Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1861-07-26

Col. Hunter, led the advance The West Point
Battery part Of the Fifth Regiment u S.
Artillery the Second Rhode Island Regiment
with their battery; part of the Second Regi-
ment U. S. Artillery, and Capt Seymour's
siege train of eight 80 pound rihed cannon,
headed the column. The moon was full, the
sky without cloud, and it was nearly as
light as day. The First Division, General
Tyler, advanced at the same time, in nearly
parallel column; the Third Brigade, Colonel
Sherman, in advance the Sixty-ninth New
York, Colonel Corcoran, leading the van.
The Seventy-ninth Col. Cameron, followed,
and the Second Brigade, General Schenck
1.-THE Ohio Regiments were close behind. By
daybreak Bulls Run was reached. The bat
teries were placed in position, and our guns
opened on the enemy's works. The firing was
responded to by three batteries, and was kept
up on both sides till IL A. NJ The enemy's
fire then slackened, and afterwards entirely
ceased. 1t was supposed, therefore, that their
guns had been silenced, and charge was or
dered to carry the batteries. The charge was
made, at run, by the above regiments.
There was little, though not much, resis-
lance made by the musketry of the foe, and
in few minutes the batteries were ours, the
few gunners there bayoneted at their guns
the Confederate flag torn down, and the Stars
and Stripes raised. 1t was then that Mcdowell
IL
a glorious victory and the batteries in our
possession. But our triumph was of short
duration. The enemy had abandoned these
batteries in order to lead us into snare. In
half an hour after we had taken the batteries,
and while the men were resting from their
fatigue, a terrific fire was opened upon them
with musketry and cannon. The latter were
in other masked batteries, the very existence
OF which was unknown. The rifemen who
were firing Mt us were also unseen.
The fire was so hot that our men found it
impossible TO stand it, and were compelled re-
luctantly to abandon the batteries. They re-
tired in good order, however, under cover of
our artillery, which now again began to open
upon the enemy, throwing shells towards their
masked batteries, but without effect. At 3
p. NJ. our loss had been fearful. Col. Came
ron had been killed, Gen. Schenck killed. Col.
Slocum killed, and Colonel Hunter wounded.
Many other of our officers had been killed and
whole regiments decimatcd. The enemy had
not once showed himself up to this time. At
three, however, having silenced many of our
guns, the enemy charged upon us in an over
whelming force. The troops stood calamity,
but the charge was irresistible, and we were
compelled TO retire. The artillerists spiked
their guns.
The excitement in the city was intense.
despatch had been received from Gen Nc
Dowell at the War Department, at p. NJ,
Sunday, requesting immediate renforcements.
All the regiments in the city were Immediate
Is ordered over, and by 2 . clock this morn
ing, crossed the Long Bridge. All night long
drums beat in the streets, and recruiting par
ties paraded the avenues, calling for volun-
teers to defend the capital. The firing of the
heavy guns was distinctly heard in Washing
ton during the evening.
This morning, soon after daylight, it be-
came known that the disasters of Sunday had
not ended with the light, but that new re-
verses had been experienced during the night.
All this morning, up TO the time of writing,
e ?. NJ, Monday, Struggling squads of SOL
diers have been pouring over the Long Bridge,
and along Pennsylvania avenue. They are
all unwounded, but in every case covered with
a thick coating of dust and sweat, their hair
matted, their clothes torn and od-stained,
some armed and some unarmed. There are no
less than 10, 600 of them here, up to this time,
and they are still coming. have seen among
them men from the following regiments -
list New York ID Maine; LIST and I'd Ohio
Goth and 10th New York, (the latter the High
anders;) I'd and Sd Michigan 27th New
York I'd New Hampshire llth' New York,
the Zouayes. Many of the men threw them
selves down on doorsteps, on curb-stones, and
omthe pavement, and family cry for water.
Since 10 O'Clock Pennsylvania avenue has
been crowded with them, and since that time
measures have been taken for their relief.
From many of the cross streets, people are
running, bringing baskets of refreshments.
bread milk water, coffee, &c. Elegantly
dressed ladies, side by side with negro wo-
men, are carrying wine, coffee and water to
the soldiers, unheeding the rain that is fast
falling. The ladies don't stop TO draw the
corks of the bottles of Catawba wine, but
knock the necks of, and pour out the con-
tents in new tin cups. A soldier has Just died.
The men state that for three days they have
had nothing to eat except crackers, and we're
all day Yesterday without water The men
state that last night, after ten o'clock, the
enemy advanced on Centreville in strong force,
with mortars for throwing shells. That we
were unprepared to resist them, and were
compelled to retreat. That our army made
stand al Fairfax, but were driven out of that
place, the shell pouring in upon them like
hail; and that the whole army is now in full
retreat upon Washington.
The result Of the battle yesterday has been
the entire and complete defeat of our whole
army. The loss Of life IN the battle alone will
reach fully six thousand, and two thousand
more will die Of their wounds. The slightly
wounded, severely wounded, and tho sc
wounded who will recover after amputation,
amount to fully five thousand more. Wehave
lost hundreds Of prisoners, among them Col.
McCook, First Regiment Ohio Sherman
splendid battery had to he abandoned to the
enemy. Previous TO its abandonment, how
ever, the gunncrs say they spiked the pieces
The splendid battery of the Second Ehode
Island Regiment is said to be dismountcd and
rendered entirely useless The enemy cap
tured our two large 32-pounders, and then
turned them on our retreating columns. The
hal to all he.
cut loose, and brought off the field SAFELY
TIE RETREAT.
The retreat is thus described by another
correspondent:
About 4 p. NJ. report few from man to
man that Simon Camerons brother, Col Of
the 10Th, wss shot through the breast by
cannon ball, and instantly killed. It. Col.
Elliott, Of the 19th, rode towards his rcgi-
ment, having been after reinforcements, when
ball cut his horse head off, and threw him
down, bruising him so that he could barely
escape. All the stragglers now commenced
to run towards Centreyille, and the caissons,
ambulances, and suffers wagons were ordered
to be taken back ut once towards Centreville
The batteries were ordered around TO cover
our retreat, and keep the rebels from cutting
us off from Centrcville, which wasabout three
miles in our rear, and where we had about
four or five thousand Of reserve force; the
batteries wheeled off and took up the road,
ard were rctreating in good order, when,
about a half mile out, one Of the gun car
riages was upset. A portion Of Shermans
and Carlisle's were left on the roadside, the
gunners cutting the traces and running their
horses. This put the infantry in a perfect
panic they broke ranks indiscriminately and
commenced TO run; knapsacks, hayersacks. /
guns, eartrige boxes hats, coats and every
thing, being thrown in all directions. The |
men were parched for water and were falling