The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1861-08-03
The Great Battle Il nasassas.
|nci Aooes froaa the N0rthern bSoo
ooRND on TuE BATTLE Y181D

the fhtledeipnta Anu view IotA PsPSs'
the reports Of their special war cores
pondcnts, who were on the battle field.
witnesses Of the terrible slaughter and
fight, aud participants in the fight. The
careful .eader taking all these reports
together, will see tina, the Fedcrals were
in great force--fully $4,000 that they
were four days accommodating, and had
deployed over a space Of ten miles with
three grand columns, preceded by iuli
batteries Of artillery, some OF them the
very heaviest ever IN scsslce, That the
loss Of life was heavy these details fear
fully show .--- LoB,,ruis Coucier.
A the hours passed on the fight be-
came more and more terrific. The Tor
tunes OF the day began to waver, cspec-
tally as the Federal troops did not seem
to gain any material advantage, and only
made their advances slowly, laoorionsiy,
and at a great loss Of lie. The Rebels
we're strongly in,renohed behind masked
batteries Of riAcd cannon They seemed
to be innulncralc.
Again aud again our men charged up
on them, only to find when they had dis
lodged them IN one place they had reap
pcared in another, until at last the Fed.
cral soldiers were compelled to iali on
their iaces to avoid the swift messengers
of death 1t was found, too, that tic
Rebel forces largely outnumbcrcd those
of the Republic. l have no means Of
knowing the exact strength Of either OF
the armies, but the best authorities state
tina, the Secessionists numbered 10000,
while at no time had General Mcdowell
in action, as many AS 40, GOO Our troops
were mainly infantry orr batteries, "a
a general thing, were small and, although
well managed, the, were no match Tor
the cannon of larger calibfe manned by
the Rebels.
The fight continued until after ; o'clock
without exhibiting any material result
The Rebels had most decidedly the ad'
vantage in position and guns, and they
used it with fearful effect. The bravery
of our troops was suporhuman, but what
bravery could meet tue unerf'ns ouu un-
ceasng cannon which came sweeping
from almos, every tree OF heap OF brush
| Our men unmarked them, battery upon
! battery, only to find their lessened ranks
were unequal TO the task. A retreat was
made by New York regiment, and soon
became general In vain Gen. Mcdowell
endca, orcd to rally his forces. They re.
treated up the Centervillc road in good
order, until charged upon by the Seces
sion cavalry and artillery. when they
broke their lines and pushed toward Fair
fax Court House in a disorderly column
THE RETREAT
We find tue following details in TN
Tribune !
The engineers were about constructing
a bridge for the artillery, the reguf
stone bridge having been mined, and Y
I two columns under Gen. Tyler and II r
/ ter. the latter Of which was lead by O.
Mcdowell had actually completed e
junction rlsl The or,ler 10 rareh 'oas 4 p
Why it was given, no person who 1t
messed the battle, aud saw tho condton
in which affairs stood, can attemt TO
comprehend. The only poiEt pcsifely
held Ivy the enemy was in holl1 to
our left, aud although an effort W I'M
doubtcdly made to overrcach Us the
was ready 10 receive them, and td re.
ceive and repulse them aftcrwHs, in
spite Of the panic which reigne{ But
at the beginning Of the retireineJa few
ambulance and baggage wagol were
driven hurriedy away, the Use OF
which seemed TO spread terrolamoug
the troops within hearing who jstantly
broke ranks and ran, pell meVtoward
Centcrville.
This contagion caught the RI. and in
! less than ten minutes our arrnI was hy'
ing in the utmost disorder llcrything
was abandoned. The woundJ were de
serted in the hospitals anf the only
thought was OF. individual s{'y unns
were thrown aside, and btkcts ana
knapsacks were lost aud TRAPPED upon
The artillery shared the pant the guns
were cut loose, sad the gunfrs used I'M
horses 10 escape more swldy lhos
Oh foot begged piteously n be al'own
to share the horses with thfc who roe. |
Many arore 10 oiamby mfd wogoaS, a'd /
were ypsAcd baet by The baytds OF tlDse
who occupied them.
The ground WAS strcwd with 'od,
weapons. and clothing 4 every ma
Maui Of oxy guns mes ieIfo taA ~ me
sasmy's hands, including Melargs " P'ae'''
which had done 80 much service nr'hg
the fight. All couragt all ma'ness
seemed to have iorsskcn ourterror'
stricken men.
The last stand upon The field W mace