The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-08-08
NEW YORK, THURSDAY, AUGUST s, 1861


road and across it up the slopes tho other side
! Whist this wa gong on, Hentlelmans division WIS
moving down the field 10 the and up the road he
You'd. Beyond tho warrcnton road and the left Of
! the road, down which our troops had marched from
sGdey S Spring, IL a hill with farm house ON IT,
! Behind lbs hui the enemy had, early in the
day oGhs sannoying batteries planted Across
the read from this hi another hill rather eleva
ted ridge, table IT and Tho hottest part of the
ties, for the possession Of this hill with house omit
/ The force engaged tsfe Hentzelmans DIVISION VII
coxs and nawards brgaies the right, supported by
part OF Possrs hteala and the cavalry Ter Palmer,
ard Frspkn's br,sadc OF Hent2elinans division ser-
mans brigade OF 1yers diyson in the centre and up the
road, whist Keyes' brigade Of Tyiers division
the left, attacking The batteries the stone bridge
The Rhode Island battery OF Burnside brigade also
participated IN This attack by is Grc from
tho uortn OF the turnpike Tho enemy understood
TO havo been commanded ny }. e. Johnston. Ricketts,
battery, which did such elective service and played
brilliant a part 81 this contest, was together with
Grnn's battery, the side Of the hill, and
became the object Of the special attention of
the enemy, VIII srceeedci--our officers mistaking
| Of his regiments for one Of own and allowing
II TO approach without firing upon tin disabling the bat
terry, and then attempted to take H. Three times he
repnsed by derent corps succession and driven back
and the guns taken by hand the horses being killed. and
pulled away The third time II supposed by
US all that the repulse final, for ne
driven entirely from the hill, aud FAR beyond it
not to BIO IN eight, and al certain the day
ours He bad before this been driven nearly q mile
and half and Was beyond the warrenon road which
entirely in possession, from the Stone bridge
westward and our engineers jus, completing tho
nova, Of the abas the road TO allow rein
focement schencks brigade and Ayers bait ry) TO join
| US
The enemy evidently dishcartenod and broken
BIT lad been fighting since hapast ten O'Clock in tho
morning, and was after three O'Clock in the afternoon.
The men had been up since two O'Clock in the morning
| and had made what TO those unused TO such things
seemed opg march before coming into action though
| the longest distance gone not more than
nirc and half miles; and though they had
three DAYS provisions served out TO them the day before,
many doubt either did not them, threw them
away the march or during tho battle, and there
fore without feed They had done much lighting.
some the reg nents which Lad been driven from tho
hin in the frat two acmps of the enemy TO keep posses
sion OF II had become shaken unsteady and had
| many men out Of the ranks.
ltwas AZ this time that the enemy roinorcc,nons
| came 10 his aid from the railroad traia,
| understood TO have just arrived from the valley
With the residue Of ,yobnston's army Thcy
threw themselves in the woods right, and towards
the Of right, and opened fire Of muskery
our men, which caused them TO break and retire down
the hillside This soon dcgeEerated into disorder, for
which there no remedy Every effort was made to
rally them, beyond the reach of the enemy's re,
bnt In vain The battalion Of regular infantry alone
moved up The hill opposite 10 the with the house
on 1t, and there maintained itself until men
! could got down TO and across the warrenton torn
| pike, on the way back 10 the position
| cupied in the morning. The plain was covered
with the rereating troops, and they seemed infect
those with when they in contact Tho retreat
became rout and this dogenerated still further
into panic.
Finding this state Of Affairs was beyond the Efforts n
all those who had assisted faithfully during The long
and bard days work in gnniug almost the object Of
wishes, and that nothing remained tho field but 70
cognixe what could longer prevent, gave e
sary orders protect their withdrawal begging the %
form In line and offer the appearance, at least Of organ
ixstion They returned by the fords to the warrenton
protected by my ORDER by Colonel Porters force Of
fegsssa Once the road aud the different corps COM
ing together IN small partee many without officers they
became niermnged, and all organization was lost.
Orders had been sent back to Miles, division for
brigade TO move forward and proect this
Colonel Benkers brigade detached for this purpose
and ordered 10 far forward the point where
| the road to the right let the main road.
BY referring to the general order it will be seen that
| to be made at Dlackburns Ford by the brigade
(Rchardsons stationed there reference to his report
and TO that Of Major Hunt, commanding the artillery will
show that this part OF The plan was well and effectively
carried Out! II succeeded in deccivng the enemy for o
considerable ne and in keeping IN check part Of his
force. tn, Are Of the artillery al this point represent
oil as part cuIarIy destructive.
Az the tine of retreat seeing great activity in this
direction, much 1rng and columns Of DUST became
10 t,;,r
the whole stream of reteang would be captur
ed or destroyed. After providing for the protection of
the retreat ny pcrleis and Benker's brigades, !
repaired TO Richardson's, and found the whole
force ord.red TO he stationed for the holding
Of the road from Manassas by Backbuns ford TO Contre
vile, iD march, Under the orders from the Division
Commardg, for CeErevile. Immediately halted it.
and ORDERED it &c taas up the best line Of defence across
the ridge ha. .be.r position admitted Of and subsequent
y taking IN person the command CT this part Of the
army, caused such disposition of The forces
which I'D been aided to by tue First aud
Second New Jersey AMI the De KaIb regiments
ordered u from Rnyoas reserve before going forward
would est serve to check tho enemy The ridge being
held in tbs way, the rereatiug current passed slowly
through Cntre7ie 10 ths rear The euemy followed us
from the ford far as Cub owing IN the road
becoming blocked up at the crossing, cause" q"
damage mere tos the artillery could not pass an"
pspic ,leborses hauling ,he ca.s:nns ahu
were Gu, from their places by persons 10 escape WITH
and IN IN. r-y mich confusion caused the panic az
kravsled and the road encountered M Only were
pieces of artillery lost, but also many OF che ambulance
CARRYING the wounded. . r.
By srndnwn most of i.sd gotten behind Cen
trernc ridge and il became question whether we
should or cndeavor 10 m}Ee Stand mere Inc con-
diti,n or cur artillery AMI its ammunition, ana
,ho want Of food T., the men, VINO hai gene
| rally thrown
ssgei the day before, and the utter disorgan',
zat on aal consequent demofaiIiiion OF the mass
OF the srf,v sscned al who rear enough to be
corsr tc,; vision and brigade commanders and staff
10 admit Of no alternative but TO fail back; The more 80
as lie pc siti9n Barkburns ford was then IN the pos
session 81 the enemy and lie was already turning our
,p ON seading the officers Of the stan TO the different
CAMPS they oand they reported 10 me- that our &c
oso had been anticipated by thc troops most OF these
who Ind come ia from The front being already on the road
70 The rcor the paac th which they came In still con
/ tnuilg ani hurrynr Them along.
Al - O'Clock the guard (lenkers brigade moved,
covering the retreat whch effected daricg me night
and newt ,ernng The troops al FAIRFAX station leaving
by the cars took with the the h.k u the SUPPLIES which