The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-07-23
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CHAPTER l.
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The day and date is the 21st of July.
1861.
The scene is the battle-ground of first
Bull Run, field made memorable for
ever.
From day break to high noon the Fed
eral army under Mcdowell has been
moving down on the Confederate posi-
tion selected weeks ago by the generals
old in the strategy of war. On the fanks
brigades have grappled in the open
fields, regiments have dashed at each
other in the forests and thickets. Here
little ground has been gained, there a
little lost. 1t has been the skirmishing
which precedes every battle, locating the
enemy, testing MS readiness. urawIng
his strength and uncovering his designs
The hour is high noon. The Confed
crate front has been pressed back, the
left wing shattered. Men looking down
on the battlefield from the hills of Cen
view. At l2 O'Clock the battle is won
for the Federals. Bee, Barstow and
Evans, who have held the Confederate
center, have been beaten back by Burn
side, Sykes and Porter. They give way
slowly and grudgingly, fighting as they
break back, and they are trying to rally,
when there is a clatter of bayonets be-
ing fixed to muskets, and thousand
men rush forward at the double quick.
1t is the New York Twenty seventh. and
Colonel Slocum leads it, the first bayonet
charge of. the war; Forward! For
ward!" And the wedge drives into the
Confederate center and rolls the frag
ments right and LETT.
The cheering is heard mile away
above the noise of battle. The Federal
center moves forward to pursue the shat
tered enemy, and couriers ride away
with the news, I'VE have pierced the
Confederate center and won the dayr'
Behind the flying Confederates is a
plateau of 800 acres, comprising two or
three farms. There are two or three
farrnhouses, orchards, meadows, thick
cts of pine, barren fields. Here is Stone
wall Jackson with 8, 900 men in reserve.
The fragments of brigades, regiments
and companies are hurled back to the
slopes of this plateau to be rallied
and reformed behind the reserves. Cou-
riers ride away to Beauregard to ask for
more artillery, infantry and cavalry,
and while the Federals pause to replen
ish their cartridge boxes and gird up
their loins for last struggle 5000 fresh
Confederates are hurrying forward to
the plateau.
Noon becomes l o'clock. The skir-
mishers are at work all along the front
Of the plateau, but there is no fighting.
Another hour slips away. The Fed
erals have waited too long. At noon they
could have carried the position with
rush. At o'clock they would have met
with stubborn resistance, but victory
would have perched on their banners.
Now as the Federals are ready to move
the Confederate 5000 have become TO-,
600, and their 10 pieces of artillery
have become 90.
A majority of the troops are fresh
and their nerves unshaken. and all are
ready for the grapple.
Thirteen thousand Federals move
against the plateau at different points
almost as one man, and the battle opens
with a great crash. Under General
Jackson s immediate orders are five or
six regiments. On the right of his line
is a Virginia regiment. On the right OF
that regiment is company from the
Shenandoahsvailey. They have not boen
in action yet. AS the Federals move
up to the attack Ricketts, Federal bat.
tery, supported by Minnesota -regi-