Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-08-23

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efforts to get free from itself. Again the cry
of "Cavalry" arose. "What are you afraid
OF" said l to u man who was running beside
me. "Im not afraid Of you" replied the ruff:
fan, dwelling his piece at Inc and pulling the
trigger, 1t was not loaded or the cnD was not
on, for the gun did not 60 of. l was unarmed,
aud | did not 90 of Us fast as | could, resolved
to keep ms own counsel for the second time
that day.
And so the fight went on. At one time a
whole mass OF infantry, with fixed bayonets,
ran down the bank Of the road, and some fall
inr as they run, must nave killed and wounded
those among whom they fell. As knew the
road would soon become impossible or blocked
up, I put my horse TO a gallop and passed On
towards the front. But mounted men still
rode faster, shouting out, 'Cavalry are COM
ing"
Again | yentured to speak to Some officers
whom I overlook, and said, "Tf these runaways
are not stopped the whole Of the posts aad
pickets into Washington will fly also !" One
Of them, without saying a word, spurred MS
horse and dashed in front. | do not know
whether he ordered the movement Or not, but
the van of the fugitiVes was now suddenly
checked, and pressing On through the wood at
the road side, | saw q regiment Of Infantry
blocking up the way, with their front towards
Centreville.
he is STOPPED BY A CLAIMS HIS CITI-
ZEN PROTECTION OF ENGLISH ALLEGIANCE.
\ musket was levelled at my head as push.
ed to the ~front:-"Stop, or I'll fire" At the
same time the officers were shouting out,
Don't let a soul pass" addressed one of
them and said
"Sir, / am a British subject; | am not, | as.
sure you, running away. | had done my best
to stop this disgraceful rout (as | had and have
been telling them there are no cavalry within
miles Of them" 81 can't let you pass sir"
bethought me CT General SCOTS pass. The
adlutant read it, and the word was given
along the line, Let that man pass" and so /
rode through, uncertain if could now gain the
Long Bridge in time to pass over without the
counte-sign.
1t was about this time I met a cart by the
roadside surrounded by . group Of soldiers,
some of whom had $50" On their caps. The
owner, as I took him to be, was in great dis
tress, and cried out as | passed, "Can you tell
me, sir, where the Sixty-niEth are! These
men say they are cut to pieces" 81 can't tell
you" "Im in charge Of the mails, sir, and
| will deliver them if | die for it. ion are 4
gentleman and I can depend on your word
Is it safe for lne to 90 on ~ Not knowing the
extent Of the debacle, I assured him it was, and
asked the men of the regiment how they hap
pened to be there, "Shurc, the Colonel himself
told US to 90 of every man on his own hook
and to fly fer our lives" replied one Of them.
The mail agent, who told NE he was an Eng.
lishman, started the cart again. ! sincerely
hope no bad result to himself or his charge
followed my advice. I reached Fairfax Court
House; the people, black and white, with
anxious faces, were al the doors, and the in.
fantry we're under arms. was beSiegcd with
questions, though hundreds Of ~fugitives had
passed through before me-. At one house |
stopped 10 ask for water for my horse, the
owner sent his servant for it cheerfully, the
very house where we had in vain asked for
something to eat in the forenoon.
There's q fright among them" observed,
in reply to his question respecting the com.
missariat drivers. They're afraid Of the
cnemy's cavalry"
"Are you an American ~ said the man.
"No, | am not"
"Well, then, " he said, 'there will be Il cav,
airy on them soon enough. There's twenty
thousand Of the best horsemen in the world in
Yirginnyw
Washington was still eighteen miles away.
The road was rough and uncertain, and again
my poor stced was under way but it was no
use trying to outstrip the rnnaways. Once or
twice I imagined ! heard guns in the rear, but
] could not be sure Of it, in consequence of the
roar Of the flight behind me. 1t was most sur.
prising to see now the foot soldiers had con.
trivcd to get on in advance.
COLONEL HUNTER WOUNDED.
After sunset the moon rose, and amid other
acquaintance I logged alongside an officer who
was in charge of Colonel Hunter, the comman.
der Of a brigade, I believe, who was shot
through the neck, and was inside a cart, uS.
corted BY n few troopers. This officer was, as
I understood, the Major or second in command
of Colonel Hunters regiment, and he had con.
sldercd it right to take charge Of his chief and
to leave his battalion. He said they had driven
back the enemy with ease, but had not been
supported, and blamed-as bad officers and
good ones will do-thc conduct Of the General.
$50 mean a fight I never saw"
| was reminded ola Crimean general who
made us all merry BY saying after the first
bombardment, in the whole course Of my cy.
perience never saw a siege conducted on such
principles as these" Our friend had been
without food, but not | suspect without drink
and that we know, effects empty stonachs
very m~uch-sincc two o'clock that morning.
Now what is to be thought Of an oficer-gal.
liant he may be as steel-who says, as heard
thisg gentleman say to a picket who asked him
how the day went in front, We've been licked
into a cooked hat; knocked to -" This
was his cry to ~teamsters, escorts, conveys, aud
men on guard and ~detachments, while l., igno.
20 M of thn 6is1cfpr hnhin6 trioI N r,al1;fr,b,
effect Of the news by adding, ooh, its a drawn
battle. The troops are re. occupying the posi-.
ton from which they started in the morning"
Perhaps he knew his troops better than I did.
1t was a strange ride, througha country now
still as death, tue white road shining like Ii
river in the moonlight, The trees black as
ebony in the shade; now and then Il figure fit.
ting by into the forest or across the road
frightened friend or lurking foe, who could
say? Then the anxious pickets and %sentries
all asking, whats the news" and evidently
prepared for any amount Of loss. Twice or
thrice We lost our way, or our certainty about
it, and shouted at isolated houses and ~receiv.
ed no reply, except from angry watch dogs
Tken we were set right US we approached
Washington by transfers.
For an hour, however, We seemed to be
travelling along G road which in all its points
far and near was Twelve miles from lifelong
Bridge" Up hills, down into valleys, with
the silent grim wood forever by our side
Now and then in the profound gloom, broke
only by a spark from the horses hooC, came q
dull but familiar sound Xix e the shutting Of n
distant door.
NEARING THE CAPITOL AND ANXIOUS INQUIRIES By
THE S0LDIERS-MR RUSSELL CROSSES THE LONG
BRIDGE AND is SAFE.
AS | approached Washington, having left
the Colonel and his escort at some seven miles
on the south side of the Long Bridge, [ found
the grand guards pickct's post, and individual
sentries burning for news, and the word used
to pass along "What docs that man say jack"