Nebraska advertiser., 1861-08-01
The Var for the Union.
WAsurseroN. July %

were TuS0lIlA upon duOkutEs WIEN LuocC
behind it cried out, s'For Gods sake, do
not shoot your brothers" Upon this the
Zousves reserved their fire, until a volley
was poured in upon them by the battery
from which the s%upplication had come.
A disheartened member of Congress
said to Gen. Scott yesterday, "We're
beaten" The old man strengthening up
himself, replied, mo, sir! no, sir! we're
not beaten; the Government isn't beat
enrp Some remarked TO Gov. Seward
tha, we were not defeated on Sunday, he
answered, We've found that out nov,
but TOO late"
Gen Scott is reported TO have said to
the President that he had for the FIRST
,ime in bis life acted the coward, by yIel-
ding 10 the nrgency of the puclic, the
nreSs. and members of Congress, and ad-
vancing upon Manassas before be was
ready. Yet probably every Congress
man, and there were many. who were in
Gen. McDowell's camp, wus opposed ia
The contemplated attack, and they would
have preferred the plan favored by some
subordinate officers, to send for reinforc-
menls Of infantry and artillery, and shell
the rebels out of the woods before NOV
ing the Infantry"
About half-past z o'clock, while Blen.
ker's Brigade was still at Centerville,
Gov. Sprsgue rode up, as cool as if in a
parlor and said 81 am Withdrawing the
Rhode Island troops in good order. You
must help me make a stand here" The
officers 10 whom he had spoken express
ing their readiness to do so, he added.
II have received no orders all day. We
have been fighting on our own hook
Where has Gen. Mcdowell been? No.
one knew. The conduct of Gov, Sprague
through and after the engagement was
characterized by the greatest self-posses-
sion, and considering his entire separa-
ton from military pursuits, his conduct
amounted TO the highest heroism. When
cornstalk Generals are spawned every
day, to get drunk and run away, why is
be not offered a Major-G ~eneralship
The colors Of the Fifth Massachusetts
Regiment were lost in the last fight, but
were rescued by one of the reporters; Mr.
Stedman of the "World."
During the fight, the rebels carried
American flags TO deceive our men, and
when small squads had got separated from
their regiments, approached these flags,
they were fired upon and slaughtered.
The rebels also fired upon the wounded,
standing them up for targets, and then
firing at them. One Of the Connecticut
men saw this done.
A number of the Second New York
saw the rebel sharp shooters fire upon
and kill two vivandiers, who were giving
wine and water TO the wounded.
The rebels also shot at ambulances,
bringing off the dead and wounded
They also fired point blank at the build
ings used as hospitals, and it is said by
some that they fred the buildings.
Capt. Haggerty, of the S~ixty-ninth,
was killed in a charge. When his body
was found. his throat was cut from ear to
ear, and his ears and nose were cut of.
Many of the wounded are found thus
disfgured.
1t is charged very positively that Capt.
Alexander, of the regular army, who was
in command of a battery. shovel cow
ardice, and was the first to run away.
When the colors of the Sixty-ninth
were captured by the VirginianS, two of
them seized the flags and were going off
with them, when Lietenant Matthews of
Company K, Fire Zouaves, killed two
out Of them, and recovered the flags.
Capt. Widely, of Company l, Zouaves
killed two out of four M~lssissippians who
were dragging a gun. All our men a.
gree IN. representing that the rebel H.
fantry will not stand a fair fight, even
with three TO our one. They gave way
whenever attacked, when not supported
by artillery.
Many of the citizens of Washington
are again leaving the city, fearful Of an
attack from rebels under Bearegard.-
The secessionists of Washington make no
concealment of their exultation. The
prisoners taken from the rebel camp and
in confinement in Washington, are liber-
ally supplied with cakes, pies, wines and
clothing by women who commend them
as the greatest patriots of the country.
Our loss of field pieces is not so great
as was at first supposed. Every gun of
Sherman's battery was saved, only some
c~aissons being lost. The loss of baggage
wagons will not exceed fifty. In small
arms, our loss is more than four thousand.
The removal of Gen. Patterson was
IN. response 10 strong remonstrances from
Philadelphia, from men who questioned
his Loyalty. 1t will be remembered that
after the surrender of Sumter, the peo-
pie of Philadelphia demanded that GER
tain persons should display The American
flag, and the first house visited by the ex-
cited populace was that of Gen. Patter-
son. The unerring instincts of the mob,
pointed him out then, as a sympathizer
with the rebels, and later events go far
to prove they were correct.
A spectator of the scene cells me that
the Zouaves literally decimated the Black
Horse Cavalry, the celebrated rebel troop
Al the middle of the battle the Zouaves
fired by platoons upon the rebel infantry
stationed in the woods. After they had
fired they discovered a troop of horse
coming down on their rear. They car
ried the American flag, which deceived
Col. Henzleman, and made him believe
they were United States Calvary. and he
so told the Zouaves. As they came near
Or thair fr,,e character was discovered