Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-11-01


should be 80 uniformly misapprehended |
abroad. We really look at the politics of
foreign countries with very disinterested |
eyes, If we desire too see constitutional |
government extended it is because we are
Ut der the impression that what we know to
be best for ourselves must also be best for
others. We never think about British in.
huence," though we usually find that it
comes as a matter of course, after we have
acted judiciously. Any nation struggling
for freedom or independence, is sure of our
sympathies, and we are deciding by the les
sons of experience when we hold that moral
support is all that can be prudently given.
In such views Earl Russell is sure to find con-
currence. He is known to be liberal, yet he
is known to be moderate. A great wit said
Of him some time ago. that there was moth
ing which his moral intrepidity might not
| induce him to undertake, but every body
| Earl Russell would ponder long before be
committed this country to the perils of for
eign Intervention.
| More Of the Lnte Battle-The Wounded
The Sinking Ofthe ScOw, aud Other Par
ticuars.
The war correspondent of the New York
Times furnishes the following additional par
ticulars of the Balls Bluff disaster
have obtained some interesting particu-
lars Of the transactions on the battle field of
| Conrads Ferry, and also of the events follow
| ing the retreat, from Orderly Sergeant Geo.
II. Burnham, of Company A, Harris Light
Cavalry. He states that they received the
order to march, and left Camp Observation,
near the MOnocacy, at eight o'clock A. NJ.
Monday. A squadron of one hundred and
twenty eight fell in. They took the road to
CoDrads Ferry, and passing under the canal
H-l
| path about one mile. The California Regi-
ment had already crossed over, and the firing
on the Virginia side was going on about one
mile distant, judging from the smoke OF the
| guns. They found the Twentieth Massachu-
sets waiting to cross. The first boat that
arrived from the island called for Company
G of that regiment to fall in to cross. There
was line stretched across the stream, which
| at this point was one hundred and fifty yards
wide. The lines had been taken from two
canal boats, tied together, and stretched
across. There were three scows at the land
| ing, all three being in use. One would hold
about fifty, another about eighty, and the
third about one hundred and twenty men,
being thirty feet in length.
The Twentieth Regiment was about two
and a half hours in getting across. Two
pieces OF artillery also went over, aud he
learned that one cannon had previously been
sent across. He thinks they were two how
itzers. The movement of troops was slow.
| Some wounded men came over, shot in their
feet and in their arms. The boats which
carried over the two last pieces brought back
about thirteen wounded men. The guns
were hauled up the muddy bank of the
island with great difficulty. The painter of
the scow had to be used for the purpose.
These guns did not reach the field of action,
| and are believed to have been left near the
hospital and spiked. This was a needless
precaution, although the fact that the enemy
appeared to be following up the retreat of
our men, the bullets flying thickly around
the hospital, no doubt led them to suppose
that we should be unable to hold the island.
| There was, of course, no adequate means of
transportation for cavalry, and they could
| not cross.
From six o'clock the wounded who could
| be led and supported continued to arrive
very fast and afterward all who were more
seriously hurt were conveyed on doors and
stretchers. At one time thirteen of these
poor wounded creatures lay upon the bank
together. One man, who had been mortally
wounded in the breast, was brought down to
| the bank, and Mr.. Burnham assisted him on
| to the boat. He was too faint from the loss
| ofblood to utter more than broken sentences.
| He was a fine-looking man, with heavy
black whiskers. He held fast to an Enfield
| rife, which he said he had taken from rebel
on the field, and that he had thrown away
his own musket. He complained of being
very colaTand as Mr.. Burnham took off his
blanket, he looked up gratefully for the kind
ness extended to him, and said, "How can
you be so kind to a stranger?" He then re-
quested him to receive his rifle, and was car
ried to the boat. Mr.. Burnham crossed over
to the island, and visited the hospital about
midnight.
The wounded who lay in the yard, had
partly been removed, but the two rooms
were still crowded with them, and one Of
the surgeons was engaged in amputating an
arm of one of the men. He went near the
Virginia landing, and heard some of our
men talking on the bank of the river. After
ward he met four men, who had swan
across. Two were without thread of cloth
ing on their persons one officer reached the
Maryland shore with nothing but his gold
watch, hanging by guard about his neck.
The suffeIings of these men were severe, for
the night was very chilly. They were
supplied with blankets, and found shelter in
some neighboring cabin, or Joined group
around some camp fire. A great many men
walked literally naked for miles to the
California camp. At two o'clock in the
morning (Tnesday,) the wounded were still
being brought over, and were placed on
board of a canal boat, which had been
brought from Edwards Ferry for the pur-
pose
There have been several versions given OF
the sinking of the scow with the wounded.
The correct account have obtained from
one of the men who had charge of the boat.
There had congregated on the shore large
humber of wounded and other soldiers wait.
ing to cross. When the scow arrived, the
wounded were first placed on board, and as
the boat was being showed of, the order was
given by q Major or Colonel to the men to
save themselves any way they could. Al
this the soldiers threw away their arms, and
made rush for the scow, and others, too con-
siderate to leopard the lives of the poor
wounded men who were in the scow, stripped
off their clothes and dived into the river, q
portion endeavoring to swim, while Others
clutched at the gunwale of the boat to sus
tain themselves from sinking. The scoW
had reached about two-thirds across thu
stream, when she sunk, and all hands wer'
pTecipitated into the river. TwO-thirds o
the whole company must have pershed, per
haps more. Only two wounded men wht
were vet were observed on the Maryland
side.
| =. Al. o. 4.