The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1869-08-06


land, rising from 100 TO $50 fee
above the ruu, with higher ridges, anc
the main plateau was broken by rug
ged ridges. There stood Jackson
with his fresh brigade, and Holmes
Ewell, Early and Bonham were has
tening from the right to support him
f As Bee, rallying his broken brigade
pointed to Jackson and exclaimed
"There stands Jackson like a stone
tsodIL Bee went down 10 death that
hour, and from that day jackson was
known as Stone,oaU." The battle
was yet to be decided on a contracted
lline. Johnston having eluded the
imbecile Patterson, his regiments now
began to arrive from the valley. HOY
ard, Keyes, Wilcox, Franklin, Sher-
man aEd Porter, each with brigade
and artillery, moved forward to the
attack of the rebel forces, now massed
and re-enforced on the plateau. Keyes'
troops dashed forward bravely on our
left, and reached the crest in the face
of terrific fire. Promptly the enemy
fell upon Keyes, and at the end Of
short, but fierce conflict, rolled him
bleeding down the hill and back to
his frat position. On our. right and
center, for two fearful hours, our
forces assaulted the rebel lines, In
the widest fury of battle, the oppos-
ing lines surged forward and back,
capturing and recapturing batteries,
often gaining, and as often swept from
the gOry crest. The day was intensely
hot, and around the grim plateau,
amid clouds Of dust and smoke, naught
could be discerned but fruitless as
saults Of heroic columns, achieving
brief triumphs, but meeting with GER
tain rcpulse. Mcdowell hastened up
his unoccupied forces, resolved to re-
new the assault. just as his skirm-
ishers became engaged on the right,
wild cheers we're heard on his right
and rear, followed by rapid volleys of
musketry. The day was won by trait
ors, for that shout came from the van
of Johnston's long lOOkedfor troops,
led by the impetuous Kirby Smith,
who, like Blucher at Waterloo, saved
the battle. up to this moment no
troops had ever been more heroic and
resolute than ours. The awful cross
fire from Smith and Early, Stuart's
cavalry, and Beckham's battery, rain
ed fire on our right, still clinging heo
roically to the slope. 1t was crushed,
aud melted away in broken disorder
At once the whole line broke and
streamed back towards the fords and
bridges, increasing the panic by the
wild cry, e JohnstOn's troops hare
come" Sykes, with his regulars, tried
to cover the retreat, but an army, vie
torious few moments before, was now
a disorganized, panic-stricken b,and
the whole rebel lines advanced
with wild cheers. 1Congressmcn and
wise civilians had come out in great
pomp and force to see the capture of
the '.rebs," and witness from the
heights of Centreville this first 'On to
Richmond !" These patroits, we'll
armed with whisky and rations, were
suddenly seized with trembling, sand
great fears came upon the multitude.
Two or three shells fell near them,
and with alarm, they FASTENED to
"Abraham's bosom" The dauntless
Gen. Wade, and the fearless Gen.
Ashley, with streaming locks, led the
column, assisted by numerous staff
of aid-de-sz5edGddlers. Reports of
"Black Horse cavalry, and visions
of being cut into mince-meat BY rapa-
cious Virginians, accelerated their
movements until they sank exhaust
ed, but safe, ON the paEements of
Washington.
The rebels followed across the Rum
but broken, bleeding and demOral~
lied as they were, the compact lines
of Miles at Centreyille averted their
advance, and they fell back satisfied
with the victory and its trophies. At
midnight the reserves left Centreville,
and reached the Potomac without mo-
lestation. Such was the first . Bull
Run.