The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-07-26
A Letter from the Seat of War.
Bulls Run, Va. j


the greatest battle ever fought on this Cont
nent, in which many of the sons of Vermont
were slain, send you brief description of it.
Our attacking column moved from Centre
Vile for Bulls Run at one clock IN the morn
ing, July Dist, and were five hours in passing u
given point. This column was 80 900 strong,
and II 900 We're held in reserve. The cannon
aiding commenced at nine in the morning, and
discharge Of musketry at eleven and the ac-
ton was warm along the whole line from that
time till hall past four. During this time our
mer took four Of the enemy S masked batteries,
and drove them two and a half miles towards
Manassas Junction Our men fought bravey
and desperately against twice their number
who were entrenched behind numerous masked
batteries. During the afternoon, Johnston,
with ~ 900 fresh troops, came up and hanked
the left of our column. Our men being eX-
hausted and worn out could not stand this at
tack in their rear, but fled in confusion towards
Centreville, where our reserve was posted
Here, having gun, | formed in to help cover
their retreat Gen. Blenker and Col. Miles
commanded the reserve, and bravely held their
ground for three hours against the attacking
column They were also supported by two
New Jersey Reg iments from Washington
Some of our Regiments retreated in good order
others threw away everything, and travelled all
night, or laid down from exhaustion by the
waysdc. The loss Of the Vermont Second is
from Two hundred and fifty to three hundred
and fifty, killed. wounded, prisoners and miss
ing. Capt. Todd, OF Brattlcboro was shot
through the neck, but will recover Sergeant
Major VIM. Guinon has musket shot in the
wrist Coils Whiting and Stannard, Ma jor
Joyce, Capts Randall, Burnham, and most of
the officers have escaped. Capt. Todd can hear
Of only seventeen of his eighty-thr men,
The attack never ought t, have been made
until Gen. PatterSon's column came up. We
suffered from his inelficiency as Napoleon did
from Gronchy's at Waterloo. 1t was little short
Of downright murder to send our boys against
such a position and odds. told Capt Randall
the night before the battle that Johnston was
before Patterson could. heard lady from Fair
fax, whose husband was in the Rebel army, tell
the Secretary of War that the entrenchments at
Bulls Run were impregnable, and that we
should lose 80 900 men before we took Manassas
Junction. But no blame can be attached to
under officers. Their orders were imperative
to march at one clock The Ellsworth Zouaves
went by in the morning upon the run, singing
/" Dixie, and in the best of spirits. They had
a o0-pOund rlfed cannon with thcm. They
fought like heroes, and only about 400 are left
out Of 100 that went into the engagement
The Rhode Island and Sherman's Batteries, and
the large gun were taken by the Rebels. Up
to four Q clock p NJ, the battle was ours, and
the enemy had probably lost as many as we had.
After that time the enemy took a very large
number Of prisoners.
The people and visitors in Washington look
sad enough. hope Greedy will not cry " for
ward to Richmond" again until we are ready
The time Of five Regiments was up on the day
of the battle, but only one, the Pennsylvania
Fifth left. All the rest went into the battle
and lost nearly one half Of their men.
Yours, II. ks.
WASHINGTON, I. p. NJ.
P. S. Some $50 more of the Vermont have
come in ; some of them Of Capt Todd's Com
papy. The loss of the Zouaves and some other
Regiments seems to be fully up to the first report
1t now appears that Sherman s Battery was re-
taken but Carlsle's, Arnold's, and all but
one piece of the Rhode Island We're lost, some
thirty pieces in all. Only one of the Montpel-
Ter Company, Victor Goodrich, was killed The
great OF mass our wounded were left in the hands
of the enemy.
The baggage wagons and horses for the YER
mont Second have not yet arrived. H.. Ks.