The Democratic advocate., 1884-03-15
Battle of Bull Run.
le Me,c .Haren Palladium.

"W ell, yeS-l was there. L WASH Z ex-
actly in the battle, but l helped the run
part of it all l could. Run was no name
forit 1t was race-the biggest skedaddle
there ever was on earth. / saw more
ridiculous sights that hot Sunday afternoon,
and laughed more than man will ordina-
rily laugh in ten years. You see the time
of the three-months men was out, but the
army was ready to move forward on Man
assas, and the regiments took votes to decide
whether they should go forward or demand
discharge. There was a company Of New
York artillery, well-to-do men-butchers,
l believe they were-who had provided
their own battery and outfit and who voted
to go home And as they moved to the
rear a perfect storm of hoots and jeers as
sailed them, but they didn't notice it. l
didn't know of any others who voted not
to go forward. At that time 1 was detailed
to drive a four-horse team for General
Keys, who had command of these Connec-
ticut regiments and the second Maine. 1t
was my business to move his personal bag
gage, and l had splendid team of horses.
The wagon had white canvas top which
opened at both ends. l sat outside the
top, the front curtains closed behind me.
[ moved out to Falls Church, nine miles
into Virginia, then moved forward to Cen
terville. At o'clock ON Sunday morning,
July 81, the generals mess-chest, ten gal
Ions of whiskey, groceries, two officers
tents and two young colored girls were
loaded into my wagon, and | was ordered
to drive ahead Our troops were close
upon the Johnnies, and battle that day
was considered dead moral certainty, and
an overwhelming victory was believed to be
quite as sure. The two colored girls were
going to the front as officers cooks. A
continual stream of army wagons was pour
ing along the road, and these civilians on
horseback and carriages and buggies con-
tanning Washingtonians, whose voices were
still for war, and who were ambitious to
take part in it by eye-sight at very safe
distance. 1t was seven o'clock before l
was allowed to swing into the long current
and move forward 1t was a very sluggish
stream. As reached the top of hill
Quartermaster Hodge, of our brigade, or
dered me to turn out and halt under the
shade of tree. | did so. The contents
of the wagon were removed, a fire was built
and the girls prepared breakfast. 1 took
share; then lying down beside my wagon l
fell asleep, for l had slept little or none for
two nights. 1t was near noon when 1
awoke, and firing had been heard at the
front for some time. There was a lull for
an hour, and then it resumed fercer than
ever. In another hour horsemen and car
riages came tearing down the road, their
riders and drivers shouting "Turn back
Turn back! Drive for your lives, the rebs
are upon us "
"Along came hack containing four
Congressman. Each man sat with cooked
revolver in his hand, and all yelling to the
driver to drive for his life. 1 expected to
be made prisoner in few minutes, and the
prospect was not pleasant one, but had
to stop the work of loading up my wagon
and laugh at those four heroic Legislators
brandishing their pistols, threatening their
driver in one breath and offering big wealth
in the next if he would get them back to
Washington. The current in the narrow
road turned and rushed backward. 1
watched my chance and turned into it.
As | did so big Dutch sutler, with
wagon load of goods, in turning around
upset his wagon into the ditch beside the
road. He jumped to the ground and took
to his heels, leaving his horses struggling
to free themselves from the harness. 1t
seemed as if the very horses had caught
the panic, and were as anxious to go North
as the men. Every few rods l came to
wagons deserted or broken down in at
tempting to get ahead by turning out. L
saw teamsters draw the tailboard of their
wagons and let their freight. fall out into
the road while ascending hills. The fields
on either side of the road swarmed with
horses and soldiers in full rout Artillery
men had cut the traces from the guns and
ridden away before shot came near them
"There were regular army men, and in
my four years at the front the poorest SOL
diers | saw were regular army men. If
ever men made good time these soldiers
did. The afternoon was terribly sultry and
hot. The men ran in all stages of undress
uniform, even to shirt and drawers. Few
knapsacks were to be seen Many had
thrown away their guns, but some trailed
them on the ground behind them. | was
troubled with but few applications for a
ride, because my teams pace was slow
Suddenly big drum major, bare headed,
bare-footed, and his uniform covered with
dirt and dust, climbed up beside me and
pitched himself headlong into the wagon,
groaning: "Oh, dear oh, dear | never
was so tired in all my life; L don't believe
in war, anyhow" l saw chance where,
by turning out into the field and driving
fast, | could cut into the road again much
further on. No sooner did my bold drum
major notice that | had left the road than
he thrust his head through the curtain and
shouted "Where are you going? "Oh,
out here in the country a little way to rest
the team" "Then count me out, said he,
and tumbled to the ground, landing on his
head, but picking himself up he ran to
regain the road. Then l discovered that
my two colored girls had caught the new
panic and were making their exit through
the rear. "What's the matter with you ?"
| shouted. aus niggers is gwine back to
Washington, massa, We is; we didn't come
out here on no picnic for the Confederates
to ketch." 1t took me several minutes to
explain my movement and induce them to
return to the wagon. Along came party
of Ellsworth's zouaves, worn out and foot
sore, who offered me handsful of gold to
allow them to ride; but I had to use all
alike, and kept them off.
"At about o'clock next morning l
reached Falls Church, at which place 1
had been ordered to halt. Next day I was
ordered to Fort Corcoran, where the brigade
followed the day after, and from thence we
were sent to Washington and discharged"