Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-08-07
EAs :Staaoato..
rkaeREss or THE WAR.
7 kScSShAiss from Northern Journals 81 the defeat
a~e 4 and rout at Manassas. s'

. black Republican paper, says
SMEAR o'clock, rode forward through the open
plain to the creek where the abattis was being as
sailed by cur engineers. The Ohio, Connecticut and
Minnesota Regiments were variously posted there
about; others were in distant portions Of the Held;
all we're completely exhausted and partly discover
ed; no General Of DIVISION except TYLER, could De
found Where we're our officers? Where was the
fsey Who knew whether we had wda or'lost
The question was quickly to be deuded for u.s.
A sudden swoop and body of cavalry rushed down
upon our columns near the fridge They came
from the woods the left and infantry poured out
behind them Tyler and his staff with the reserve.
were apparently cut off by the quick nandeavre;
succeeded in gaining the position bad just leit,
there witnessed the capture of Carle's battery in
the plain and saw another force of cavalry and IN
antry pouring into toe road at the very spot where
the battle had commenced and near which the South
Carolinians, who manned the battery silenced in
the morning, had doubtless all day been lying con-
cealed.
The ambulances and wagons gradually advanced
TO this spot; and Of course an instantaneous con-
fusion and dsmay resulted Our own infantry broke
ranks in the field plunged into the woods to avoid
the road and got up the hill best they could with
out leaders, every man saving himself in his own
way.
treat, the panic the needless, headlong confusion
was now beyond a hope. was near the rear Of
the movement with the brave Captain Alexander,
who endeavored, by the most gallant but unavaila-
BILE exertions to check the onward tamult 1t was
difficult to believe in the reality of our sudden re-
verse "What does it all meang" asked Of Alex
ander.. at means defeat" was his reply. 1--WE
are beaten; it is shameful. cowardly retreat y
Hold up men," he shouted, don't be such infer
fernal cowards!" and he rode backwards and for
wards placing his horse across the road and vainy
trying to rally the running troops The teams and
wagons confused and dismembered every corps.
We were now cut off from the advance body by
the enemys infantry, who had rushed on the slope
just left by us surrounded the guns and suffers
wagons, and were apparently pressing up against
us. ats no use, Alexander, said I, "you must
leave with the rest" "Pll be id if will, vas
his suen reply, and the splendid fellow rode bsck
to make his way as best he could Meantime saw
officers with leaves and eagles on their shoulder
straps Majors and CJlonels who had deserted their
comrades, pass me gallopng as if for dear life. No
enemy pursued just then; but suppose all were
afraid that his guns would be trained down the long,
narrow avenue, and NOW the retreating thousands
and batter to pieces army wagons and everything
else which crowded it. Only one field officer, so far
ny observation extended, seemed to have relnem
bered his duty.
Lieutenant Colonel Speidel, foreigner attached
to Connecticut Regiment strove against the cur
rent for league. positively declare that, with
the two exceptions mentioned, all efforts made to
check the panic before Centrevle was reached were
confined to civilians Isaw man in citizens dress
who had thrown off his coat seized a musket and
trying to rally the soldiers who came by at the
point of the bayonet In reply to question for his
name, he said 1t was Washburne, and learned that
he was the member by that name from Illinois,
The Hon. Mr.. Kellogg made similar effort Both
these Congressman bravely stood their ground till
the last moment and were servceable at Centreville
in assisting the halt there ultimately made. And
other civilians did what they could.
But what a scene! and how terrific the onset Of
that tumutuous retreat! For three miles hosts of
Federal troops-all detached from their Regiments,
all mingled in one disorderly rout-were fleeing
along road luminosity through the woods on either
side. Army wagons, suffers teams and private car
riages choked the passage tumbling against each
other, amid clouds of dust and sickening sights and
sounds Hacks, containing unlucky spectators of
the late ARRAY, smashed like glass; and the &C.
cupants were lost sight of in the debris. Horses,
flying wildly from the battle field, many of them in
death agony, galloped at random forward, joining in
the stampede. Those on foot who could catch them
rode them bareback, as much to save themselves
from being run over as to make quicker time
Wounded men lying along the banks-the few
either left on the field nor taken to the captured
hospitals appealed with raised hands, to those who
rode horses, begging to be lifted behind; but few
regarded such petitions. Then the artillery, such
as was saved, came laundering along, smashing and
overpowcring everything. The regular cavalry,
record it to their shame Joined in the melee, adding
to its terrors for they rode down footlnen without
mercy. One Of the great guns was overturned, and
lay amid the ruins of caisson as passed it. saw
an artileryman running between the ponderous fore
and after:whees of his gun-carriage hanging on with
both hands and vainly striving to jump upon the
ordnance The drivers were spurring the horses;
he could not cling much longer and more agonized
expression never fixed the features of drowning
man. The carriage bounded from the roughness Of
steep hill leading to creek he lost his hold, fell,
and IN an instant the great wheels had crushed the
life out of him.
Who ever saw such fight? Could the retreat
at Borodino have exceeded it in confusion and tu-
multi I think not 1t did not slack in the least
until Centrevie was reached. There the sight of
the reserve-Miles' Brigade-formed in order on the
bill, seemed somewhat to reassure the van But
still the teams and foot soldiers pushed on passing
their own camp and heading swiftly for the distant
Potomac, until for ten miles the road over which
the grana army had SO lately passed Southwark,
gay with unstained banners and flushed with surety
OF strength was covered with the fragments of its
retreatng forces, shattered and panic stricken in
single day. From the branch rout the trains attach
ed to Hunterss Division had caught the contagion
of the fight and poured into its already swollen cur
rent another turbid freshet of confusion and dsmay
Who ever saw more shameful abandonment of
munitions gathered at such vast expense? The
transfers, many Of them, cut the traces of their
horses, and galloped from the wagons. Others
threw out their loads to accelerate their fight and
grain, picks and shovels, and provisions Of every
kind lay trampled in the dust for leagues. Thou.
sands Of muskets strewed the route; when some of
us succeeded in rallying body of fugitives, and
forming them in line across the road, hardly one
but had thrown away his arms II the enemy had
brought up his arterists and served them upon the
refreshing train or had intercepted our progress with
nve hundred OF bis cavalry, he might have captured
enough supplies for weeks feast Of Thanksgiving.
AS it was, enough was left behind to tell this story
OF the panic The rout of the Federal army was
complete"
one OF the correspondents Of the Philadelphia In
quirer says:
"Charles Ogden. Charles R. Smith Sheriff H.rner
Russell Errett of Pttsburg, and others, begged our
men not TO retreat and pleaded with tears for them