Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-07-27
RICHXoNp, July 2G. 1851

RICHMOND July -, 1871.
EDIToRs UNION AND AMERICAN: l wrote you last
night giving further details of the battle at Nanas
sas but was called away moment after my letter
WAS sealed and directed On MY return it was gone.
Upon inquiry, a servant stated that gentleman
picked it up, who remarked he was going to the
point to which it was addressed and would carry
il q hours in advance of the mail As It may pos
sibly reach you, shall not recur. to its contents
Additional news from the battle field was brought
last night by the cars. A number Of wounded
were brought down to Richmond for attendance on
the evening train.
An outline of the battle, correct in the MAN. may
be gathered from the details and isolated statements
of individuals who were engaged in different parts
of the field.
On Saturday evening SCoTE massed his forces on
our extreme right, as if he meditated attack on
the field batteries around Manassas. a heavy can
nonade on our RICH: and centre begun the battle on
Sunday morning. Everything indicated an attack
il fierce on the right of our position But this was
merely point to avert attention from the true
point of assault on our extreme left along Pull Run,
where our defences were limited to line of earth
work covering, without guns along the banks of the
stream. An advance was made against this point
of our line early in the morning, with $1,000 men,
The line was defended with heroic courage by
the very inferior force posted for their defence.
Southern courage battling unhinchingly against
overwhelming odde, held the enemy at bay for
hours until reinforcements came up. The stone
bridge where the turnpike road from Fairfax
Court House and Centreville crosses Bull Run, was
the extreme left of our position. 1t asssed in
force. When the Federal forces first advanced, a
single battalion was here guard to oppose them.
This handful of men held the enemy in check until
they were reinforced by the South Carolina and
Georgia regiments. Our left fought the defen
sve with difficulty, withstandng the heavy columns
of the assailing force until about P. NJ, when
the arrival of reinforcements made the conflict
more equal. In the course of the afternoon we
assumed the offensive. A charge was made
on SHERNAN's battery, which was placed on the
crest of a hill surrounding the Run and overlooking
our position. When the charge was made up the
hill against the battery, the guns could not be de-
pressed TO the range Of the advancing column, or
else the intervening hill protected them from the
fire. They advanced in two hundred yards be-
fore the guns of the battery could be made to play
on them, whena gallant dash captured nine OF the
fifteen guns. They seem to have succeeded IN with
drawing six guns at that time, which were captured
bya subsequent charge The day was finally won,
as undertand by a charge on the flank Of the enc
my from the direction of our centre. This charge,
/ gather from various statements, was made by our
cavalry. They never ran" said an intelligent
locker on It'll the cavalry came" Then they left
their guns, and fed in confusion, throwing away
guns, knapsacks, pistols, swords, hats, in headleng
rout 1t was complete panic. The whole force
engaged was completely demoralizad. The charge
on their flank drove large body, from the Dis
rect line of retreat on the Fairfax road into the
road to Leesburg The heavy and incessant rain of
Monday must have stopped their retreat and the
survivors have probably been compelled to surren-
der. They seem to have been dreadfuIly cut up on
the retreat. Four thousand cavalry with carbines.
revolyers and sabres, must have committed fearful
havoc in a crowd of Is 900 men, flying in confu-
sion before them. ELIsWoRTu's ZOuaves were cut
to pieces except two hundred. Every cannon on
the battlefield was taken except two, and 10000
guns and great numbers of pistols fell into our
hands That aank charge was brilliant in concep-
ton and proved decisive. Those who were not
driven of towards Leesburg fed to Centreville or
to Fairfax in perfect panic 81 do not know how far