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

Schenk with his battery and Tired Sher-
mans battery Of four pieces moved down
and fired Tylers division now moved up,
and the battle is renewed with srcat ener
gy. about this time the same eye witness
says, ascending 10 an elevation, could see
a mile OF two On the right AID in the van
a cloud Of dust What could it mean?-
Nobody knew \ mass of infantry were
in view
! Suddenly there was a commotion; a
noise as Of men in confusion. a outlet
went spinning past, and then there came
muszet shot and one or two cannon dis
charces Looking in the direction OF the
/ Warreuton Road there was scene OF
/ indjscriLa Die confusion Every body ran.
4 portion Fisherman : Battery Numbered
by:
RACES. ambuiances, artiilary wagons, and
crowds Of men fleeing in indiscriminate
confusion, all crowding across the bridge at
/ Cub Creek or passing through it. Half
way up the hill, toward Centreville, the
I troops were forming \ line of skirmsh-
ers were thrown out Behind them were
/ the GaribalGians. Beyond was Miles re-
serve
| richardson's Brigade came in from its
position. and, notwithstanding the contu-
sion, formidable front was already pre-
scented with the batteries which had been
saved from the enemy.
Then commenced the retreat of the bag
gage train, and the unwarranted destruc-
ton of property which followed. Soon
after, the two New Jersy regiments, which
had been stationed at Vienna, came up
and materially aided in the subsequent
retreat to Fairfax.
This movement of the enemy, gaining
not only the flank but partially the rear
of our forces, appears TO have been COM
plete surprise. That no pickets were
placed in that direction to guard against
/ it, must be considered one Of the blunders
of the day. The thanking force does not
appear to have been overwhelming, nor
well supported with cavalry, for when our
/ force had retreate3 as far as Centeryille,
no attempt was made to follow. All our
losses Of guns, provisions, stores DC, and
all our loss Of prisoners occurred between
the Run and Centerville Tylers, Hunter s
and HeIntzclman divisions, that were in
the engagement, fell back in good order to
Centervlle and there halted, keeping the
enemy completely at bay, who retired be-
hind their entertainments. Indeed most
OF these troops never moved from Center
Vile until next day 1t WAS between
Centerville and Washington, clear out Of
harms way, that the greatest panic pre-
vailed. Bat small proportion of the fu-
gitiyes eye Of those who had been engaged
in the battle. They were tcamsters, civil
ians, the greater portions Of the reserve at
Centerville, and struggling soldiers from
all the regiments. Hundreds never stop
ped running until they reached Washing
morning, and there they told all those
frightfully exaggerated stories Of our own
losses that were telegraphed over the coun
try on Monday.
What our loss really was in the battle
and in this disgraceful stampede, will be
hard TO ascertain. The best accounts say
our loss in killed viii not exceed 1000
That of the enemy is admitted by Beau
regards dispatch to Richmond to have
been 1900. Mcdowell never had ovel
$4,000 in the engagement, the enemy's
force was not less than 10000. To have
fallen back. after the battle OF Sunday
would have been McDowells inevitable
necessity. The route only precipitated
the retreat, and made what might have
been credtable movement, disgracefu
stampede.
We shall not in this synopsis OF the
events Of the week, attempt 10 give any
of the ten thousand conflicting storie
, with which the dispatches abound, o
plans, projects, blurders, projected move
Illents, &c, since the great disaster. 1t i
enough to say, that the government, instead
of being in despair, is only nerving aney
, to the contest. New troops are hurryin:
to Washington from all directions, and to
day there is larger army on the Potomac
than there was month ago. Our troop
are back in their old ntrenchments tn,
: regiments that were disorganized arr
about all re-assemble, and all fears Of dan
ger to tie capital are dissipated.
The enemy is back again, also, in thsi
old places al Fairfax, Vienna, &c, thing
having returned to stg,u qrto. Mcclellan
has been recalled from Western Virgin.
to take the place Of Mcdowell, and thu
next forward movement is to be made
when Gen. Scott is ready and not the bi;
and little Tribune's
Our loss of guns was IS, including thu
large 81 ID. siege piece and the Yves
Point Battery. The guns were all spiked
however, and rendered useless before the.
were abandoned Oar loss of baggage
wagons was only about 10, and these wer,
lost by the tearnsters unhitchng theho
;, and mules and mounting them to facilitate
their fight.
- Many Of cur wounded In the battle o,
:, Sunday fell into the hands of the rebels
; by whom some accounts say they ar
,, brutality and others humanely treated
Among them are said TO be Col Wilco:
and Col Corcoran, as also congressman Ely.
? GEN. PATTERsoN's COLUMN.
. In the plan OF operations against tn
u main army of the rebels at Manassas, Ger
Patterson's column appears TO have cut al
- important part lie was to engage an.
Il defeat the rebel General Johnson, if poss
= Die, and then unite with the grand arm
= at Manassas; or If that WAS impracticablt
10 to engage Johnson at all hazards and pre-
Is vent him from uniting with Beauregart
In both he signally failed, and to this fai
'g ure, and the successful junction of John
p SON with Beauresard, IS attributed in