The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1862-03-28

defcnscs skirting the village evolved the
facts that the site Of their line was well
chosen; that the works, though neither
casemated nor bomb proof, nor neatly
finished, are almost as well adapted to
their intention al our own on the Potomac
and that their natural advantages are su-
periur.
The FIVE forts within sight Of the turn
pike are luncttcs and double lunettcs,
stockaded inside aud with fNscino and
sand-bogs lined embrasures. Not gun
was visible in any Of them. From inior-
nation furnished by Centrevllc residents
am confident that no heavy siege guns
have ever been trained in these defenses;
but that the regular field batteries Of the
rebels were placed inside them, ready for
action or removal at q moments no.
tiec.
pATTLg FIELD OF BULL RUN.
A ride of four miles, not a. Of old, be-
tween fenced aud fruitful wheut-helds bu,
between barren stretches, covered inter-
minable rebel huts, brought our party TO
I the gorge where Tyler fred his first gun
on the morning Of that Sunday battle
We were now far ahead Of the army'syan-
guard. Coils. Davies and Fitzpatrick, Of
the Harris Light Cavalry, had indeed
assured us of their last nights presence
at Manassas Junction, and Of the depart
ure Of the "last Of the rebels" So ex-
citcment and curiosity got the better Of
caution, and we pushed forward to the
Stone Bridge, intending TO go us nearly
as possible over the path OF the never for
gotten contest-though not having time
/ to follow the extreme flank movement
executed by Hunters column as the chief
portion Of that days drama.
Well; the battlefield wus be fore us and
around US; less changed in the appear
ancc Of its thousand blood-enriching crcs
than any portion Of the days previous
Journey. There were tho Same hills the
same valleys, the same lowering, murder
Gus forests, the same blue sky and rlcam-
ing sun. Absent, the din of battle, the
big-voiced cannon, the victory. the re-
pulse, the terrific riot and murder. Slow
ly and sadly we passed, by the deep gorpc
where the ruins Of the Just shattered
bridge lay piled in the swollen torrent;
thence mile down the stream TO the
! Fords where Sehenck cndeRvored fruit
lessly to cross. The current was SO higl
from recent rains that our horses wer,
almost swimming before we gained tn,
u opposite shore. Once on dry ground W,
rode on, and over the arid binnnassas hilll
toward the Junction, still six miles ahcad
Everywhere more camps, hut-yillages, III,
graves Of soldiers, the desolu of de
serted Russia, the vague unrestful lone
Illness ofs land where nothing 10 saw,
I shadows, and recollections, and the empt,
shells of what was dense life and dcs pc
: rate strength and purpose.
DISTINGUISHED PARTIES.
Far in the distance, along the line orth,
c Manntssas Gap Railroad, we could SC,
the blue smoke arising from burnin,
bridges. But close at hand denscr clou
guided us to the Junction" As we ap
! preached it We met Gems. Mcclellan an,
D Mcdowell taking their first r,connois
sance of the late rebel quarters, and, NOR
signilicant-galloping by the OPPOSITE
roed to the battlefield. There was some
thing dramatic in the page a t thus sweep
o ing by. Three thousand cavalry attende,
: and guarded tho two chicltnins. Tn
b. commander who was, guiding the com
n mnndcr who is, TO the tield OF Bull Run
s and pointing out to him tho haps and mis-
s haps which are history forevermore. o.
h they went, and late at night had compile
T ted the circuit were again In Centreyill
i and perhaps EN- route for Fairfax. Blu
$ four loyal civilians had revisited III,
] battlefield before these or any less distin
3 gushed federnlists. We were the frs
, northerncrs, high or low, who succeede,
r in accomplishing that feat.
! MANASSAS JUNCTION.
3 Everything was ruin and rovare. Tn,
r torch had been applied to the machine
. shop, depot, and other buildings, an,
: camps thercabout, and all were leyeled [,
), one smoking, Pickering mass. Locomo
d tives and cars he'd shared the common fate
Two camps, however, had been eyacua
ted so hastily, that arms, hospital stores
tents, and baggage, were left behind un
! harmed, but strewn In infinite confusion
Stragglcrs from the advanced cavalry an,
infantry regiments had found their way
hither, and were plundering huge acqui
sitions Of confederate "loot." Seeing
pair of holsters in my path, placed then
across my saddle bow and rode along.
The esrthwoiks at tho Junction were
= chiefly bulded last summer; they are
I, turfed by Nature and we'll ditched, but
/. nre generally Of an inferior character
They have evidently not been relied upor
for defense since the battle of Bull Run
and later fertilization Of Centreyillt
heights. The extreme advanced range
however, is of pretty substantial anC
scientific structure; but could never have
resisted the skillful investment OF train.
ed army in force. Through it we rode
again for Centreville, seven miles distant
this time over corduroy road, parallel
with the railroad branch which the rebels
have this winter laboriously constructed
on bee-line from the Junction to Cen.
trevelle. This route passed across Black.
burns Ford, the spot neur which the
minor battle Of the eighteenth Of July
was fought.
CONCLUSIONS,
We do not know yet whether the army
60 any further, and, five did, should have
no right to tell. Only the advance guard
occupies Centrevills tonight. This the
rebels will have known before my letter
reaches you.
But OF the results demonstrated by
to-dsy's reconnaissance l can properly
speak.
l. The rebel army has made the most
successful, complete and handsome evac-
uatlon-the most secure and perfect re-
treat, (which history furnishes an exam
pie, 1t has safely escaped with its entire
right and left wings, from CentreVille.
from the Upper and Lower Potomac, from
every point that wus threatened by our
lines.
~ has securely carried gifts every gun,