The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-09-13
is BEHIND BULL Run.
GENERAL GRANTS POSITION NOT
KNOWN TO GENERAL BELL.
The Attacking Brown Army Harassed
I'm It's Acknowledgement Bel is Still
Two Miles from b Main Position
OF His !Adversary-An Early Norm
ing Attack Expected.

Corps Headquarters. Gainesville. Va.
Sept. s.-Gen. Grant. commanding the
Blue army. has taken up a strong po-
sition behind Bull Run. This fact has
not yet been ascertained by Gen. Bell.
commanding the attacking Brown AZ
my. This advance along the yelling
ton Pike was harassed just west OF
Pageiand Lane. by the first brigade
Of Gen. Grants army under Gen Whit
e Bell opposed this force with his
first brigade under General Lee. TAX
ing this as his adversary's center, he
threw the brigades Of Barry, Regan
and Smith to the right of Lee. seem
ingly in an effort TO get around what
wouId be the original left wing OF the
Blue army When nightfail came a;
{ o'clock this had not been accom-
piished owing &c the distance the
main line of the Blue army was
behind its rear guard or wint's b-i-
gade.
Gen. Grant selected this position be-
hind Bull Run in which to defend
Washington in order that it might De
as asy as possible for his reinforce
ments, which are on the way, to join
him. His position is not what Genera
Bell evidently has calculated OF in or
dering his turning movement. For
this reason General Bells army is as
yet fully two miles from the main
position of his adversary and his ad-
vance is being opposed by a single bri-
gade.
Cannrn1 CArhf~ h.- rha
lines Of both armies today, giving par
ticular attention to the condition of
the men. When the two armies come
into actual contact tomorrow. if this
should be the case before three o'clock.
General Corbin will draw the manoeu-
Yer at an end so that h men may
| get in condition for the review Satur-
! day. So far as the wal problem Is
concerned the benefit to the men ard
! oGicers lies in the manoeuvring for
| POSITION. When the forces collide the
respective strength each side in Zach
locality has decides the advantage,
rather than the shooting of blank car
tridges.
| The fighting between the two first
brigades of each armv today resulted
in forcing the Blue brigade back
through a strip Of woods it had occu-
pied just south of the Wellington Pike
| and west of Pageland Lane. Artillery
l was uSSu Nv lHe bIOWn dTIly III lIIS
action, the fire being directed into the
woods. This was followed UP by the
advance of the Brown line and the
falling back OF the Blue under the di
rection of the umpires.
The delay of the march to position
until 9 O'Clock today is a matter Of
complaint en- the part Of the Brown
troops, as many as 100 pr~ostrations
from the heat having been reported
among the Brown troops who were
compelled to move in the middle Of tie
day. These men have been cared for
in the hospitals of camps numbers {
and 3, n in the farm houses along
the road.
General Joe. Wheeler arrived a;
headquarters camp this morning and
Immediately rode out to the firinf
line.
General Bell has emoved his base
of supplies through Thoroughfare GAP
TO Aide. This action relieves him OF
h necessity Of employing a large
force to Protect his base while opeiat-
ing in the eastern end of the manoeu
Yer The Gap can be protected
'by a small force against a raiding PAR.
~, and the removal of the base of SUP
plies being unknown to the enemy
makes it safe without protection. This
move to the western side of the Bull
Run mountains is considered quite ar
important one, as it leaves Gen. Bel
with all of his force free-foOted to pur
sue without restraint or depletion a
forces.
Private Williams of the Fifth caval
~, who was wounded by being sho,
with a gun wad at short range is re
covering under hospital treatment.
General Corbin, his staff and visitor.
at headquarters will breakfast at fouI
O'Clock tomorrow morning that advan
tageous places may be taken to vie
the expected action. The troops ar,
at liberty to move at midnight if tnei
commands desire.