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HIItTfiIGDON, PA
Thursday afternoon, August 15, 1861
The People's Party Convention
This Convention met at the Court
House on Tuesday afternoon last.—
Several townships were not represen
ted by regularly elected delegates—
the party in such townships declining
to act as a party at the present time.
The Convention however, was com
posed of good men of , the party,—men
who had determined to meet the Dem
ocracy half way, and to move together,
shoulder to shoulder, in one solid' col
umn in the support of our Government.
The Democracy cannot refuse to ac
ceptthe, offer of , the People's party;
indeed we do not believe' there Is a
Deraocrat in the , county who is not
ready to bury for the' time, all. party
feeling in the selection of 'cO'nripeterit
men to fill all offices to be filled this
We have not - room to-day to give
the entire proceedings of the Conven
tion, but shall:4l6fio onr next. The
following sthe resolution of the Con
ventiOn 'proposing a union of parties:
Resolved : That as it is necessary
that officers should be-chosen to carry
on our local governMent, we, the rep
resentatives of the party hitherto dom
inant in this county, respectfully pro
pose, in the spirit of the preceding
resolutions,to our Democratic brethren
'to unite in forming a Union Ticket for
. the county offices; and to this end that
a committee be hereby appointed by
- this Convention.
On motion, a committee of 15 mem
bers of the present Convention be ap
pointed to meet and confer with a
committee of like number appointed
by the--Democratic Party,. who are
, favorable , to a vigorous prosecution of
the war, and the course pursued by
the General Government, in its efforts
to suppress the present rebellion insti
tuted by the disunionists of the South,
on Tuesday, the 27th of the present
month, at 2 o'clock, for the purpose of
forming a Union County Ticket, to be
supported at the'ensuing election, with
power to place in nomination a full
ticket, provided no such union can be
effected. The following persons were
appointed said committee:
Dr. H. Orlady, Gen. S. Miles Green,
Geo. W. Johnston? Jacob Miller, Sam.
Wigton, Dr. C. W. Moore, David Clark
son, Samuel Peightal, Stung McVitty,
John Griffith, Jacob Baker, James
Entrekin, Thos: E.- Orbison, John Lo
gan, George Leas.
The Democratic County Committee
will no doubt order a Cminty Conven
tion or Mass Meeting in Huntingdon
on Monday, 26th instant, when n com
mittee will be appointed to • meet the
committee named above. We hope
the very best feeling will continue to
exist with the loyal people of both
parties.
THE PAY OF OUR. Aamy.—No clues
tiou is oftener asked than what is the
compensation paid to the rank and
file of the volunteer and regular army
of the United States? As the recent
acts of Congress have modified the
terms of enlistment and of pay, we
give a statement as follows : All vol
unteers are hereafter to be mustered
into the service for "during the war,"
except volunteers in the regular army,
whose term of enlistment is to be for
three years. The pay of both volun
teers and regular army is the same,
and the bounties are the same to each.
All non-commissioned officers and pri
vates receive $l3 per month regular
pay, with rations and clothing extra.
They may commute for clothing, re
ceiving $3,50 per month in lieu of
clothing in kind, and they may com
mute for rations when not received in
kind, at the cost. Every volunteer
receives fifty cents, in lieu of subsis
tence, for every twenty miles of travel
from his place of enrollment to the
place of muster; and when honorably
dischaiged, an allowance at the same
rate from the place of his discharge to
the place of his enrollment. His trans
portation is in all cases paid by the
Government. In addition to theSe re
gular items of pay, every volunteer, if
he shall have served for a period of
two years, or during the war, if sooner
ended, is entitled to receive the sum
of, one hundred dollars bounty. Any
volunteer who may be wounded in the
service is entitled to pension or bounty
land; and the widow or heirs of such
as die or are killed in the service, re
ceive the sum of $lOO, in addition to
all arrears of pay and allowance.
Ater Capt. Geo. F. McCabe's compa
ny of Zouav'es left, on Tuesday night,
to join their regiment at Philadelphia.
The company was full. We shall be
greatly disappointed if McCabe and
his " boys"- fail to make their mark
before they return home.
.. The President has appointed
tho last Thursday in September, as a
day of humiliation, prayer and fasting
for all the people of the nation.
Viir Capt. R. P. Hamilton is back
again, and is receiving men to fill up
bis company of cavalry already nein.
ted.
