Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1862-03-20
Grand Pageant-Nothing More.

Army of the Potomac on the 22d of Feb
as directed by The Presidents General Wa
Ordenof January 9th, the Commander
in Chief waited until the enemy had full,
evacuated CentervilIe and Manassas and
then made grand and triumphant march
TO the expected battle field! An accoun,
says:
..During the whole day every road lead
ind from the vicinity of Washington to
wards the rebel stronghold was thronged
with masses of well trained soldiers moving
silently, but firmly to field of gloriuos
tritfmphs or of death. 1t was a grand
sight, as the long and seemingly endless
lines of glittering bayonets cleaned, like
jewelled serpent gliding among the hills
followed by the heavy tramping cavalry,
and the loud rumbling artillery and the
countless trains of wagons.
Agrand pagant, nothiug more. The
country. had witnessed a surfeit of these
on the Potomac, before this, but this was
the grandest of them all, but it was too
late. And it is reported that the grand
army 'lifted up its voice and wepl" at the
sight of the wooden guns which bristled
from the rebel Notifications at Centervile.
This is the more probable, as it appears
Gen. McClelan's forces took possession of
the log huts kindly left unburned by the
rebels, and went into comfortable quarters
The enemy, like the wicked, continued to
''fee when no man pursueth."
The final ofthe great pageant is no fic-
ton would to Heaven it was. Read
the following and then judge.
On the llth instant the Washington
correspondent of the Philadelphia Enquirer
rode with Cen Mcclellan and Staff to
Manassas Junction and over the memora.
bic battlefield of July. From his interest
ing and reliable account, dated at Center
vile we quote literally:
EVACUATION OF CENTERvILLE AND MANAs-
Last evening, while in camy at Fairfax
Court House, we learned that the rebels
were leaving Manassas, as well as Center
vile, which we knew on last Sunday even
ing, but which the Government censor re-
fused 10 allow US to transmit to you.-
Early this morning we started for this
point, ard found that regiment of infant
ry were occupying it, having entered on
Monday night, and a regiment of cavalty
Monday morning. No signs of any enemy
were seen, the last having gone on Sunday
night out on the road to Warrenlon, via
the Stone Bridge, and few down toward
Manassas. On Friday morning last there
were here; Gen. LongstretL's Division and
n few scattering regiments, among whom
were the Second, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth,
and Eleventh Georgia; First Kentucky;
Twenty Eight Virginia: Tenth Alabama;
Nineteentb, Seventeenth and eleventh Vir-
giuia Regiments.
Generals Johnston, Smith, and Stewart
occupied one house in the village here, and
which we (the correspondents Of the press)
used as rendezvous last July. On Thurs
day morning Gen. Johnston left, on Sat
urday Gen. Smith followed, and Gen.
Stewart brought up the rear with his ca, al
ry on Sunday night. The infantry COM
mecnced marching, before daylight, and the
artillery about noon, taking the road to
Warrington. The camps Qog buts) west
of Centerville, on the right of the road,
were burned up clean, not an article worth
anything left. In the village were num-
Der of huts which were not disturbed. A
few camps and tents, however; near the
were fred on Sunday night. The
town and deserted camps, on our enteritg
made the most perfect picture of desola-
ton we ever have witnessed-the smoking
ruins of burnt camps, the fences gone,
houses deserted, windows out, doors want
ing filth, and disorder upon all sides. A
few blacks and squalid whites ran to he
doors TO find out who were comeing.
FoRTIFIcATIoNs-woo GUNS.
The heavy woods to the left and down
towards Manassas have all been cut down,
thus presenting such an appearance as we
have upon the Virginia side of the Poto-
mac near Washington.
The Notifications look, at distance
formidable, extending from n point half a
mile north of Centerville away off to the
south as far as the eye could reach. We
'oad up to them, and found them mere
lirt trenches and sand forts. They have
'een evidently laid out by an engineer who
understood bis business, but have been con-
tructed by men who merely wanted to
,ut in the time. There has never been
ingle heavy gun mounted in them. EN-
'rasures have been made and logs ofacood
un out in all of them. All were so ar
anged, however, that field artillery could
e used in them The floors on which they
ou!d have stood were hemlock boards,
ne inch thick, and would not have lasted
trough single discharge, but would have
1t the guns down into the sand.
Some of those on the left have wicker
york around the embrasures, which has
ppearently been done by some old negro
asket maker. On two of them were raw
ides staked down and sand bags around
be embrasures. but these were intended
o rake storming party should we have 1
larched up in front. The bitches around |
lem are nicely arranged, so that our
oops could have marched down and up
le sides readily to make bayonet charge. {
g timber has ever been placed in front c
} obstruct passage, nor were the sides |
ug perpendicular but at an angle. ra
WHAT THE FORTS COMMANDED.
Five of these forts command the road to
entervlle, by which Mcdowell came in I
lly. They extend over line of a mile Q