The National tribune., 1894-02-08
ON BULL RUNS FIELD.
Experience of the I'd T. L. in thrt Disastrous

our encampment at Washington on IueS1ay,
| July Is, at about 1:3J in The afternoon. Dur
ing the remainder of the day we marched, ]
should Judge, some IL miles, coming to r
halt in an open fed near a piece of woods,
where we soon spread ourselves, with our
blankets around us, leugthwise on the
ground, for the purpose of obtaining little
of natures sweet rest0rer."
The next morning early we started on
our march for Fairfax, but had not gone far
when we discovered that the enemy had
felled trees across the road TO impede our
passage. These were soon cleared away by
the axmen of the 2d N. III. All this time,
az well rs during the entire route, the I'd
r. /. was the advance-guard of our brigade,
which CONSISTED of the two Rhode Island
! regimenis, the list N. Y. aud The 81 N. ii.
As matter of course, a. well as OF caution,
our re- iment was sent out as skirmlshers,
taking a line to the right and left OF the
road, and extending it into the woods and
fielas for mile or more, in order TO discover
what danger might be In the way of our
progress 10 the sh pc of rebel scouts or
masked batteries. / met with nothing but
hard work TO get through The thick woods,
encountered as l was with my blanket,
haversack, canteen, cartrdge-box, and mus
ket, until | came in sight of the rebel in
trenchmen,s at Fairfax, which we soon found
contained, instead of rebels, quite quantity
of fresh meat, bacon, live chickens, fresh
eggs, and large quantity of cast-oH cloth
ing. 1t was very evident that the enemy
had left them but short time previous, and
we without far marched into Fairfax and
took up our quarters for the remainder of
the day and nisht.
While in Fairfax our troops made quite a
wantOn destruction of property. The next
morning we Started for Centerville, and after
marching a few miles we came to a halt in a
piece of woods, where we remained for sew
eral hours At house near by were two
Secessionists, left there by their own troops,
sick with The measles. l asked them, after
noticing quite foreign accent in their
speech, if they were born in this country.
One of them replied:
"No, sir; we were born in South Carolina"
smiled as he male the remark, as also
did he. He was quite smart-lOoking man,
while the other had hardly an intelligent
feature. While our troops were remaining
in the woods above spoken Of a heavy Can
nonading was heard, apparently but lew
miles distant, and which afterward proved
to have been at Bull Ran.
This was the first attack made on the enc
my ut this point, of which you doubtless have
had an account, before our troops endeavOred
to drive them from their position. As so N
as our officers were made aware that the di
vision under Gen. Tyler was engaged with
the enemy, We took up our line of march
aud Travelled very rapidly until we arrived
IN the immediate vicinity of Centerville.
There we halted for the night, with the ex-
pectaliOn of renewing our march, In the
morning At early dawn our troops turned
out and waited uneasly and anxiously for
the order to fall in"
Hour after hour passed, and finally we
were told that we should remain there for
the day. The day passed as quietly AS any
one could expect where thousands of troops
are quartered, and it was not until Saturday
evening that our soldiers were made aware
that they were to meet the rebel forces on
the following day, and that the march for
ward would commence at half-past two in
the morning. The order was given to turn
in early, and get what rest you can" We
Id so with our muskcts by our sides, our
equipments on, a few hard biscuits in our
haveTs tcks and determination to do or
die OH the morrow.
At half-past two we got ourselves in readi-
ness for weary march of some eight miles,
if you can consider soldiers in readiness
when they have had but little rest, little
hard bread 10 put in their haversacks, and
not an ounce of meat. But at the time we
thought nothing of that.
Away we started, as merrily as though we
were going to partake of holiday feast,
eager and anxious 10 meet the enemy. As
we proceeded forward, regiment after regi-
ment filed on each side of the road tn allow
US to pass and on went our brigade the 81
in frnutA hut in,
LIST X. /. next, and forward moved the
column.
As we "plodded our weary way" through
the woods, few companies of United States
cavalry would occasionally 20 on ahead to
reconnoiter, as we were rapidly approaching
the enemy, and were not sure bat we might
meet suddenly with some of their masked
batteries. We were now growing limb
weary, as the march was a most fatiguing
one, although considerable part of the
distance was shaded by fine growth of
trees, while in other parts the glare of the
hot sun made the sweat oOze from every
pore. We were hungry as we'll as fItgued,
and, as | have said before, had had but "a
Jew hours sleep. However, our men were
joyous, their step firm, and now and then
the booming of cannon would cause the
e0untenances of our men to brighten, for
they now felt sure of meeting the enemy.
About 10 o'clock we emerged into the
open country, and after about miles marci
officers became aware of the enemy's
Pc -ition, though the troops were not aware
OF the fact. Soon we were on the final
course, and, turning little TO the left, pass
ing the remains of an old railroad, and
walking less than quarter of mile fur
Their, we found ourselves in range Of the
enemy's fire, which was Immediately direct
ed upon us.
Here we halted amid shower of ball
shot and ehell, which whist!ed ominously
around and above US for perhaps two min
ut-s, while the din of the musketry aud
the booming of the cannon were almost
deafcnlng. All this time our boys had not
fred a shot, and this WAS the time that /
felt the most uneasy. Soon the order was
gwen
Forward, I'd r. t."
The order was obeyed with alacrity, our
men shouting like SO many iends, and
We rushed wildly and impetuOusly through
the woods, over fence, and then found we
were rather mixed up. But we did not
mind ii, and immediately cOmmenced firing
without the order 10 fire, and so briskly was
1t kept up that the enemy soon ceased their
fire. leaving the cornfeId bel ween us, and
ared for their batteries and their COM
panions in the woods.
About this time our gallant Colonel re-
ceived his death wound. This, however, did
NOT oso,, 4 no nj mod oaraar Of n,r ,,,a,