Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-02-07
FIRST MANASSAS
The Story of that Battle Told by
Northern Writer

e The following interesting story
h OF the battle of First Manassas was
. written for .he Pittsburg Dispatch
by staff correspondent, Mr..
a Marshall, who witnessed the bat
8 tie. The report was copied into
the Greenbrier Nv. Va.) Inde.
, pendent, and is furnished The |
, GAZETTE for reproduction by Capt.
j. A. McNeel Of Kerr's Creek.
Richmond was quite a popular
sun mer resort in July, 1851, y said
Mr.Marshall, Sand great number
CT northern people politicians,
congressman, gentlemen of leisure.
ladies fond of little we'll. (
regulated excitement, clergymen
signing for virgin territory, and
business men seeking for specula-
ton, made up their minds to raw
visit to this new capitol of the !
Southern Confederacy. Our army 6
OF gallant you: g recruits, led by s
the valiant Mcdowell, under the
direction of the sagaclous Scott. 0
was TO go ahead. The rebel SOL n
diers had been massed at convenient f
poinis in sufficient numbers to I
assist with the fireworks and '
furnish entertainment to the
visitors. The campaign was to be a
a huge picnic at Government ii
expense, and | went along with 81
hundreds Of others to see the fun. il
ave were just beginning to tire lie
OF the picnic and were preparing m
to return to Washington to spend
Sunday, when on Saturday one of =,
Gen. McDowelps aids told US that ~
they were going to attrck the ~
enemy that night. There was -
apparently no attempt to keep the ~
matter secret. At lo'cloc2 Sun -
day morning, July 81, M
THE TROOPS BEGAN TO MOVE
"You know how the battle was nu
fought at first; how their skirmish ur
Inc was chased, their batteries bu
charged, and the entire left wing ira
4 the Rebel army rolled hack nc
Beyond the Warrenton road wo do
whipped them fairly in the early OF
hours of the fight.
pretty soon out marched a let of Lu
oldiers in gray with a stard of Pc,
'rigade colors, and came at double. a =
ulck across the fed. 1t was die
Iirby Smith with the last III sal
tsllment of Johnston's army from las
Winchester, which had eludsd per
'atterson. The panic which yea
elzed our troops when these fresh y
ghters buried themselves at the 10 .
mon lines, already lettering with fslI
xhaustion, was wilder than any, AZ
ling in military history. min
GEN. MANSFIELD STAGGERED Sou
Escaping from the scene and oerl
aching Wash 'ngton Mr. Marshall wni
ported the disaster to the con-
ithorities. He appeared before wee
en-. Mansfield, who was in COM d
and of the troops around Wash UNI
gton, who querIed him as fol- nesc
VS.: an e
'''Mr. Chadwick Informs mo DIR ture
at you report our army retreat the
g Are you military man guis
p Will
50 No, sir sppr
" Then how do you know, sir, GRO"
At they were net merely making plau
hange of front or eYecnting spok
re other military naneuyre, fame
Z Re
; well General replied, as Anti
MY as 1 could, while the gray the {
red old martinez eyed me wher
rnly, Il saw whole regiments of tn
ow down their guns end take obtai
the woods. ] saw artillerymen Corp
their horses loose from the Gallo
is ar d caissons and gsllop away. An el
wv officers, men, congressman elect
Texas steers running neck ard deale
k down the road toward Wash licent
ton, and steers were the ONLY than
lgs that had their tails I'd. II Blu.
: have been a change of front, Richr
'ou cay, but Locor
Il don't believe a id word of is bel
broke in the General, who had larger
listening to me ell the while locom
D evident impotence. West,
Good evening, Irerli4d, walk The Y
out of the door. The crowd way,
got the news by this time from datior
dwick, and was almost pulled an ord
Ieces. Somebody noticed that for 9,
IS wearing gray suit, and Kansa
ted. He's a Rebel There ccnsol
several suggestions that l be other
he'd for attempting to stimulate durine
ing of the Rebel slene nt of JacC
'itY.-Gen. Mansfield hurled ouect
o the War Department and " was
y soon sergeant and squad the p,
oilers came for me ard took mMv !,
0 tie. Department. President he Tho
o.n anu MS entlre Caoiret When
," .nTre, WIN wv; oso 0en. Scott dent, "
80 vain" S ioT news from l shcul
- n'o 0" cameron nso gress, "
-. ." me'Ies' Vi Tile someth
80 ~ "nu sou'"eu ior my Preside
~ tua I "s'T "as very httle wiu 'ha
"'iU 'o'u NY s'ory orieny' New Y
HE PRESIDENT DEsPoNDENT for tina
he President sat with his head ueieat