Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-08-22
THE RICHMOND WING.
THE BATTLE OF nANissAs.

1
THE BATTLE OF MANASSAS. -,
| We have published great deal about the battle Ct
Manassas but it is subj Of ine,haustibs interest
and the readers Of the ghg will ind fault With the
following spirited grouping of details by gallant young
ccer of Dragons who writes for the entertainment Of
his family, aud with 10 view to publication:
FAIRFAX O. H., July 9Th.
left of the account Of myself 10 my last on the
morning Of the battle of Manassas will now endesvor
to give you account OF the battle, far As it came
under my observation. We ssdded up aded horses
about sunrise, aud our company was ordered out on
scout in front CT the expected line Of battle to
tain when and where the enemy was coming. We scout.
ed the country for few hsars. but did not Zee them.
We came back, and the whole regiment drew up in q
field. dsmounted and rested. About seven o'clock &C.
casiona reports of were heard ON our extreme
rights these quckened aud came nearer until towards
ten o'clock Ten voleys Of musketry broke out about
mile from us on left These lasted for i've mir
u,ss at time aud mixed with the reports Of car
non growing quicker and quicker every time. IL sound
ed exactly like fire wokstbe cracking Of crackers and
the explosion Of Roman CANDLE. We got into lever
OF impotence to Join the tray bu. there ssitsd and
waited We took little reireshmept and talked about
the dreadful work that going The cracking
Of the muskets was principally ief but we could
hear Il all along the line Tor three miles. The long co.
umns Of infantry we could moving past towards
the left then battery OF flying artillery would dash
across the open yistas between the cearngs Of wood
land with which the country was covered Then bat
TALON Of men could be countsrmarchng at double
quick then bodies of cavalry came dashing by, their
arms gtterug in The SUM- and large cloud Of dust io
lowing in their All these movements seemed to
occasioned by the position Of The enemy in front
Over the woods could nov clouds oil white smoke
rhiag and the firing cane thicker factor, aud with
shorter intervals At lat here comes an aid II full
speed with orders from General Johnston to 90 where
the 6riog was hottest Color Stewart had previously
the fences near thrown down. 80 there was moth
ing to delay us. on started but, having crossed
Bull Run too soon we rau into the enemy's advanced
guard Withdrew and took up our position just behind
the hill where Imbodcns battery wsa which at that time
vas our extreme left The SIGHT on this hill was very
hot, II was covered side with pine ,heket,
and in front OF this thicket the battery. Az
came up We met numbers Of wounded-soms carried
in blankets fastened between two rails others eatng on
a man on each side of them, some uudgins along by
it good huuoredly, others out Of temper and
swore bard The Surgeons we're hard at work on them
as fast they TO the foot OF the BILL aud the am
putaed fragments lying around in CHASTITY plsny
This was 40 very good preparation for mans nerves
who knew he might be in the same condition in few
minutes We had not been long in our position behird
mhodans battery before men running out OF !be
woods, aud heard that more advanced troops lad
been deieate aud rereating. Coone! Stewart ad
yanced Us up alongside Of road which ran through
| tho line OF battle and through the pine woods. il
| turned out that the New York Fire Zsuavss we're
coming up 10 attack the battery in flank. aud the col
umn was Just crossing the opening by tie road, as We
came in sight Col Stewsrt inst uncertain whether
they were our msu or not but almost directly he he
dag and gave the order to charge. We concealed
irom view by the pines until about tSenty yards
nom them, and then We burst upon their asnk Ike a
thunder bolt They did not have time to present
their bayonets to receive U.S. before into them
and the carnage was awful Thcr bright and very pecu
liar dress, conIrAsea sIroi ny sh da.t
cavalry aud 10 all instant the ground thcky slresn
" tn their bodies But those in their column who lad
passed ths opening turned, and poured into US gazing
fire. There was battery also coming up, which op@ned
/
Tag, which We we're very near doing, and would have
done, but for the h.etness OF the man that car~d H.
We had nine men killed. sixteen wounded, aDo about
twenty horses killed lhs enemy mus: have louhity or
si1y Capt. Carter Of the LoudOun Cavalry had horse
killed under him. and be was in great dsnge' not oniy
from the enemy but from being run over BY our men,
He Law down close by the side Of his horse which Was
very large one, and protected him until wehsd passed
over him he then jumped up and got oil nthe cloud 81
dust. Some OF our killed. they thoEght three or
four men each think my csrbne did o'iail me. The
effect of this charge have learned sincerom northern
papers aud from prisoners, the immtiale occasion
of the panic token by the enemy. We withdrew to The
field from which we bad come aud founi that strong re-
Inducements were being thrown to~ardius. met VIM
Watts here, slso General Early and seers other OF my
scauaintauces. The enemy Was tryingto Ouank us on
our left So as the long columns Of pen came up and
formed right into line. We kept mons on TO the lett
battery Of artillery had been placed Under Ool Stewas
command and this went along with as Col s. pSstius Il
and directing lis fire. and the caSaemaniug In rear Of
t as support We now got past tic body Of woodland.
and could see the dark masses the enemy about bali
mile "a engaged in furious ire Of muskery At our
men, Who we're GU. of sight beliad the WtoIla d.
la the twinkling OF eye, Lieut. kaPer Who had com
m,nd of the battery had uumbsei Tia guns aud opened
ON them, Now came q most interesting scene. The
enemy were on the slope Of hI, where We could see
the dust raised by every shot, they would strike in
h dense dark masses Of men, wjcoud the gap they
,d., like the splash Of stonein water, which was IN
stsuty closed up again. amid lo and fierce shouts from
thu eupuers and our cavalry fol Stewart rode forward
10 little RISE and there shousd the gunners low to
shoot-"A little higher" "a bile lower" "more to the
Jeff &c. And when they nide centre shot be waved
HE hat, and fairly danced Mh delight Al last shot
took them right on the corner Of their column which w's
towards ", and seemed to t It cpen They could stand
no more but broke and retssed in disorder over the hill
These we're regulars from Tie old U. s. A. They formed
again over the hill and thenes being e,tsnded towards
us We moved still further to the left to the top Of tbe
bill, where We could see hem reforming ,gain Here
the battery opened again. md this the last drop in
the bucket for them Of.hty started in wild disorder.
The country was open forever mie and they seemed
TO cover 1t Ike swarm Of bees. The columns while
closed occupied bu. little space but when each man %
out for hims,I aud scattered the whole valley seemed
drkesed with them-sld Of they started In pellme
Observation-Disclosures rtut. II there had been q
general officer by to have geu the order to follow, the
slaughter must have been immense. There was not a
Tree nor swamp TO stop u.s. AID there were NOT hundred
Of them in any one body ts: Of five or sir thousand
Col s. sent to Gen. Beau 10 report the case, but
before the messenger got ek it was too late We then
started after them but dd rot oyeriake them for three
or four niles Now folowd the most renal kabe scene