Air The Government will exercise
the most vigorous measures to prevent
the publication of despateles or letters
relating to past, present or future
movements of troops in the neighbor
hood of Washington.
ger The civil list for next week is
continued, and the Jurors need-not at
tend, .
The Latest News.
GREAT BATTLE IN MISSOURI
FULL DETAILS OF THE BATTLE,
General Lyon Fell at the Head Of
His Column,
Bight Thousand Federal Troops Against
Twenty-Fivi Thousand in the Field.
REBEL GENERALS PRICE AND Mo-
CULLOUGH KILLED.
Rebel Tents and Baggage Wagons
Destroyed.
, .
,Gen. Seigel Secttres the Specie of the
Springfield Bank. '
. ,
GENERAL SEIG.EL REINFORCED
AND SAFE.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 13.
The following official report was
read to-night by Gen. Scott :
lIEADA),UERTERS, WESTERN DEP'T.,
ST. Louis, August 13,1391.
To Col. E. D. TOWNSEND :—Gen. Ly
on, in three columns, under command
of himself, Seigel, and Stu r'•iss attacked
the enemy at six and a half' o'clock, on
the morning of 'the tenth (10th) inst.,
about 9 miles south-east of Springfield.
The engagement was severe. Our
loss is about five hundred killed and
wounded.
General Lyon was killed in a charge
at the head of his column. Our force
was eight thousand (8,000) including
two thousand home guards.
The muster .roll reported to have
been taken from the enemy gives their
force at twenty-three thousand, inclu
ding regiments from Louisiana, Ten
nessee and Mississippi, With the Texan
Rangers and Cherokee half breed.
' This statement is corroborated by
the prisoners taken.
Their loss is reported to be heavy,
including Generals McCullough and
Price.
Their tents and wagons were de
stroyed in the action.
Gen. Seigel lost one gun on the field
and retreated to Springfield, whence
at three o'clock on the morning of the
eleventh, he continued his retreat upon
Rolla bringing off his baggage trains
and two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars in specie from the Springfield
bank.
Signed, J. C. FREMONT,
Maj. Gen. Commanding
The Latest.
ST. Louts, Ang.,l3
The despatch contains the same in
telligence as that conveyed by Gen.
Fremont, with the exception that the
sum of money brought by Gon. Siegel
from the Springfield Bank is placed at
twenty-five thousand dollars.
The following is a verbatim report
of the special messenger to Gen. Fre
mont
Early on Saturday morning Gen.
Lyon marched out of Springfield and
came up with the enemy at Davis
Creek on Green's Prairie, four miles
southeast of Springfield, where they
had taken a strong position.
General Lyon fired the first gun at
twenty minutes past six o'clock when
the battle immediately commenced. A
severe cannonading was kept up for
two or three hours, when the fire of
Totten's artillery 'proving severe for
the enemy, they gradually fell back
towards their encampment on Wilson's
creek.
Lyon's cavalry on the left flank, and
Siegle's artillery on the right, then
began a terrific assault, and spread
slaughter and dismay in the ranks of
the rebels, pursuing them to the camp.
The shell from Totten's artillery set
fire to their tents and baggage wagons,
which were all destroyed.
A Louisiana and a Mississippi Regi
ment seemed to suffer most and were
almost annihilated. •
Some time in the afternoon, while
Gen. Lyon was leading his column, his
horse was shot from under him. He
immediately mounted another, and as
he turned round to his men, waving
his hat and cheering them on to vic
tory, he was struck in the small of his
back and fell dead on the ground.
- The command then devolved on
Gen. Seigel, and the pursuit was con
tinued until nightfall when our little
army rested for the night in the ene
mys encampment.
On Sunday morning Gen Seigel fear:
ing the enemy might recover and at
tempt to cut his command from Spring
field, fell back on that city where the
home guards were stationed. Then
fearing that the great numbers of the
enemy might induce them to get be
tween him and Rolla, Gen. Seigel con
cluded to fall back on Rolla with his
prisoners and baggage trains and meet
reinforcements.
At the time of the departure of the
messenger the enemy had not been
seen, and it is probable that General
Siegel had not been disturbed on his
march. Ninety rebels were captured,
including a Colonel of distinction, the
messenger not remembering his name.
The sword and horse of General
McCullough were among the trophies
of the field of battle.
Reinforcements for Gep. Siegel were
on the w-ay to Rolla, and the army
may be considered safe.
