New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-09-05
The Concentration of Cur army in Front e
Washiug,om-Thc Causes of Our Defeat
--Ccas. Pope and NC Bowel severely
Deuourced-Rcview OF the Fighting.
Ffom Urf sptcal LOTcsio delt.

CAxP sr,K CHAM FRINGE
NLDNhsD.Y, SEPT. 8. ltol. :
Slowly and sullenly the two armies OF the lie.
pubic, utgeuoralod and defeated have fallen back
from the battlefield 10 Centrevile from Centrevile
70 FaiTf x, from Fairfax 10 the Potomac. The latest
experiment III CeneIaslp If the most Immediate
snd d.sas failure Once more the national army
gather about the uGiona Capital, and tie defense OF
Washington il the strategic signal of she Peninsul4r
advance upon Richmond.
Tie rotTea, from Ceurcville 10 Fairfax com
plete on Monday night. Sumner, Sise and Porter
he'd the bin daring tie day. Heinizeman, Nc
Dovell, and tie res; were ready gone. An Mon
dsv night tie three Tearward corps struggled aOnghe
crowded road 10 Fairfax Porter covering the retreat
On Tuesday morning tie Rebels once more held the
sweering line Of ioIis that pointed to tie Las; AL
Winter long, aud dcfed our advance.
Last night the whole army retreated and this
morning tie wettem bank Of the Potomac IL tie
only Yirginian camp ofiLe National troops. Hentze
mn and Franklin went back on the Alexandria
roa0, Mcdowell By Falls Church, Sumner ana sigel
and Porter by Vieuna and Lewinsvle. We may
bitterly announce once more that the army of the
Potomac aid tie army IF Virginia, croucting be-
meath the thirty forts that grde the Capital are be-
beyed 10 be SAFE
Jsuppose no future hope can be bszarded if the de-
tails OF HI accomplished retreat are given TO the
world. record therefore, very briefly ana incom-
pletely what have and heard int1c three nights
and two days just past-nghts and days Of fleep'ess
activity which can scarcely have brought to any one
who shared THEN gloomy experience single cheer
fol thought, or a moment Of repOse.
When | let; Washington, on Sunday night, al
though IL was known that Pope Lad been defeated and
driven back TO Centscville, none very few, ,uP-
posed that he wat 70 abandon that position, famous
for It's strength, without fight. battle was ex-
peced next day at the furthesi. and no one certainly
knew Whether there had not already been another
during the day. l passed through Alexandra ana
ont on the Fairfax road a. seven in tie evening.
Not half nile teyoEd the town ] net IA train Of
heavily loaded wagons and hailed driver" Where
a-e YOU from7 "CentIeyil.e." The whole story
was tod in q word. Tie army was retIeating.
For the next tel miles the road WAS flied with the
traius Of every corps in tie army, everywhere
crowded and frequently hating. Mingled with the
wagons were great numbers Of ambu!Ances ana car
risges filed with wounded snd dying men. They
had been al 6ay On the road u day Of confinement,
privsnon, discomfort, aut torture. Many mus' nave
remained 81 night Gu the road--many also IN the
wagons, which, az conveyances for wounded men,
are only one degree worse than alnbolances.
Near Alexandria, and 1T intervals for some miles
beyond the biyouac fires Of many camps biazed
along 'he road and gimmered in distant helds.
GUARDS iof The trains, struggling towards from the
front see'ions 0. batteries squadrons Of cavalry and
further on toward Fairfax regiments and shattered
brgades moving TO tue rear and finally the lar, div
rion OF fe-ehi'iceinents marching for tue front,
s!resmed along the road. and wound in AID ca, OF
the endless trains j, impossible 10 ride iaster
;han walk. l reached Fairfax at H. The town
was quiet-only guard at the further end. none OF
whose officers knew where headquarters were
whether At Cen.reyille or TO the rear So I yueut
what was left Of the night at Fairfax, aud rode On
next morning 10 CentreviIe.
his needless DOW TO explain tue constantly chang
ing disposition Of forces during he days which FOL
lowed the defeat of Saturday. Three corps at least
remained at Ceutrevills on Monday, and were scat
tered over the broad slopes Of the hill on eber sde
OF the road in uumilitary disorder They had never
been IN order--no more had the rect Of the army
Eree the retreat There wac no head 10 put them
IN order. There wss no order in any department Of
the service. There was not ammunition in the bat
eeries OF IN the cartrdgeboxes Of the infantry
enough for another battle, yet 10 one knew where
The ammunition trains were 10 be- found. In tie
nrst five minutes met three ordnance ohices riding
IN search OF tbsse trains. No fault Of theirs that the
scss sssid pst b found, They ARE able officers,