New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-07-30


with Us our wonder at tie scctacle From the hill OF
Centreye, backward toward Fairfax the whole val
ley 10 lately uurodden IL tie verdure, was sparkling
with frost Of steel and as the thirty thousand bay
onels moved forward ia the Uncertain light with that
bOwy motion peculiar to the step Of troops tue stir
ring mass looked Ike bristing lifting himself
| by slow wayy motion up the laborous ascent. To
the left and forward through tie village in the direction
of the Rum the ground descended three or four miles
toward the Oceoquan and then rose in o gradual
ascent to Manassas. 1t was a scene Of mingled grove
and opening and the moonlight slept placidIy upon
the ungles of that rise as if Treason, armed in triple
strength, were not slyy watching from its lair our
ignorant advance, ready 20 belc forth upon US lts
deadly and malignant fires.
! PLAN OF THE ATTACK.
| Tie plan Of General Mcdowell was, az | have
already indicated to advance upon the enemy in two
directions, launching bis main and central column
along tie Waucnton road in a direct line until he
reached their batteries; while strong column, bya
circuit to the right was TO snite them in the rear.
The road TO Bull Run on tic loft, and the hostile
batteries at its end were 10 be merely watched
throughout the day, that the enemy could net isuc
from that quarter and turn our Left. Col Richardson,
with the LIST Massachusetts, I'd and 81 Michigan, ana
Ncw-Yor; Volunteer 18th, dad u. S. Artillery, was
charged with this duty; while to support him. in ease
he should be seriously attacked, General Miles, with
nine regiments posted in reserve, luj far enough
back toward Cen'ervile to give aid succor aso to
the main column in case 4 should meet with a rev rse.
These NEE regiments consisted of the Sth, 18th, 18th,
18th. 29th 3Ist and sd n. y the Garibadi Guard,
and the Stb Ncw-York German Rifles. IL was further
supported by Green's and BarIy'f United States Bat
teries The Left being ;hus guarded General Mcdowell
posted the New-Jcuey regiments, seven in number,
ia reserve. at Centeryic, and even sill further back
30 the should also Lave proper protection on the
rglt and guard alike against any flank movement in
tina. quarter. The rear being thus defended, on all
sides, the central column which poured on, and which
was 70 divide q, the path TO the right. on the Warren
tonroa1 consisted Of the divisions Of Generals Tyler
Hunter. and Hent1oman; tie isi being appropriated
70 the central and direct attack and the two latter to
The flank movement on the right.
TIE CENTRAL ATTACHING COLUMN.
The division Of Tyler consisted of three bigades;
and these Of Ileutzolman and Hunter contained three
and two respectively. The irs brigade Of Tyler con-
sisted Of the ID Ncw-York and Let and Cd Of Ohio,
+ind, G n Scheuck, accompanied by battery Of light
artillery then followed the brigade Of Sherman con-
ssting Of New-York ooh, 5oth, 18th and ID Wis
consin accompanied by Aycrs's Battery; while the
brigade Of Kcyes, comprising tho 1t, Cd and Sd Con-
neccut, and "a Maine, formed rear guard for the
division. This latter brigade was accompanied by
Tonptiuss United States Battery and by The Now
York Volunteer Battery Of Varian. Tie division was
further accompanied BY q riled 3?-pounder which was
known as the Parrot gun.
TIE PLANNING DIVISION.
Tho fan ing division OF Hunter aud Heujzeman
consisted II tho s,h lih, and a5tb Ncv-York under
81 =. -. i
State infantry and ca,alry and marines, Ransom's
Uniici Sats, and Grf'o'5 Wet Point Batteries.
Th,n cane Burnsdes Brigade Of the PLcde leland
Regiments, The New-York 5l-', and toe I'd New
Ilaurfhhc, accompanied ty Reynolds and Webs
Batteries aud two light howizors, which the boys Of
the Tls, he'd eesncd t. work. and borrowed lon The
Navy -gssd. The brigade also hod battery Of riled
32-pomders under CAPT Seymour, OF Foi, Sumter.
Hoihtzcman's Division e1B--'ed, IN hs Gsst brigade,
Of The 5h Massachusetts, lsi Minnesota, and ih Penn
gl,qr'a. Two batteries accompanied this brigade.
Tho nelt brigade was ni,r Wilcox, and consisted Of
tle ist ,iila.n the Ssh New York, end toe Fire
Zaraycs. backed by battery Of United sa'es Aitl-
lcry The last brigade continued tie 3D. ttn, and 9Th
Of Maine, and Ito u q Vermont. The sixteen regi-
ueuts tls enumerated IN tho flnkiug column may DO
e., down ~ between 1900 and H. 0c0 men, while the
eleven IN tho central line may h. numbered al between
5000 and 1850. The entire attacking force, therefore,
may be summed up at ~ eco men, all Of whom could
hardly expect to be engaged.
Til. was the army which passed out of tie valley
M over that bin at o'clock the morning Of 2s,
ardwheb with the moon still Lighting them upon their
;ourn.y took the rahthand road toward the strong
holds Of the enemy II was brave sight, not soon to
| be forgotten by thoec who witnessed il, while the
L.,, which II manfred were 10 become thencciOrth
an established portion of the mind. The regiments OF
the reserve az they stood looking on at the passing
line envied their marching comrades what they re-
| rarded o. better iorunei aud, as they went by,
saluted them with various requests, ranging between
] the acquisition Of some traitors scalp, down to tho
possession Of a palmetto button. Tie marching line
replied with various conceiis but ia most the
quests were responded to with large excess Of prom
| ise IL was, indeed, gallant sight how sadly to be
| changed in few hours none Of them, fortunately
knew. BY 81 O'Clock, the last bayonc's lad disap'
reared over the Lill and the entire column was ON its
way by the memorable WauenpOint turnpike to seek
its fortune. The has were numerous, in order that
the Generals might insure the compactness of the line,
and presently we all passed wooden bridge in
quiet, no challenge being made that might prevent us
from reaching the deepest enlargement where the foo
desired 10 give Us more bitter battle. Onward we
went the soldiers cuIsiDg the rough road, wondering
when they would have breakfast, or vowing to get
! even on the fellows who bad put them to all this
trouble. The day broke mildly as We pushed along,
AID many soldier thought from tue dead silence Of
he woods that ned the road at intervals, we should
have no baltic after ALL Presently struck the path
that brancled of to the right and here the column,
under Hunters lead broke on while the central col