Daily Kennebec journal., 1870-08-06
aNiseellany.
A VISIT TO BULL RUN.
The Battlefield as it is To-Day.

CONCLUDED FROM YESTERDAYS PAPER.
We followed up this turnpike to where
the Ludley Ford road crossed it at right
angles, down which, marching southward,
the fianking divisions of Hunter came, and
by the white cabin of Mathews it unfolded
from column to line. stretching three quar-
ters of mile, and stalking fringe OF
skirmishers to the front. All the forenoon
the contest was to carry the turnpike and re-
lease the divisions behind the stone bridge.
BY beating Evans and Bee this much was
accomplished, and then the battle was
transferred to the other side of the turn
pike, where one long, oval hill, the prom
ontory of high plateau, stretched from
the turnpike to the Ludley road, and on
this exalted cape the first armies of civil
war fought what was the real battle of Bull
Run on a space of ground not above two
hundred acres in area. The shape of this
hill is defined by two rivulcts tributary to
Bull Run, that in front called Young's
Branch, which twice crosses the turnpike,
once at the crossroads and again nearer
Bull Run, crossed in the latter case by
small wooden bridge. The back side of
the hill is covered with small wild timber,
oak and pine, which leaves the summit and
the slopes toward the road nearly bare
Upon the bare part the fiercest battle ragged
for three hours around two small common
rm-houses--Robinson' nearest Bull Run,
and Henry's, near by the Ludley road.
( The federal troops were strongest along the
latter half-sunken country road, and they
formed line of battle like carpenters
square, while the rebels made line like
crescent in the edge of the low woods,
which half covered their battalions The
length of the line of battle was about half
mile or less, and the Confederate batter
les were massed on their own right, re-
spectively. Upon this small oval summit
fight as desperate as any OF the war took
place, fiercest around the shanty called the
Henry House, confined almost to the mus
kerry and artillery, and the hottest contests
We're for the batteries, whose horses had
been quickly killed.
At present the hill is marked with few
gulleys, where the rains have washed, and
by many excavated pits where the dead
have been disinterred. The country for
many miles hereabout is plainly revealed,
the monument at Groveton on the second
battlefield of Bull Run, showing distinctly,
and Manassas Junction, a fine white vii
lage, five miles away, is seen through
fissure in the timber.
HOUSES ON THE FIELD.
/ ascertained these facts about the per-
sons who occupied the dwellings on the
battlefield Of the first Bull Run: the first
house on the Warenton turnpike, to the
right hand, after passing the stone bridge,
is occupied by Mr.. Donahue, who lives in
the house of the widow Van Pelt. This
house is pleasant frame dwelling. sur
rounded by tall and outrageous trees, and
it was the only house in sight from the
stone bridge on the day of the battle. All
the buildings stand, though the barn was
shelled through and through, but on this
particular farm no fighting was done, yet,
across it hundreds of troops retreated to
recross Bull Run.
The second house to the right is that of
Gus Van Pelt, in which Bob Paine now
lives; this house shows marks of the fight,
and the farm was well fought over the
morning of the action.
The third house on the right of the turn
pike is a very peculiar one, and no man who
figured in that action can well forget it.
1t is large, oblong, red limestone house,
built of large blocks, and it stands nearly
at the junction Of Ludley road. 1t is
owned by Mr.. Starbuck, who was a sutler
in the federal army, and who keeps a
house of entertainment there now. This
house was well riddled in the battle with
she'll and ball, and was set on fire some
time during the day, but the neighbors, in
very neighborly manner, overcame their
fears so far as to rush in and put the fire
out. All accounts, even the most moder-
ate, agree that the northern troops put the
highest construction on the crime OF treason
on the day of the battle of Bull Run, and
set fire to whatever would burn.
Turning to the left of the turnpike the
first place beyond the stone bridge is the
celebrated Jim Robinson's farm, which
was one nf the centres of the ellirtti;caa! bat
tie of the atternoon-the other centre be-
ing a farm of the widow Henry, just to
the right of it quarter of a mile.
walked to the widow Henrys over
part of the field where the most terrific
lighting happened, passing the spot where
the two rebel generals, Bee and Barlow,
were struck dead. A block of marble was
set up te Bees memory after the first bat
tie of Bull Run, but when Joe johnson de-
serted Manassas, in the spring of 1862,
northern soldiers cracked the stones to
pieces and carried off the chips for relics.
Bee was an able officer, raised by the
United States, and it was he who gave the
name of .Stonewall' to Thomas Jona-
than Jackson, as the latter came to his
support in the action.
.There stands Jackson" he said, "like
a stone wall"
As we approached the Henry House,
we saw woman, dressed in black, pick
ing flowers in the fields. She was the
widow Henry, who suffered cruel death
in her own house. She was aged and an
invalid. and when the battle suddenly
surged up to her house, her children
sought safety in various places and left
the old woman in bed. The full hurricane
OF the action burst right round the old
shanty, and the unfortunate woman was
cut all to pieces with she'll, ball and bull
lets, and the house. itself was torn to
flinders; they could scarcely recognize her
body after the fury of the fight was over.
The Henry House is now replaced by
smalfffsme dwelling painted blue. with
end chimneys outside, and in the yard of
this dwelling stands. in the open sun, a
e,,,.n r,aIa 90 ral