Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-08-01

each other, amid clouds of dust, and sickening
sights and sounds. Hacks, containing unlucky
spectators of the late affray, were smashed like
glass, and the occupants were lost sight of in
the deLriS Horses, flying wildly from the bat
tlefeld, 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 cap
lurcd hospitals, appealed with raised hands TO
those who rode horses. begging to be lifted be-
hind but few regarded such petitions. Then
the artillery, such as was save !, came thnnder-
ing along, smashing and oyerpowerng every
thing. The regular cavalry, record it to their
shame, joined in the melee, adding to its ter
rors, for they rode down footmen without mcr-
cy. One Of the great guns was overturned and
lay amid the ruins Of a caiss1n as ! passed it.
saw an artillery-man running between the
ponderous fore and alter-whees of his gun
carriage, hanging on wi IA both hands, and
vainly striving TO jump upon the ordnance.
The drivers were spurring the horses he could
not cling much longer, and more agonzed
expression never fixed the features Of drown
ing man. The carriage bounded from the
roughness of steep hill leading to a creek he
lOSt MS uOluj Iell, anu III ull Instant lle great
wheels had crushed the life out of him. Who
Borodno have exceeded it in confusion and
tumult? 1 think not. 1t did not slack in the
least until Centervie was reached. There the
sight of the reserve-NIles' brgade-formed
in order on the HILL seemed somewhat 60 reas-
sure the van. But still the team and foot SOL
diers pushed on, passing their own camps and
heading swiftly for the distant Potomac, until
for ten miles the road over which the grand
army had 50 lately passed southwark gay with
unsaned banners, and flushed with surety of
strength was covered with the fragments of its
retreating forces, shattered and panic stricken
in a single day. From the branch route, the
trains attached to Hunters division had caught
the contagion of the flight and poured into its
already swollen current another turbid freshet
Of confusion and di>may. Who ever saw
more shameful abandonment of munitions
gathered at such vast expense? The teamsters,
many of them, cut the traces of their horses,
and ga!loped from the wagons. Others threw
out their loads to accelerate their flight, and
grain picks and shove,s and provisions of
every kind lay trampled in the dust for leagues.
Thousands of muskets strewed the route when
some of us succeeded in rallying a body of fu-
gitves, and forming them into line across the
road, hardly one but had thrown away his arms.
If the enemy had brought up his artillery, and
served il unon the rrtreatinG train or had inter-
cented orr progress with Ave hundred of his
cavalry. he MIGHT have cnptured rnouph SIM
plies for weeks feast of Thanksgiving. AS it
was, enough was left behind to tell the story of
the panic. The route of the federal army
seemed complete"
Talk IN washington
puhl;c ouin;ou l., \V,eb;nfyto, can,ars ,or,,
nearly 10 the conclusion that our defeat was
1i .,.i.. J.. IL. r.c
'Hu''' 9o'o'''''''!' y! '"' oo''uu' Vi .n'''i'i
oihcers, out the primary cause was the failure OF
Gen Patterson TO fulfill the orders Of the govern
ment and prevent the reinforcement of Beaure-
,ord Tho ;rdiy,,tion o,,i,s, hin, i ,,ri,,o.,,l
and il will La more so whon tho f,c,s ore all
Lr0wn RovS & IT To,cov Of Cnnncc,;cnt Who
oscannd after being contnred bv tbn rehnls had
taken a solemn pledge to kill all prisoners An
escaped fife e AouaVe confirms tGis ~, statement;
ibo;r arms ";onel anJ ,be,, yero ,, s"I,iootoJ
to the most barbarous and inhuman indiSnities
which they were told were preliminary to kill
ing themi M II IS now sad ana oeheVed mat the
bavonetin% ,brm oe ,bcr law % bnju,css 1u' on tbo ny
battle field. after the termination of the fight.
than were killed during the regular engagement.
1t is reported that at the same time the panic
seized the Union troops, similar one seized
the relels and that they enacted scene quite
like that on this side of their lines.
The removal of Gen Patterson was in re-
sponse to strong remonstrances from Phiadel-
phia, from men who questioned his loyalty. 1t
will be recollected that after the surrender of
Sumter, the people of Philadelphia demanded
that certain persons should display the Ameri-
can flag, and that the first house visited by the
I excited populace was that of Gen Patterson.
The unerring instincts of the mob pointed him
out then as q sympathiser with the rebels, and
later events 20 far to prove they were correct.
| Gen Scott is sreported to have laid to the presi-
dent that he had acted like coward for the first
time in his life in yielding to the urgency Of the
public, the press, and members of Congress, and
advancing upon Manassas before he was ready.
Gen Scott and the .,Po,,,lor CLAIMANT
A"ele Is ho uouot that an immense pressure
was brought to bear upon Gen Scott with rela-
ton 10 an early movement upon Manassas.
Cor,oi,, calf oors,i,,,,o1 AL .. dao,,,.;,.o ,.,
|
reSeh'"l''eS OF PuoNc ohhloh' III the shape Oh
newspape editors and correspondents and mem
bers of Congress, have insisted that the people
dor,ordod -, ;,n,a1;o,o o1,or.o r,on Rich
n,onJ Tba rao,ia ba"o doa,ondoj potbing of
,ho G;rd "rt rp ,ruS, ,bat tho foIowin,7 ey.
,ract Grnn, Tho WI docs not renrosen3 tbo
,r,,I w Lo,Il l,' ,.nr,, s,,rr, p, h,liove ,bo,