Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-08-02
TIE BATTLE OF BULLS Rim.

TIE BATTLE OF BULBS RUN.
The intelligent correspondent OF the ". Y
= Con'merctal, who is attached to the staff O
the Colonel OF one of the N. Y. regiments
gives the following deliberate conclusion
concerning the great battle of the 2Ist
, gathered from the accounts of numerou.
spectators and officers-he was not himsel
in the fight. They differ widely from
many versions of the battle; but we do net
doubt their substantial correctness:
l have been studying the cause of the
panic out of much gathered evidence. lam
convinced that it was not an accident started
by teamster and communicated to his fel-
low, to the civilians, and SO on to the army.
as many stoutly assert. The result of my
| conversation with the most reliable of spec
tators and officers is briefly this: The
enemy, for hours after the beginning of the
fight, were easily driven back. They par
TALLY connected. Regiments would retreat
when hercely attacked by our men and
would be followed up, until suddenly, fear
fully out from behind a thicket would open.
close upon them, masked battery, tearing
| them to pieces. In some cases they would
recOil from this unforeseen and dreadful fire.
Ia other cases they would rush in and seize
the battery. But the moment a battery was
seized. another masked battery, bearing on
this, would open from behind another thick
ct, and another havoc would follow These
| masked batteries were indiscernible The
cannon were painted green. The trees with
which they We're inclosed were artifcially
planted and located with the highest art, 80
as to utterly conceal the battery aud the
men, until our soldiers stumbled upon the
awful secret
So our men fought on blindly, desperately,
ruinously, till near the close of the day,
when they were exhausted and discouraged,
the orders weIe given for the decisive charge
All previous fighting had been preparative,
Introductory, more or less indecisive.
This charge was twofold, by caval,y On
rear and flank, en- the baggage wagons, and
on the Zouavts; and by Infantry in front and
centre Both cavalry and infantry were
fresh, all day waiting and ready for the last |
grand charge. 4 wounded major of the ene- |
my taken prisoner, whose word can be relied |
on, says they had large forces ready to gus
tain and take part in this last charge, which |
were not brought into action. These were |
lying in the grass waiting all day. The |
force was. numerically, absolutely overpow- |
ering. Before this force part of our men |
retreated in good order, 4 part were panic |
stricken.
lt is not possible that we could have won |
the battle. We were victorious successive |
times; we might have been victorious and |
driven blck the enemy once or twice more,
but the end was one disastrous defeat, rs
certain as the sun. The enemy had the
game all in their own hands. They knew
they should conquer as well on Sunday
morning at nine, us on Sunday afternoon at
half past five. An officer in command of
the batteries, person whose word is with.
out e1asgeration or deviation, says they
must have calculated and decided at what
point We would probably plant our batteries,
to answer theirs. for their first shots were
aimed with mathematical certainty. They
took effect right in the centre Of the battery.
There is no doubt, and presume no ques-
tion. that the battle US whole was badly
planned on our part one of the officers in
command opened the battle by declaring to
his aids, 9 am entirely mistaken in regard
to this ground
Another circumstance hud to be taken into
account. besides victOry-the sentiment Of
the people and the morale of the army, The
people were camorOus for advance. Popu-
lar disaifection would follow longer delay,
and the disaster of disafection prove worse
chan the disaster of a lost battle. The Oth-
GERS and soldiers were intensely bitterly de-
manding fight. 1t was the burden of the
camp. Give US chance to fight Lead
US against the enemy, We shall rot in idle
ness! We did not leave home to waste with
camp dysentery, to die Of nothing, For
the sake of all that is worth living for, let
US meet the rebels.'' The pressure upon
the leading command was presumptuous.
reckless, in its strength. Alas. that it
should have been also irresistible
might have sent you columns of interes-
ting narrative received from the mouths of
soldiers, but was not satisfied of its credi-
bility. thought it best to wait the testi'
mony of safer men. You see and reiterate
enthusiastic commendation of the Fire
Zouavcs. heard one of them describe the
fight. was delighted with the story, the
bravery, the achievement. 1t was uDpars-
lelled. But fear that the Zouaves, as q
regiment, were not in fact braver than some
1
cannot boast over any of the panic stricken
soldiers. They were ordered to sustain the
Ricketts, battery. They left it unprotected
and fled, one OF the lieutenants of the battery
in VAIN attempted TO rally them. The battery
Zouaves had been as brave rs the regulars.
The battery has one>half Of its men kilied
and wounded (sixty out of one hundred and
tventy,) one half of its officers. One-half OF
its horses. speak with exactness Of each.
It is singular coincidence.
have heard much of the cruelty Of the
enemy. think it true and yet have not
met one witness as yet, who with his own
eyes saw the bayonetiug of wounded soldiers.
The enemy fred on the hospital, but there
is no reason to suppose that they knew II 70
be hospital. But an officer in whom can
rely. did sec with his own eyes as ne was
leaving the field, rebel soldier and Union
soldier. each wounded, one in the head and
one in the body, each too weak to execute,
seeking. with wandering aim and staggering
stem. to bayonet one another. And an OH
Ger on whom can rely, took possession OF
the valuable trunks Of a rebel officer, w1tn
his beautiful uniform, linen, watch, bowie
knive, Bible and letters, and one OF the iet.
ters (Which was opened, in order TO nno
direction BY which to restore the package 70
its ownerJ, written by lady, closed with
the SENTENCE" If you succeed in killing
Yankee, wish you would skin him and tan
the hide; have something in mind that
want to make of it." Is thisthe female side
of Southern chivalry when seen in witely
confidence.
Gen. Beauregard sent to JEFF. DAVIS tne