From Gen. Banks' Column,
Route of Rebel Cavalry at Lovettsville
SANDY Hook; Md., Aug. 12—The
New York Nineteenth Volunteers is
now commanded by Maj. Ledlie, Col.
Clark still being under arrest, and
Lieut Col. Seward having obtained
leave of absence on account of sick
ness.
This regiment keeps watch on both
sides of the Potomac from Sandy Hook
to Berlin. Last Wednesday news reach
ed Major Ledlie that a force of upwards
of one hundred rebel cavalry were at
Lovettsville, Loudoun county, where
they were pressing and oppressing
the Union inhabitants. Detachments
amounting to one hundred men, under
command of Captain Kennedy, of com
pany B, accompanied by Captain Ste
vens, of company F, and Surgeon T.
Durcon, crossed the river at the Rock
Ferry at one o'clock on Thursday
morning, and after a difficult march of
seven miles reached Lovettsville about
daylight. Ascertaining that the rebels
had left, they retraced their route two
miles towards the river, in hopes that
the rebels would follow them as soon
as the latter discovered the weakness
of Captain Kennedy:s force ,
Here, with the Union men, they
formed an ambush, where they_ laid
concealed until 2 o'cloCk, T. M., when
ascertaining that the rebels had 'not
returned, they continued on their re
turn. .When about three miles frOm
the river-they were overtaken by a
boy with the information that-130 -of
Stewart's rebel cavalry had reoccupied
the town. , Tired, worn out, and al
most shoeless and' very "hungry, the
brave fellows with a shout at once vo
ted unanimously to return and attack
the rebels. Starting at a double quick,
they gained eight of the, town, and,under cover of a cornfield, gained sight
of the cavalry about thirty rods dis
tant. Resting for a few minutes, they
heard the rebel captain give the &dee
to mount, and, believing that they
had been 'discovered; and were about
to be charged upon, Capt. Kennedy
charged on the town at a double quick,
firing two volleys as they ran.
The enemy, after firing a few harm
less shots, made their way, con6ealed
by the houses, out of the opposite side
of the town, but not until . they had
one lieutenant killed and five men
wounded, as
,was ascertained froma
Pers'on who came int() town sobn after
wards. '
The inhabitants of London county
are generally TJnionistti, and were
grateful to be freed from' the oppres
sion of the rebels.
Captain Bowman, of the ,28th New
York, stationed between Berlin and
the Point of Rocks, heard the firing
at Lovettsville,,and started with his
Company, running three miles, to aid
Capt. Kennedy, but was too late to
participate in the rout.
From Gen. BAnks ° Column.
SAI9I! HOOK, Aug. 13.
On Saturday night, Sergeant .Tom
kins, of Company A, Second cavalry,
was sent out in charge of a picket, and
it was observed that he took with him
his entire equipments. After he sta
tioned the first picket he disappeared,
and has not since been heard from.
It is stated here that Tomkins' father
and brothers are officers in the con
federate army. There is but little
doubt expressed that he has also east
his lot among the rebels.
Four refugees from Martinsburg
were brought into camp by Colonel
Genry's picket this morning.
It - was reported yesterday that the
notorious Mcbonald, with eighteen
rebel cavalry, was in Martinsburg
pressing men into the rebel service.
Several Unionists refusing were im
prisoned. The refugees loft to avoid
being pressed into the rebel army. The
refugees from Martinsburg have no
knowledge of any large bodies of rebels
in that section. The six prisoners taken
at the Point of Rocks were sent lichee
to-day, under a guard, supposed for
Fort McHenry.
Various reports are in circulation in
the camps that the rebel militia are
collecting at numerous points in Upper
Virginia, that a regiment was at Shep
pherdstown on Sunday, and that the
encampnient was visible from the
Maryland Heights.
Great activity prevails at the head
quarters.
The Maryland Secessionists eon finite
to be brought in for prowling along
the lines, and some of the arrests have
been important.
No attack is anticipated at present
from the enemy.
The work on the Harper's Ferry
bridge is progressing, and it will soon
be passable.
The weather is rainy and the tem
perature cool. The general health is
good.
THE BATTLE AT BULL RUN.
General McDowell's Official Report
HEADQUARTERS DEPT. N. E. Arm:Es:lA,
ARLINGTON, Va., August 4, 1861
Lieut. Col. E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistaht
Adjutant General, Headquarters of
the Army, Washington, D. 0.
