The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-05-17

of our ficld-pieccs, three of which they
succeeded in finally carrying off. The
nature of the ground was such-covcrcd
will thick wood and brush-that we
could not use our artillery with full
effect but its fire compelled the shouting
captors to abandon three of their prizes.
The loss Of these guns was purely the
result of the killing of their officers and
cannoniers and drivers and horses in
numbers sufficient to disorganzo the
sections, and more especially of the
exhaustion of the supply of ammunition
by the supporting infantry regiments
behind them. Here now commenced
the development of the crisis of the fight.
Volleys of ball cartridges cannot long
be resisted by the bravcst of the brave
holding In their grasp only empty gun
barrels. Pressed harder and closer by
the new troops thai Johns OH had got up
from Williamsburg, the 7th and Sth
New Jersey gave ground, aad soon fell
into disorder. 1t was not strange-for,
their cartridge boxes empty, the men
felt themselves to be unarmed. Captain
Chauncey McKecvcr threw himself in
their way and cndcavorcd to rally them,
without effect. His resolution was
promptly taken. lie took a squadron
of Colonel Averll's Sd Pennsylvania
Cavalry dcployed them in the woods
on each side Of the road and ordered
them to fire upon the stragglcrs and
force them back into the fight until the
re-enforcements should come up. The
order was obcyed. The men-who had
not shown any symp ons of panic, nor
were i'll any danger of a stampede
returned to their work. But without
cartridges it seemed useless, and soon Il
raggling mo the woods again common.
ced. Hcintzelman, having no aid within
miles of him, took his escort of 3D.
Pennsyvanians, commanded by Captain
j. g. White, aud persuaded them to
re,urn to the ranks and resume their
ground. 1t was heroic of any portion
OF the 5000 exhausted and now sub
stantially unnamed men to face $4,000
comparatively fresh troops, pouring in
upon them with a fierce and steady
increase. But u Massachusetts, regiment
greatly assisted this devotion by fixing
bayoncts on their empty muskct barrels
and standing still for the coming
avalanch. l. was now that Death
passed fastest through our ranks. OFF
GERS fell thckly and men wen. to earth
in heaps. Ten minutes more would
have ruined us-for denl-gods could not
have sustained such all inequality as
5000 to $4,000. But now Brigadicr
Berry of the stout State of Maine
wading through the mud and rain at
such speed that he actually overlook
and passed three other brigades, came
in sight. Helm zelman shou ed with
gratitude. He ran to the nearest band
and ordered it to meet the coming rcgi-
men S wi h " Yankee Doodle" and to
give them marching lime into the field
with the Star-Spanglcd Banner. a
wild hurrah! " went up from the army,
and with yell that was electric three
regiments of Bcrry's brigade went to the
from, formed line nearly half mile
long, and commenced volley firing that
no troops on earth could stand before
then at the double quick dashed with
the bayonct at the Rebel array, and
sent them flying from the field into their
carthworks, pursued them, and drove
them out behind with the pure Steel,
and then invited them to retake it. The
attempt was repeatedly made, and
repeatedly rcpulscd. The count. of the
Rebel dead in that battery at the close
of the fight was CD. They were princi-
pally Michigan mel who did this work.
4 The equilibrium of the battle was
res orcd. 1t was now four o'clock, and
Jamlson and Birney came up with their
brgadcs, covered with mud and Streaming
with the rain, but eager for a share in
The blessed work. They went to the
front, and soon the tide of the fight
turned backward. But Bcrry's timely
arrival, for which he is entitled to both
gratitude and honor, saved the day.
At dark his troops were in unresisted
possession of the. battery they had cap
tured the rest of Heintzelman's force
was we'll placed; and in full front of the
enemys line, while the enemy themsel-
yes had Withdrawn from the plain to the
cover of their works. We were ready
for the renewal Of the fight on the NOR
row. They were whipped. Our men
lighted their fires, and cooked their
coffee, and tried 10 dry their clio hes
Theirs we're strapping their knapsacks
on their shoulders for a flight. They
had met the Yankee on an open field, and
knew that at last they had met their
masters. So through the miss of the
rainy night the Confederate Army of the
Potomac stole out Of their intrenchments,
and obeyed the order to retreat. Bull
Run was avenged. 1t was not till after
sunrise that the last of the Rebel army,
composed of cavalry, passed through
Williamsburg. They left one large gun
in their works; abandoned splendid
brass piece on the road, with two
caissons strewed every rod of their
path with muskets, bayonets, knapsacks,
blankets and ovcrcoats; Uttered the way
wi h all The wreck and ruin of a beaten
and dcmoralizcd army in full flight from
imaginary as we'll as real terrors.-
| There was harvest for the blacks who
had not been driven in coffles by their
owners to Richmond. From all parts
they alighted upon this abandoned pro-
perty, much of IL new and valuable, fresh
e.. ~ 3