The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1862-07-18
.rhe strategic Retreat"

A correspondent of the New York |
Times gives the following graphic account
of McClellan's brilliant strategic move
medt in front Of Richmond
"The panic extended. Scores of gal
liant officers endeavored to rally and re-
form the stragglers, while many officers
forgot the pride of their shoulder-strapss
and the honor of their manhood and
boarded with sneaks and towards. ., that
i had known the name of those officers |
saw, the brave and the cowardly, that
here, now, might reward and punish
upon each individual the respect or con-
tempt of whole nation.
That scene was not one to be forgotten.
Scores of riderless, terrific horses dashing
by in every direction; thick flying bullets
singing by, admonishing Of danger; every
minute. a man struck down; wagons and
| ambulances and cannon blockading the
way; wounded men hiccuping and groan-
| ing, and bleeding amid the throng; Off
GERS and civilians denouncing and reason
ing, and entreating, and being insensibly
borne along with the mass; the sublime
cannonading, the clouds of battle smoke,
and the sun just disappearing, large and
blood red-I cannot picture it, but see
it, and always shall.
Huddled among the wagons were ten
thousand stragglers-for the credit OF the
nation be it said that four.fifths of them
were wounde, sick, or utterly exhausted,
i and could not have stirred but for the
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 fainlshing ior
food, men lame and bleeding, men with
phostly eyes, looking out between DOGGY
r bandages that hid the face-turn 70 some ?
vivid account of the most pltliul part e o,
Napoleon's retreat from Russia, and NIL
ont the picture-the grim, gaunt, bloody
picture Of war in its most terrible lea
lures
, Itw was determined to move on during
!. the night. The distance to Turkey Is
land bridge, the point on James river
which was to be reached by the direct
road. was sixmiles Commencing at dusk
the march continued until daylight. The
night.was dark and fearful. Heavy thun-
/, der rolled in turn along each point OF the
: horizon. and dark clouds spread the en-
tire canopy. We.were forbidden to speak
aloud; or lest the light Of q cigar shoulc
}, present target for an ambushed rifle, W.
0 we're cautioned not TO smoke. Thctmlle'
v Of weary marching, with frequent haits
as some of the hundred vehicles OF tn
artillery train in our centre, by a Sigh
deviation, crashed against tree, - wg 2
L away tire hours to dawn, when we de
= bouched into magnificent wheat field
and the smokestack Of the Galena was il
sight. Xenophon's remnant often thou
!. sand, shouting "rhe seal the seal wer
not more glad than we.
II on reaching the river General Motel
Ian Immediately proceeded on board on
Of the vessels. He appeared greatly PEI
7. turbed. Gen. Mcclellan met Gen: "a!
ii terson as he stepped on board, laid n
! hand on his shoulder and took him in
- hurried manner into the a f. cabin or y
n air with his right hand clenched, fror
which ali present inferred there was & ,ba
news. 70 the astonishment Of All i ys
4 / AZ blamed "that the whole army ot u
,o1 Potomac lay stretched along the banks
Z the river. - e 81 4
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