Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-10-14
The First Battle of Manassas by
Yankee Reporter.

Yankee Reporter.
For the New York World, July 23rG. 1861.
lContinued from last week.
But what scene, and how terrific
the onset of that tumultous retreat
For three miles hosts of Federal
trOOps-aIl detached from their regi
ments, all mingled in one disorderly
rout-were fleeing along the road, but
mostly through the lots on either side.
Army wagons, suffers teams, and pri
carriages choked the passage tumbling
against each other amid clouds of dust
and sickening sights and sounds
Hacks, containing spectators of the late
affray, were smashed like glass and the
occupants were lost sight of in the de-
bris. Horses flying wildly from the
battlefield, many of them in death
agony, galloped at random forward,
joining in the stampede. Those On
foot, who could catch them, rode them
bareback, as much to save themselves
from being run over as to make quick
er time. Wounded men, lying along
| the banks-tbe few, neither left on the
| field nor taken to the captured hosplt-
als-appealed with raised hands to
those who rode horses, begging to be
lifted behind, but few regarded such
petitions. Then the artillery, such as
was saved, came laundering along.
smashing aud overpowering every
thing. The regular cavalry, record
adding to its terrors, for they rode
down foOtmen without mercy. One
of the great guns was overturned and
lay amid the ruins of caissOn as |
passed it. l saw an artilleryman run
ming between the ponderous fore and
after wheels of bis gun carriage, hang
ing on with both hands and vainly
striving to jump upon the ordnance.
The drivers were spurring the horses:
he could not cling much longer and a
more agonized expression never fixed
the features of drowning man. The
carriage bounded from the roughness
of a steep hill leading to a creek, he
lost his hold, fell, and in an instant the
great wheels had crushed the life out
of him. Who ever saw such a flight.
Could the retreat at Borodino have
exceeded it in confusion and tumult
[ think not. 1t did not slack in the
least until Centerville was reached.
There the sight of the reserve-Miles
rigade-formed in order on the hill,
seemed somewhat to reassure the van.
But still the teams and foot soldiers
pushed on passing their own camps and
heading swiftly for the distant Poto-
mac, until for ten miles the road over
which the grand army had SO lately
passed southwark, gay with unstained
banners and flush with surity of
strength was covered with the frag-
ments of It's retreating forces, shatter
ed and panic stricken in single day.
From the branch route the trains at
tached to Hunter Is division. had caught
the cOntagion of the flight and poured
into its already swollen current anoth-
er turbid freshet of confusion and dis
may. Whoever saw more shameful
abandonment of munitions, gathered
at such vast expense? The teamsters,
many of them. cut the traces of their
horses and gallOped from the wagons.
Others threw out their loads to accele-
rate their flight, and grain, picks. and
shovels, and provisions of every kind
lay trampled in the dust for leagues.
Thousands'of muskets strewed the route
and when some of us succeeded in rail-
lying body of fugitives and forming
them in line across the road, hardly
one but had thrown away his arms.
If the enemy had brought up his artil-
lery and served it upon the retreating
train or had Intercepted our progress
with five hundred of his cavalry, he
might have captured enough supplies
for weeks feast of thanksgiving. AS
it was. enough was left behind to tell
the story of the panic. The rout of the
Federal army seemed complete.
ACHECK TO THE RETREAT.