New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-07-25
BEPagR TEE GREAT RATTLE.
The skirmish 81 Thursday.


CTsrR.vILLE, Va, HEADQUARTERS OF Tns
FHTR DIVISION Us A., july IL, 1851.
{" Bot bark, tina, heavy sound bresi, in once more,
As she clcnd, i,s .cho,, would rep-rt,
And nearer, cl,srrr, deadlel than 's'ore-
It's, is the canDon's Opening Tosr!"
The Grand Army has just had its first taste OF the
metile of the enemy but though fresh from the field
and yet filed with its excemruis, viii turn back q
while, aud reach description by the regular ap-
! proaches.
1ast night q. Fairfax went to bed beneath broad
porch in tie soft moonlight, where the night before
Confederate captains SIT and swore, but where there
was then nothing 70 disturb my pe4ceful smmbersi
nothing 20 make me afraid. The only thing to break
the snluess Of the night the nge of the Sent-
nes ana the occasional baying of Secession dogs, who
would be started into chorus by cur indignant at
the tramp of the pickots they vent BY Oh guard.
These sounds were becou ing usual TO me 10 slept
undisturbrd ill about al hour pnss midnight, when !
was startled awake by several musket shots in the
direction Of the Braddock road. 1 raised my head,
found that tie camp had t.ken the alarm, and ar !
listened | cond hear the light rattle Of s,eel, which
proceeds from the slightest stir Of body Of armed men,
and low boSz of stand ready boys stand ready y
spread over che field of reposng Thousands like tie
travel OF shower of rain In the mex, moment an
momenrs more it be- ame evident that the alarm had no
foundation and with gro~l at being thus disturbed
tho heavy legiOns sunk again 70 sleep.
At an early hour in the morning the reSei'e sum-
uoned all the columns 10 early movement, but mss
much az paused behind for inviting breakfast I'M
provsed for toe edge Of threedoiar piece, the
Seventy-irst got well off before waH wen fed, and
took up the march for the day with the regiment Of
my California frends. The weather was delightful
and the travel gaily made; and the wish that
ofenest expressed wss that before the day oosed we
might have an opportunity 20 fight
I" Here an plenty of chances for it, said Captain
Ross Fish, rs be swept his over the Bne rolling
and well wooded country.
Yes" said the Handsome Adiutant " and it world
seem that men who would let march thus far into
tDe bowels OF such land without impsdiment,' would
hardly interfere with US before reach hsnassas.'
" Don't be uneasy boys don't be uneasy T said the
bluf voice Of the Major who cewe mp at this moment
! Z" You'll have fighting enonghi and II win soon
enough and here is something in M bcncs that tells
MT we shall get stssle Of / to-day
With occasional rests made moro for the relief OF The
animals who tugged the poi,derous bsRgace-trans
than for the men, reached CentvviIle ~ noon and
the Fifth Division settled itsef like many es IN
broad valley that lay about bait mile before It. o.
the other side Of the road right bat in the same
valley, reposed portion OF the First Division, under
Gen. Tyler, and behind them some two miles On The
same central load had paused Gen. Mcdowell with the
Rhode Island Brigade and the list. In few minutes
the First and Fifth Division. had mprovissd sort Of
shade By stretching their bankete their stocked
nuskes and some Of them who were not partaking Of
their ra,ions were fast asleep. The only party that did
not at once enjoy repose the Massachusetts Ist
the Michigan Cd, and the Ecw-York Eth for these
were taken by Gen. Tyler the bill 70 Cen'revie,
and beiore relinquihins them the afternoon, be de-
ternined to uss them 70 make reconnaissance Of the
pos,on II Bulls Run about three miles shssd where
we bad reason 70 appFehend the enemy bad constructed
works All the remainder Of the two Divisions being
now pretty wessleep, turned vit9 officers Of
the sd hack 10 country bouss about mils down the
road and by that instinct for dinner which seldom fails
mo- usnseed 70 secsre from the old farmer who
it's proprietor tolersble meal, with no. ccfee for
AL Ia due time they LEFT sttend 70 their reimensl
Duties bat soIced by the grateful shsdo Of it's rustic
porch and the faces Of the old Dsus grandchildren,
preferred 20 take roy iesta there.
civilian friend shared loy notODs, and remained
with re and we lay stretched upon thsrGde benches
Of the soop rsheaIsng the incidents Of the morning
march ON preliminary 70 our nap Suddenly and
during one Of those lepgihening psuses 10 CONVEX
salon which betOkened the approach Of sleep, tho
sound Of great gun ooned witt fearful dstiuctness
upon tho beforedead stiffness Of the air. We both
started np and pulled ont my watch and noticed thai
It was exactly o'clock. There WIS pause Of several
seconds between the first gun and the neXt, and then
came several sbois in quick succession OF If they
exchanged. The answering shots seemed however,
% be lighter than the frut, and faDciod could
tel by the difference OF tone tie respective vgor with
which the contest was conducted. We lost bat few
minutes in this way and then hurried toward the camp
under the impression thai the whole army Wa moving
forward.
We found however on arriving at The quarters oil
the 32d, that the whole valley ftill SLED with the
troops of the two divisions and that orders hadbeen
given them 20 move. None seemed 10 know Whist the
6rng meant FOR 81 that point we were ali ignorant OF
the advance Of the three regiments upder Col Rich
ardson, toward Bulls Run. II was evident however,
mat tho engagement was a very hot ono, and the
greatest anxiety manifested to leave camp and run
up 70 the crown Of the hill before u.s. Ia spe 10 get
some prospect Of the scene, but the expeclatioD Of
monontaTy orders, and the desire % be ready 20
move instantly ahead, kept every man in his
place. Ny friend Of the porch and i. however,
soing nnrestrained by orders, went up the hill
and got such range Of eyedght as we oonld
Ia The direction OF the scene. large hunter
Of officers grouped together there, ans Getting IN
their midst we bad the advantage Of theii Mons a.
well ss Of their glasses. large piece Of wood abont
quarter Of mile distant, extended between Us and
/ the scene Of the engagement, bat beyond Its leafy
could see theemOke rise Us yoleysOf infantry
were exchanged.