Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-05-21

ChSZ' hIssIsslppl; capt w. Is. Newton, of
the Fourth Virginia Cavalry" and Capt. F.
Lee of the "Thirty-second Virginia Infantry
These officers were sent to the headquarters
of the forty Fourth New York state volunteers
peoples Ellsworth regiment which regi-
ment was assigned to the duty of garrisoning
the town, where they have remained since the
date of their capture.
CONVERSATION WITH REBEL oFFICERs-THE
BATTLE OF BULL RUN.
These offfsers are men of education, court
eous in their manner and gentlemanly in their
department. Capt. Conner was graduated in
ale College in the class of 1915, and think
was distinguished for his ability as a scholar.
AT the same college the writer of this became
acquainted with the brother and family OF the
captain, and, while residing at Natchez in the
year 1856, often had the opportunity of par
taking Of their kind hospitality. TO renew
their acquaintance, under such circumstan-
ces, was at first embarrassing, but embarrass-
ment soon gave way to military courtesy and
kindness, and college ties even amid the for
tunes OF war, were not entirely forgotten.
With these officers | have spent some very
interesting evenings, and gained much inter
esting information This information may be
considered worthy of record, and therefore |
propose to give to the readers of the Evening
4 OSl lllc QeldlGS Oh an evenings conversation
with these officers, which was as follows:
Question-''Whyw was the official report of
the battle of Manassas so long withheld from
the public by your generals"
Answer.-'P Principally because Generals
Johnston and Beauregard did not consider it
eXpedient to disclose the strength of our force
at that battle. Your official and newspaper
reports had greatly exaggerated the strength
of our army at that battle. 1t was not the
policy Of our commanders to disclose the true
strength of our force, as our army of the Po-
tomac was designed as an army of menace.
merely and not of attack The design of our
president was not to attack Washington. but
to SO continually threaten it that you would be
obliged to hold large army there to protect
the CITY, thus obliging you to withdraw YOUR
troops from other points of attack at the south
or west, or preventing you from reinforcing
those points. Again, the battle was so dearly
that the official report of it at an early day
would have given your troops more encour-
agement than ours
Q.-"Why did Mr.. Davis reject the policy
of Gen. Beauregard in regard to the ATTEMPT
to take possession of Washington"
A-"Because we could not have held the
capitol so long as you had the possession of
the Potomac. TWAS the policy of Gen. Beau
regard and others of our leaders to capture
that city and liberate MARYLAND"
Q.-"What regiment of our army fought
the most gallantly at Manassas? :"
A.-"The fourteenth of Brooklyn and Crit
fins and Ricketts, batteries fought bv far the
most calamity. This is the opinion of all of
our officers
Q.-sWhat errors do your officers think we
committed at this battle that caused us to lose
the day."
Aft YOU had fought the battle Thurs-
dav or Friday Won would have ,co, il 1j,o
DELAY nj Blackhurp's Ford was fatal In vou
You made GREAT military error in allowing
Jolnstop +o ra;nfnrno I2oanra,ra,d W.
fonght tha hattie NV reoiroantS ,ri;lo We
fon@ht if Inv br;gades and divisions Tborc
wore many times bafora ono n,nIoci- i, tho A.
tarnoon of thor da,, u, rbnb ,l,, ,,,i,rbt Lo,,
,,, Tho ha+t if o, bo
onr cante sirro fbe center 81 o,, IL" f ot
tie had becomn yarv veal, Nv raoson NJ tbn
continual rninf,rccninpts Con Johnston ,,,os
ohiood to send to the Ipff which was 81
ferTeI,, messed nv yon, r;glt If was sn1
,,e,eI,, 'oPpntested boitIo an yn,,r sido Van.
soldiers fnnobt oaIlantIv. b1t thew were not
commanded"
O.-"Whv did Won not follow nm orr re-
treet ~
Awe had no idea of tbe con,nlatepass
Of ~ +Lo ti,,,o and hasidI
u; or,t;or ~ f,Ilo,,, ~, tIe ,ot,ot y
~
wv ~ 40 -, Az $500 = a l,
~ wv % " AZ S 80
.t,a,,l, cNtiG9I ~, ;.,t no. tiN So
W 'i,ieu tiie cl'y VI " asliisIol 'lldl
10y ~ VI M en- llooPS
t LouiI a. eil navy HIlu 'lle PosI'loh aS l"o
~ 0"' VIZ o'S "1so 'g"e
1,.l,n ~ 10 H. e:'y 10 reoI u''/ " ~ sen"
,ea P;cbo,, IL t,1o gt ''gt a. 'G"se P''Mo
desire Of onr comnosndor, 5,,,.i,, "i t,'e
,n+o, tbot MoCIaIIa, MID o Iii ,li ,lio
as INT rs he avoided 70 do so # ba,a
os,arI fnr ne to secretly Withdraw, onr f,rcos
90 that we could conccntrato thep, Of nao y,
tEo ,.inir,it,, ~ Picbn,ond inosn,cb 49, ,,o,,,.
-. H.. ,,-ot, ia ,.oaaL +I,o+ o;t,. ,,,,I,
sooner Than o,irs could fail hack nv land
o,Ir o,o Cir' is consiJered Inv our officers
- ,,,o,o,,,,,t tba Listor,,
' 'e Wv. $500, >,
VI. .I,,, ,,,,,,,t,,, ~ ,,o,,,, 4,,,,,
ii.,i M HIail ''+
az Syii'i " NV anu '"0
.r,-. e., ill.,. -...- 49,.
Nv AZ no' Ieoi az loei'y " e'a'o 'iie
NUMBER however, II was greatly eAaggeraI-
Gu ny your newspaper reports
the REBEL fOkCE AT fokhro"N'
" ', l't WaS C tlle NUMBER Oh your troops
az loIAto"h anu Oloucest o, "heh our army
nrst maze us appearance
A MOI I'tr from Ten thousand.
Q-"N ny ana you not eVacuate at once"
A.-"Because 1t was necessary to gain
time Tor the concentration OF troops from all
quarters about Richmond. We were strong
ly reinforced at 1orktown during the time
you were pushing forward the siege, suppos-
ing 1t was tne pOICy Oh Oe1erdl MCCLELLAN to