The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1861-08-08

last long, anu COl. TllcnaruSOH, aoaDuon-
ing the idea Of storming the enemys' bat
teries, ordered his brigade 10 fall back.
Before this order had been given, the New
York Twelfth Volunteers had broken and
run.
During this action, it was observable
that the Michigan regiments, both officers
and men, behaved with the greatest steadi-
ness and intrepidity.
The other regiments rallied behind a
hill, on the brow Of which Sherman's bat
terry was planted, and which continued to
reply TO the enemy's artillery. Gen. ~
Ter in the meantime had ordered up the
Third Brigade. Col. Sherman and the
Sixty ninth New York Regiment came up
in gallant style, followed slowly. and at
some distance, by the Seventy ninth. The
latter did nothing. The former merely
covered the retreat of the Fourth Brigade.
and, after blazing away at random for an
division back TO Centreville. 1t was then
that Gen. Med DWELL came up. having en-
gagged in assigning the position Of the
! other divisions, and he was completely
surprised when he heard of the nature and
result OF the engagement.
Friday and Saturday were spent in re
connoitering.
The results OF these reconnoisssnces
were communicated to Gen. Scott. He was
not satisfied with them, and refused to
give the orders for an advance. He OBJ
served that the rear of our troops was un-
protected, and that, if unsuccessful in the
assault. the results would be most disas-
trous. He did not forbid Mcdowell TO
fight. but he gave him clearly TO under
stand that if he did SO il was 10 be on his
own responsibility.
Gen. Mcdowell determined to advance
from Centrevile and 10 attack the enemy 3
batteries on Bulls Run, hoping to be able
to turn them on the right, 10 silence them.
and then by a further advance TO strike the
Manassas Gap Railroad at point near
Bulls Run Mountain, and SO cut off john
ston and prevent his communication with
Beauregard. The attempt was made, and
it resulted In complete failure.
AT 9 O'Clock Sunday morning the troops
were reused from their slumbers, and
formed in marching columns. The Sec
ond Division, Col. Hunter. led the advance.
The West Point Battery part Of the
Fifth Regiment U. S. Artillery; the Sec.
ond Rhode Island Regiment th their
battery part of the Second Regiment u
9. Artillery. and Capt. Seymour's siege
train Of eight 32-pounder rifed cannon.
The sky without cloud. and it was nearly
as light as day.
The First Division, Gen. Tyler. advan-
ced at the same time. in a nearly parallel
column; the Third Brigade, Col. Sherman.
in advance; the Six'y-ninth New York.
Col. Corcoran, leading the van. The
Seventy ninth. Col. Cameron. followed,
and the Second Brigade. General Schenck,
(the Ohio Regiments). were close behind.
By day break Bulls Run was reached. The
batteries were placed in position. and our
guns opened on tie enemy's works. The
firing was responded to by three batteries,
and WAS kept up on both sides till IL a.
Nj. The enemy's fire then slackened, and
afterwards entirely ceased. 1t was sup
posed, therefore, that their guns had been
sienced, and charge was ordered, TO car
ry the batteries. The charge was made.
at run. by the above regiments. There
was little, though not much, resistance
made by the musketry of tie foe, aud in a
few minutes the batteries were ours, the
few gunners there bayoneied at their guns.
the Confederate rag torn down and the
Stars and Stripes raised. IL was then that
Gen. Mcdowell sent that dispatch to Gen.
Scott announcing a glorious victory and
the batteries in our possession. But our
triumph was of short duration. The enc
my hac abandoned these batteries in order
to lead us into snare. In half an hour
we had taken the batteries, and while the
men were resting from their fatigue "A ter
rifle fire was opened upon them with mus
kerry and cannon. The latter were in
other masked batteries, the very existence
of which was unknown. The rif1emen
who were firing at us were also unseen.
The fire was SO hot that our men found
it impossible to stand it. and were com
PEELED reluctantly to abandon the batteries
They retired in good order. however, I'M
der cover Of our artillery, which now.
again began to open upon the enemy,
throwing shells toward their masked bat.
teries. but without effect. At 3 p. NJ our
loss had been fearful. Colonel Cameron
had been killed, Colonel Slucum killed.
and Colonel Hunter wounded MANY 9th
er of our officers had been killed and
whole regiments decimated The enemy
had not once shown himself up to this
time. AT 3. however. having silenced
many Of our guns; the enemy charged up.
on us in an overwhelming force. The
troops stood CALAMITY, but the charge was
irresistible. and we were compelled to re
lire. The arlilerists spiked their guns.
Then commenced that retreat, the hor-
rors Of which will never be known. Ten
regiments of The enemy. composed If fresh
troops. and among them two squadrons of
cavalry. pressed holly upon our relrealing
columns. This. and not any panic of
teamsters and civilians, was the origin o:
tho retreat, and il will be 80 stated when
the official account of the battle comes 10
to be written. Our troops did not break
and run at first. They retired slowly and
in good order. The First Minnesota Re-
giment. Col. German, and the First and
Fourth Regiments Of Michigan Volunteers.