The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1861-08-02


had crushed the lite out Of him.
Who ever saw such flightP---
Could the retreat at Borodino have
exceeded 1t in confusion and tumultp
Il think not. II did not slack in the
least until Centreville was reached.
There the sight Of the reserve
Miles Brigade--formed in order on
the hill, seemed somewhat to ress.
sure the van. But still the teams
and foot Soldiers pushed on. passing
their camps and heading swiftly
for the distant Potomac, until Tor ten
miles the road over which the grand
army had so lately passed South.
ward. gay with uns,ained banners.
and flushed with surety Of strength,
was covered with the fragments OF
.its retreatinc forces, shattered and
panic stricken in a single day. -
From the branch route, the trains
attached to Huntor's Division had
caught the contagion Of the flight,
: and poured into it's already swollen
current another turbid freshet Of
confusion and dsnay.
Who ever aaw q moro shameful
abandonment Of munitions gathered
at such vast expense9 Tho Team
sters, many OF them, cut the traces
OF their horses, and gallopcd from
the wagons. Other, threw ont
their loads to accelerate their fight.
and again, picks and shovels, and
provisions of every kind lay tramp.
led IN the dust for leagues. Thous
ands of muskets strewed tho route;
when some ofus succeeded in rallyine
; body of fugitives. and forming
them in a limo across the road
hardly one but had thrown away
his arms. II the enemy had brought
up his artillery and served it upon
the rctrcatinS train, or had inter.
ccpted our progress with five hun.
dred Of his cavalry. he might have
captured enough Of supplies for q
, weeks feast Of Thanksgiving. AT
wns enough was left behind to tel
the story OF the panic. The route O
the federal army was complete.
A CHECK TO THE RETREAT.
The sight of Miles reserve drawn
r up on the hills mt Centrevillc, sup.
porting a full battery Of field pieces
aud the efforts OF tue few officers
still faithful to their trust, encour.
aged many of the fugitive infantry
. to seek their old cauips and go nc
further. But majority pushed on
TO point near the late site of Ger.
, man,own, where Lieutenant Bris.
, hane had formed II line of Hunters
artillorls's across the road, and no
, pulsed all who attempted to break
through. ! particularly request at
4 tention 10 the service thus rendered
> by this loyal young officer. While
he was thus engaged, Courier ar
rived with the news that CJlone
. Montgomery was advancing with q
. Nav Jersey brigade from Falls
church. and that the retreat must bt
stopped, only tho wagons being al
=, lowed to pass through. Some
/ thousands OF the Soliiery had alread,
=, got far on their way 20 Washington
, These were these from whom the dc
tails OF the rcpulsa we're gathcreC
/ this morning. Poor fellows! whC
- could blame them? Their own Co
| lonels had deserted them, only Iesv
- ing orders for them to reach Airing
! ton heights as soon as they could
-. A fow miles further met Mont
A gomcry swiftly pressing to the res
enc, and reportel the success c
"a Lieutenant Brisbane's efforts. An
so rode along, IA we'll as my wca
n ried horse could carry me, pa,
n groups of struggling fugitives t
"a Fairfax, where Colonel Woodbur
d WAS expecting, and guarding against
II flank movement OF the enemy, an
r on again to long bridge and the I(
= tomac. Bat the van of the runawa
. Soldiers had made such time, that
:, found host of them at the Jerse
!. entertainments begging the sentinc
20 to allow them to cross the bridg
/. To day we learn OF the saio retrel
of the main body of the army; th'
r. they were feobly followc! by the re-
"a els as far rs Fairfax. but are no
of wi,ain the Arlington lines, and tn
m Mcdowell, n stunned and v,nquls
ma ed General, is overlooking tho wrec
l., OF his columns from his ol | quarter
he at the Curtis mansion.
j., OUR losses.
81 The list Of killed and wounded
81 this wide sp'eal action will not
~ proportionatc to tho numbers @,
- gagged on either side, an / to the d,
r5 ration OF the conflict. The nature
Ne the ground and the fact that 4
'st struggle was confined to attacks II
-, on batteries and ambusca1es, ma
I1l' the whole affair q series Of fie
AZ skirmishcs, rather than a grand fiC
IN encounter. Men fought with a XII
no Of American individnality-each
re himself-anl the musketry fri,
'es was OF the most irregular charactC
IKE There were few such heavy wolfe