The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1882-11-16
First News of Bull Run,

| peared In the Pittsburg Dispatch recent
| ly. The historian is Kennedy Marshall,
of Butler, Pa, prominent lawyer, and
brother to Thomas Marshall, who some
weeks ago declined a nomination on
| Cameron's State ticket. Mr.. Marshall
| at the date of the battle was a member
of the Pennsylvania Legislature, and
with hundreds of persons had followed
the army to see the rebels crushed by
| Mcdowell. MIR. Marshall was accom-
| panied by Henry j. Raymond, editor OF
the New York Times and DR.. Russell,
| the famous war correspondent of the
London Times.
Raymond, Russell and T." began
| Mr.. Marshall, ''were seated on the road
side, taking lunch, at clock in the
afternoon. While we were talking to-
| gether we heard locomotives whistling
| over on the Manassas Railroad. The
trains stopped in cut, out of sight.
Pretty soon out marched lot of soldiers
in gray, with stand of brigade colors,
| and came at a double-quick across the
| field. 1t was Kirby Smith with the last
installment of Johnson's army from
Winchester, which had eluded Patter-
son. The panic which had seized our
troops when these fresh fighters hurled
themselves at the Union lines, already
tottering with exhaustion, was wilder
than anything in military history since
three Austrian soldiers, coming ont of
the woods to surrender after tie battle
of Solferino, put the whole French army
to rout for time. Regiments that had
stood up to their work bravely since
8 o clock in the morning, melted away
in few minutes at the sight of the gray
charging columns. There was no know
ing what -ce was behind Smith, and
| Hunters n did not wait to see. They
took the road to Centreville, 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 on gallop. Russell
disappeared or the tide at the top of his
speed. Raymond drifted away from
me, and did not let many pass me in
the race myself. 1t was the further the
faster, and after covering what seemed
TO me about five miles, | dropped ex-
hausted beside the road to rest.
| ''By-and-by Raymond came along.
He had found his barouche and he took
me in. We whirled along in the crush
Of ambulances, artillery horses, priyates,
officers and camp-followers on foot,
ladies and politicians in carriages, 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 confusion.
Il got over the Long bridge at Wash
| ington at O'Clock, just as the counter
sign was being given out for The night.
l rode up to Wizards Hotel, through
streets crowded with people, wild with
excitement over the favorable dispatches
| that had come in from the front The
| brass bands were out in force, and
| somebody was making rousing On
20 kichmond speech from the haIconv
of the hotel. L walked into the office,
under the sound of his inspiring words
| knowing how soon those cheers would
be hushed to whispers of alright. Chad
wick was keeping the hotel then, and
as | pushed up to the desk he stared at
me, bare-headed and streaming with
dirt and sweat as I was, and finally rec
ognizing me, asked me where l had
been, and what was the matter.
g i come from the front Mcdowell
| is licked out of his boots, and the wreck
of our army is not far behind
Chadwick dived back into his pri-
vate office with scared face, and in
| few minutes came back and took me
with him.
| There sat Gen. Mansfield, who was
| in command of the troops around Wash
| ington, with bottle of champagne be-
| fore him.
's'Mr Chadwick informs me, sir,
that you report our army retreating.
| Are you military man, sir?'
GO No, SIR
"Then, how do You know, sir, that
they were not merely making a change
of front or executing some other Mill
| tary maneuver, sir?'
"'Well, General, l replied as ca .mly
| as | could, while the gray-haired old
| martinez eyed me sternly, Il saw whole
regiments throw down their guns and
| take to the woods / saw artillery men
cut their horses loose from the guns and
| calssons and gallop away. / saw Off
| GERS, men, Congressman and Texas
steers running neck and neck down the
road toward Washington, and steers
were the only things that had their tails
up. 1t may have been change of
front, as you say, but
81 don't believe single word of it,
broke in the General, who had listened
to me with evident impatience.
'.Good evening" / replied, and
walked out of the doors The crowd had
got the news by this time from Chad
wick, and l was almost pulled to pieces.
Somebody noticed that / was wearing q
gray suit, and shouted: He's a rebel
There We're several suggestions that l
be lynched for attempting to stimulate
rising of the rebel element in the city.
Mansfield hurried off to the War Depart
ment, and pretty soon a sergeant and
squad of soldiers came for me and took
me to the department. President Lin
coin and his entire Cabinet were there,
with old Gen. Scott, an1iously waiting
for news from the front. Simon Gamer
on had known me as member of the
Legislature and vouehed for my loyal
ty There was very little said while
told my story briefly.
''The President sat with his head bent
down upon his hand, and was evidently
very much depressed. Simon Cameron,
then Secretary of War, was the coolest
head in the Cabinet. He immediately
Consulted with Scott as to hurrying re-
enforeements across the Potomac, and
orders were issued to stop all fugitives
at Long Bridge. They asked me very
few questions, br. after l had told my
story and was dismissed the newspaper
correspondents nearly devoured me.
just as l came out of the War Depart
nlent l met one of Gen. McDowells 5 aids
bringing in the report of his command
er'S defeat
1T is worth remembering that nobody
aniNHs The Iicast IRON adirlcrs if in had