Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-09-09
RUSSELL CoNTRApTCTEp.

Run was nothing. more than a summary of
what was told him by fugitives. If this were
true it would be no justification, for what right
could he have to hurry off a summary of the
stories and wild gossip Of frightened fugitives
to be published in the London Times and
read by all Europe as an authentic and reliable
account of what took place But there is no
warrant for such plea. Russell began his
letter as follows =
",JuIv 22.-I sit down TO give an account
not of tile action, yesterday bit Of Uhdt Saw
Nth ma o,cn eyes, hitherto not often deceiced, and
of arLdt heard Nth my orn ears, which in this
country are not so much to be trusted.
Afterwards he adds
oLet the American journals tell the story
their own way. hare told mine as l knoa0 it,
Among tile eyewitness who have con
tradicted some of his statements are DR.. Ray
of Chicago, Mr.. G. p. Putnam of New York.
and Mr. WIN. E. Hamlin of Providence. We
copied Mr. Hamiu's letter from the Providence
Journal. We will now show how explicitly
Russells statements are contradicted by the
other gentlemen, by citing few of the cases
in which they convict him OF iasehood =
Mr.. Russell says =
81 reached Fairfax Court House the people,
black and white, with anxious faces, were at
the doors, and the infantry were under arms.
/ was beseged with questions, though hun
dreds of tugitives had passed through before
me-"
DR.. Ray says =
at is small matter this but it marks the
accuracy OF the man. Not question was
nj Mr. RusRa1l or nf LAT This Mace
Ray and Russell were together, not fugitive,
we dare affirm, had passed that way the in
fantry were at their usual evening parade, sup
posing, no doubt, that their companions i'll
arms had won a great victory"
Mr.. Putnam says =
"a party of five, viz: two soldiers, one of
whom was Mr.. Greene of the Rhode Island
regiment, Rhode Island surgeon, II. II. Til
ley of the navy department, and G. =. Put
nam of New York, had walked from Fairfax
Court House 10 the point above described, the
road being quiet, and not a single soldier ex-
cept an officer on horseback having passed to
ward Washington. Mr.. Russelps assertion Is
wholly unlounded No soldiers whatever had
preceded Mr. Russell, and not more than three
hundred passed, on the road, up to nine p. M"
Mr.. Russell says:
Il saw regiment of infantry blocking up
the way with their front towards Centervile.
A musket was evelied at my head as Ipushed
to the iront-'Stop or I'll fire. AT the same
time the officers were shouting out, Don't let
a soul pass | addressed one of them and
said, Sir, am British subject. | am not,
assure you, running away. have done my
best to stop this disgraceful rout, las had }
and have been telling them there are no caval-
~ within miles OF Them Il can't let you
pass, sir l bethought me OF General SCOTS
pass. The adJutant read it, and the word was
given along the line, Let that man pass, $50
rode through.
Dr. Ray says it was a New Jersey regiment
of the reserve, and that no attempt was made
went at ms point Just ahead of Russell and
was unchallenged. Mr. Putnam, who was
there with Russell says:
"'Pass this man up shouted the Colonel,
and on galoped the representative OF the
Ihunderer, SOLITARY and aLOne) toward Wash
ington. No musket was pointed at him any
more than at any other in the crowd, and not
syllable was TO be heard about his services
in stopping the dsgraceful rout,' although the
words actually used were heard distinctly
this witness being within six feet of Mr.. Rus
sells horse. The road was cleared and regu-
lated in twenty minutes"
Mr.. Russell says =
"Once or twice lat Fairfax l imagined l
heard guns in the rear, but could not be sure
of it in consequence of the roar OF the flight be-
hind me !! 1t was most surprising to see
how far the foot soldiers had contrived to get
on in advance !! y
DR. Ray says
at must have been surprising indeed. From
the moment of meeting the first New Jersey
regiment las above not a soldier, unless one
of baggage or picket guard, did we see on
No frair tor traip
going out without supplies, without guard, and
without suspicion that the army was beaten
and in flight The defeat was not known to
any on the road, not even to Mr.. Russell, who
informed us that our army would fall back and
encamp for the night, only to renew the battle
the next day. The roar Of the flight behind
me- is stretch Of the imagination"
Mr.. Russell says =
''At one house l stopped to ask for water
for my horse; the owner sent his servant for
it cheerfuly, the very house where we had in
vain asked for something to eat in the fore
noon. "There's fright among them," OBJ
served in reply to his question concerning the
commissariat drivers. They're afraid of the
enemy's cavalry" care you an American 2"
said the man. mo, am not" "Well, then"
he said, "there will be cavalry on them soon
enough There's twenty thousand Of the best
horsemen in the world in Kentucky"
DR.. Ray says
cat the little one-horse tavern in Farfax,
the horses-Mr Russe's and our own-were
waered by a servant but the reported con
versation did not take place. A short distance
from that inn, Mr. Russell put spurs TO his
animal, and, riding furiously, left us behind !;
he picked up ample material tor misrepresent-
alton, however, as lie went.
1t is very plain that this Russell is accus.
toned TO indulge in eXtravagant romancing
when he writes letters. His statements are
not reliable. The panic and retreat from Bull
Run were sufficiently dsgraceful to portion
of our troops but Russells account of the
disaster is untrue, sometimes by direct state.
ment and sometimes by insinuation, false col
oring, and exaggeiation. DR.. Ray thinks he
was terribly frightened and therefore not in
condition to see, hear, or judge anything ac-
curately. Perhaps he was. 1t is charitable to
say so, lut in our view the man was prompted
by his customary snobbish delight in ridiculing
everybody and everything in this republic.
He is a snob and a writing claquer of the
English aristocracy. He does not write to ex-
press convictions and aid high principles, but
to earn his money and suit his masters. He
probably never begins one of his letters without
repeating the words of Lear's fool may, an