Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1861-08-01
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
FAIRsAx STATION, Fairfax County, Va.
Tuesday Evening, JULY %, 1861.

lear enquirer Lust SaDDaCl, nc 2lSt, was pcrnlp
the most solemn, stirring and evenul day wnesse
on the American continent We have fought long an
hoty, even desperately contested batte and grea
and signal victory, by the stout OF sodie, tn
towering genius Of Johnson, Davis and Bcauregard an
the gracious blessing of Heaven. Though thousands
tender hearts bleed the South yet thrill of Joy
TIE success Of our arms will perade millions We pra
that may teach enemies the utter folly of their blood
designs, and lead them to the paths of peace
Togive you just conception of the 'stupendous whole
we begin with the beginning. On Wednesday morn
ing the contending hosts began moboze' in order
make and resist the About 10 O'Clock that
ing the 5th Regiment received orders to march forward
and by O'Clock, leaving knapsack clothing and ever
lmpedment behind except single blanket and three day
provisions, crossed Bulls Rum where the 18th and ls
Mississippi Regiments constituting the remainder Of Gen
jones' brigade, encamped for the night Our regiment Ie
up Rocky Run, small stream that flows down among rug
gsd hills from the norhwad and two miles farther on a
all night their arms in an ambush in expectation of t
advancing enemy. They failed however, to reach US du
ring the night; but close upon momin,
that Of guard very being picket
off, retreated the Mississippi Regiments th,
Run.
may well here, by way of episode tell you that Nc
Dowells plan make false and real attack;
that the field OF the two extended from McLanes ford
where brigade was posted, up to Stone bridge,
distance of from to miles upon rough estimate.
bout mile above McLane's ford Is Blackbums, wher,
the fight occurred the afternoon of the 18th above that
say mle is Mchell's ford, where Col Williams Regi
ment lay nearly all day Sunday under of their
trenclments receiving intervals heavy cannonading
hnip The
crossing place of any importance is the Stone Bridge itself
some or miles above Mtchell's ford.
The first design of the enemy have been
passage at Blackburn's ford which they attempted
Thursday evening" with every advantage of numbers posi-
ton and artillery. The first gun ired precisely
O'Clock and sharp artillery fight kept up botl
sides till near one when the infantry began to participate
on both sides As only very short distance
from the field and expecting flank attempt upon ord
every moment lay still under Of bushes at the
foot Of the hills bordering upon the south side of the Run
and had every opportunity take notes Of the engage
ment. The frs, volley of musketry made impression
which will be eradicated from memory 1t sub
lime and inspiring beyond description Volley after vocy
poured By each intn the other 70! Z Of hour
with astonishing rapidity. The enemy repulscd, bu
:alcd again and had succeeded i'll crossing the Run
when the 18th Virginia regiment double quick upon
the cd drove them back and the day. The loss
side Is 20 kilednot more some say I2, some -
and from 40 to so wounded the loss the side Of the
enemy being not less, perhaps more than 100 killed. and
200 800 wounded The honor Of this victory is due tC
Gen. Longstrcets brigade and pieces Of the Washington
artillery under Lieut. Garnett The number engaged was
about 5000 on our and from 1000 10 10000 OIL their side
The firing lasted AZ hours.
Failing sgnally In this direct attack, when conf
dent of success, Gen. Mcdowell concluded that
beneath genius employ the oblque ordern other
words to plan battle; and for this purpose he consumed
Friday and Saturday. His plan to make fcgned at
tack upon BIackbun's ford and real attack somewhere
else-higher up TUNED But the plot so badly
concealed that it discovered In camp early
hour by sum- Saturday afternoon. At this hour the'
drums began to beat in high style, up the ravines around
the head of Rocky Run. We were ou, In company with
Capt Fernandez, old Texan ranger who fought from 34
49, through the bloody and stormy days of the clone
Star - and also In campaign against the Indians
the Texan frontier. We passed beyond line Of pic
quets and heard them shouting and cheering and
took time for the Captain experienced in the wds and
satagies of cunning enemy 10 discover that all this
fuss was mere "gammon." We climbed tall tree and
with marine glass, secured the open fields beyond the
chain of ravines but foethe main column evident
ly debouching beyond the hills below Cenevle In vain
do you set net in sight of the Bird and proved in the
sequel
During the night of Saturday. large bodies Of the
reached the neighbohood of Stone Bridge and their a
ley fell into entertainments which they were base enough
throw up while there few days before under flag of
truce pretending bury their dead of the previous fight AT
that place. Sharp shooting began early as or O'Clock
between skirmtshing parties Of the two armies. The first
cannon fired Parrot gun from eminence opposite
Blackburns ford and nis gum assisted intervals by two
three Others poured hot fire into McLane's Black
burns and Mitchcs ords all the daygving solemn
dence by its esurely and monotonous thunder to the terrific
ana furious uproar Of the battle. During the day there
could have been much less than 900 900
side and between 60 900 and 5000 the side of the
my. Gen. johnson commanded left wing and ''thr
glorious Beauresard the right wing. Gen. Mcdowell led
the Yankees. Gen. Scott the field safe dis
tance-we sit In beautiful clovered apple orchard
full view of the house where lie his dinner and Lin
coIn large number of Senators and Congressman andtwo
three hundred Washington ladies' said have been
witnesses Of the engagement Some give the credit Of
turning the tide Of battle to Davis who drove wedge Into
Ine centre, ol
Others give 10 Beaurcgard, who arriving the field in the
very niche Of time when a seemed lost, rallied his
and headed the charge In person. producing wherever he
thrill OF hope and ardor that the smile Of hea-
and called down victory Gen. Johnson lowered ter
the foe 10 his friends magnificent attraction and n
beacon Each Of these great men was equal to his
posi- and their followers every whit worthy Of their
leaders Nothing less than Spartan vaor Roman trnnrss
and French ardo guided and sustained by the genius of
Pcriclrs, scipio and Napoleon, the field. The
route complete; the loss have been heavy
both sides, but have of telling the prob
able number Gen. Barlow OF Georgia. Cen B. E. Rec o.
:. c., Lieut. Col. 3. J. Johnson of Hnptons legion, and
Lieut. Col. Sam. Wilkes nf SloanS Regiment, TN.
prominent officers slain. Yankee shot Col Wilkes while
watering Ills oaming horse, and stole his boots leaving
pair of dapdacd shoes beside the corpse. Lieut.. L. A.
Palmer, we'll known in your town, fell pierced through In
three places. He greatly priced in his regiment
None OF the :. {. regiments suffered severely Five,
Slotn's, Kershaw'>, Iamptons, Williams and Jenkins
were less engaged Yet 100 or 10 will the killed
and from 300 4O0 the wounded The Georgia 7th su
fercd muc and is entitled IN the honor OF charging and
taking six pieces of shcmlan's battery.
Notwithstanding the glorious rout Of the enemy at and
below Stone Bridge, the triumph of the day
petc till their reserve driven from their raying point
oppos,c B,ackbus ford and the honor Of this daring
hazardous enterprise emphacay due, and given b!
all who know anything about it, to Col Jenkins regiment
The ever vigan and discerning eye Of Benuregard him
self saw both the extreme importance and the extreme dan
ger of this ASSAULT and early in the morning had ordered
three brgades, JONES' Ewes and one other, TO advance
meet beyond the Run and make the charge, with the re
served purpose if successful, of ankng the enemys ef
in the general engagement. There be doub that thu
fight would have ended hours sooner If this plan had sue
ceeded; but 1t did not From causes unknown u.s. h'