Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-07-26

| she'll directly into the battery at tie summit 81
the slope, on the opposite height, one OF wh'cp,
as l learned ATTIC wards, struck and exploded IN
the midst of the battery, AMI occasioned the ut
most havoc aud confusion. After about half au
hour Capt. Ayres threw ten or fifteen shot aud
| she'll from bis battery into the same place. But
both failed to elicit any reply. Men could be
seen moving about the opposite slope, but the
batteries were silent.
An hour or so afterwards we heard three
or four heavy guns f om Col. Richardson's col
umn at Bulls Run, and these wero contin'
| ued at intervals for two or three hours, but they
were not answered, even by a single gun. 1t was
very clear that the enemy intended to take his
own time for paying his respects to us, and that
he meant, moreover, to do it in his own way
Meantime we could hear in the distance the sound
of Col. Hunters axemen, clearing his way, and
awaited with some impotence the sound OF his
cannon on the opposite heights.
At q little before III o'clock, the First OHIO and
Second New York, which were lying in the wood
on the left, were ordered to advance. They did
so.-passing out of the road and climbing a fence
into a wood opposite, which they had barely ap-
proached, however, when they were met by a
tremendous discharge Of q four-gun battery,
nlanted at the left in the woods, mainly for the
purpose of sweeping the road perpendIcularly
and the open field on its right, by which alone
troops could pass forward to the opposite bank
They we're staggered for a moment, and receiV ed
orders to retire. Capt. AYRE's Battery Formerly
S~HERNAN's) was advanced a little, 80 as TO COM
mand this Battery, and By twenty minutes Wig
orous play upon it, silenced it completely.
At half past II VIC heard HUNTERS guns on the
opposite height, over a mile tn the right. He was
answered by batteries there, and then followed
the sharp, rettling volleys of musketry, as their
inflntry became engaged. Inc firing was now
incess4nt. HUNTER had come upon them sudden
". and formed his line of battle in an open field,
AZ the right of the road. The enemy drew up to
oppose him, but he speedily drove them TO retreat
and followed them up with the greatest vigor and
rapidity. Meantime, for some three hours pre-
vious, we had seen long lines of dense dust rising
from the roads leading from Manassas, and, with
the glass, we could very clearly perceive that they
were raised by the constant and steady stream of
reinforcemsnts. which continued to pour in nearly
the whole day. The S~ixty-Ninth, Seventy-Ninth,
Second and Eighth, New York-the First, Second
and Third Connecticut, and the Second Wisconsin,
we're brought forward in advance of the wood
and marched across the field to the right, to 90 to
Col. HUNTERS support. They crossed the inter-
vening stream and drew up in q small open field,
separated from Hunters column by a dense wood,
which was filed with batteries and infantry. Our
guns continued to play upon the woods which
thus concealed the enemy, and materially aided in
clearing them for the advance. Going down TO
the extreme front Of the column, / could watch
the progress OF Col. Hunter, marked by the con-
slant roar of artillery and the roll Of musketry,
as he pushed the rebels back from point to point.
At l o'clock he had driven them out of the woods
and sross the road which was a prolongation of
that on which We stood. Here, by the side of
their batteries, the rebels made a stand. They
planted their flag directly in the road, and twice
charged across il upon our men, but without NOV
ing them an inch. They were met by a destruc-
tive FIRE, and were compelled TO fall still further
III IL = = G. - ~
away, until the dense clouds Of smoke which
marked the progress Of the combat we're at least
halt a mile to the left Of what had been the cen
trail position of the rebels.
II was now about . o'clock. | was at the
advanced point of the front Of our column, some
hundred rods beyond the woods, in which the few
troops then there were drawn up, when l decided
TO 20 back 10 the town. As l passed up the road,
the balls and she'll from the enemy began to fall
with more than usual ~rapidity. Gen. Schenck's
Brigade was at once drawn up across the road,
and Capt. Ayers guns we're planted on a knoll at
the left, when q powerful body Of rebels, with a
heavy battery, came down from the direc' ion Of
Bulls Run, and engaged this force with treInen-
dous effect. | went to Centreyille, sent of my
despatch, and started with all speed to return. |
had gone but a quarter Of a mile when we met a
great number Of fugitives, and our carriage soon
became entangled in a mass of baggsge-wsgons,
the officer in charge Of which told me it was use
less 10 go in that direction, a our troops were
retreating. Not crelitins the story, which was
utterly inconsistent with what | had seen a little
while before, l continued to push on. 1 soon
met Quartermsster Stetson Of the Fire ZOuaves,
who told me, bursting into tears, that his regi-
meut was utterly cut 10 pieces, that the Colonel
and Lieutenant Colonel were both killed. and
that our troops had actually been repulsed. 1
still tried to proceed, but the advancing columns
it impossible, and l turned about.
Leaving my carriage, l went 10 a high point of
ground and saw by the dense cloud OF dust which
over each Of the three roads by which the
three columns of the Army hsd advanced that
they were all on the retreat. Sharp discharges of
cannon In the rear, indicated that they we're being
pursued. l waited half an hour or so, 10 observe
the troops and batteries as they arrived, and then
started for Washington. As l came past the hill
on which the secessionists had their irtreucb-
nents less than a week ago, l saw our forces
taking up positions for a defence If they should
Je assoiled.
S1ch Is q very rapid and general history Of
7lsteclay's engagement.
l car nothing, on every side, but the wsrmest
md h%esrtiest commendation Of our troops. They
ought like veterans. The rebels did not. in a
'u ie instance, stand before them in a charge.
lad we're shaken by every volley Of their mus
zetTy. 1 do not mean to praise any one at the
X1ense Of another. The Sixty ninth fought with
.plendid and tenacious courage. They charged
two or three times, and would have
AIKEN and held them but for the achievements
Fhich were constantly and steadily poured in. In
u tcds 10 thus fact alone that the comparative
uccess Of the rebels is due. We had not over
5000 men in action, the rest being held behind
IS reserves at Centreville while the enemy
must have numbered at least $4,000.