Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-04
Manassas.

A correspondent of the New York Journal of
Commerce thus describes trip on the first rail
car from Alexandria to Manassas, the stronghold
of an enemy who only a few weeks ago de-
flying the power of their Government, almost
within sight Of the Capital:
The appearance of the various farm houses
which we passed from time to time was desOlate
No cattle or stock of any kind were visible
Fences we're in sad condition. The houses them
selves seemed deserted and the country had the
appearance of an abandoned section. We stopped
at Burkes and Fairfax stations, and then crossed
the dark stream of Bulls Run, about three miles
below the battlefield of terrible memory. The
country was rolling and uneven, but no high hills
were visible though we appeared 10 be ascending
Il constant upward grade most of the way. After
crossing the we began to see the deserted huts
of the retreating armies, and these soon began to
be very numerous on both sides of the road, on
slopes. in forest openings and frequently around
farm houses, where doubtless the officers had
made their headquarters Occasional groups of
white tents were visible, standing as they were
left in the haSty retreat. Log huts, PLANK hutS,
brush huts, turf huts, huts of every kind were
soon abundant The log huts seemed to have
been the most comfortable, but all were tOleraby
good shelters and indicated no want of comfort
in the winter quarters of the rebel posts.
Three miles or so after crossing Bull Run we
emerged from the rolling land and forest, and
assembled the gentle slope of a mile or two,
which leads TO the great position at Manas
sas Station Here we paused, and the party then
left the car TO roam over the deserted stronghold
of the enemy.
shall not pause here to speak of the strength
of this celebrated spot, further than to say in
passing that it is one of the strongest military
positions in the world The reasons for this opin-
ion shall give when | describe the ground in
another letter. but il Is enough at present 10 re
mark that if hundred thousand men had adj
vanced from Washington upon these intrench
ments. | do not believe that twenty thousand
would have reached the Notifications on the sum
NIT of the slope. The cannon of the rebels
commanded every inch of the approach within a
mile and a-halt, aud there was neither tree, nor
shrub nor hill nor hollow To protect an attacking
column from the deadly fire of hundred guns.
/ Only IN the rear Was there any possible method
of dslodging them But my purpose now is to
describe trip. aud / leave the military dis
cussion for the future
We descended from the cars At what was once
the Manassas station, believe Ii was a mile or
50 vet TO the junction Of the Richmond and Stras-
burg branches. On both sides OF many acres
were covered with the cuders OF burned hutS,
which the enemy had fired when they retreated
There also the remains of a large house OF
hotel barns and stables which had been DESTROYED
so thoroughly that only brick chmneys and ashes
+ remained
The huts must have been abandoned in the
greatest haste We wandered over the ruins
each hut having left little quadrangular space
il covered. now marked by heap OF cinders.
among which were the incombustible articles
which had belonged to the occupants. and which
alone outlasted the fire Officers huts could in
general be distinguished by the remains OF stoves
and sometimes by more valuable articles. In
one heap of cinders found the lock of trunk
the handles ut each end, the nails and buckles
living in the ashes. The iron work of carpet bags
were very common. found may uniform but
tons living where they had remained after the
coats they were attached TO had burned The
Louisiana button, bearing the pelican, the Mis-
sissippi button, with is single star surrounded by
I the name Of the State the Alabama button, al
eagle with the letter A, and numerous Others
picked up, in each case finding full set of the
buttons, indicating that they were from burned
coats. also found many United States buttons
which fancy must have come from the coats oi
our poor fellows taken AZ Bull Run and approprI
ated by the rebels To their own comfort. Besides
these. We gathered up some spoons, knives and
forks, the blades OF raz0rs and numerous article,
OF this kind. The ground was strewed in all Dir