The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1861-07-27
THE WAR;


The ADVANCE OF THE GRAND tpNf-B tTTa.E
At Bulls RUN-TFE RirEEAT
In tracing the forward movement Of the
grand army frosn Washington in OR last
we followed them as definitely IS the con-
fused dispatches en&bi5d Us, 10 Centre
Vile, intimating the movement oil por-
ton forward from :hat place - Bull Kun,
where fight took place "+1 Thursday
afternoon. We propose to 20 back to
Fairfax, and g,e the uo.e'sacn:s more
accurately {. OH Thursday mor:!inc.
The entire force under Mcdowell, in
and around Fairfax, on Thursday morn
ing, constituting the army actually in mo-
ton. was not over 81, Doe men. The rest
of the $1,000 were still on the Potomac,
kept back as reserve.
Gen. TsIer's column, which passed We'd
nesday night mile or SO beyond Fairfax
Court House, resumed the march Oh
Thursday morning at4 o'clock, In advance
The column moved on slowly and caii-
tiously, accommodating as it went; reach
ing Centerville, ten miles from Manassas,
before 10 o'clock, and meeting with no
enemy, passed through the village to ,
miles beyond, where he 1t was made. At
I2 o'clock a accommodating party, consist
ing of two companies of cavalry and a
heavy gun, accompanied by Gen. Tyler,
went forward to a hill 3 miles beyond
Gainesville and half mile from Bulls
Run. Balls from the gun were fired at
barn at the right, until troop OF cavalry
emerged from il, and a concealed battery
opened on the party, wounding a sergeant,
At this signal, two of Lieut.. Benjamins
heavy guns we're brought up, and soon 81
fenced the concealed battery.
Col Richardson's brigade, consisting Of
18th y. y, 1st Mass, and I'd Mich, sup
ported by cavalry and battery, was neyt
sent out to skirmish along the Run. They
soon succeeded in waking up rebel bate
ries on the other side, whose fire was re
boom of artillery and rattle of small arms
On both sides followed thick and fast. At
this moment, shell from new battery
to the left, hitherto sileHv and unknown,
burst on the top of the hill, where our
first battery had been stationed, and where
q number of civilians, among them the
Hon. Henry J. Raymond and Mr. Hoard,
of New York, r. C. Mccormick, of TIE
Ersning Post, DR.. Pullison, of Penn, and q
few others, were stationed. Several cas-
uaIiVies occurred from this shell, but no
BODY was MORALLY wounded. The shell
was followed by others, when the persons
on the hill, military and civilians, deemed
it prudent to withdraw.
By this time the pioneers had broken
down the fences SO that our battery on the
higher slope could have full range to pro
tect our boys who had descended the
slope to the run. After few minutes
more desultory firing, our boys were with
drawn, and the battle for the day ceased
about fear o'clock. In this affair but fou,
or five thousand of our troops in all were
engaged, with squad of artillery and two
batteries. The rebel force consisted of MOI
less than Il, 700, with four or five batterie:
in range. Our loss was ~ killed and IS
wounded. That of the rebels is unknown
When the firing ceased, Col. Sherman:
brigade was within half e mile Of the
scene of action, hurrying up. Schenk'
brigade and Col Hunters division were
still this side of Centreyille, moving for
ward. NcDowells and Col Heintzelman'
divisions were hating still further back
while the New Jersey regiments, Wilcox
brigade, &c, were at Fairfax Court House
and Fairfax Station, repairing the railroad
upon which enormous trains were being
forwarded to the advancing columns.
The object of Gen. Tyler, in adyancin:
from Centreville, was to pass on to Buck
land, to the left or east of Manassas. SO a:
toget possession Of Manassas Gap railroad
and thus turn Beauregard's flank
Gen. Mcdowell having by this time
learned that he had no ehild's play befor,
him if he would pass Bulls Run and takt
Manassas, concluded to spend the mex
day friday in bringing up his forces ano
accommodating. In this business both Fri
day and Saturday were spent. BY Sun
day morning at o'clock he was ready Il
renew the engagement. This was done il
something like the following order. Col
Richardson, with four regiments, proceed
ed to the left to hold the battery on the
Warrenton road, near where the last bat
tie was fought. Schenck's and Sherman
bri-ades, of Tylers division, advanced b,
the Warrenton road while Coils Iientzel
mans and Iunters's divisions took thu
forks Of the road to move between Bull
Run and Manassas Junction. Col Key
Brigade (Tylcr's division) Remained a
Centreyilie Schencl<'s division soon or
countered . battery on the Warrentol
road, and were drawn up in battle array
the n Y ID and Ohio 1st on the left, tn
ID Ohio and ID Wisconsin, 10Th, 18th an
Goth n Y on the right Col. Miles d
vision followed in the rear The first GU
was fired by Sherrlans battery at te
minutes before T. The battle here 500
became spirited, but cur troops after r'
manning Is Or 70 minutes under a CALM
fire without being able to return it, retire
In regula. order, with their battery
Hunters movement 10 the rear was amo:
a success, and it was in this division, whe
lie came up, that the heaviest losses o.
Cured and the most desperate fshtir
seok place. Battery after battery We
taken, but as soon as one was silenced
place Appeared te be taken by two ne
ones 1t is impossible to give anythin
like connected account of the battle u
70 Aoxn,,l L.