The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1862-04-09
Manassas Rattle-(1rnnnd.

WfIt9 tAeACe oates lis letter hedulaatttIS VI
Rebel Army, Centreville, March II, l662-Grigsby
house, occupied by Gems Smith, Johnston and Beat
regard The writer sets out with Boosting that b
rode with GEN Mcclellan and his staff to Manassa
/ Junction, land over the memorable battle-felds 0
July" Congressman Ely does not appear to have bee
along on this occasions nor senator Wilson, OF Aassa
4 chusetts. nor deacon Gur!ey of Ohio.
The writer's description Of the evacuated quarters
our friends is quite graphic We have not room 70
tile whole but make some extracts for the Amusement
Of our readers:
The Notifications look at a distance, formidable ex
tending from point half a mile north Of Centreyt
away off to the south far as the eye can reach w
rode up to them and found them merely dirt trenches
and sand forts. They have been evidently laid out By
engineer who understood his business, but have
been constructed by men who merely wanted put il
the time. There has never been single heavy CUR
mounted in them.
70 the left of Centreylle was large number Of fine
cabins made of logs, plastered with mud and rooted
with rough shingles; they in regular rows and
none had been burned. The grounds around them
were quite clean and we should Judge that these had
been evacuated by the troops who went home on fur
lough-to reGnist-none of whom returned These
huts better made than those of on the Pc
tomac, and are now filed by troops, who are
highly delighted with them.
A line of railroad has been built in nearly a direct
line from Manassas Junction to Ceutreville crossing
Bull Run at Blackburns ford. 1t has been built right
along the top of the ground and contains some pretty
sharp curves and heavy grades The only bridge on
it, which is the one at Blaehburn's ford, and which
was merely frame trestle-Work, fired and burnt
The track remains however but it remains in diapi-
dated condition The eross-ties twice the usual
length apart and laid IN the sand and swamp without
any ballast Three or four Of the cars of the IN s.
railroad broken up and overturned by the side of
the track. No we're left on it here and the last
train passed over it on Sunday at noon.
No Afi M
wire with the SOUTH and the poles bear evidence ofits
having, at time, been extended to Fairfax court
house The wire and insulations are now all gone
and nothing remains TO tell the tale but the bare poles
The wagon road to Manassas has been put in rood
condition by the plentiful of panks and logs
Through the first piece of woods after leaving Centre
vile is piece of corduroy road which is in terrible
condition. The bodies OF half dozen horses who had
broken their legs, scattered along the roadside
testimony against these wretched Inventions
The road is in good condition as it will be at
any time for months it has been widened for teams to
pass Or two to 60 abreast The turnpike road to War
rcnton is in fine condition as il ever vas the fields
are il good order for moving artillery and the side
loads, or those Of but little use are very good The
roads are all good after leave the old line around
Washington, aud have been so for some time.
About noon Gems. Mcclellan and Mcdowell. with
their STATS and 1000 cavalry for an escort came M
of the road continuous string Of huts tents and
forts, all empty now-not human being or animal
showed tAemseIEes-not q SQUAD save the eatter of
the horses boots the shril tones of the buges or the
loud orders Of the officers.
At Backburn's ford we saw the old battlefield Of
July 18th The Butler house, which was between the
two forces and bad been rddled with shot and shell
has been repaired Here Beauregard was dining and
made such narrow escape at the time The tree-tOps
bear the evidence ofthe way shot and shell few around
Large limbs were cut Osand ee-tops twisted in hun
dred directions az though struck by lightning The
woods in which the New York 18th, the LIST and ID
Michigan and the Massachusetts Ist went down has all
been cut away, and now see where the rebels
had their artillery, upon the back OF Bull Run behind
brcastwors Of logs aud dirt
The Washington Artillery, of New Orleans, and
hree South Carolina regiments, have been encamDed
near the Butler House for winter but started away |
0mc time ago The artillery left quantity of harness
TO- None OF their tents were DESTROYED Further |
Town are the tents of whole division, all pitched as
h0agh the occupants had gone hometo recruit and re-
Mist, but had not vet returned.
The sight here cannot be portrayed; the large ma
lime shops, the station houses the commissary and
uartermaster storebGuses, all il ashes. On the track
TODD the wreck Of locomotive aud not far down the
emans OF four freight cars, which had been burned;
. the right five hundred barrels of -four had been
toye in, and two hundred barrels Of vinegar and mo-
sses had been allowed to try experiments in chemical
ordinations. Some fifty barrels OF pork and beef had
cen scattered around in the mud and few hundred
ards down the track dense cloud Of smoke was arts
e from the remains of factory which had been used
If rendering up tallow ana boiling bones. About
lousand good hides stretched in field close b7
pom stakes, and remained uniniured
4 car upon the track which ran to CentrevilIe
Tort distance up, had Oh it the whole effects Of
'intiHg Office, types cases all that is needed in
rinting office; large lot OF paper and Washington
,cSs. The forms had in them blanks for muster rolls
ID turloughs The will be great prize for the
gimcnt into whose hands it falls An infantry reg
emit came III and commenced to ransack the tents
ID remaining stores for plumber and relies but the
'ntng Office remained untouched
Posted the door of log house. where everything
I'd been abandoned in confusion, was the following
Jtice:
ITO the gentlemen 81 of the north, the champions
freedom: We abandon these quarters to YOU. ex- t
,ctng to return in month two Assure yourselves
e7 are not gift but merely lent with the scrip
raj injunction, occupy till come {
I'VE feel constrained to burn our wearing apparel :
it'll the exception of what will be found as egacies-
beds and comforters only-for fear of acting trea
uaby for by leaving them wewould be giving aid and
mfort to- the enemy. G
Look out for another Manassas when we meet !
ain. Yours very truly i
"A RETIRING But NOT CowED ADVERSARY. {
Crescent Blues, La. Vols, for the war; $
On searching their cabins (at Baekbum's fordl the
g ofthc company found by one of the cavalry. {
was blue silk, and on it, in gold letters "Crescent /
ues, company A." i
On leaving the Junction we all rode up to Bull Run
ttle-fed The different positions occupied by the
terent forces were explained by Cen Mcdowell. e
ley are the same when stood there on that
amorable Sabbath. All was quiet through that now
acetul dale The roar of the murderous artillery Il
c fash Of the musketly, the groans Of the wounded
dying, seemed to be still ringing in our ears; but
cmrPlng OF the tree-rogs or solitary bird perchcd
on sheltered bush, was all that really broke the h
Illness.
As we halted for moment we noticed on the hill t
ps number Of empty huts along the ravines were t
strong natural defences, recently garrisoned by
rebelAordes; but they have all gone now Near the
Id where Col. Cameron fell are long and broad t.
enches, only distinguished graves by the new-mate
rh, which the grass this last summer has refused
grow. The hillside where Schenk led his division n
der the ponderous fire, the rayine where the rebel q
vaSfy outianked Us, the little old negro huand other
idmgs they used as hospitals, are still there: the
3od-staned floors covered with dirt The stone o
dge has been blown up and is now a heap of ruins &
e rode across the field where Parrot guns were b
4 picked up cannon ball, and pushed on to Centre
L. reaching here at dark. a
here6ei army ofthePotomac from all appearances n
5 been at times strong in numbers and well en- D
nched. They may have had 600 men, but we 4
eh doubt il they have had over 10 600 or 20 Ooa
neither they could have been cut off last fall or Ills
lter, or could have been driven from Manassss in !,