New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-08-05

on the distant field.
Though we passed probably from 5000 to 1900
soldiers ere we reached Fairfax, there was 10 SEM
bapee of order among them, all being mixed pell-
nell together except ore company which, in double
files and close order ard under a captain
marched as if at dress parade on Capitol Square
Filled with admiration at this novel spectacle
which burst upon me suddenly at turn oil the
road, / hailed as we gGded past, "CaPteln'
what company is that ?" The only response,
probably not intended for me, came from
stern voice at the head of the column, steady,
menu Would that / could record that Cap
tain's name. ! know he is more lit TO DC
Bripadier than some who wore the silver star at
Bull Run.
Ripht here let me note in paragraph, solitary
and alone, unmixed with baser matter, the hon.
oroble fact. that while conyersed with OF heard
tie voices Of 800 or 400 soldiers that night scat
tered all along the road dbl not once hear tie
German accent!
There are darker shades to this gloomy picture,
and / feel it my duty to show some OF them
upon the canvas No man 10 bound to enter our
volunteer corps--certainly no one is compelled TO
assume responsible command. Whoever does
take upon himself these high obligations, IS bound
to show himself neither bastard nor sneak.
| can excuse the common soldiers who yielded 10
A panic so sudden thai ere reason could resume
her sway il swept them from their feet and bore
them off the field on an irresistible current.
pited them that they would yield to its buffet
inQs long after the moving cause had ceased 10
operate, and though, as they turned deal ear
70 nv entreaties that night / sometimes VEN
tured to rcproach them, yet, / never should have
done so had then known how weary and
hungry had been the morning march, and how
sharp and bitter and bloody had been the mid
dsy fight and how brayely they had
followed their flag into the very
laws Of a crater that for hours had spouted
fire into their faces aud showered storm OF
iron hail upon their heads. But, for the west
ern Colonel. who was one Of the first men to
pass through the stockade that night at the Long
bridge; and for the New-York Colonel, who was
early met 10 miles from the battle field, tkulk-
ing along with the stragglers, and giving as an
excuse for his conduct that his regiment was
cut all to pieces" when in fact it had not lost
30 in killed and wounded; and for the hale aud
hearty soldiers who sieZcd ambulances which
were needed for the wounded, and cody stretch
ing themselves out upon the mattresses, rode
iauntily to town, while some Of their MANNED
brethren were left behind and others brought 10
upon hard joltng baggage wagcns-ior suah, l
have nothing to say except to record their dis
graceful cOncuct.
The most pitiable objects we met were the
wounded Once as an ambulance paused, hem.
med in by the crush Of crowdDg carriages, a
croan escaped from tho writing victims within.
Descending from my seat tho " struggling moon
beams misty Light" permitted ms to catch
glance Of some soldier or officer, torn BY shot
and shell stretched on his CORY bed, urging the
driver to push on so that surgical skill might be
tried upon him ere 1t was too late. as we
stopped to water horso, poor soldier,
Frenchman, staggered up TO the rear OF the car
rioge and lifting his hand, oil crimson with
blooJ. showed where q horrd Mimic ball had
torn through it, aud in the best EDglish he could
command. begged us 10 take him in. For mo-
ment our purpose 10 90 to Centreyile for our
wounded FREUD, was shaken; but our para.
mount duty to search him out and rescue
him from tho dtbriS of routed army pre-
vailed and binding up the poor Frenchmans
wound, and entreating him to lie down and
rest ill some passing vehicle could bear him
to town, bid him adieu and we went on. An
other soldier, from Massachusetts,, | believe
showed me desperate wound in the thigh. His
gray pantaoons were saturated with blood. He
was hobbing along as beet be could, fleeing from
an imaginary foe, just in bis rear. 1t was in
vain that told him bis fears were groundle,s,
and begged him to rest bis weary limbs til sue
cor came. Telling me that the enemy bayonet-
ted the wounded, Lie turned away and jerked
himself forward with as much strength as he
had, my prayers following him, while l raised
blistering curses on the barbarians who. by their
savage cruelty to our wounded men, had inspired
him with so much terror.
Since the horrid vision Of this terrible night,
have glimmering of tie retreat from Russia,
and the fight from Waterloo. Other incidents
than those have recited, rise before my memory.
But forbear. One feature of the scene l can.
not omit TO mention. 1t impressed me most pro-
foundly. After the vehicles lad mostly passed
away, the road, as has already been stated, was
thrODged almost solely with the struggling sol.
dicry. AS they moved along ia unbroken though
disheyeled procession they were utterly silent.
Not jbe, not jeer, not joke, escaped their
lips-not word was spoken Not a breath OF
dir stirred the leaves of tho forest which skirtcd
tho road. The solemn moon looked wistfuly
down through flmy haze upon scene that TO-