The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-07-20
II NEW YORK, SATURDAY JULY 90 1861.

NEW YORK, SATUR]
aAir was not attack but merely reconnaissance 10
discover the position and strength Of the enemy.
POsrsCRiPr
The number and names Of the killed and wounded
win not be ascertained until to morrow Lieut. smith,
Of the First Massachusetts, regiment. sho, and bayo
netted.
Colonel Heintzelmans, Colonel Hunters and Colonel
Niles divisions have all concentrated Al this point form
ing an aggregate force, with General Iyers DIVISION Of
forty five thousand men.
large number Of prominent men came out from
Washington, carriages and horseback, In expects
ton Of a battle and witnessed the action Messrs To-
gan, Richardson Dunn Mitchell and other CoSsressmen
among them. Considerable lodging resovted ,c
by the distinguished eyewitnesses when the balls and
shells Of the enemy were wh.2lDg about In every direc
ton
almost completely deserted by the inhabans who
frightened OF by the terrible tales told them Of the bar
barism of the Northern invaders.
The Fifth DIVISION Colonel Niles, reached within hall
mile Of Contreve at half past eleven clock, and heard
the Cannonadng Of the fight at the place Of battle Tho
German brigade, in command Of Brigadier General
Blsnkor, could scarcely be kept in check.
Lieut.. Colonel Stahe and myself out reconno,us
and the balls new sround thick and fast. We move
1t six O'Clock.
Colonel Hointzelman commanding division Including
the New York Fire zouaves, right nank right
The Fifth division forms the centre column. We
supported by Major Barrys and Lieutenant Green's bal.
teries.
HRADQUARaIHs or rus GRAND ARHy, I
CruRsvilx, July le-8A
should be distinctly understood that the engagement
with the enemy yesterday afternoon mol regular
attack but simply reconnaissance for the purpose Of
containing tho position and strength Of the rebels at what
may be considered the outworks Of the ortncat,ons
At and about Manassas Junction. No General would
undertake TO attack a well known stronghold Of the
enemy without like precautionary movements. II
mover came within the plan Of General Mcdowell to
make q formal advance upon the Junction
until all the divisions Of his army had concentrated at
Ccntrevie, which did not take place until after the
tion at Bulls run had occurred. That his purpose
TO prepare well for systematic attack, after the whole
Of his force had been gathered al given point, 10 amply
evidenced by the fact that today instead Of gratifying
the eagerness Of his troops for fight and rushing them
headlong upon the enemy he quietly ordered the topo
graphical engineer officers attached TO his stan 10 devote
to-day 70 thorough reconnossances in various directions
viii take at least one II not two days, 10 determine
upon and prepare for the execution Of plan Of attack
Hence decisive action will probably not take place be-
fore Sunday or Monday.
Owing to the excitement and confusion that prevailed
among tho officers and during and after the action at
Bulls run, impossible to obtain data
the number Of those that participated the nght the
dead wounded &C. &C. and hence several inaccuracies
unavodably crept into my yesterdays report Not the
whole Of the Second Michigan and two companies Of tho
Massachusetts, First, but portions Of all the regiments
composing Colonel Richardson's brigade, viz, the First
Massachusetts Second and Third Michigan and Twelfth
New York composed the Administers that were exposed
70 the IRE Of the enemy the woods for nearly
hours The other portions Of the regiments drawn
up In line Of battle close 10 the timber but did IRE
shot
Ny st estimate OF the Union loss was based upon the
statements Of officers, but has proved incorrect
The aggregate number Of killed, wounded and missing
viii exceed forty % the Official returns 10 General
Mcdowell show.
Much Of the haste and confusion Of the retreat
TO the necicncy and cowardice Of Of the officers
lean personally testify 10 the than ordinary cool
and gaantry shown by Colonel Richardson during
action. shower Of ride balls constantly aimed
him, but they did not for deter him from doing
his whole duty.
General Tyler also showed great courage the
sion He exposed 10 the enemys FIRE for nearly four
hours.
The representatives Of the press stood their ground
well any in spite Of the shot, shell and rife balls that
kept whizzng past them for hours
The FIRE Of the enemy very wild. Their artillery
made few good Shots but most Of their and ride
balls went the heads Of troops At least ten
thousand rounds Of ammunition wasted by them.
The best evidence Of their poor gunnery furnishes the
fact that although two companies Of cavalry were drawn
up at time in solid body right at the edge Of the tim
Der, neither man nor a horse was wounded.
Capt Ayres' (late of Shermans) battery earned new
laurels during the affair Its Are was sustained with
wonderful precision and rapidly The brave conduct Of
Capt Ayres Leuts Ransom Loran Dresser ard Noyes
the theme Of universal praise among the staff officers
While the two howtzers were in the woods dischargng
grape shot al the enemy private killed. and Lieut.
Lorain severely wounded in the leg by rife shots Lieut.
Lorain's horse also killed almost simultaneously.
During the last hours firing from the hill, another
private and several horses killed by balls The two
Parrot guns were likewise spendidly served, under
Lieutenants Benjamin and Rabbit.
Nothing has yet transpired as to the extent Of
the loss Of the enemy Some deserters, however, that
came in this morning, report II to have been heavy
Some of ssirmishers positive in asserting that
two mounted officers were killed by them.
Nothing of moment occurred to-day in the cncampment
Of the grand army up TO the hour Of writing Early in
the forenoon COL Richardson's brigade again advanced
short distance the direction Of the OF yesterday
action and defensive position All the other troops
retain the position occupied last night
The accommodating parties have not yet returned Gov
sprague Rhode Island accompanies that Of Major Bar
nard. Gen. Mcdowell and staff established in a
cluster Of tents the centre Of the encampment The
different divisions all encampcd within circuit Of two
miles from his headquarters.
WAsuiSoTog, July 10, 1861
Quartermaser Monroe, Of the Sixth Massachusetts, regi
ment and Colonel Porter, who left Centrevie at five
O'Clock this morning have Just arrived here.
In addition to the details Of the engagement at Balls
given in dispatches learn from Lieut. Col Po-
ter and Quar,ernastcr Monroe the following particular
Gen. Mcdowell did not reach Bulls run until after the
fight concluded and the forces had fallen back TO Cen
trevilc. he moved forward to within mile and half
of the of the engagement and cncaped for the
night.
The strength Of the force side actually engaged
was not more than eight hundred men, consisting OF de
tachments OF three companies each from the First Iasss