M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1861-08-08

Ientered by adesperate bayonet charge
by a regiment-.Mississi it il
supposed--armed with rifles without
bayonets, and with bowie knives, one
of which, captured bya member Of the
Second Michigan, and triumphantly
exhibited by its captor, was in size and
weight not much unlike sabre bay,
onet., @ ii,f p 7HneI d Poi 81.
! An officer Of the Sixty ninth (Irish)
Regiment, states in illustration Of the
desperate character OF the attack and
of the repnlse, that the third battery
attacked during the day by them, and
defended, as was ascertaincd from two
Youthful prisoners, by a regiment, ol
South Carolinians, was taken and re-
taken at the point Of the bayonet eisAt
successive times, the Carolinians at
last retaining possession cf the work
10y the AID of a fourth battery, which
was unmasked at the critical period
OF the light. hrav s7d.Y .'3 p.
j A Confederate soldier and q men,
Der Of a Wisconsin regiment we're
found upon the field lockedin a dead.
ly embrace, the former clutching the
hair Of his antagonist, in whose breast
bowie knife was found buried to it's
hilt, he himself having died appar.
emily from a ghastly wound in his
breast. .sw.-n D sl. ,'G.-a r|.
Tho batteries of the Confederatcs,
it is generally conceded, were'pian,
ned with consummate skill, and so
closely concealed or masked that hot
until they opened fire could their
deadly neighborhood be detected. :
They were so arranged as to entirely
command each other, and the Federal
troops found that the deadliest portion
oftheir gallantry and enterprise was
that which gained them entrance into
a masked battery. They were also
covered with rife pits so contrived as
to afford a swift retreat by the rear,
and from these deadly fire. was
poured upon the advancing columns.
1t was from these shelters that the
Confederate rifemen inflicted the
heaviest losses upon the Fire Zouaves.
In the effort during the early part
of the day to outAank the enemy, the
Federal officers found paths leading
as they supposed to the desired posi-
tlons in the rear Of the batteries, and
these were followed with zeal and da.
ring, but in more than one instance
they are said to have proven mere
traps. deliberately devised for the de.
structon Of those who should attempt
it, and from which once entered,
egress was prohibited by the splendid
cavalry, which formed a conspicuous
feature of the Southern force, and the
strength OF which has been estimated
in round numbers at from 5000 to
$4,000.
The crisis of the day was reached
about 4 o'clock, when the Confederates,
suddenly emerging from the batteries
behind which they had previously
sheltered, dashed uocn the Federal
lines, and tho assault being followed
by an irresistible shower of leaden
hail, two regiments, acting, it is said,
under misunderstanding OF a general
order, commenced retrogado move.
ment, which was quickly followed by
the remainder of those in action, until
SOON the entire column was in retreat.
The movement at first began with de
liberation, and might have continued
in good order, but for an unfortunate
alarm which, commencing on the LETT
of the column, spread rapidly over the
field until the entire army. with a few
honorable exceptions, broke into a
flight which became a general stam-
pede. When at a portion Of Bulls
Run, where a small bridge was plac
ed, they encountered the unexpected
of an apparently newly
erected battery, supported by strong
column of infantry.
A brief but ineffective stand was
endeavored to be made at this point
by the gallant Rhode islanders, to.
gether with o Michigan, and, /. is
said, an Ohio regiment, but they were
swept along with the onward current
of the retreat, and the Confederate
cavalry charging furiously at that mo-
ment the retreat degenerated into a
rout. 1t was at this bridge that Burn
sides splendid battery of six James
rifed cannon, and Sherman's ce!ebra-
ted battery were captured, with the
exception Of one piece from each bat
terry, which were saved. The Con.
federates had previously taken Ayres'
battery and the riaei 80 pounder, the
later capture rendering total the loss
Of all the artillery and siege guns of
the army. .''"
From Bulls Run to Centreville, and
even beyond, it is said the cavalry of
the Coniederates harrassed the rear of
the retreating army. These frequent
charges were, however, very gallantly
met, and their loss is stated 10 have
been considerable one entire compa-