Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-07-25


fresh troops, which we think was mistake,
as there was a large body of troops passed
in from the Southwest on Saturday, which
were, no doubt, the troops under his COM
mand; and the fresh troops, if any arrived,
were from some other source. The retreat
could not be checked, and little after five
o'clock the main body Of the men engaged
in the fight, receiving no aid, commenced a
retreat, in good order, and the whole force
retreated to Centrevillc, and, after few
hours, from there to thoir encampments
within the original lines The loss on our
side has been greatly exaggerated, and the
causes assigned in many cases, very far
from the truth. Our loss can in no event
be more than eight or nine hundred killed.
The plea that the civilians added to the
CONSERVATION and were largely responsible
for the retreat is not correct, as in that part
of the field where we were situated four or
five thousand men had left the field before
the civilians started on the retreat, and
then many Of them hurried after the men,
and as they overlook them urged them, in
the name of everything sacred, to rally and
support those that were still fighting; and,
whilst engaged in this business, we had
poor, cowardly scamp, dressed in the uniform
ofa First lieu tenant, approach us with a
revolver in his hand and threaten to blow
our brainsou if we did not desist and let his
mon co. We heard the much abused Love-
joy appeal to the Ellsworth Zouaves, who
had fought so nobly in an earlier part of the
day, and beg of them to make one more
stand; and when they answered that their
officers were all killed or wounded, he said
to them, "If you have no leader, stand, and
show fight, and 1 will lead you"
The true cause Of the defeat is to be found
in the failure Of that old granny, Gen. Pat
terson, to engage Johnson's forces and pre-
vent their forming junction with Beaure-
gard at Manassas, and, when that was not
accomplished, his failure to join the forces
of Gen Mcdowell in time to engage in the
fight.
Our troops went into the contest against
largely superior force, well fortified, and
protected by entertainments and batteries,
and were forced, as we believe, by misun.
derstanding to retire. And yet, the result
ofthat fight is worth to us more than il
costs. 1t is to the present stage Of the crisis
what Sumter was to former period of it
besides proving that Northern soldiers are
capable of fighting Southern chivalry, with
the odds of three to one against thom, anG
all the advantage opposition. 1t has rckind
| led the fires in the Northern heart, and thu
men Of the battlo field as they retreatec
from the scene Of carnage breathed nothing
but threats Of vengence on the heads of tn,
t rebels and their leaders, and the regiment
/, that,sufiered most in the contest are alread,
, being filed with new men fresh from til,
: firesides of those who have been slaughter
!, cd, going with dcep-seated determination o
avenging the death Of tho murdered, an,
vindcating the cause Of CONSTITUTIONS
. Liberty.
The whole North has become one grea
military encampment. The roads through
| Pennsylvania and Maryland are lined will
/, troops on their way to Washington, and be
] fore the week shall end there will be at leas
. 100000 men on their way to the field of bat
tie and from this day forward there will b
e no more Congressional battle. The oil
y hero of Chippewa, with such men as McClel
c Ian to execute his plans, will dispense witt
e committee.room dictation and kid glove in
J. terferance, and proceed in old fashions
II style to exterminate this rebellion in tn
/ shortest possible time.
d This is the first time that we were eve
d on the battle field, and, although we wer
!, sometimes little too close for safety.-ha,
) ing at one time six pound cannon ball pas
IS within few feet of our head on the frs
c bounce, and at an other a six pound Mimi
# ball light within few yards of where W
# were standing, we never in our lives befor
;, felt so much like wishing we had been edu
n Gated in the school of Hardee or Scott
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