River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-08-31
ABOUT BILL RUN.


Kennedy NarshaIIs Account of the |
Wild stampede How henryJ Ray |
mond and ar Russell OF the London
Grimes Rode Iii al for wash |
ington-Humors OF the Occasion.
Probably the best description of the
wild stampede which followed the
battle of Bull Run ever printed, APP
peared in the Pittsburg Dispatch re
Gently. The historian is Mr.. Kennedy
Marshall of Butler, Pa, a prominent
LAWYER, and brother to Thomas Mar
shall, the Pennsylvania stalwart who
some weeks ago declined nomina-
ton on Cameron's state ticket Mr..
Marshall at the date of the battle was
a member of the Pennsylvania legisla
ture, and with hundreds of persons had
followed the army to see the rebels
crushed by Mcdowell. Mr.. Marshall
was accompanied by Henry j. Ray
mond, editor of the New York Times,
spondent of the London Times.
Raymond, Russell and l." began
Mr.. Marshall. "were seated on the
roadside taking lunch, at o'clock
in the afternoon. While we were
talking together we heard locomotives
whistling over the Manassas railroad.
The trains stopped in cut out of
sight. Pretty soon out marched lot
of soldiers in gray, with a stand of
brigade colors, and came at double
quick across the field. 1t was Kirby
Smith with the last installment of
Johnsons army from Winchester,
which had eluded Patterson. The
panic which had siezed our troops
when these fresh fighters hurled them
selves at the Union lines, already tot
tering with exhaustion, was wilder
than anything in military history since
three Austrian soldiers, coming out of
the woods to surrender after the battle
of Solferino, put the whole French
army to rout for time. Regiments
that had stood up to their work brave
10 since O'Clock in the morning melt
ed away in a few minutes at the sight
of the gray charging columns. There
was no knowing what force was behind
Smith, and Hunters men didn't wait
to see. They took the road toward
Ceptervslle, pell-mell, every man for
himself. The infantry charged their
own batteries, cut the horses loose,
jumped on their backs and went to
the rear at a gallop. Russell disap-
peared on the tide at the top of his
speed. Raymond drifted away from
me, and l didn't let many pass me IN
the race myself. 1t was the further
the faster, and after covering what
seemed to me about five miles, drop
ped exhausted beside the road to
rest.
"Bv-and-bye Raymond came along.
He had found his barouche and he
took me in. We whirled along in the
crush of ambulances, artillery horses,
privates, officers and camp followers
on foot, ladies and politicians in car
riages, and 200 or 800 steers, all making
the best of their way to Washington.
A drove of cattle had been driven out
behind the army to be slaughtered
after the battle. They were stampeded
with the rest and added to the confu-
sion. There were many amusing Incl
dents. Earlier in the day had noticed
L L. McGuffin of New Castle, since
Judge of this judicial district, now dead.
He was carry ing water to one OF the
field hospitals. He had been one OF
the On to Richmond crowd, had come
down to stitfen up the presidents spine
and was loud in advocating vigorous
prosecution of the war.
"He was large man and wore a
long linen buster. When the rush to
the rear began he ran with the rest.
He was fat, and as the crowd gradually
swept past him he at last began to
think the rebels must be almost within
grasp OF his flying buster tails. Blind
with sweat and dust, he tripped on a
log and fell fiat on his stomach, or as
fat as he could fall on such round
stomach. A zouave, who was hard at
his heels. came down with emphasis on
ton. Mr.. McGuffin was certain that
the Philistines were upon him, and
with weak endeavor to roll his eyes
around, that he might see his foeman's
face. exclaimed "Great God, gentle
men, can't this thing be compro-
mised?"
"Before Raymond and | had driven
far an ordinance wagon crashed into
our barouche and demolished it.
mounted one of the carriage horses
RAYMOND was in despair.
Get on the other horse" | cried.
"But | can't stick on.
"Then good evening; I'm going tt
Washington
"sHold on; [ can ride behind the
niger exclaimed the distinguished
editor, and he was about to Chamber
ND behind the colored driver, when {
carriage drove past with some congress
mon whom he knew and he got in with
them.
i galloped away, but before haC
gone far | saw regiment drawn up II
| line across the road. with fixed bay
onets, stopping the fugitives. | took
to the fields, executed a flank move.
ment and got past with few others
When I came to the little field tele
graph Office, near Fairfax court house
was riding ahead of my party. A
wire had been laid out thus far anC
disnatches from the field were carried
here ana wired to Washington. The
last messages sent had told how oul
troops were driving the enemy.
"'What news from the field cried
the little operator. with his finger or
the key.
"sOur men are routed. They are
running this way / shouted back tt
him as | galloped past. He cut loose
his instrument, tucked it under his
arm and took to his heels. When the
next orderly came with dispatch, he
found the battery dismounted, anc
that was how / came to be the first tC
carry the news to Washingt on.
81 overlook Bull Run Russell, and
we rode together for while; but hi'
horse was tagged and mine was fresh
so | soon left him. After that | rode
foremost and alone. At Balls Gross
Roads | was challenged by Dutch
sentinel. Ben Morgan had my pas
through the lines, but | had an annua
over the Pennsylvania railroad signed
by Tom Scott. / showed the sentine
the name of Scott. told him it was
General Winfield Scott, the command
erin chief, and he passed me through
| got over the long bridge at Washing
ton at 8 o'clock, just as the cOuntersigr
was being given. out for the night.
rode up to Wizards hotel, through
streets thronged with people, wild with
excitement over the favorable tele
grams that had come in from the front
The brass bands were out in force: anc
somebody was making a rousing Or
to Richmond speech from the balcony
of the hotel. | walked into the office
under the sound of his inspiring words
| l-oOUin,y how soon those cheers won lC