Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-08-23

vehicles drawn up as if they were attending a
small country race. They were afterwards
enraped in a race Of another kind. In one was
a lady with an opera glass; in and around
and on others were legislators and politicians.
There were also q few civilians on horseback,
and on the slope Of the hill a regiment had
stacked arms, and was engaged in looking at
and commenting on the battle below. Inc
Landscape in front was open to the sight Is lar
as the ranges Of the Allcghanics, which swept
round from the right in blue mounds, inc
color of which softened into violet IN the
distance. !.
On the left the view was circumserlbed by
q wood, which receded along the side OF the
hill on which VIC stood to the plain below
Between the base OF this hill, which rose about
$50 feet above the general level Of the country,
and the foot Of the lowest and nearest elevation
Of the opposite Allcghanies extended about flvc
miles, as we'll as I could judge, OF q denseiy
wooded country, dotted at intervals with green
fields and patches Of cleared land. II was
marked by easy longitudinal undulations, lndi.
Gated by the form Of the forests which clothed
them, and between two of the more consider
able ran small streams, or runs" as they
are denominated, from the right to the lett
Close at hand q narrow road, descending the
hill. went straight into the forest, where it was
visible now and then among the trees in cream
colored patches. This road was filled With
commissariat wagons, the white tops Of which
ware visible for two miles in our front.
MANASSAS GAP AND JUNCTION Is ylEw-THED DAY
nRE.AM OF Mr.. SEWARD FULLY DIsPELLED.
On our left front a gap in the lowest chain
Of the hills showed tho gap of Manassas, and
to the left and nearer to US lay the junction
of the same name, where the Alexandria rail-
way unitcs with the rail from the west OF 'Ir:
ginia, and continues the route by rails Of va
rious denomination to Richmond.
The scene was so peaceful, q man might well
doubt the evidence Of one sense that q great
contest was being played out below in blood
shed, or imagine as Mr.. Seward sometimes
does, that it was a dclusion, when lie wakes in
the morning and finds there is civil war upon
him.
TUE ROAR, CLEAN AND DIST OF THE BATTLE.
But the cannon spoke out loudly from the
green bushes, and the plains below were mot
tied, so to speak, by puffs OF smoke and by
white rings from bursting shells and capricious
how tiers. Ii vas no review that was going
on bcuca.h US. The shells gave proof enough
of that, though the rush CT the shot could not
be heard at the distance. Clouds OF dust came
up in regular lines through the tree.tops where
infantry were acting, and now and then their
wayering mists Of light blue smoke curled up,
and the s%piutter Of muskelry broke through
the booming Of the guns.
With the glass | could detect now and then
the fash Of arms through the dust clouds in
the open, but no one could tell to which side
the troops who were moring belonged, aid |
could only Judge from the smoke whether the
guns we're fired towards or away from the
hill.
1t was evident that the dust in the distance
on our right extended beyond that which rose
from the Federalists.
The view towards the left, as | have said,
was interrupted, but the firing was rather
more heavy there than on the front or right
flank, and q glade was pointed out in the for.
est as the beginning Of Eull or Poole run, on
the other side Of which the Confederases were
MD in force, though they had not made any
specific reply to the shells thrown into their
cover carly in the morning. There seemed TO
be 4 continuous line, which vas held by the
enemy, from which came steady, solid firing,
against what might be supposed TO be heads
Of columns stationed ut various points or nd.
Vancing against theul.
TAKING Observation-Disclosures CONE N or 4
UNION VICTORY.
1t was necessary to feed the horses and give
them some rest after a hot drive Of some twen-
ty.six or twentg.seven miles, or | would have
proceeded at once TO the front. AZ was
watching the faces Of the Senator'S AID Con.
gressmcn, | thought, I bad heard or read OF
..-l -.- a.. Ill.,, lA
to come. The soldiers who followed each shot
with remarks in English or German were not
MS eager us men generally are in watching i
Fight. Once, as 4 cloud Of thick smoke ascend.
ed from the trees, a man shouted Gut, That's
good; we've taken another battery; there goes
the magazine" But it looked like, and believe
was the explosion Of a ~caisson. In the midst
Of our little reconnaissance Mr.. VitZally, who
has been living and, indeed, marching with one
of the regiments as artist oflhc ILLUSTRATED Lon.
don News" came up and told us the action had
been commenced in splendid style BY the fcder-
alists, who had advanced steadily, driving the
Confederatcs before them-a part Of the plan,
as | firmly believe, to bring them under the
range of their guns. He believed the ad7an.
tages on the federalist side were decided,
though won with hard fighting, and he had
just come up to Centreville to look after some
thing 10 cat and 10 drink, and to procure little
ncccssaries, in case Of need, for his comrades.
His walk very probably saved his life.
Having seen all that could be disCcrned
through our glasses, my friend and myself had
made n feast on our sandwiches in the shade
of the buggy; my horse was eating and rest
ing, and | was forced to give him half an hour
or rnorc before | mounted, and meantime tried
to make out the plan of battle, but all was Oh.
scure and dark. Suddenly up rode an officer,
with n rrowd Of soldiers after him, from The
village. We've whipped them on all points,"
he shouted; We've taken their batteries, and
they arc relrealingr' Such an uproar AS FOL.
lowed. The spectators and the men checrcd
again and again, amid cries Of "Bravo," "Bul-
ly for us" Didn't tell You so % and g~utteral
'hochs" from the Deutschland folk and loud
"hurroos" from the Irish.
| A Walk WAR THE FRoET-TIE ARMY WAC.
oNs AND FIRST SYMPTOMS OF a RETREAT.
Soon afterwards my horse was brought up
to the hill, and my friend and the gentleman
I have already mentioned, set out to walk tc-
wards the front--the latter to rcjoin his regi-
ment if possible, the former to get a closer
view Of the proceedings. AS | turned down
into the narrow road, or lane, already ncn-
toned, there was 4 forward movement among
the large four-whceled till wagons, which
raised a good deal Of dust. Ny attention was
particularly called TO this by the occurrence of
a few minutes afterwards.
I had met my friends Gil the road, and after
a few words, rode forward at a long trot as we'll
as I could pust the wagons and through the
dust, when suddenly there arose a tumult in
front of ME, at i small bridge across the road,
and then perceived the drivers OF Il set. Of
wagons, with the horses turned towards me,
who were endeavoring to force their way against
the stream Of vehicles setting in the other Iii.
~rcction. By the side Of the new set Of wagons
there were IL number of commissariat men and
soldiers, whom at first sight | took 10 be the
baggage guard. They looked to be excited
and alarmed, and were running by the side Of the