COLONEL: I have the honor to sub
mit the following report of the battle
of the 21st of July, near Manassas,
Virginia. It has been delayed till this
time from the inability of the subordi
nate commanders to get earlier a true
account of the state of their commands.
In my communication to you of the
20th ult., I stated it as my intention to
move that afternoon, and drive the en
emy from the east side of Bull Run, so
as to enable the engineers to make a
sufficiently accurate reconnoissance to
justify our future movements. Later
in the day they had obtained enough
information of the passage across the
streem to dispense with this reconnois
sance, and it was decided to move with
out delay. It had been my intention
to move the several columns out on
the road a few miles on the evening of
the 20th so that they would have a
shorter march in the morning; but I
deferred to those who had the greatest
distance to go, and who preferred start
ing early in the morning, and making
but one move.
On the evening of the 20th ult., my
command was mostly at or near-Cen
treville. The enemy was at or near
Manassas, distant f'rom Centreville
about seven miles to the southwest.—
Centreville is a village of a few houses,
mostly on the west side of a ridge run
ning north and south. The road from
Centreville to Manassas Junction was
along this ridge, and crosses Bull Run
about three miles from the former
place. The Warrenton turnpike, which
runs nearly cast and west, goes over
this ridge, through the village, and
crosses Bull Run about four miles from
it, Bull Run having a course between
the crossing from northwest to south
east. The first division (Tyler's) was
stationed on the north side of the War
renton turnpike, and on the eastern
slope of the Centreville ridge, two bri
gades on' the same road, and a mile
and a half in advance, to the west of
the ridge, and ono brigade on the road
from Centreville to Manassas where it
crosses Bull Run, at Blackburn's Ford,
where General Tyler bad the engage
ment of the 18th ultimo. The second
division (Hunter's) was on the War
renton• turnpike, one mile east of Cen
treville. The third division (Heintzel
man's) was on a road known as the
Old Braddock road, which comes into
Centreville from the southeast, about
a mile and a half from the village.—
The fifth division (Miles') was on the
road with the third division, and be
tween it and Centreville. A • map
which is herewith marked A, will show
these positions better than I can de
scribe them.
On Friday night a train of - subsis
tence arrived, and on Saturday its con
tents were ordered to be issued to the
; ' •; •,,‘
command, •ann‘ the men reqturethto
have three days' rations in their haver- '
sacks. OmlSaturditY !orders were is
sued
for the available force to march.
As reported to you in my letter of the
19th ult., my personal reconnoissance
of the road 'lb•the sOuth'ltd shown
that it was not practicable to carry
out the original plan of turning the ene
my's position on their right. The af
fair of the 18th - , - at 'Blackburn's Ford,
showed he was too strong at that point
for us to fbrce a passage there without
great loss, and if we did, that it would
bring us in f'ront MILS' strong position
at Mana,ses, which was not desired.
Our information Was that 'the stone
bridge, over which the 'Warrenton
road crossed Bull Elm, to the west of
Centreville, was defended by a battery
in position, and the'road On Els side of
the stream impeded by a heavy abet
tis. The alternative was, therefore„to
turn the extreme left of his position:—
Reliable information was iObtairipd of
an urdefended ford about th'ree miles
above the bridge, there being another
ford between it the bridge, which
was 13:ended. It was, therefore de
termined to take the road to the up
per ford ; and after crossing ; to get be
hind the forces guarding the lower
ford and the bridge, and after occupy
ing the Warrenton road east of the
bridge, to send, out a force to destroy
the railroad at or near Gainesville, and
thus break up theeommunication be
tween the enemy's forces at Manassas
and those in the valley of Virginia, be
fore Winchester, which bad been held
in cheek by Major General Patterson.
Brigadier General Tyler was direc
ted to move with three, of his brigades
on the Warrenton road, and commence
cannonading the enemy's batteries,
while Hunter's division, moving after
him, should, after passibg a little streairl
called Cub run, turn to the right and
north, and move around' to the upper
ford, and there turn south, and get be
hind the enemy. Colonel Hentzel
man's division was to follow Hunter's
as far as the. turning off, place to the
lower ford, where he was to cross after
the enemy should have been driven
out by Hunter's division, the (Fifth di
vision (Miles') to be in reserve on the
Centreville ridge.
