New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-08-02

We retired o rest mler tho foll conviction that on
tomorrow the fortunes Of orr yOWgrali1a were 20 be
stakoi on mighty contest, and we were not dis
appointed.
Here were not many spectators OF the battle, the
general commanding having IN Thursday issued gem
eral order requiring all civilians, with the exception ot
residents before military operations commenced, and
those engaged necessarily IN business no Manassas
Junction % leave She camp and retire beyond dis
lance OF four miles.
The distant az short intervals since dsybreak,
had apPnsed ue that he enemy were in motion, but in
what direction we could only surmise until we reached
point mile and a-h,f from q bre9stwOrka, at the
northwest angle Of the Qualifications Of ManassasJmc-
ton.
So great was orr excitement, we had left the june
on entirely uupepared either in the way Of commits
sarat or with glasses 10 view the distant 6ed and had
II not been for COL Bonner's forethoueht in bringing
powerful opera glass, party had lost much which
through his politoneas we were permitted 10 see.
The day was bright aud beautifu--on the left was
the Blue Ridge, aud in front the slopes on the
north side of Bull Run crowned with woods in which
the enemy had early planted llis batteries and all
around ne were eminence7 on which were sed small
but anxious knots Of srectators forming The most mag
nifcent panorama ever beheid.
At about O'Clock we reached bill above Mitchells
Ford almost entirely bare Of trees and sufficiently high
to afford an unObsTucted view OF the opposite lighs.
After taking eisurey survey Of the beautiful land
scape spread out before in all It's Ovelinesa and
grandeur OF nature and listening with Watchiul intent
10 the booming of the heavy cannon right, and
anxously awaiting tie OratiOns where the guns OF the
enemy the opposite bills were plainly TO be seen
with The naked eve and the heavy clouds of dust rising
above the woods IN front and either side indicating
the direction in which the heavy columns Of the enemy
were marching, we each drew forth onr memorandum
books and pencils TO note down for the information OF
the Thousands who looked 10 for description OF the
days Occurrences the various shiiiings If the scene
which hence rtb forms an era in the history OF our
young COntederacy, and Rrandy inGuguraes The maen
of glory on which she has entered.
An interesting meeting here took place between our
party aud the venerable Edmund }niiD, who had,
against The walls OF Fort SUMTER fired the fret defiant
gun nsoieDt and braggar foe lie had come TO
this conflict with eighty odd years weighing upon him.
aud bic aOwing white locks 20 take part IN this light
encouraging our young men by bis presence and ex-
ample Agile az youth Of sixteen, with rifle On 1is
shoulder, bis eyes glsteniog with excitement as he
Lurnsd TO engage the Yankee invader
Shortly afterward Generals Beauregard, Johnson
and 30 ham, accompanied by their aids, RallOp
ing up the bill, and dsmoaDted on the summit. The
generals held an earnest conversation for few
minutes, while taking survey OF the field, and watch
ing the essiYe challenges from the enemy bat
teries, directed against our right and among the woods
Mitchells Ford, where hospital was stationed,
and the yellow flag flying This clio the point
here their fire Of Thursday directed, aud where
q mark Of cannou-ball is to be in he kitchen
and stable Of a house IN which General Beauregard
dined shat day at the time The ball stru the build
Jog Whether the enemy thought Il was against lis
headquarters or whether the fire was now playing to-
ward that point 10 draw out response from rs, II not
known. II is more likely, however, it was a mere
icint-an npOlelt attempt TO deceive our skifu and
able commander az 70 the point where the enemy
most in force for our wise general considered IT,
be was seen 20 direct General JobnrOns attention
particularly with biz hand toward our extreme lett az
II he knew the struggle was 20 be made there.
should remark thai it had been Gen. BeauregaTds
purpose 10 make te attack instead Of waiting 10 re-
GIVE IL; bot from some cause unknown TO me- he pre-
lercl az last 10 let the enemy take the initiative; per-
hups for tie reason that Gen, J0hnsUns dlvlOn had
be@ Detained an fbe railroad.
As hlve said, Gen Beauregard was not deceived,
To- tne immsuse clouds Of dust appearing above the
wjods indicated beyouDd doubt She Federal columns
were moving IN SOLID nasses IA another direction, and
one which was unmistakaole
,Just M this time by The aid Of orr glass we could
zee their guns brought 10 hear on the bill where we
stood for In few moments The smoke was discovered
,Dipt from their batteries OF rihcd cannon, aud before
ac rcely word could be- said, the peculiar whiz and
bissir Of The Lalls Notified that their aim bad been
well taEen Several balls fell in a field Immediately
behind No., and not hundred yards from he spot where
An officer If Gen. Beauregarls staff requested us
10 leave the hill aud ne VIC moved away sheA burst
not twenty feet OF. Col Bonner calculated with bis
watch the lime taken by The balls % pass ne, AID
made the distance T. miles from The tnemy's battery.
The enemy no doubt discovered the horses OF he gen.
erals and thought il good opportunity TO display
their arknansip and credit - due 10 them for thc
accuracy Of their aim. Providence, however, who
governs all thngs covered tie heads OF generals
rs with shit d. and preserved them for fha hazardous
service IN which they in short hour OF two 70
be engaged.
l. was now obout II o'clock, AMI the enemy having
orercd fire with rifle cannon and she'll their IghI.
which they had continued for than three hours,
without resp0use, We hea away % the left, about
three miles ti-tut the heavy booming Of cannon, fol-
lowed Immediately by the rafting crack OF musketry
the discharges being repeated aud coutinnols-
which notified ms the engagement bad commenced IN
earest a. TIE point where the battle was 10 be fought
md won.
Prose diug toward the scene Of action about two
nile. we came % a creek in The hollow where one of
the hospitals FOR the day had been stationed and the
first wounded some twenty or thirty, had been
brought. Dr.. CASTOR Of South Carolina, formerly a
surgeon in Col Greggs regiment, but attached 10
Gen. Boauregard's headquarters, was gseiduously
attending TO the wants Of the wounded.
AT this point Gems. Beanfegard and Johnston, ac-
c0myaDied by staff OF some ten or twelve officers,
passed al full gallon, riding toward their Headquarters
for the day, which were on hi Immediately over
looking the uound where our brave soldiers were
mrniully and persisently struggling for the victory.
large force Of cavalry were here stationed, and o.
The generals passed they called for tbree cheers for
BcaureCard which were immediately given with right
GOOD will aud which the general gracefully ackn0wl-
edged by lifting his hat from Lis head and bowling his
thanks.
Both of our Generals were plainly dressed. Nolarge
cpau.tles. uO gelt, nor any fuss and ieaihefs You
could only distinguish them 40 Assistance 10 officers
by their sworde but on closer Inspection, the marks
Of genius and military skill were unmistakabe. Their
uniform was what ItoJk to be plain undiess. Not
the ,tgt sign of excitement was 10 be seen on the
countenanues of either they coolly rode forward
into the storm Of iron hail. B,sureId eyes gllstened
witt expectation, no doGbt, when he aiterward threw
binsel. into the very heart Of the action, 9pPanug
then no was aiterward most cXprcssivcy ssd OF him,
obc tho very impersonaton OF the g god oi war.
Gen ., )huftOn, too, looked every inch commander,
and proved himself To be the worthy inhert0r OF the
proves. aud virtues Of his ancestors.
On reaching the TOP Of the bull, where was white
house, owned, believe, b. a Mr. LWis, they We're
ncain asnoreInd hY tins enemy, w The 1lud shOl ana