The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-08-01
GIls uaiIu 4:res1nou.
HaONTPz1s.aEzs, va,
THURSDAY, AUGUST 1 1861.
The Great Battle.

The following we take from graphic letter
written by Mr.. Wilkes Of the SPIRIT OF THE
TINES 1t is quite equal in style to the army
letters of Mr.. Russell Of the London Times
POSITION OF THE REBELs,
On their part, the Rebels lay oo that brilliant
their position being that of triangle, with the
point towards Us, aud branching upward to
Manassas, with an open base of several miles.
The point or open OF this triangle, about q mile
round, was most heavily protected at Bull Run,
where the direct load TO Manass@s crossed the
Ocoqpan. All up its branching sides, however,
batteries faced outward III deep rows, their pom
derous iron tusks concealed by artificial masks,
wherever natural groves did NOS yoluu tcer
screen a stronger field position could hardly
he imagined. Defended as it was by 10000
men, % be increased to 0O00 in the mornins-
It would scared suffer in comparison qtercnsth
with Solferno or Se0astopol and | doubt II
there is any French OF Russian engineer who
/ would have undertaken 10 assail it, except by
regular approaches, and several respectful days
of distant com plmcnt with shot and heavy
she'll Brigadier General Irwin Mcdowell,
however, was going at it with u few 32ponnd
ers and 10 fed batteries (nearly all of them
light, backed by somo five or six rlsades,
whom, mentally, he gave the creui5 OF beliey-
ing 10 be equal to its capture. liai our poor
fellows but known the depth Of the compliment
thus ayished on their prowass, doubt If they
would have risen 50 iYyrl) for tho ira,y Oh the
lovely Sunday morning now SO near npon os, -
What rendered things even still more 1esper
ate, could we but have kn9wn their state, the
enemy were thoroughly acquainted with our
strength and our intentions, and awaited our
coming with the greatest eagerness lhelr
anxiety, however, WAS deeply mixed with dread
that our General mi ght change his mind With
them, therefore, the eve of this battle was a
night of true hopeluness and Intelligent
reliance and well might the Rebel chleltalnS,
as they looked proudly over the vast host which
an immense and desperate energy had got to-
gcther. hatter themselves that they now had the
fortunes Of the Great Republic, which they had
50 long contemned and plundered, securely IN
their grasp. In this belief, Davis and his Ie-
gions early went to sleep, while our battalons,
half restod, rose little alter midnight, To be
wearied by several hours of hot march before
entering upon the more violent tatgues OF the
attack.
The order for an early movement in the morn
inc was promulgated in our camp at 10 o clock
on Saturday night and we now have reason to
believe that the order of march and battle then
distributed among our militia Maj Generals,
was in nossrssion of the Confederate leaders be-
fore our troops had risen for the conflict. From
the hour of midnight, our scntlnels could hear
the oft repeated distant railway whistle at the
Junction, signaling the arrival either OF the last
regiments Of Johnston, or of fresh troops coming
up from Richmond.
AS the time OF our start was hXeu 1T = oo
NJ. the entire army was awake an hour pei0fe
and in marching order at the Indicated moment
It was bright moonlight; ; yet through the brll
liant sheen some of the stronger stars looked
curiously down, as they shared with US our won
der at the spectacle. From The hill OF Centre
vile. backward toward Fairfax, the Whole
valley, so lately uutrodden II lis Verdnrc, was was
sparkling with . frost oFAte1l land, as the 81 WV
blyonets moved forward N the uncertain H9hU
with that billowy motion peculiar TO the s'ep oi
troops, the stirring mass looked Ike q DFls1'ihg
monster lifting Himself 10y SLOW" wavy moton
Inn the laborious ascent 70 the left, and Tor
ward thronrh the village n the direction OF the
Rnn the Ground descended Or miles toward
the Occoouan. and then rose in gradual ascent
IN Manassas. 1t Was q scene OF mingled grove
and the moonlight slept Us placid npon the
iunces Of that rise, as II Treason, armed IL
triple strength, were not syly watching from III
lair our IGNORANT advance. ready to 0elch i0rt'
unon us is deadly and malignant tres'
THE PAGEANT or THE DNRMY's H2sERYEs-THF
CAUSE OF TIE PANIC
Alta long way up the rise, and lss1'ns iron
the enemys extreme left, appeared, slowly &C.
houchinc into sight, { dense column OF ln'aht
nv marchino with slow and solid step, ahc
i3ok;no. et the n0:seles9 distance like MI
ragr ot ourselves, or The illusion OF a pano
rama Rod by rod the massive column length.
aneJ l,,,, not breaking off at tho completion OF
Reoiment, as VIC had hoped, but still pouring
nn and on. and on, till one Regiment mac
Jnnrthened @ into ten Even then the stern tide
did not pause ior one Of Its arms turned
downwari along the ldr side OF the triangle "h0
tho source of tho hood thus renewed, pouFet
t,'~ti t,~ again. and commenced lining the Other
r i, ike manner. Sill the solemn picture hWeii
cd it's volume, TIL the ten Regiments had douo
1ed into twenty, and had taken the formation
threa sides Of hollow square oar awe
struck legions, though beginning to ieel the ap
rrnoches of despair, could not take their eye
from that majestic pageant, and, though, eXpe
riencino a new necessity, were iroz9h 10 'h'
sight. tho la,ythenins
Key;ments growing into thirty thousand men
r. .;tI = mass of black cavalry in Its CENTER I'M
,. 'rbn,e moved toward US, as the sun danced up
NAO'S With the solemn StGl