The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-08-02
Advance ON Manassas.

/ Advance ON Manassas.
The New York papers come laden with
the details of the march of the Grand Army
as far as Centreville. 81. j. Raymond, ed.
itor of the Times, who was in the column
under Colonel Hunter, General Mcdowell
commanding in person, thus writes
At half past nine o'clock we came to a
point at which the road, bordered with
trees on each side, had been INSTRUCTED
by trees felled across it. The axemen were
ordered forward, and soon cleared the path.
Passing on, the way led by an open wood,
at the end of which rose what appeared to
be high square bank, on the top of which
we could see two or three horsemen riding
backward and forward. A little further
onward trees had been again felled across
the road. Skirmishers were thrown out on
either side, and the column moved on slow.
ly, stopping now and then to feel its way,
and being especially on its guard against
surprises. Half mile further we came to
another blockade of trees, one of which had
been very ingeniously turned exactly bot>
tom upwards, so as to completely block the
passage. The axemen soon took away the
fence, cut down trees that were in the way;
and made side road through the adjoining
field. We soon rose to the top Of the hill,
which proved to be what, in the distance,
we had mistaken for an embankment. The
house of Major Howard, who had gone with
the Confederate Army, stood there, and the
negroes left there told us the secession
scouts had been therepot half an hour be-
fore. The column stopped ten or fifteen
minutes and then pushed on, coming, in half
an hour, to long embankment thrown
across the road and the adjoining fields, with
embrasures for cannon, and the buts of a
camp in the rear, which had been aban-
d0ned with so much haste by the rebels only
two hours before, that they left great guam
titles of meat, rice, Clothes blankets, &c,
as spoils for our troops, who followed SO
close upon their heels. The works were ex-
tensive but not strong, and it was not very
clear that any cannon had ever been mount
ed upon them. The embrasures were lined
by sand bags, each marked, "The Confed-
crate States" one of which Inscriptions I
cut out for trophy. Our men raised the
star spangled banner on the ramparts, and
greeted it with three hearty cheers. Just
then we caught sight, at some three miles
distant, of the long line of Colonel Tyler's
column marching along the upper road with
its white topped baggage wagons in the
rear, and the glorious stars and stripes fly
ing in the van. Our column advanced rap.
idly, and in twenty minutes, at a quarter be-
fore twelve, raised the National flag on the
Fairfax Court House, small brick build
ing on the left Of the street. The place was
entirely deserted by the rebel troops, and,
indeed, by the whole male population. The
rebel quartermaster's Office had been aban-
doned in as much haste as the works we
had passed, and great quantities of letters,
papers, &C., were found strewn over the
floor and the adjacent ground. I picked
up letter from mother to her son, beg
ging him, if possible, to come and see them
before he should be ordered off, and inclos.
ing lock of her hair, neatly braided and
tied with white ribbon. shall take that
as memento to one who will appreciate
and sympathize with the sentiment which
prompted the gift. IL
Another correspondent writing from
Fairfax. Court House, says:
The men were in fine spirits, and marched
along in the loose style of a regular march,
but with quick step. We had some pleas
ant words with Col. Hunter and General
Mcdowell, and then walked quickly to the
front. On either side, the skirmishers
spread out, the bayonets glisting through
ho EalI <ho linn oAx,opoipn
carefully, though occasionally nothing could
prevent the men stopping for the delicious
blackberries that filed the fields.
Gen. Mcdowell informed us that be was
concentrating four columns at Fairfax Court
Houss-one on the right, under General
Tyler, of about 10000 men, through Falls
village and Germantown one on the left,
of about $500, under Miles, and the left
wing, under Heintzelman, with about 6, 900.
Suddenly, as we were picking berries by
the roaeside, came the word "Halt!" An
Orderly rode up and said, General, we are
in trap; trees are cut down in front of
us there seems to be masked battery
beyonp' The General took it calmly, and
ordered the skirmishers to advance, while
we poor civilians were expecting every in
slant to hear the whistling of the balls over
our heads. AS we approached the long
line of earthwork, we could seeour skirm.
ishers slowly approach it while our pioneers
were clearing out the trees cut down in the
road. At length the bayonets can be seen
shining on the mounds, and we breathe freer
and hurry on. 1t is a line perhaps fifty
rods long, with embrasures, lined with sand
bags, very poorly built, all say. Wemount
it and shout, and then proceed to cut the
name from the sand bags Confederate
States" as a trophy. Soon the glorious
old stars wave from it, with cheer from
the tramping columns that shook the trees.
Behind it was the camp of the enemy, ap-
parently just deserted-a very fairly con-
structed camp with drains systematically
made. Every tent had little bower Of
leaves near it. Our men rushed in with
"Hooray! took the Seceshers' camp" and
poked over the rubbish, finding some meat
and eggs and other little matters, which