The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1862-07-29
THE RoUT OF THE YANKEE ARMY

. IdE ROUT OF THE yam hEE ARM Z.
A correspondent of a New York paper, who
probably tells not more than half the truth, thus
graphically describes the retreat OF the oung
Napoleon" and his array:
The panic extended Scores ef gallant officers
endeavored to rally and reform the straggIers, but
in vain; while many officers forgot the pride Of
their shoulder-straps and the honor of their man
hood, and herded with sneaks and towards. o,
that / bad known the names of those officers
saw, the brave and the cowardly, that here, now,
might reward and punish upon each Individual
the respect or contempt Of whole nation.
That scene was one not to be forgotten. Scores
of riderless, terrified horses dashng by in every
dlrection thick flying bullets singing by admoh-
lshlng OF danger every minute a -man struck
down; wagons and ambulances anl cannon block
aiding the way wounded men, hccuping and
groaning and bleeding, amid the throng; officers
and civilians denouncing and reasoning and en-
treating, and being insensibly borne along with
the mass; the sublime cann0nadins, the clouds Of
battle smoke, and the sun ust Disappearing large
and blood red cannot picture it, but see it,,
and always shall.
Huddled among the wagons were ten thousand
stragg glers-for the credit Of the nation be it said
that tour-ffths of them were wounded, sick, or
utterly exhausted and could not have stirred but
for dread of the tobacco warehouses Of the South
The confusion of this herd of men and mules
wagons and wounded men on horses, men on foot
men by the roadside, men. perched on wagons
men searching for water, men furnishing for food
men lame and bleeding, men with CHASTITY eyes,
looking out between bloody bandages that hid the
tlce-turn to some vivid account OF the most pitt
full part of Napoleons retreat from Russia, and
fill out the picture-the grim, eaunt, bloody pic
ture Of war in its most terrible features.
1t was determined to move on during the night
The distance to Turkey Island Bridge, the point
on James River which was to be reached, by the
direct road, was six miles Commencing at dusk,
the march was continued until daylight. The
night was dark and fearful. Heavy thunder
rolled in turn along each point Of the horizon, and
dark clouds spread the entire canopy. We were
forbidden to speak aloud or, lest the light of a
segar should present target for anbushed
rifle, we were cautioned not to smoke. Ten miles
Of weary marching, with frequent halts, as some
of the hundred vehicles Of the artillery train in
our centre, by slight deviation, crashed against
tree, wore away the hours to dawn, when We
debouched into a magnificent wheat field, and the
smoke-stack of the Gaena was in sight. Keno
phons remnant of ten thousand, shouting, " The
sea! The seal were not more glad than
On reaching the river, Gen. Mcclellan imme-
diatey proceeded on board one of the vessels.
He appeared greatly perturbed Gen. Mcclellan
met Gen. Patterson as he stepped on board, laid
his hand on his shoulder, and took him in hur-
rled manner into the aft cabin or ladies' saloon.
As he went in he beat the air with his right hand
clenched, from which all present inferred there
was bad news. To the astonishment Of all it was
explained " that the whole army of the Potomac
lay stretched along the banks of the river Gen.
Mcclellan, however, claimed that his troops chad
fought the Contederates in superior numbers every
day for week, and whipped them every time"
To question the location of certain divisions
and their generals, the answer was, they are
scattered everywhere, but are nevertheless in
solid compact body and in reply to another re-
mark, it was said "what we want is fresh men,
they"-the trO0ps-F'are worked to death"
A correspondent Of the Salisbury Watchman
relates the following incident
A BRAVE YoUTH.-A brave and patriotic
youth, 0. c. Philips, private in the I'd N. G.
State Troops, sick and excused by the Medical
Surgeon, got up during the late battle near Rich
mond and went musket in hand, as he sad to
drive or help drive the invading foe from our soil
Contrary to the wishes Of his officers, he took his
gun and rushed into battle, and whilst in the
thickest of the fight, stricken down, by a
grape shot His comrades insisted upon taking
him off the field, but he refused saying, "no, you
can do more good here where you are, 20 on
which we did, and in an hour returned and found
him dead of his wounds. The noble youngster
would not permit man to stop to attend to his
own suferings, but urged them to go on and
drive the wretches back This is but another
instance of patriotic Carolinas noble sons, who,
regardless Of self, and devoted to the welfare of
the South, expired sacrifice to his country's
cause. Brave, generous, and noble hearted,
he leaves a broken hearted mother, sisters and
brothers to mourn his loss. Such devotion to
patriotism in this our Southern cause is rarely
ever surpasseds
ONE WHO FOUGHT BY HIS SIDE.