The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1861-08-08
THE GREAT BATTLE at BULLS RUN
A Full and Graphic Description.
Especial Correspondence of The Chicago Time

giving you as many of the incidents Of
Ihe9eat battle at Bulls Run, on Sunday
last, rs | could gather from reliable au.
thority; and with diligently collecting the
facts necessary TO compose complete and
graphic picture Of the whole affair. The
latter, and my own personal observations
on the field, l now proceed to lay before
you.
1t had been known 10 the administration
ut Washington. weeks before, that the en-
my was posted in strong force at and near
Manassas junction, sand that they had i'm
proved TO the utmost, under the direction
Of skillful engineer officers, the extraordi
nary natural defences of tie place. Ii
may well be, doubted, however, whether
the War Department, even the Com
mander-in- Chief, knew the exact numer-
ical strength of the rebels Two newspa-
pers alone, the New York Herald and the
Philadelphia Inqgirer, contained state.
ments of their real strength, placing it. at
Manassas and vicinity, at $4,000 well-dis-
c;plined troops, profusely supplied with
artillery at Richmond, at 80, 600 more :
at Yorktown, 10000, at Norfolk, O,OOO;
at Lynchburg, $4,000; at GordonsviIe,
Culpepper, Fredericksburg, Slaunton,
Charlottesville, and along the York and
James Rivers, 10000 more, making 49,
UoC troops in all, exclusive Of Gen Johns
tons. "The5e statements, although de-
rived directly from original sources, were
received with burst of ridcule and deri-
sion by the entire Republican press. 1t
was boldly asserted that the rebels had not
one quarter of that amount of troops in
the field ; aud that, of those, not more than
$4,000 were at or near Manassas, and
available for the defence Of that point.
Nay, only a week before The battle, it was
stated by the organs in Washington pre-
umed to be in the confidence of the admin.
sltratlon, and the statement was eagerly
repeated in all The republican papers all
over the country. that Gen. Scott had re-
ceived positive information from his spies,
that the rebel force at Manassas did not
exceed 10000 men; that they were demon
allied by want of food, scarcity Of water,
and by constant deserlions. AS regards
the defences of the point, the Herald had
published map Of the country around the
Manassas junction. embracing the theatre
of the late battle. before the end of Nav.
In which the position of the batteries erect
ed by the rebels up 10 that lime was de-
plcted. The st. Louis Republican repro
duced the engraving, aud several other
papers described it. But the republican
press generally throughout the country de-
rlded the statement also, and declared that
1t was pure invention and that there
would be no such obstacles met with in
forward movement on Richmond. The
result of the battle has shown the nature
Of those obstacles, and what is required
in order to overcome them.
By Tuesday. July l6, the government
had concentrated at Washington 10000
troops and. by the next day. $4,000 Of
them had been posted on the right bank
of the river. occupying line of advanced
posts, embracing Fairfax Falls Church,
and Balls and Bailey's crossroads. In
order to occupy these positions, which are
from ten 10 fifteen miles distant from Al
exandria, and nearly as far from George
town. 1t became necessary TO withdraw the
regiments which had been stationed in the
intervening twelve miles, and no others
we're brought over from the left bank of
the Potomac to fill their places. This was
the first error. Had this Intervening
space been occupied (as it should have
been before the advance on Bulls Run
took place. by 1000 more troops, the re-
treat on Washington would never have ia
ken place.
The engagement at Bulls Run on
Thursday was entirely accidental. 1t
formed no part of-the plans of Gen. Scott
and Gen Mcdowell knew nothing of it till
1t was over The whole army was advan-
eng at the time in four division, with or.
ders to concentrate on a line of which Cen.
treville formed at once the base and lie
centre, the right TO be in the direction of
Bulls Run Mountain, aud the left TO rest
on Fairfax Station. Had tho army sue
ceeded in gaining this position. and b en-
properly supported in the rear. the disaster
Of Sunday would not have happened.
Il was only the Third and Fourth Brig
aides Of Gen, Tyler's Division that were
engaged. The Fourth Brigade. under Col.
Richardson. of Michigan, consisted of the
Second and Third Regiments OF Michigan
Volunteers, First Regiment Massachusetts
Volunteers. and the Twelfth Regiment
New York Volunteers-in all about 4. 900
men. About noon on Thursday, as the
Fourth Brigade. after passing through
Centerville. were advancing towards Bulls
Run. the enemy were discovered IN force
across the Run.
Gen. Tyler directed Sherman's battery,
which was in the Third Brigade of his di
vision, 10 advance and open fire on the
rebels, which was done, and this brought
on the engagement. Up 10 this time each
divisiUn' of the army had advanced with
the greatest caution, scouts and skirmisb
ers having been thrown out for mile on
each side of the advancing columns. But
it would seem that this precaulion had been
now neglected at the very time that it was
most needed for it was while Sherman's
battery was firing shells from An eminence
at the rebels in sight. that the enemy be-
gan to pour shot and shell into our columns
from unseen batteries. not more than three
quarters Of mild distant. The enemy's
shot came plumpipg into our cavalry. and
six men and four horses were killed before
f 4 n