, but few of the many who had been fed
upon lies and the reports of complete victory
which prevailed could credit the intelligence
Seven hours had not elapsed before the streets
told the story. The "Grsnd Army of the
North" as it was called, had representatives
in every thoroughfare, without arms, orders,
or officers, standing out in the drenching rain
When all these most unsccountable phenomena
were occurring, I was fast asleep, but could
scarce credit my informant in the morning
when he told me that the federalists, utterly
routed, had fallen back upon Arlington to de-
fsnd the capital, leaving nearly five batteries
of artillery, 5000 muskets, immense quanti-
ties of stores and baggage, and their wounded
and prisoners in the hands Of the enemy!
Let the American journals tell the story
their own way. have told mine rs know
it. 1t has rsined necessarily and heavily
since early morning, and the country must be
unfit for operations; otherwise, if Mr.. Davis
desired to press his advantage, he might now
be very close to Arlington Heights. He has
already proved that he has fair right to be
considered the hesd of "belligerent poicsr. "
But, though the North may reel under the
shock, / cannot think it will make her desist
from the struggle, unless it be speedily followed
by blows more deadly even than the repulse
frsm Manassas. There is much talk now (of
masked batteries" of course) Of outfanking,
and cavalry, and such matters. The truth