New-York daily tribune., 1861-07-06

| ACTIVITY, up the slope ana over LilC ltli7.
At fewyards from The stream star de the toii-nouse
at which Captain Doubleday threw shot, and just oe
yond IL a wood upon the Hilltop to when ,he Iepei
scouts used to ride, and hitcbDg ueir seeds 10 so
underground, come out TO tho dollhouse 10 'e'''''
| hotter.
From this place they had clear view OF our i en-, =
caulpments and could study the position nnm ers' am
movements of regiments. Az tbs Pas, NJ,
Bowman was taken prisoner AMI husticd on "
burg while His men looked ont upon DIS capture.
However, the river was crossed a, an euly nour on
Tuesday morning. McMuin's Rangers dssnea ~ nrs.,
the City Troop and Gen Patterson anu s,ai a.
and after them came the two regiments OF Wisconsin
and Pennsylvania.
The remaining regiments took the matter less imPet
uousIy and 80 loei their share IN the hon0rs OF the
| battle They marched leisnrely into field on the
margin OF The river, removed their boots, stockings
drawers and breeches, wound these articles around
their necks and thus with the whole lower portion of
their bodies nude and their white muslin shirts flying
in the wind preceded by foil band in similar undress
they plunged into the aud reached the opposite
| shore.
Here they readiusted their dress, and avoided the
wet garments and soaking shoes of their pTedece ssors
One informant states that the appearance Of the re-
gment thus proceeding ludicrOus III the extreme
Arrived the other side, they began the march lei
surely up the hill At the old toll house they enconn-
tered the ancient female who exacts the fare. This
old lady had been driven away by the rebel scouts
| who had made sad havoc with her dwelling-iyl0g
| down in muddy boots upon her counterpanes ana
smashing aud abstracting eTockery, with total dSre
d
DISADVANTAGES, Capt. Doubleday's cannOn-balls had
split the front porch in halt and demolished the chin
ney. =,
The old lady was glad to see the Union troops, and
looked at them through her eIeCtacles. She stated
that she was very poor the rebels having plundered
and destroyed her little pTopery she SAID sadly that
now she must 90 to taking toll again, although very
| few would travel.
II was full daylight when these latter regiments pro-
ceeded mp the turnpike Beyond the togate the road
hard and narrow dotted with farms and groves went
meanderng mp down the hills. The troops did not
march shoulder 10 shoulder hut scattered along the
way TO eat backberres and question the Virginlans
All the occupants of the fam-houses came out to see
| them, and the girls waved their handkerchieis.
Most of the people professed TO be Unionists and
were in sembnce at least glad to see their deverers
Their own troops had spoiled them shamefuy, turning
their horses to Craze in the unrpe wheat fields and
| exaciiDg aud meal without money and without
price. curious feature OF the march was the appear
ance of Union refugees who hung TO the eklrts
of the advance guard Of our army. These people had
been driven away Just harvest shining upon the
| grain fields They cane back with songs aud full
hearts often bursting ito tears when Their homes a
peared 10 them again after absence and barishment.
| Noticeable features of the pike, too, were the
gaps in the fences where frequently dozens OF panels
were leveed with the Obect of embarrassed pursuit
| in case our volunteers should retreat.
Over the road thus solid and pleasant TO walk uPon
our regiments walked into the pleasant farmnnds OF
Virginia bearpg above them the flag that its people
loved wbilom They picked Il nP b N place s%PpP % p
which were marked with the inscription, Virginia
| Volunteers"
From some Jackets and caps, &C., thus relinquished
our informant is enabled say that Pemsy lyania
troops are 40 miserably clothed. Their unformsgry,
trimmed with black-were of the oommonest KIND Of
coarse 'shoddy."
While thus marching along in the dawn, the hinder
regiments, among which was the Scot Legion, heard
the iirt peas of the cannon, far ahead. Instantly
every man fell into rm, and with wild shouts they
broke away anxious to be cup the ROAD and At EN-"
At each new peal their step became quicker, but lag
gard haste would not atOne the fight was over before
| they reached the ground!
With the latter regiments, our nfomant-a civilian
was travelling. He Instantly touched up his pony a.
the sound Of the and dashed away IN the dec-
ton of the firing Coming 10 frame farm house be-
side the road temporarily converted into hospital, he
| dismouned and found inPide the body Of Geo Drake
| Of Company A, First Wisconsin Regiment. The de-
ceased had been shot through the breast and fell dead
at once, eXclaning at the moment, " Oh my mother.
He looked placid and fair, lying thus 10 wake no
more, as If repOsing in gentle sleep.
Around him, grouped upon the floor, lay number OF
| wounded men, among then Secession soldier, who
| had been ahot in the eye by musket ball. which
ried away the bridge OF his nose, and part Of his
| eyebrow.
The reporters Of the newspapers, including Col S.
j. Rea OF this city, were here, notebook III HAND inter-
rogating the wounded as TO the fight
The Secessionst stated that he bad been Union man,
but impressed into the Virginia ranks under promised
death in case of refusal. Our informant turned the
coverlet down from his face, and the fellow looked up
at him silently through his gaehed and dripping eye.
The women in this house had rushed TO the woods
in the beginning of the action, but returned after the
battle, and cheerfully assisted the wounded making
mattresses and bandages for them.
Further on five miles from the Potomacl they
reached PolterGeds farm, the battle-ground proper
Ii seems that Gen. Patterson and staff, Majors Craig
Bidde and X. j. Price, Col. Wa. Z. Patterson, and
| Capt Newton, with Ito FiIst WiseoLein Regiment
and the llth Pennsy lyara Regiment Col JARRETT b
preceded by the CITY Troop aGd doubleday batterN
the whole led by Capt. hcM ollin and tue Phladephis
Independent Ranger, rea he'd Ins farm at o'clock
| in tie morning. The enemy were drawn up behind
the bOuse, IN lDcobstiie order, with their park Of
Iour guns directly upon the turnpike, bearing upon
our ranks.
| McSlullin's men were some rods in advance a. d
| they first opeuod fire. The first cauuon-shOt Of tie
enemy passed ibe heads Of on, men, tinele bali
striking the gable OF PorJeri-d's cling, pGf-
Ing Qua at me PeaA Of I,ro ROOT;
| They fired badly, not single cannon bell, during
the whole action OF baIthOurs DURATION niilt ug
mortal wound. Quo bell passed between RI lder 2
musket and his cheek, and, almost simultaneously, a
second SHOT struck biz gn banding the tube double
and sending the pluers into his IA aud breast. Inc
man viii probably Lose an eye
Their iIst discharges Of muhketty were aimed too
| high, but subsequently they aimed low ana most OF
the wounded upon our side weie rtroek below The
| knees.
Oar men advanced continually, loading ard firing
until the Wisconsin Regiment hdd approached 10
within 800 yardt, and McMullins were less than
! lOJ wards from the rebels advance Gues.
They NUT have osr, from Ill statements, 81 least
l0J IN killed and wounded. Their amlu,apceh were
ordered the front, end men saw them heapng IN
| the fsller, 10 be in tine Tor Ieireat.
After tiug foran LOur or less, they retired al rapid
tTCi aud great 0sJ der, seeming 10 labor 70 odlstiI
! each Other ia their Eighty purpose.
| POrertelds house Is two-story frame dwelling
WITH iIl.uie kitchen attached. Porte eriied u Union
man VINO had been of. He had taken bis family
to the woods for 5ecGrty but returned at once ard
gave rhe wouoced every a-,iftauce His family soon