New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1862-05-09
The Flight still Going ON with Varied Sue
cess.

We have received the following important intel
ligence from reliable gentleman, who was an
eye witness until the retreat began and It was too
squally for him to stay. We hasten to lay it
before our readers, at the risk of being seques
trated by the Commanding General.
The contending armies which had been backing
and falling in view of each other during the whole
of the preceding week, have at last come together
and the bloodest battle on record is the result.
McClellan's army, which consisted of several
millions of the best bloo6s of New England, was
drawn up on the morning Of the 32d in line of bat
tie, protected in front by horse pond, and in
their rear by stout, shoddy pantaloons. The Con-
federates, commanded by JEFF. Davis in person,
assisted by johnson, Magruder, Lee and the whole
Cabinet, numbering q little over 5000, 900 men,
boys, women and horses, succeeded in surround
ing the Federal army early in the action, and with
as much rapidity as the toughness of their hides
and shoddy inexpressihes would admit. At this
critical moment Seward, with reserve of picked
congressman, contractors and New York politi-
clans, came to the rescue and took the Confeder-
ates in their turn, when the hardest fighting of
the day was done, for Benjamin, who had stopped
back in the rear with 000o choice quartermasters
waiting for something to turn up, thinking that
Stewards reserve would be an easy prize, pitched
in with fury unequaled in the history of modern
warfare. And the fate of the day was almost
evenly balanced.
Just there, JEFF Davis eagle eye distinguished
the Scotch cap Of Old Abe amid the smoke of the
battlefield and calling upon those nearest him to
follow, he dashed into the thckest of the fight.
Keeping his eye liked upon the Scotch cap he was
soon enabled to come up with it, and the i'm
mortal wearer was captured and carried to the
rear, wrapped in long cloak. This was soon re-
ported to Seward, who, rallying around him, his
| choice spirits sought to recover his unfortunate
friend. Benjamin and his praetorian guard inter.
posed, but could not withstand the fury of Sew
ards onset, and fell prey to that bold Secretarys
might.
There was done deeds which will live forever ir
history. The opposing armies came and shot
awav at each other with frenzied Indifference 81
daaHeetr Johnston, Mcclellan, Lee and Mcdowell
Magruder and dozens of other Generals immortal
izng themselves, and the men were slaughtered by
thousands and hundreds of thousands Human ma
ture, however, could not undergo such exertions
always, and both armies finally retreated, fighting
as they went, the dead being piled sky high for
miles along the roads to Richmond and Washington
When our informant left, it was reported that
both Richmond and Washington had been taken
but, as he travelled very expeditiously to bring us
the first Intelligence of the great battle, he cannot
vouch for the minor details.
As to the loss in killed and wounded on each
side, he cannot positively state the exact number
but, he was told by colonel of the horse marines
that it would reach the astonishing number men.
toned above, as he had averaged the whole from
the number of dead bodies found in a pig pen just
outside of the Federal linaq
The fact that Lincoln and Benjamin are prison
crs was proven to his satisfaction by rejoicngs all
along the road as he came down.
We expect other particulars of this great battle
today, and if we do not get shut up, will give
them to our readers as soon as received.
In conclusion, we must caution our readers not
to go it too strong on reading the above, as the
liquor now in town is said to be very bad indeed.