I had felt anxious about the road
from Manassas by Blackburn's Ford
to Centreville, along this ridge, fearing
that whilst we should be in force to
the front, and endeavoring to turn the
enemy's position, we ourselves should
be turned by him' by this toad ;' for if'
he should once obtain possession of
this iidge, which overlooks all the
country to the west to the foot of the
spurs of the Blue Ridge, we should
have been irretrievably cut off and
destroyed. I had., therefore, directed
this point to be held in force, and sent
an engineer to extemporize some field
works to strengthen the position.
The fourth divisidn' (Runyon's) had
not been brought to the front further
than to guard our communications by
way of Vienna and the Orange and
Alexandria Railroad. His advanced
regiment was about seven miles in -the
rear of Centreville.
The divisions were 'ordered to march
at half past two o'clock A. M., so as to
arrive on the ground early in the day,
and thus avoid the heat which is to be
expected at this season. There was
delay in the first - division getting out
of its camp on the road, and the other
divisions were in consequence between
two and three hours behind the time
appointed—a great misfortune, as
events turned out. The wood road
leading from the Warrenton turnpike
to the upper ford was much longer
than we counted upon, the general di
rection of the stream being oblique to
the road, and we having the obtuse
angle on our side.
General Tyler commenced with his
artillery at half past six A. AL, but the
enemy did not reply, and after some
time it became a question whether he
was in any force in our front, and if
he did not intend himself to make an
attack, and make it by Blackburn's
Ford. After firing several times, and
obtaining no response, I held one of
Heintzelman's brigades in reserve in
case we should have'to send any troops
back to reinforce Miles' division. The
other brigades- moved forward as di
rected in the general orders. On reach
ing the ford, at Sudley's Spring, I
found part of the leading brigade of
Hunter's division (Burnside's) had
crossed, but the men were slow in get
ting over, stopping to drink. As at
this time the clouds of dust from the
direction of Manassas indicated the
immediate approach of a large force;
and fearing it might come down on
the head of the column before the di
vision could all get over and sustain it,
orders were sent back to the heads of
regiments to break from the column
and come forward separately as fast
as possible. Orders were sent b.,- an
officer to the reserve brigade of Heint
minion's division to come by a nearer
road across the fields, and ae aid-de
camp was sent to Brigadier General
Tyler to direct him to press forward
his attack, as large bodies of the ene
my were passing in front of him to at
tack the division which had Crossed
over. The ground between the stream
and the road leading from Sudley's
Spring south, and over which Burn
sido's-brigade marched, was for about
a mil from the ford thickly wooded,
whilst on• the right of the road for
about the same .distance-the country
on both sides of the road is open, and
for nearly a mile further large rolling
fields extend down in Warrenton turn
pike, which crosses what became the
field of battle through the valley of a
small water course, a tributary of Bull
Run.
Shortly after the leading regiment
of the first brigade reached this open
space, and whilst others and the sec
ond brigade were crossing to the front
and right, the enemy opened his fire,
beginning. with artillery, and following
it up with infantry. The leading bri
gade (Burnside's) had to sustnin this
shock for a short Vino without support,
and did it Well. The battalion of reg
ular infantry was sent to sustain it,
and shortly afterwards the other corps
of Porter's brigade, and a regiment
detached from Ireintzelman's division
to the left, forced the enemy back far
enou s a to allow Sherman's and Keyes'
brigades, of Tyler's division, to cross
from their - position on ,the Warrenton
road. These drove the right of the
enemy, understood to have been com
manded by Beauregard, from the front
of the field, and out of the detached
woods, - and down to the road, and
across it ,up the slopes on the other
side, Whilst this was•going geint
• • .. •
zelman's '• division ',4tia moving'
ddwn
the field to the stream and up the road
beyMl4. Beyond the Warrenton road,
and to the leftof the road, down which
our troops had marched from Sudley's
Spring i ls' a hill with a farmhouse on
it. . Behind • this„hill the enemy had,
early in .the day, some of his most an
noy-jog batteries pliinted: across the
road thiS hill was another hill, or
rather elevated ridge, or table of land.
The hottest part of the contest was for
the •possession of this ,hill with a
house on it.
