Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-08-08
TOWANDA: 4.
Thursday Morning, August 8, 1861.
rProm wikes's Spirit of the Timesl
n,o Rattle as seen by an Eyewitness.
WASHINGTON, Friday, July 26, 1861.


WASHINGTON, Friday, July &c, 1861.
IT.. minor action on the 18th, though end
,.-;n serious repulSe, served but to stImuiate
,po %o ordor of our troops; and as walked, on
u W. fouoving morning, among the swarmlng
.D' that rested in the valley this side of
C,ntreyiIle, heard but one wish expressed,
snJ that wish was that we should again ana
o. atE nncs m move forward, and wipe out the DIS
..oa .. On Of that temporary check before the ex'
s,GeC 'iD. robaIs could take fresh heart by their
u,'mo osss It was soon plain, however, that
%on Mcdowell. warned by the unexpected
VI, -;Ionoo Of strength which had been develop
ID from the treacherous covert at Bull Kun,
"a ~ 9o,ermiped to remain for time near Cen
.sariIIa while he made the minute reconnois-
.once which was necessary before q general
ottock The teams, therefore, were turned
from the Aving batteries and wagons, and the
Foa army bceves, which were our best camp
%Iov.rs, were driven IN and slaughtered by
.bo wholesale. under an order for the prepa-
rotion of three days ratiOns. -viSaged
-,r r,Igyed his wrinkled 'front.' and now, in
,,soi OF prancng SteedS and regiments drawn
no in line. nothing could be seen through the
Il attire valley but lOunging swarmS surrounding
N steam kettles, whose ardor and whose tuIlness
br,gght back the picture OF the wedding of
C,marbo. 1t was in the midst of this vast
ric,ic and these saVory steams that the Secre-
,,v Of War paid a visit to the scene, and I'M
4 urted BY the mere fact of his presence, an
Il ljtjonsi assurance that we would not move
at dav, When he left rs in the afternoon,
g,n were some who believed we were on the
7k of action: but the majority were of the
HI -non that the general advance would not
\ made till daybrcak Monday morning. This
vas the prevailing notion IN the California
nmp whose head quarters | had halt adopt
ed in view Of the impending departure of the
Scycnty.frst,) aud, must confess, it was
mrtIy mine. | had, however, at the same
time, an idea that We might, perhaps, wait I'LL
Gen Patterson could descend from IarptrS
Ferry and co operate on our right.
The night wore quietly away, with the eX-
crprion of . slight alarm at the distant cot
tage where slept, and, which though more
than mile from our lines, | had chosen for
the convenience of making up my letters. At
tg0 hours past midnight. three or four vol
Il gs of muSketry from a grove near by startled
awake, and, as rose upon my arm, could
ar the squad of Germans who were pcketed
cath the porch cautiously cock their mHs-
# rs in expectation of an attack. Bat the FIR
u 3, soon ceased, and daybreak revealed the
fact that it proceeded from newly arrived reg
nHtS which had settled themselves hard hv
who had been merely expelIiug stale charge
rom their pieces in anticipation of important
Fork
GFN. MCnOwEL.S PLAN.
Meanwhile, and all the following day. til,
allcst engineers of Gen. McDowelI'S tatt' hao
been rcconnoitering for miles around, and tho
iuit Of their laborS was 4 report that the en-
cmy's position could mot he turned to the left
or southwark, ) by reason of the rnughnesS Oi
The roads: that it was not advisable to renew
the attack of the 18th on the battery of Bul
Run, but that the road to the right through
Centrere, was a practicable avonue TO IA
other crossing, and which was undcfended
and to which artillery could not be easily
drawn. This was called the Warrenton road
and at some distance down, it had the fur
ber advantage of o path diverSing from it tC
the northward, by which a circnit could be
made to the rear of certain heavy batteries
witch the course of the main road itself would
1Ale us to strike in front. 1t was therefore
d1ied by Gen Mcdowell to send merely one
.t.ade to Bull Run to hold the battery il
check, and to make his grand attack by the
NarentOn road, relying upon the column thai
'aS to pass off into the northward path tC
hn nd int
@Ousion while attacked by us upon its face
las seemed to be very proper and consistent
Plan, Undoubtedly the theory of it wa!
agood plan las theory and it might have
teen practically successful, had it but fitted
le proportions of the enemy. Unfortunate
however, Gen Mcdowell had not taker
me iull measure of bis foe, and the circuit
winch he had decided upon, instead Of reach
'as the base of the Rebels principal position
merely plunged against the side of his trian
Se, where he was most fearfulIy in strength
and where the most desperate valor could bu
serve to feed his guns The Confederates, a!
le night have aScertaiued, numbered, with
Vu' Johnston and his forces, at least 10000
ItO; and he now proposed to fling agains
,''S compact mass, reposing in jungeS behlnt
batteries OF the heaviest guns, some six or sew
gu oTT'gadeS to explore the labyrinth of tina
SnOIe position, and seek, by impetus alone
%Ou't 1.t hole through it, and hold on to tn
q II must be stated at this time, that Will
% ~eu; Mcdowell was forming his calculation
Ou 'ne basis of his engineers report, he wa
"'S,e mat Gen. Patterson was but so mile
9o % ns o.. right with Federal army of near
i,OVO i., men, who were then employed in watch
sS - do equal rebel force under Gen. Johnston
"u view of preventing him from descend
NJ JoL 70 Manassas. He knew, also, that wbil
H., 6Yn"S'on' from having a railway track benin
.u' r.. could reach Manassas in two days, Pa
ana ,3Tu could not follow, over obstructed road
t5o.. a o'oKen bridges, in less than five. Unde
coroe oooe circumstances, it would seem that th