Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-08-07


ton Of the fact it is gratifying to know that IL Wa
sent to Europe by the steamer sailing imnieuately
afterwarl The following is from the PhaoeiPl'n'
Ledger of July esd: -.s n. q 20 e.
- DISASTER TO OUR ARMS.
Never has the continent exhibited the sight u a,u
on Sunday last Never were assembled on TINS sue e
Of the globe two such hostile forces, and never mas
the Republic met with reverse TO lis arms so
dispiriting in its effect Not that the reoei col,.
mander if he had been caterprlsing ana oola e"ous
to pursue his advantage, might have made II muc'.
more disastrous and demorazing to our forces' Out
the disappointment which follows from the repn'se
Of an army which had gone forth SO confidently 70
victory, has a most depressing and stunning eheS'
nnon the public mind 1t seems scarcely to be real
lied that an army so carefully prepared so numer
ous SO we'll appointed and SO spirited could march
on to anything but victory And victory, 100 seem.
ed almost secured already within grasp, When .
movement-an accident it may be-wresteo II rom !.
our troops, and turned the wcll-earned laurels OF
onr troops into the worthless weeds, and compelled
them to leave the field to their almost beaten oe
It is SAID that the panic which seized the troops
was communicated by sudden flight OF teamsters
and civilians, members of Congress, and others, out
as spectators of the fight This may have helped
the panic, but the real cause is probaoy deeper
than that Our army has been hastily formed, and
men are in high position as officers who have never
seen service Of any kind, raw as their troops ana a.
most as inexperienced. Such officers have not the
confidence of their men, and have not the quaiites
in themselves to secure it. The men lacking conn.,
dence in the ability of their officers, fight under dis
advantage, for they know not what trap they may
be running into While exhibiting the highest da-
ring and courage, trae may strike them with pan
ic, and panic is generalization to the whole army
for the time being and certain defeat s-tF'
Now is not the time to crticlse the military oper'
atoms the strategy and the man0euvres OF the Com
mander- Chief These may have been skillful or
otherwise future facts will show their true charac
ter But one great mistake on our part has been
in undertaking the power Of resistance of the Rebels
their resources and their courage. They have been
preparing for many months for this contest. They
have an abundance of small arms, immense amount
of cannon their troops at Manassas amounted to
10000 men, with the railroad trains in their rear
continually at work pouring in fresh troops during
the whole progress Of the fight. They therefore
of outnumbered nearly two to one {! y the Federal
force they chose their own ground and every foot
it that our army was expected to pass over. strongly
fortified AS TO their courage, it must be remembered
that they own race not physically perhaps as
strong but equally intelligent and what is OF great
e. Importance longer under training to give rnneSs
to their courage and assurance to their SKILL besides
being Differed with some Of the best military talent
in the army and navy. With such foe as this it is
not advisable to rush on without adequate prepare
ton, and without force equal to any emergency re-
quired. Ignorant presumption may cry out impa-
tently, "On to Richmond" but there must be
means at hand greater than the resistance, or the
pathway to Richmond will be lined with the graves
Of our soldiers Congress has authorized force of
half million of men. Let that number of troops
be raised properly Differed and this disgrace to our
arms will be wiped out, and the integrity OF the
Union be secured.
correspondent of Forney's Philadelphia Press
gives an account of the battle, from which we make
the following extracts:
GAS we drew nearer the field, evidences of death
were more striking. About half mile from the
immediate scene of hosties the first shelter for the
wounded had been obtained. A low, white frame
house stood on the side of road, covered with a
few trees surrounded by garden o: blooming roses
neatly enclosed in rough white pailings. twas the
house OF plain Virginia farmer, but the necessities
of war converted his home into an hospital. The
well in front was guarded by soldiers. The cham
bers, the kitchen, the parlour, the porch and the
shade under the trees were occupied by wounded
men, some moaning sadly, some hearing their ago
nies in heroic silence and others beseeching the doc
tor to place them out of the reach of pain, and &C.
casiosally asking family for cup of water In
binding trepanning, amputating, probing and sooth
ing, assisted by the old Vrginian, blunt specimen
Of a son of the Old Dominion, who assisted by his
family, assiduous to relieve the uiscres Of that
fearful day. The soldiers had crawled round his
WELL and broke in his fences and over run his house.
The flowers no longer boomed in the garden, but
crushed and broken they gave forth their fragrance
under the leet of the soldiers. Where the had
grown in the morning, dead men lay at noon.
AS noon approached, it was evident the battle
would be general. Regiment after regiment wheel
ed from the column, and on the right and left and
front the sound Of firing became more and more
incessant The anxiety among those in the vicinity
was intense. 1t was evident that the battle would
be holly contested that the Seccssonists we're far
more numerous than we had expected, and that
with the advantage Of strongly defended natural
position, artillery of wonderful range and well prac-
ticed gunners, they would not give the United
States forces victory except at the most fearful
cost. Our men had driven them from field into
the woods, and from the woods into field beyond,
and road which crossed between the woods which
skirted the extreme line Of the battle field. SO,
AS the hours passed on, the fight became more
and more terrific. The fortunes of the day began
to waver, especially as the Federal troops did not
SEEM to gain any material advantage and only made
their advances slowly, abouriously and at great
loss of life. The rebels were strongly entrenchet
behind masked batteries of rfed cannon. They
seemed to be innumerable. Again and again oul
men charged upon them, only to find when they hat
dslodged them in one place they had reappeared ir
another, until at last the Federal soldiers were com
PEELED to fall their faces to avoid the swift mes
sengers Of DEATH 1t was found, too, that the rebe
forces largely outnumbered those of the Republic
The Eight continued until after five clock wi.hou
exhibiting any material result. The rebels had mos
decidedly the advantage in position and guns and
they used it with fearful effect The bravery of ou
troops was superhun,an. but what bravery coule
meet the unerring and nnceasing cannon which CAM
sweeping from almost every tree or heap of brush
Our men unmasked them, battery upon battery, only
to find their lessened ranks unequal to the task
A retreat was commenced by a New York regiment
and very soon became general In vain General Nc
Dowel endeavoured to rally his forces. They re
treated to the Centreve road in good order, unit
charged upon by the Secession cavalry and artillery
when they broke their lines and pushed toward Fair
fax Court House in disorderly column"
THREE CHEERS FOR MARYLAND Maryland had
regiment in the battle at Manassas. The Richmon