The force t epgaged,here was Mint
.
zeltnan'S' di vision;Wiienx's and How
ard's brigades on the right, supported
by part of Porter's brigade and the
cavalry under Palmer and Franklin's
brigade of Heintzeiman's division,
Sherrnan's-brigade of Tyler's division
in the centre and up the road, whilst
Keyes' brigade of Tyler's division - was
on the left, attacking the batteries near
the stone. bridge. The Rhode Island
battery of Burnside's brigade also par
ticipated in this attack.by its fire from
the north of the turnpike. The enemy
was understood to have been comman
ded by J. E. Johnston Rickett's bat
tery, which did such effective service,
and played so _ brilliant a part in this
contest, was, together with. Griffin's
battery, on; the side of the hill; and.bc
came the biiject of the special atten
tion of the enemy, who sueeeeded—
our officers mistaking one of his regi
ments for one of' our own, and allow
ing it to approach without firing,upon
it in disabling the battery, and then
attempted to take it. Three times was
he repulsed by different corps in suc
cession, and driven back, and the guns
taken by hand, the horses being killed,
and pulled away. The' third time it
was,supposed by us all that the re
pulse was final; for he was driven en
tirely from the hill, and so far beyond
it as not to be in sight, and all were
certain the day was ours. He had be
fbre this been driven nearly a mile and
a half, and was. beyond the Warren
ton roach, which was entirely in our
possession, from the stone bridge, west
ward, and our engineers were just com
pleting the removal of the abattisacross
the road, to allow our reinforcement
(Schenck's brigade and Ayres' bat
tery) to join us.
The enemy was evidently disheart
ened and brokevn. But we had been
fighting sittpe half past ten o'clock in
the morning, and it way after three
o'clock in the afternoon. The men had
been up since two o'clock in the morn
ing, and had made what to those un
used to such things seemed a long march
before coining into action, though the
longest distance gone over was nine
and a half miles; and, though they had
three clays' provisions served out to
them the clay before, many, no doubt,
either did not eat them, or threw them
away on the march or during the bat
tle, and were, therefore, without food.
They had done much severe fighting.
Some of the regiments which had been
driven front the hill in the first two at
tempts of the enemy to keep posses
sion of it, had become shaken, were
unsteady, and bad many men out of
the ranks.
It was at this time that the enemy's
reinforcements Caine to his aid from
the railroad train, undeitstood to have
just arrived from the valley with the
residue of Johnston's army. They
threw themselves in the woods on our
right, and towards the rear of our
right, and opened a tire of musketry
on our men, which, caused them to
break and retire down the hillside.
This sooti'degenerated into disorder,
for which therewasno remedy. Every
effort was made to' rally them, even
beyond the reach of the enemy's fire,
but in vain. The battalion of regular
infanry alone moved up the hill oppo
site the one with the house'on it, and
there maintained itself until: our men
could•get down to and across the -War
renton turnpike, on the way back to
the position - we occupied in the morn
ing. _ The plain - was covered with the
retreating troops, and they seemed to
infect those with whom they came in
contact. The retreat "soon became a
rout, and this_soon degenerated still
further into a panic.
Finding this state of affairs was be
yond the efforts of all those who had
assisted so faithfully during the long
and hard day's work in gaining al
most the object of our wishes, and that
'foaling remained on the field but to
recognize what we could no longer
prevent, I gave the necessary orders to
protect their withdrawal, begging the
men to fall in line, and offer the ap
pearance, at least, of organization.
They returned by the fords to the
Warrenton road, protected, by my or
der, by Col. Porter's force of regulars.
Once on the road, and the different
corps coming together in small par
ties,' many without officers, they in
termingled, and all organization was
lost.
Orders had been sent back to Miles'
division for a brigade to move forward
and protect this retreat, and Col. Blen
ker's brigade was detached for this
purpose, and was ordered to go as far
forward as the point where the road to
the right left the main road.
By referring to the general order it
will be seen that, while the operations
were to go on in front., an attack was
to be made at Blackburn's Ford by
the brigade (Richardson's) stationed
there. A reference to his report, and
to that of Major Hunt, commanding
the artillery, will show that this part
of the plan was well and effectively
carried out. It succeeded in deceiving
the enemy for a considerable time, and
in keeping in check a part of his force.
The fire of the artillery at this point is
represented as particularly destruc
tive.
At the time ofour retreat, seeing
great activity in this direction, much
firing, and columns of dust, I became
anxious for this place, fearing if it were
turned or forced the whole stream, of
our retreating mass would be captured
or destroyed. After providing for the
protection of the retreat by 'Porter's
and Blenker's brigades, I repaired to
Richardson's and found the whole force
ordered to be stationed for the
of the road from Manassas by Black
burn's Ford to Centreville, on the
march, under the orders from the di
vision commander, for Centreville. I
immediately halted it, and ordered it
to take up the _ best lino of defence
across the ridge that their position ad
mitted of, and subsequently taking in
person the command of this part of the
army, I caused such disposition of thc
forces which, had been added to by the
First and Second,New Jersey 4lnct the
De Kalb Regiments, ordered up from
Runyon's reserve, • Before'- going `tciri
ward,,as , would bestlserveto chock thd
enemy. The'ridge being held in this
way, the .retreating current` pasied
slowly through Centreville to the rear.
