Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-08-22

ana QlQ DOT Eoafn tne tceas OF aclsQn e
early ~ he desired, but does act give the
hour. We quote;
At last Centreville appeared in sight-a
few houses on our font beyond which rose
a bald hill--the slopes covered with blvouac
huts, commisaariat carts, ard horses and
the top crested with spectators OF the fight.
The road on each side was full Of traces OF
Confederate camps; the houses were now all
occupied By Federalists. In the rear OF the
hill was strong body Of infantry-two regi
ments of -lorsigners, mostly Germans. with q
battery of lightartillery. On the hill there
were carriages and vehicles drawn up as if
they we're attending a small country race
They were atterward engaged in race of
another Kind. In one was lady with an
opera-glass; in and around and on Others
were legislators and politicians. There we're
also few civilians on horseback, and on the
slope Of the hill a regiment had stacked arms
and was engaged in looking at and comment
ing on the battle be'oW, The landscape in
front was open to the sight as far as the
ranges Of the Alleghanies, which swept
round from the right in blue mounds, the
color OF which sofIened into violet in the
distance. On the left the view was Circum-
scribed by wood, which receded along the
side Of the bill on which we stood to the
PLATA below. Between the base of the hill,
which rose about one leo feet above the gen.
eral level Of the country, and the foot of the
lowest and nearest elevation of the opposite
Alleghanies, extended about five miles, as well
as | could Judge, denSeiy wooded country,
dotted at intervals with green fields aud
patches of cleared lands. II was marked by
easy longitudinal undulatiOns indicated by
the form of the forests which clothed them,
and between two of the more considerable
ran small streams or "ruRs," as they are de
nominated, from the right to the left Close
at hand q narrow road descending the hill,
went straight into the forest, where it was
visible now & then among the trees in cream
cclored patches. This road was filed with
commissarist wagons, the white tops OF which
were visible for two miles in our 'front.'
On our left front again in thelowest chain
of the hills showed the Manassas gap, and to
the left and nearer to me lay the function"
of the same name, where the Alexandria
Railway unites with the rail from the west
of Virginia, and continues the route by
rails Of various denominations to Richmond
The scene was 50 peaceful a man might
well doubt the evidence of one sense that a
great contest was being played out below
in bloodshed, or imagine, as Mr.. Seward
sometimes d,es, that it was delusion when
be wakes in the morning and finds that there
is civil war upon him. But the cannon
spoke out loudly from the green bushes,
/ and the plains below were mottled, so to
speak, BY pufs of smoke and by white rings
from bursting shells and cspricious howitzers.
/ It was no review that was going on beneath
Us. The shells gave proof enough of that,
though the rush Of the shot could not be
heard at the distance. Clouds of dust came
up in regular lines through the tree tops
where infantry were acting, and now and
then their Wavering mist of light blue smoke
curled up, and the sPlutter of musketry broke
through the booming Of the guns. With the
/ glass could detect now and then, the fash
/ Of arms through the dust clouds in the open,
but no one could tell to which sidethe troops
/ who were moving belonged, and could only
| Judge from the smoke whether the guns
/ were fred toward or way from the hill II
was evident that the dust in the distance on
1 our right extended beyond that which rose
/ from the Federalists. The view towards the
left, as have said, was interrupted, but the
firing was rather more heavy there than on
the fronto of the right faux, and glade was
pointed out il the forest as the beginning oi
Bulls or POole's Run, on the other side o.
which the Confederates were hid in force,
though they had not made any specific re-
ply to the shells thrown into their cover
early in the morning. There seemed to be
I ~ IL l,1l - L.
enemy, from which came steady solid firing
against what might be supposed to be the
heads of columns Stationed at various point:
or advancing against them.
In the midst of our little reconnaissance,
Mr.. Vizetelly, who has been living, and, in
deed, marching with one of the regiments as
artist of the Illustrated London News came
up and told Us the action had been CON-
menced in splendid style by the Federalists,
who had advanced steadily, driving the Con-
federates before them7-a part of heplan, az
I firmly believe, 10 bring them under the
range Of their guns. He believed the ad-
vantages oil the Federal side were decided,
though won with hard fighting, and be had
Just come up to Oentreville to look after some
thing to eat and drink and 70 procure little
necessaries, in case Of need, for his comrades.
His walk very probably saved bis life. HaV-
/ ing seen all that could be discerned through
our glasses, ny friend and myself had made
a feast on our sandwiches in the shade of the
buggy; my horse was eatingand resting, and
ives forced to give him half an hour OF
more before mounted, and meantime tried
70 make out the plan Of battle, but all v as
obscure and dark. Suddenly up rode an Of
fcsr, with crowd Of soldiers sfser him, from
the village. "We've whipped them on all
poin.sl" he shouted. GWe've taken their
batteries, and they are retreatingl" Such an
uproar as followed. The spectators and the
men cheered again and again, amid cries Of
"Bravol' "Bully for usl' didn't 1 tell You
so2" and cultural Hhochsh from the Deutsch-
land folk and loud "hurroors" from the Irish.
Soon afterward my horse was brought up "a
the hill, and my friend and the gentleman
have already mentioned, set out to walk to-
ward the front the latter to reioin his regi.
ment If possible, the former to get a closer
view Of the proceedings. As turned down
into the narrow road or lane already men.
toned, there was o forward movement
among the large four-wheeled tilt-wagons,
/ which raised q good deal Of dust. NV at
tention was particularly called to this by the
occurrence of few minutes afterward. ]
had met my friends on the road, and after a
few words rode forward at a long trot as well
IS I could, past the wagons and through the
dust, when suddenly there arose tun1ult IN
front of me at small bridge across the road.
and then / perceived the drivers Of set Of
wagons with the horses turned toward me.
who were endeay 'ring 70 force their way
against the stream of vehicles setting in the
other direction. By the side of the new set
Of wagons there were number Of commits
sariat men and soldiers, whom at fret sight
1 took to be the baggage guard. They
looked excited and alarmed, and were run
ming by the side Of the horses-in front the
dust quite obscured the view. At the bridge
the currents met in wild disorder. STUN
backl Retreat" shouted the men from the
'front.' "We're whipped, we're whippedn They
cursed, tuggsd at the horses beads, and strug-