Arkansas true Democrat., 1861-08-22
The Retreat of the Grand army-Ter.
 rible Scenes.

l seemed incredible that our whole army should melt away in night, and so l re- mained at Centerville, trusting that by the morning a sort of reorganization should have taken place, and that our front should still oppose the enemy At seven o'clock I started toward the battle field, but, on reaching a considerable acclivity, was amazed to find that no vestige of our troops remained, except a score or two of strag- gling fugitves who followed in the tracks of those who had gone before. While re- turning to Centerville, group of rebel cavalry passed, who looked inquiringly, but did not question. Their conversation turned upon the chances of cutting off the retreat at Fairfax courthouse. After seek ing Mir. Waud, an artist of New York, who also fingered, 1 went strait to Fairfax. As we passed the church used as hospital, the doctors came out, and finding what was the condition of affairs, walked rap idly away. do not to say that they de- serted the wounded They may have re- turned for aught I know. The road lead ing from Centerville to Germantown was filled with marks of the ruinous retreat. At the outskirts of the village thousands of dollars worth of property lay wrecked and abandoned. In one field quantity of pow der had been thrown. A women of appar- ently humble condition stopped us and ask ed us if we meant to leave 1t for the use of the enemy. We explained that we could not we'll take it with us, upon which she vehemently insisted that it should be blown up before we left But blowing up thousand pounds of powder was not an agreeable task to set ourselves, and we trusted rather to the rain, which fell heavi- ly, for it's destruction. Another women stood by the roadside with the tears run hing down her brown cheeks, asking all who passed if they were hungry, and offer ing them food. "God help you alP' as some of the wounded limped by her. We passed now and then groups of disabled men, who had forgotten their injuries in their fear, and had striven to drag themselves along by their companions. Some of them still streamed with blood, and yet would wrench themselves forward with all the power they could command. The destruction of property seemed to have increased at every mile. Baggage wagons were overturned, ambulances broken in peices, weapons of every kind cast off. Horses lay dead and dying. Food was heaped about the way side. Bags of corn and oats were trodden | into the gronnd. Piles of clothing were scattered at all sides. In many places the discarded goods and equipments were rang ed breast high, and stood like monuments | l 1 l, ,l, +lo At Fairfax I had hoped to find a rallying place, and could hardly believe that the flight had gone even beyond this. But the village was deserted, excepting by native prowlers, who were ransacking the emptied contents of our baggage wagons, and who scowled savagely enough at the fugitives who sought among them temporary shel- ter from the storm. Beyond Fairfax the marks of destruction were less frequent, though the stream of the retreat grew even stronger. Along the main road the flying kept their way in something like contin- uous line dividing only at the turnpike which leads to Arlington, into which some diverged, while others moved on to Alex andria. Three miles from the Long Bridge I came upon the rear of Blenker's brigade, Stahel's German rifles still holding the hindmost position, and the other two regi- ments, Steingehr' s and the Garibaldi guard, moving in order before them. Still in ad- vance of these was the DeKalb regiment also intact But beyond all was tumult again, and even to the city itself the wretch ed disorder and confusion had reached.
 I was told that few regiments besides the three faithful ones of Blenker's brigade, had come in, in fair order; and they were the 2d and Sd Michigan, and the Massachu
 setts 1st, of Richardson's brigade. I should be glad if it were so. The Massachusetts won more honor on Thursday than should have been recklessly sacrificed so soon after But this Is their own statement. | did not see them arrayed upon the field to resist the tempest that swept through our ranks, and I am still unaware that any part of the army evaded that dreadful panic, excepting the three regiments whose honest claimes to the gratitude of the country have en- deavored to assert.
 The secret of that panic will perhaps never be known. All essay to explain it, and all fail. Whether Gen. Mcdowell did not give an order to retreat 1 can not say of my own knowledge. l am as- sured by one who was with him that he did; and by others that he also failed to preserve his self control. If this be so we shall know of it in time, but all we can now be sure of is the afiiicting fact of our utter and absolute rout. How nearly one great object of the day had been accom- plished may be understood when 1t IS known that Gen. Tyler and Gen. McDow- ell had actually met. Many who came in to battle with Col. Hentzleman and Col. Hunter fled by the road over which Gen. Tyler had advanced. in the race from ian cied danger, all divisions and all regiments are mingled.
 There was not even an attempt to cover the retreat ofTyler's division. With Hent- zelman's it was better, Lieut.. Drummond's cavalry troops keeping firm line, and pro- tecting the artillery until its abandonment was imperitively ordered. The extent of the disorder was unlimited. Regulars and volunteers shared it alike. A mere frac- tion of our artillery was saved. Whole batteries were left upon the field, and the cutting off of others was ordered when the guns had already been brought two miles or more from the battle ground, and were as safe as they would be in New York at this moment. A perfect frenzy was upon