The enemy folloW.ed }is from,' the ford
as-far as Cub-ran, - and owing to the .
road becoming blocked up at the cross
ing,, caused us"much,damage there; for
the artillery could not pass, and sev
eral pieces and caissons had to be aban
doned. In the panic'the'litnises:hatil,
ing the caissons and ammunition were
cut &Fun their places by , perstms t 6
escape with, and in this way much
confusion was caused, the panic ag
gravated, and the -road; encumbered.
Not only pieces of artillery lost, but
also many of thelafnbulances carrying
the wounded.
By sundown most of our men had
gotten, behind Centreville ride, and it
became a question whether we should
or not endeavor to make,a stand there.
The condition of our artillery and its
ammunition, and the want of food for
the men, who had generally abandoned
or thrown away 'all that had been is
sued the day before, and the utter dis
organization and Consequent demoral
ization of the mass of the army, seem
ed to all who were near enough to'be
consulted—division and, brigade-com
manders and staff—to' admit of rioA
ternative but to' badk; the more
so, as the position of,Blackburn's Ford
was then in the possession of the ene
my, and heh T .4 .- Itlrericiy: 'lmrning our
left. On sending the officers of the
staff to the different camps, theyfound,
as they reported tome, that our decis
ion had been anticipated by the troops,
most of those who had come in from
the front being already on the road to
the rear, the panic with - which they
came in still continuing and hurrying
thorn along.
At—o'clock the rear guard (Bien
ker's brigade) moved, covering the re
treat, which was effected during the
night and next Morning. The troops
at Fairfax station leaving by the cars
took with them the bulk of the sup
plies, which had been sent, there.
aid-dc-camp, Major 'Wadsworth, staid
at Fairfax Court House till late in the
morning, to sec that the stragglers and
weary-and worn out soldiers were not
left behind.
I transmit herewith the reports of
the several division and brigade com
manders, to which I refer for the con
duct ofparticular regiments and corps,
and a consolidated' return of the killed,
wounded, and missing. From the lat
ter, it will be seen that our killed
amounted to nineteen officers and four
hundred and sixty-two non commis
sioned officers and privates, and our
wounded to sixty-four officers and nine
hundred and forty-seven non-commis
sioned officers and privates.' Many of
the wounded will soon be able to join
the ranks, and will leave our total of
killed and disabled from further ser
vice under one thousand. The return
of the missing is very inaccurate, the
men supposed to be missing having
fallen into other regiments and gone
to Washington, many of the Zonaves
.to New York. In one brigade the
number originally reported at six hun
dred and sixteen, was yesterday re
duced to one hundred and seventy-fbur.
These reductions are being made daily.
In a few days a more correct , return
can be made.
Of course, nothing accurate is . knoAfn -
of the loss of the enemy. An officer
of their forces, coming from them with
a flag of truce, admitted eighteen hun
dred killed and wounded, and other
information shows this to be much
under the true number.
The officer commanding the 11th
New York Zonaves, and Col. lieintzel
man, say that the returns of that regi
ment cannot be relied on, as many of
those reported among the casualties,
have absented themselves since their
return; and have gone to New York.
Among the missing reported, many of
our surgeons, who remained in attend
ance on our wounded, and were, against
the rules of modern AvArfare, made
prisoners.
The issue of thiS hard-fought battle,
in which certainly our troops lost no
credit in their conflict on the field with
an enemy ably commanded, superior in
numbers, who had but a short distance
to march ; and who acted on his own
ground, on the defensive, and always
under cover, whilst our men were, of
necessity, out on the open fieldS, should
not prevent full credit being given to
those officers and corps whose services
merited success, if they did not attain
it.
• As my position may warrant, even
if it does not call, for some explana
tion of the causes, as far as they can
be seen, which led to the results here
in stated, I trust_
- it May not be out of
place if I refer in a few words to the
immediate antecedents of the battle.—
When I submitted' to the General-in-
Chief, in compliance with his verbal
instructions, the plan of operations and
estimate of force required, the time I
was to proceed to carry it into effect
was fixed for the Bth of July, l‘fonday.
