Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-09-07
The Rattle of Manassas.


Headquarters, Gainesville, Va, Sept.7.
Undaunted by his failure yesterday to
dislodge the Brown army from Thorough
fare gap, Gen. Grant resumed the Of
fensiye with renewed vigor and suppos-
edly fresh troops this morning. Al
though in yesterdays engagement the
Brown army, under Gen. Bell suffered
heavily, so excellent were the DISPOSE
tons of its various brigades and detach-
ments that it was able to hold its own.
Under the rules of the game, however,
Bell did not profit today by the damage
he constructively inflicted upon the
enemy yesterday. Gen. Grant is sup
posed to have been REINFORCED during
the night by the arrival OF troops from
Fairfax Court House, and though in
reality he is using exactly the same SOL
diers today as he did yesterday, they
form in theory an entirely new division,
supposed to have suffered no casualties.
Brig. Gen. Whit, who was "killed'
Yesterday while leading charge near
Newmarket, was at the head of his bril-
gade this morning.
The four companies of the Seventy
fourth New York and the one company
of the Fifth regular infantry, supposed
to have been annihilated by the Con-
necticut artillery, were in the fight to.
day. The Brown army's casualties,
which were quite heavy, hold over today
and Gen. Bell on this account went in
to action with a considerably depleted
force. When the battle was resumed
this morning the Blues constructiyely
outnumbered the Browns nearly two to
one. Meantime, however, there is sup
posed to be a fresh division on ia way
from Front Royal to relieve Bell at
Thoroughfare, and the rules make it
necessary for the Blues to so dispose
themselves as to be ready to meet these
requirements as we'll as to continue the
attack on Bell. The Front Royal divi-
sion will be assumed to be marching
through Thoroughfare Gap at three
O'Clock this afternoon, the hour at which
the two days conflict will end. AS
soon as possible after the conclusion of
today's engagement, the umpires will
get together and formulate their deci-
son as to the winner. Military
experts on the ground this morning be-
lieved that Bell had slightly the best of
the situation this morning when the en-
gagement was renewed. The main
bodies OF the two armies bivouacked last
night facing each other along the
Carolina road, northeast of Haymarket
and three miles in front of Thorough
fare Gap, and were in this position at
the resumption of hostilities today. As
yet there has been no clash between the
Connecticut colored troops and the
militiamen from the South, as has been
threatened. AS a precautiOn against
such an occurrence the colored soldiers
were stationed at the extreme end OF the
Manassas camp, where there is little
likelihood of their coming into contact
with tho southerners.
Just at peep of day the Blue army
opened fire on the Browns. Gen. Grant
had placed his supposed reinforcements
on his left. Shortly after their arrival,
General Bell, commanding the Browns,
was informed of the additional strength
of bis enemy.
Notwithstanding his success of yester-
day in repulsing the attack on his lines,
which was still in progress when might
fell' Bell deemed it advisable to fall
back early this morning to a shorter de-
fensive line. This line was established
from auckland through Thoroughfare to
Antioch, on the extreme north of the
zone. BY daylight this defense was es-
tablished and it is on this line that Gen
eral Grant began to advance this MORN
ing,
The brigade of General Barry, of the
Brown army, holds the Brown line from
Bdckland to ThorOughfare, where it joins
the brigade of Colone! Regain, which ex-
tends to Little Bull Run on the north.
Colonel Smiths brigade of the Brown
army completes the line to Antioch.
General Lees brigade is still in reserve
near Thoroughfare, but will doubtless be
brought in action during the day.
The indications are that Grants main
attack is to be delivered by General Whit
as a reward for his spirited charge ofyes-
terday which resulted in his untimely
"death," and whose brigade today forms
Grants right. The Blue brigades of Bliss
and Frost, which yesterday we're not
seriously engaged, will probably be put
in action today.
Because of the great fatigue OF the
men in both the Brown and the Blue
armies, and a lack of ammunition, Gen.
Corbin ordered that the first problem be
discontinued at noon today instead of at
3 o'clock as had been intended. Just
before that hour, the Blue army, which
was attacking the Brown about mile
and half west OF Haymarket, advanced
in great force on the left flank of the
Browns, and gained decision from the
uhpire that the Brown defensive line
had been penetrated at this one point.
This was the first victory for the Blues,
and as their advance was sustained, it
about offsets their previous repulses.
As a matter Of fact, however, the Blue
army at the close of the problem had
not managed to capture ThorOughfare
Gap which was their objective. 1t is
loo mod todav that ON attann t waa made