Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-07-31

II crosses Il stone bridge ana theh bscehus
10y steady slope 10 the heights beyond.
At the top of that slope the rebels had
planted heavy batteries, and the woods
below were filled with their troops and
with concealed cannon. Wo proceeded
,lvwn the road to the first Of the small
Lnolls mentioned, when the whole col
.mn halted. The 30pounder Parrot
,un, which has longer range ttan any
other in The army, was planted directly in
he road, Capt. Ayers battery was sta
'Ioncd in the woods little b the right.
he First Ohio and SccoId New York
Regiments NcIe thrown into the Woots in
uayance on the left. The SlXty.nlnth
New York, the First, Second ana Third
Connecticut Regiments, were ranged be-
hlnd them and the Second Wisconsin was
brown into the woods on the right. At
bout half.past six o'clock the thirty
founder threw two shells directly into
the Latcry at the summit of the slope, on
he opposite height. one OF which, as !
earned afterwards, struck and exploded
jirectly in the midst of the battery, and
rccasioned the utmost hazoc and confu-
ion. After about half an hour Captain
Ayers threw ten or fifteen shot and shell
rom his battery into the same place.
But both failed 70 elicit any reply Men
Gould be seen moving about the opposite
lope, but the batteries were silent.
An hour or so afterwards we heard three
or four heavy guns from Colonel Richard
sons column at Bulls Run, and these
we're continued at intervals for two or
'hree hours, but they were not answered,
even b. single gun. II was very clear
hat the enemy intended to take his own
line in paying his respects to US, and that
20 meant, moreover, to do it in his own
Eav. Meantime we could hear in the
distance the sound of Col. Hunters axe
'nen, clearing his way, and awaited with
ONE impotence the sound of his cannon
IN the opposite heights. Time wore
long, with occasional shots from our
,uns, rs we'll as those of Col Richardson's 5
column, but without, in sing nstance,
.eceiving any reply.
Alta little before | . o'clock, the lst o.
40 and ID New York, which were lying
. the wood on the left, were ordered to
!lyOnce. They did so, passing out of the
Dad and climbing fence into wood
opposite, which they had barely approach
I'd, however, when they were met by a
tremendous discharge ofa four-guu bat
.ery, planted at the left in the woods,
mainly for the purpose Of sweeping the
goad perpendicularly and the open field
IN its right by which alone troops could
,ass forward to the opposite bank. They
we're staggered for moment, and receiv
ii orders to retire. Capt Ayers battery
formerly Sherman's) was advanced lit
ole, so as TO command this battery, and by
1wenty minutes of vigorous play upon it,
silenced il completely.
At half-past II we heard Hunters guns
on the opposite height, over mile to the
light. He was answered by batteries
1tcre, and then followed the sharp, rat,
ling volleys Of musketry, as their infant,
~ became engaged. The firing was now
5ncessant. Hunter had come upon them
uddenly, and formed his line Of battle in
az open field at lhe right of the road.
The enemy drew up to oppose him. but
he speedily drove them toretreat and fol
loved them up with The greatest Ygor
and rapidity. Meantime, for some three
hours previous, we had seen long lines of
dense dust rising from the roads leading
rom Manassas, and with the glass we
could very clearly perceive that they were
la:sed by the constant and steady stream
Df ,elnfOrcoments, which continued to
pour ia nearly the whole day. The Six
ty-nnth, SeVcnty-ninth, Second and
Eighth New York the First. Second and
Third Connecticut, and the Second Wis.
oonsiC, were brought forward in advance
OF the wood and marched across the field
70 bc right, to go to Col Hunters sup
Ilny orpgyol ,,
stream and drew up in small open field,
separated from Co.. Hunters column by
a dense wood, which was filed with bat
tcrics and infantry Our guns continued
TO play upon tic woods which thus con.
cealcd the enemy, and aided materially in
clearing them for the advance. Coin .
down to the extreme trout Of the column,
| could watch the progress of Col. Hunt
or, marked by the constant roar Of artil.
lery and the roll of musketry, as he push
ed the rebels back from point to point.
vt | o'clock he had driven them out Of
the woods and across the road which was
the prolong0tion Of that on which we
stood. Here, by the side of their batter
les, the rebels mrdo stand, They plant
ed their ilag directly in the road, and
twice charged across it upon our men, Tut
without moving them an inch. They
were met bY destructive fire, and were
compelled to fall still further back. --
Gradually the point Of FIRE passed further
away, until the dense clouds of smoke
which marked the progress of the combat
we're at least halfa mile to the left of
what had been the central position Of the
rebels.
1t was now % o'clock. | was at the
advanced point Of the front of our col
umn, some hundred rods beyond the
woods, in which the few troops then there
were drawn up, when decided to drive
back to the town. AS | passed up the
rod the balls and shell from The enemy
began to fall with more than usual rapid
ily. did not see the point from which
they came, but meeting Captain Ayers, he
said he was about to bring up his battery
supported by the Ohio brigade under Gen
Schenok. TO repel rumored attempt OF
cavalry to outilant this column As |
went forward he passed down. General
Schcnck's brigade was al once drawn uI