New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-03-15

oh, we've got enough--we looked out for that;
we have somethin bid away they didn't know Of"
said the man, With cunning air.
My private impression was, that the family, ID
spite Of their forlofn appearance had made pretty
good thing out Of the supplies they had furnished.
II their story was true, they must have been greatly
relieved by the Rebel exodus, bnt they seemed SIM
ply cowed, and little uncertain to the treatment
they would receive from, ne.
The Stone Bridge, over Bull Run, was blown up,
and the creek was impossible at that point. The
man however, directed US go to "Chinn's House."
tall wooden structure, with heavy brick chimneye
on the outside which stood upon bill about mile
to the northward. Here, he sad we should find
ield-road leading to ford below the bridge. Gal
loping over the dry swells, and wadng through the
muddy hoows, we soon reached Chnn's House. II
was utterly deserted. The glass was ont of the win
dows, and the wind whistled drssrily through. In.
side we found a few benches the remains OF rongh
pine table, and mantelcock from which I'll the
works had been taken. The white-vashed VALE
we're covered with rude drawings in charcoal, and
sentiments written IN pencil. One poor fellow had
! thus pressed himself ~ IRISH vas home, oas 81
dss." Another wrote: "ffcset-dnty is she hardest
thing soldier can be put at, under which was the
comment: That's 80" TIE house, evidently an
old aristoeratc mansion, must have been sufficiently
shabby and dilapidated before s occupation.
The bills now sloped down eastward tow md BuD
Run, which was some twc-thiris Of mile hstant.
TIE creek here makes bend from south &c south.
cart leaving bottom space on the eft side while its
right bank that occupied by the Rebel bate ice, 10
high aud steep A narrow gulley leads TO the ford.
Along the crest of the bank which is forty o. City
feet high runs single iDtrenchmsnt, somewhat
larger than a rife pit. aaw 10 Signs Of marked
battery sud am told BY officers who examined other
parts Of the bank that they, aso, ssw no tracesof
any, Between Manassas junction srd the Stone
B idoe-a distance Of five milssttere a. not six gle
Fabrication. am not able to discover any evidence
tat the Rebels had any iarsnched batteries at Bal
Run. Their artillery was no donbt masked by tho
trees and bushes, but it hauled down 70 its posi-
ton ard hauled back again after the bGtr'e.
The forf-indcated on Corbetts map rs TIE point
where the Rebel cavalry charge was made across
the stream upon Ricketts, bstteries--was easily
passed the water not rising to oar saddieskirts.
took road leading from tie bottom through groves
of short yellow pine, which was dryer than that
through the open fields and thus missed the site Of
the hsnd-to-hand fight over the battery; but dis
covered Rebel encampment to the right, in shel-
tered hollow. There were quarters for regiment,
the huts well built of squared logs stopped With
clay. The roofs, however, bad been carried away,
and the obiteration Of all traces Of recent occupa
ton showed that many weeks mus, have elapsed
since they were abandoned. 1t is, indeed, possible
that they were never wholly completed. ther
winding for a mile or two through the woods,
came upon the Warrenton turnpike, short distance
cart Of the Stone Bridge.
had ridden across the left skirt Of The bans-heds
the msin portion Of which was now between me and
Bull Run, on both sides Of the turnpike. The lass
low hill on this side of the stream was the main posi-
ton assumed BY cur forces. Shermans Battery was
further on beyond house, still standing, which
was then used 40 hospital. ] learn. from several
officers who were in the fight, and who rode over
the ground last evening, that our Batteries wsre
placed too low On that memorable dsy. The true
positons were neglected, and we suffered fe- more
than from the rature Of the ground really nec-
essary.
Let me here remark that a commander, with any
amount of theoretical military knowledge, Will Ut
terly inil unless he has that which not more than
one man in fifty possesses-a Typographical eye.
Ability to comprehend at glance the character OF Q
positiou-to measure, at once, nights distances, and
bearings-to Ss 30 familiar with the varieties Of con-
formation ii he earths surface, TO gnsss what -
not seen-sll his which the trappsr and the hunter
mast have. the most perfect product Of West Point
NAY fail to possess Not one % the many descrip-
tons of the Bull Run SIGHT, which have read giyes
me satisfactory idea Of the ground, now that have
| looked over u.
| The most vulnerable approach to Manassas, APP
parently. is that by way of Bae aburns Ford. Here,
however Gen. Tyler was instructed not to bring on
an action. and the reconnaissance in force which
terminated in the Withdrawal Of our troops might
have bad very different termination, had the affair
been vigorously pressed and supported. There. the
opposite bank of Bull Run is lower than at the Stone
Bridge and mel,s almost impercepdbly into the plain
of Manassas; the masked batteries nj ght have been
sheed from the knoll on this side, and the stream,
at that season, must have been easily fordable for
infantry. OF course if leaders arthat time be-
lieved that three successive terraces" beyond the
stream had to be scaled before reaching the high
tableard Of Manassas they were right in acting
with proper caution. In Sumner, when the woods,
in full leaf hide much that il visible, the weak
points nay have been thoroughly masked avn
told. in fact that great deal Of timber has been
leyeled since July; but cannot understand why Q
reconnaissance in force, at the end of November,
should not have developed satisfactory reasons for
an advance ut that time. But nothing Of the sort
was ever made.
From the battlefield Of Bull Run the ground u
unduating, but with gradual increase of elevation,
to Centreville, distance Of Tour miles. 10 fact,
from the low hill upon which "Chinn's House y
stands, saw the long fortified ridge towering high