Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-08-07
Ihe Stap5afe.
FRasRESS Of THE VAR.
Accounts ieom Northern journals Of the defeat
and rout at Manassas.

Unc of the correspondents Of the New York H0Rd,
!, black Republican paper, says:
Near O'clock, I rode forward through the open
plain to the creek where the abattlS was oohg as
sailed by our engineers. The Ohio. COnnectl cut anf.
Minnesota Regiments were varlouSy poSteh there-
abeat. e.fe.rS were in distant portions OF the lied
all were completely exhausted and partly observer
ed. ne General of division. except Tyler, could be
tound Where were our officers v here was the
foey Who knew whether We had won OF 'ests
The question was quickly to be decided for us
\ sudden swoop and body of cavalry rushed down
upon our columns near the bridge. They came
from the woods on the left ard ntantry poured out
behind them Tyler and his star, with the reserve
were appareatly cut off by the quick IsaReuvrc |
succeeded in gaining the position had just left
there witnessed the capture .oi CaTi4leS battery IN
the plain and saw anOthectfurcc OF cavalry and IN
EntrY mourning into tue read the very spot where
the battle had commented and near which the South
Caroiinians, who manned the battery siienced in
the morning, had dosbt!ees ali day been lying con-
ceaed
The ambulances and wagons gradually advanced
TO this spot; and of course, Instantaneous con-
fusion and dismay resulted 8urO infantry broke
ranks in the feld plunged into the woods to AVOID
the road and got UP The hill best they could Win
out leaders, every saving himself Ill his own
way.
By the time reached the top of the hill, the re-
treat the panic the needless headlonS confusion
was now beyond a hope. was near the rear oil
the movement, with the brave Captain Alexander,
who enleavored, by the most gallant but unavalla-
bic exertions to check the onward tumult 1t was
difficult to believe IN the reality Of our sudden re-
verse What docs it all mean?" | asked of Alex
ander at means defeat" was his reply. 1--WE
are beaten; it is shameful cowardiy retreat!-
Hold up, men, he shouted, don't Ge such infer
fernal cowardS1" and he rode backwards and for
wards placing his horse the road and ralnly
trying to rally the running troops. The teams and
wagons confused and dlsmembcred every corps.
We were now cut off from the advance body by
the eaemy's infantry, who had rushed on the slope
Just left by us, surrounded the guns and suffers
wagons, and were apparently pressing up against
ITS no use, Alexander, said |, You must
leave with the rest" "TlI be Id If WILL was
his sullen reply and the splendid fellow rode back
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 gailopng il FOR dear life. No
enemy pursued Just them bur suppose ali were
afraid that his guns would be trained down the long,
narrow avenue, and NOV the rcIreatng thousands,
and batter to pieces army wagons and everything
else which crowded it. Only one field officer, SO far
as my observation extended seemed to have remem-
bered his duty.
Lieutenant Colonel Speidel foreigner attached
to Il Connecticut Regiment, Strove against the cur
rent for league. | positively declare that, with
check the panic before Cen;revile reached
confined to civilians. Isaw man in citizen dress,
who had thrown Off his coat seized a muSket and
trying to rally the soldiers who by at the
point of the bayonet. In reply to question for his
name, he said it was WaShburne amt learned that
he the member by that name from Illinois,
The Hon. Mr. kellogg made Il similar effort. Both
these Congressman bravely Stood their ground till
the last moment and were Serviceabe at Ccntreyilc
in assisting the halt there ultimately made. And
other civilians did what they could.
But what scene! and how terrific the onset of
that tumultuous retreat! For three miles hosts of
Federal troops-all detached from their Regiments,
all mingled in diSorderiy rout-were fleeing
along theroad bat mostly through the woods either
side. Army wagons, suffers teams and private
riages chOked the passage, tumbng 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 oc-
cupans were lost ST ght of in the Debris. Horses,
flying wildly from the battle field many of them in
death agony, gaoped at random forward. joining in
the stampede. Those on foot who could catch them
rode them bareback, as much to themselves
from being run over to make quicker time
Wounded men lying along the bankS-thc few
either left the field nor taken to the captured
hospitals appealed, with raised hands to th;Se 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
eIpohSIlLIS ItniIlS. Inc regular cavalry.
record it to their shame, joined in the mecc adding
to It's errorS, for they rode down footmen without
Iuercy. One of the great guns overturned, and
lay amid the ruins OF caiSSon, as passed it. saw
artieryman running between the ponderous fore
and afer-whees of his gun-carrage hanging on with
both hands and vainly striving to jump upon the
ordnance. The drivers We're spIIrring the horses:
he could not cling much longer and more agonized
expression never fixed the features of a 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-
mutt: | think not. 1t did not slack in the least
until Centrcvile was reached There the sight Of
the reservc-Miles Brlgade-furnled in order Oh the
hill, 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 granG army had lately passed Southwark
gay with unstaned banners and flushed with surety
OF strength, was covered with the fragments of its
retreat!ng forces shattered and paEic stricken in
single day From the branch rout the trains attach
ed to HunterS'S Division had caught the cnntagion
OF the fight and poured into its already swollen cur
rent another turbId reshet 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 flight 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 rallylng body of fugitives, and
forming them in a line the road, hardly one
but had thrown away his arms If the enemy had
brought up his arterists and served them upon the
retreang train had intercepted our progress with
five hundred of his cavalry he might have captured
enough supplies for weeks feast of thanksgiving.
As it was, enough was left behind to tell the 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 Harper,