New-York daily tribune., 1861-08-26
A PROTEST FROM THE RANKS.

To ns Editor Of Tae N. Y. Tribune
SrR Having seen great deal iu the papers about
the late battle at Bull Rum and the retreat to this
place, and not happening to meet with any article
which expressed my views exactly, would like to
publish through your columns account Of things Rs
saw then.
shall not soy much about the battle for the public
is already tired Of reading and hearing about it, bat
wish more particularly to notice the retreat and what
has been said about it. The retreat has been styled
panic: but If rightly understand the term it is a libel
on the troops for there was no panic. Perhaps you
NAV think this late date to deny what was published
a month ago. and so it would be If nothing had been
said about it since but every day, as the papers come
into camp. something new Is heard about 1t which
sme witty correspondent has discovered and yester.
day the climax was capped and my already excited
brain maddened by the appearance Of letter IN lHs
TRIRusg Of August 10. dated Washington, Ang. j.
ard signed III. b. 5. lt was wriften by some one VINO
lad nothing to do, but, rs be said, HE over Long
Bridge in tho best Of spirits, reaching the Virginia
shore at oclock" going to CenNevile for relative
who had been wounded In the battle oi the ietn.
will take time and paper to repeat the o.
hs Journey from the Long Bridge TO Fairfax, but will
that his account although given in elegant language
/, 1othing more nor less than slander. Allow me to
quote the lsst sentence OF his letter: Ihe moral OF
this long recital Is to exhibit some Of the bitter fruits
%
ever chased conquering army far of a battlefield
when enemy dared pursue, In the hope that Ia the
coming exigeneies Of tie war; whenever or soldiers
are about 10 be stricken with panic, they will pause
one moment and remember the foolish night OF their
brethren from Bull Run." Nowt is evident that your
correspondent was very ignorant with regard TO the
battle or else he told flsehood and IN either case he
ID without excuse for il his mistake was made through
Ignorance bis duty TO inform himself before un-
derskpg 10 inform the public. He calls army the
conguerng army but who does not know that il was
the con1uered or nj least the beaten army at that bat
lie Trne we had driven the enemy before us two or
three miIes and bad storned and taken several bate
res from them and they abont 70 abandon their
po.iiion. when Gen Johnston, with force superior to
onrs arrived 10 assist them. Our Generals ssw 10 was
useIess for men who were already worn out to hght
nSoin,, such odds. and a retreat was orcered. Ihe
assertion that turned and ran from the held With
ont orders /. fase not man thought OF doing So and
believe our troops would have stood and hurled back
the leaden messenger until every one Of them had
fallen had not q retreat been ordered; even then we
did not run 10 is supposed at the NORTH bat LETT The
field with steady s,ep not even dreaming that were
tVbpued-for we priva,es) knew nothing Of TIC large
reinforcement the enemy had received but thinking
we would fall back mile or two and encamp for the
night las it was then past ocloek but to renew the
conflict next morning. None Of us had the most re-
mote idea that we would retreat 10 Washington, but
cxnectsd every moment, while travelling the frs, four
or FIVE miles, that we would be ordered 10 bait and
make stand We thought at most we would not 90
furtler than Centrevllle on up
70 tho encampmeDts they had left in the morning,
halted and did not 60 further until they had positive
orders from the ofhcersto do 80.
The reality that we were defeated did not burst
upon our minds until after we passed Centrevie and
learned that we were en- route Tor Washington. L
ssk then, in the name OF reason and common sense,
how the retreat can be termed panic Panic, &C.
cordiug to Webster, means sudden hight without
cause; but in this there WA no fright; we mere
ly obeyed orders IA proof that there was panic, II
. ,hat sxyav fhsir gup auH
other Announcements. IhM is true TO some extent;
but /, was not done account Of fright but because
those WHO did j; were exhausted. We lad been on
our feet most Of the time since 4 o'clock fteen
hoursl; had marched four five miles double-quick
through the dust without water; had had nothing TO
cut but dry, hard sea-biseus, and had been Ia the
srooks Of the battle several hours. And L ask,
was not that enough 10 exhaust man on that hot
day without ascribing any OF the cause TO panic
Thoss who were able brought all their accouierments
with them; and in many cases u soldier brought not
ouy his own bat those Of On exhausted frond.
Among the reporters Congessmen, and cyiisns there
was indeed panic (accoring 10 their own etoryl for
no sooner did the retreat than they started
peI nell for Washington rushing against each others
carriages and over broken pieces Of artillery in their
haste. Those who broke their carriages mounted tue
steeds who drew then and on they went, nor stopped
until the green fields south Of the Potomac were
known only as tbIngs left behind them. 1hey told
the story of the retreat they itdoub.ess s
was among them. l have told IL as / saw it--as 1t
was among tie soldiers
The general feeling smoug the soldier ia that we
have received wore fare az the hands Of the Northern
press than before tho blazing cannon and eitteriny
steel of our Southe, ioes for while own papers
have called ne towards aud fools our enemies have
given % much credit for bravery and endurance;
snd il 10 impossible TO hnd that soldier who does not
rare more for his reputation than bis life. And do
not believe that soldier be found in our ranks who
would not rather die the battlefield than 10 home
but TO ba called Q coward
" ELON y. BROWN,
Private Company II, I'd WISCONSIN Rsslnaest.
Fat C~eorda, Wsshi1stou Aus ID 1861.