Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1867-05-09

and prepared for an attack. But sud
denly from this dust emerged an Off
GER, coming at full gallop, with the
intelligence that the dust was caused
by Stuart's cavalry At the same
moment long line Of Federal bayo-
nets was seen on the Warrenton road
in front; jackson turned to Ewell,
who stood near by, and raised his
arm aloft then, letting it fall with a
loud slap upon his knee, he said,
briefly:
"Ewell, advance y
just as the thunder from Thorough
fare began to roar EweIl threw for
ward his line, and attacked with fury
the Federal force in front CT him. 1t
was King division, aud made . splen-
did fight. Though assaiIed 10 flank
they did not give way, nor did they
finch during the whole engagement.
It>was only at nine O'Clock at night,
whom the news Of the abandonment
of Thoroughfare probably reached
General King, that the Federal lines
retired They had been advancing
toward Stone Bridge; they fell back
Oh Manassas. Thus Mcdowell, Rick
etts (at Thoroughfare) and King, had
all retired, one alter another, upon
Manassas. At dawn on the 29th, the
golden moment had fitted by; the
gate Of destiny had silently turned
upon its iron hinge; Pope was "mass-
ed" Lee was massed it was army
against army. The brain Of General
Pope was to be measured against the
brain of General Ice.
jackson had lost his right arm,
Ewell-severely wounded in the bat
tie just fought-bht the crushing
weight Of a great anxiety had been
lifted from bis breast. Lee had ar
rived vixen that intelligence was
brought him, be drew a long breath
of relief and his eyes were raised to
heaven in prayer and gratitude.
All the morning General Longstreet
was coming into position part of his
line OF battle was formed, indeed, by
nine O'Clock, and the whole line re-
sembled an open Y. Jackson's force
was the left wing Longstreet's the
right. At the angle was Groveton, a
small assemblage of houses, near which
Stephen ID. Lee was in command OF
about thirty pieces of artillery
Longstreet was ready about noon.
AT five in the evening General Pope
did not know Of bis arrival.
Does that statement seem absurd,
and is it greeted by any reader with
incredulous laughter! Proof-Porier
was ordered at half-past four 10 attack
the right and rear of jackson! 81 be-
licve," says General Pope-"in fact,
| am positive-thai at five o'clock in
the afternoon of the 29th, General
Porter had in his front no considera-
bic body OF the enemy. / believed
then, as | am very sure now, that it
was easily practicable for him to have
turned the right flank Of Jackson, and
to have fallen upon his rear; that il
be had done so, we should have gained
a decisive victory over the army un-
der jackson, before he could have
been joined by any Of the forces Of
LOngstreet"
The present writer spoke to Gen
eral Longstreet, within twenty yards
of his line of battle, kneeling on the
right knee, finger on trigger before
noon. General Fitz John Porter
that stubborn fighter on the Peninsula
and at Sharpsburg-was tried by
c c)urt-martial, and dismissed from the
service, for not attacking Jackson's
right at 6re in the eUcaiHg, "beiorc be
could have been joined by any of the
forces Of Longstrect," as Gen. Pope
says.
We have traced, perhaps tediously,
the steps OF the two adversarios, by
which they steadily advanced TO the
moment and the place of decisive
struggle. That narrative, we thought,
would interest the thoughtful reader
more than a flofid series ofparagraphs
upon the fighting. The movements
which we have followed decided the
second battle of Manassas When
Lee had massed his army, the hour Of
destiny had struck. The defeat OF
General Pope was merely a question
of time and detail. That result might
occur thus or thus; it would certainly
take place.
"The histories" viii describe in de.
tail the long, obstinate, and bloody,
but never doubtful conflict The pres
ent writer retires from the domain of
that great muse; il is only some sa-
ient points that he begs TO speak Of
And even these may not be understood
without a diagram; for what IS plain
TO those who saw the ground, is the
mystery Of mysteries to those who
have never seen IT,
Lot US ascend that hill within sight
of Groveton and look We are near
the southern centre. Those gray
lines. extending toward the left, are
Jackson's. In his front is a woodland
and an unfinished railroad cut, where
the adversaries are going to grapple
in bitterest confict-to fire within a
few PAGES of each other-to stab and
fence with their bayonets-to seize
rocks and hurl then, breaking each
Others skulls. In the centre, near at
hand, are the guns OF Stephen Lee
that hardy soldier, and accomplished
gentleman-waiting grim and silent,
for the great assault from the woods
beyond Groveion, which round-shot,
shell and canister is going TO meet.
On the right, stretching far beyond
the Warrenton road, is the ombattled