The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-09-05

ground, and observed that the coIifus-
ion and speed of the baggage-carts be-
came greater, and that many of them
were crowded with soldiers, but it. did
not look as there were many wounded.
Negro servants on led horses dashed
frantically past; men in uniform, whom
it were a disgrace to the profession Of
arms to call "soldiers," swarmed by on
mules, chargers, and even draught
horses, which had been cut out of carts
or wagons, and went on with harness
chnging to their heels, as frightened as
their riders. Men literally screamed
with rage and fright when their way
was blocked up. On rode, asking
all, "What is all this about ?" and now
and then, but rarely, receiving the an
swer-"We're whipped )" or "We're
repulsed." Faces black and dusty,
tongues out in the heat, eyes staring
it was a most wonderful sight. On
they came like him iq i baa't.d
'-who having once turned round goes on,
And turns no more his head, 2 t.rar -
For he knoweth that fearful fend
Doth close behind him tread
But where was the fiend Hooked in
vain. There was, indeed, some can
nonading in front of me and in their
rear, but still the firing was compare.
lively distant, and the runaways were
far out of range. AS / advanced the
number of carts diminished, but the
mounted men increased, and the col
umn of fugitives became denser.
\ X = - za.cx nrl.,* X
Any way it was now weEl established
that the retreat had really commenced,
though | saw but few, wounded men,
and the. regiments which were falling
back had not suffered much loss. a No
one seemed to know anything for cerf
tain. Even heleavalryl charge was a
rumor. Several officers said they had
carried guns and lines, but then they
drifted into the nonsense which one
reads and hears everywhere about
''masked batteries" One or two talked
more sensibly about the strong position
OF the enemy, the fatigue of their men,
the want of a reserved, severe losses,
and the bad conduct of certain regi-
ments. Not one spoke as if he thought
of retiring beyond Centreville.
The clouds of dust rising above the
woods marked the retreat of the whole
army, and the crowds of fugitives con-
tinued to steal along the road. The
sun was declining and some thirty
miles yet remained to be accomplished
ere could hope to gain the shelter of
Washington. No one knew whittier
any corps or regiment was marching,
but there were rumors of all kinds
"The 69th are cut to pieces ;" "The
Fire Zouaves are destroyed" and so
on. Presently tremor ran through
the men by whom l was riding, as the
sharp reports of some field pieces rat.
tied through the wood close at hand.
! A sort of subdued roar, like the voice
of distant breakers, rose in front of us.
and the soldiers, who were, | think,
Germans, broke into double, looking
now. and then over their shoulders
There was no choice for me but to re-
sign any further researches. The mail
from Washington for the Wednesday
steamer at Boston leaves at 2:3O on
} Monday, and so l put my horse into 8
trot, keeping in the fields alongside the
roads, as much as l could, to avoid the
fugitives' till came once more on the
rear of the baggage and store carts
, and the pressure of the crowd, who
J concious of the aid which the vehicles
J would afford them against cavalry
charge, and fearful nevertheless, O
, their proximity, clamored and shouted
r like madmen as they ran. The road
t was now literally covered with bag
: gage. 1t seemed to me as if the mer
t inside were throwing the things ou
= purposely. "Stop," cried 1 to tn.
! driver of one of the carts, "everythins
3 is falling out" "-you," shouted fel
3 low inside, ''if you stop him iii blow
. your brains out" My attempts to saw
!. Uncle SANS property were then ant
3 there discontinued. On approaching
!, Centrevilc, body of German infantry
l of the reserve, came marching dow
: and stemmed the current in some de
gree they were followed by a brigad
h of guns and another battalion of fresl
:. troops. turned up on the hill half
{ mile beyond. The vehicles had all LET
!, but two-my buggy was gone.
n battery of field guns was in position
j. where we had been standing. TIL
e men looked well. As yet there wa
s nothing to indicate more than a retrea
k and som ill-behavior among the WAC
p oners and the riffraff of different reg
:, ments. l'. .'ii't Se' i1F H-
b Centreville was not a bad positio
d properly occupied, and / saw no res
s son why it should not be held if it W
It meant. to renew the attack, nor an
g reason why the attack should not b
j. renewed, if there had been any VIII
d it should have been made. l sweE
r the field once more. The clouds {
y dust were denser and nearer. Tha
k was all. There was no firing-no mus
IF kerry. / turned my horses head, an
n rode away through the village, after
is got out upon the road the same confu
y ion seemed to prevail. Suddenly tn
t. guns on the hill opened, and at th
l. same time came the thuds of artiller
IT from the wood on the right rear. Tt
N stampede became general. What o.
e. Cured at the hill / cannot saw hut q