The national Republican., 1861-08-17
rURTHER ABOUT THE BATTLE AT
BULL RUN,

Col. A. Porter, of the regular United States
army, who commanded brigade of the first
division Of Gen. McDowells army, in his re-
port, gives the following account of the repulsc
of the right wing which was the attacking
column, Of our army, at the battle OF July 2l
"Griffin's aud Ricketts, batteries were ordered
by the commanding general to the top Of The
bill on the right supporting with the Fire
Zouaves' and marines, while the fourteenth
entered the skirt Of wood on their right to pro.
tect that flank, and q column composed Of the
| twenty.seventh New York, eleventh and fifth
Massachusetts. second Minnesota, and sixty
ninth New York, moved up toward the left
flank of The batteries but so soon as they were
in position and before the Ranking supports
had reached theirs, murderous fire Of musket-
ry and rifles, opened at pistol range, c,lt down
every cannonier and large number of horses.
The fire came from some Infantry OF the enemy,
which had been mistaken for our own forces
an officer in the field having stated that il was
q regiment sent by Col. IIeintzelman to sup.
| port the batteries.
| The evanesceut courage of the Zouaves
prompted them to fire perhaps hundred shots
when they broke and fed, leaving the batteries
! open to charge OF the enemy's cavalry. which
took place Immediately. The marines also, in
spite Of the exertions OF their gallant officers,
gave way in disorder. The fourteenth, OH the
right, and the column on the left, hesitatingly
retired, with the exception Of the sixty ninth
| and thirty eighth New York, who nobly stood
and returned the fire Of the enemy for fifteen
minutes. Soon the slopes behind us were
swarming with our retreating and dlsofganized
forces, while rideress horses and artillery
teams ran furiously through the flying crowd.
i IAN further efforts we're futile. The words
gestures, and threats Of our officers were thrown
away upon men who bad lost all presence oi
mind, and only longed for absence of body
Some of our nobest and best officers lost tbeil
} lives in trying to rally them. Upon our first
position, the twenty seventh was the first to
rally under the command Of Major Bartlett
and around 1t the other regiments engaged soor
collected their scattered fragments The bat
talon Of regulars, in the mean time. moved
} steadily across III; field from the left 10 the
/ right, and took up position, when it held thu
+ entire forces Of the rebels in check until oul
forces were somewhat rallied.
The commanding general then ordered
retreat upon Centreville, at the same time di
recting me to cover it with the battalion O
regulars, the cavalry, and q section of artillery
The rear guard, thus organized, followed ou
panic stricken troops 10 Cenreville, resistin.
the attacks Of the rebel cavalry and artillery
and saving them from the inevitable dcstrltc
ton which awaited them. had not this bod,
been interposed.'
; The same objection is made in some militar,
circles to this report OF Colonel Porter. as I,
the report Of Colonel Hcintz ,lman that it i
biased by that partiality for the regular troops
I which is natural 10 officers Of the regular army
The public mu.t judge, as they best can. wha
, allowance to make for pariaities of that kind
( 1t is low abundantly established. that th,
whole theory Of our defeat. as at first impressct
upon the public belief was erroneous. II wa,
not caused, although it may have been aggra
waited, by u panic III The rear, either anon!
teansters, civilians, soldiers, or all together
1t was our attacking column IN front whicl
was repulsed, put upon the retreat, and throw,
into helpless disorde@.
In the previous portion, Of Colonel Porter
report, repeated references are made to th,
effectiveness with which Grfins battery wa
served throughout the battle, including its ser
vice Immediately before its advance by orde
: OF the commanding gen eral to the poslio,
where il was captured. 1t il said that the con
sequences OF that advance were foreseen apt
predicted by the officer iu charge of the bat
terry, and the order for its advance Is deemed
by many one Ol the great errors Of the battle