Every facility possible was given me
by the General-in-Chief and heads of
the administrative departments iu
making the necessary preparations.—
But the regiments, owing I was told
to want of transportation, came over
slowly. Many of them did not come
across till eight or nine days after the
time fixed upon, and went forward
without ufy even seeing them, and
without having been together before
in a brigade. The sending reinforce
ments to Gen. Patterson, by drawing
off the wagons, was a further and un
avoidable cause of delay. Notwith
standing the herculean , efforts of the
Quartermaster General, and his favor
ing me in, every way, the wagons for
ammunition, subsistence,&c., and the
horses for the trains an the artillery,
did not all arrive for more than a week
after the time appointed to move. I
was not even prepared as late us the
15th ult., and the desire I should Move
became great, and it was wished I
should not, if possible, delay longer
than Tuesday, the Nth Mt. When I
did set out, on the 10th, I was still de
ficient in wagons for subsistence. But
we.it, ibrward trusting to their being
procured in time to fbllow me. The
trains thus hurriedly gathered together,
with horses, wagons, drivers, and
wagon managers, all new and unused
to each other, moved with difficulty
and disorder, and was the cause of a
day's delay, in getting
; the
_provisions
forward, making it necessary "to Make
on Sunday the attack we should have
made on Saturday.
I could not, wijh eyecy exertion, get
forward, with the troops earlier' than
Vet did. Itiviedielittfg6l6Ventreville
the i second day, which .would have
taken us there-en' the',l7tifiMiedna
bled•tih,rsolail toillihy were eonceinedi
to.ge)info on,-Ihn49o,finatemt
of the 21st ; but,iyberll:o474o
from Xairfr c x, C,o3trt• 4o n ,se t ,beiOnd
dermal - AC:4n; fel 'urge'L cur fot•tvArcT i 1?
it ivas-iihpOsible , for-the'hien
to march farther_ -They had only. come
from Vienna, about six miles,a,,ndyit
was, not i mp,re thni.pi miles, further ,to
Centreville- 7 40,111'a march'(if 124 miles;
but the Men Were 'feeb•Weary,'nOt'
Much", was . ' told, by [the - dilstaneo
marched ; as .by the:time•they hadibeen
on foot; caused ; by; the ; obstrnetions in
the.rond, and the slow, pane we'frotp,
move ,aMbiiscades: Trio Men
Were, •' inoreeirer;"` imheetrifoindd"lo
Marching, their ,- bodies.not;in .condi
tion for;-that, , i ' of, work, and : not
used to carrying even the.loadoflight
marching, order.
We crosser] Ball Min ' - ivitli'aboiff 18 2 =
000 men of all arms, the FiftiVtliv'sion
(Miles and ,Richardson's , brigado on
the left, at ,Blackbarn'it Ford „ Cen
treville, and Schenck's brigade, of Ty
ler's division, on the left of the read,
ilear'the 'stone bridge;ink - phiiicipating
in the - Main' action. The' it ambers
posed, to us :have been•variously.
mated, ; I,,Juay, safely say,. arid ,ayoid.
even ,the appearaned of , exaggeration,
that tti e enemy Drought Up all he
*Moil "Were beekept, engagod"elSe
where.• lie had notice' of .our coming
on.theAlth, and had from, that
_time
until the 21st to bring up whatever he
had. It is known .that in estimating
the force to .go against ManitssaS,llen
gaged not to have to do with the ene
my forces under Johnston, then kept
in check in , the valley by - Major Gen
eral Patterson, or those kept-engaged
by Major General Butler, and I know
every effort was made by.tha General
in-Chief that this should be done,'and
even if Johnston joined Beauregard, it
would not be because he - Could be fol
lowed :1 by Gen. r, Patterson, but front
causes ;not necessary for me :to. refer
to, but • known..to -all.- This •was not
done, and the enemy was free . to As
semble from every direction ,num
bers only limited by the arnountnf this
railroad rolling Stock and his'supplY
of provisions. tTo the forces, therfore,
we drove in from Fairfax. Court Rouse,
Fairfax . Station, . Germantown, : and
Centreville, and those under Beatire
-n•ard at Manassas;must be lidded those
under Johnston from Win . chcSter; and
those brought up by Davis' from Rich
mond ,to other places at the South, to
which is to be added the levy eq, masse
order NJ by the Richmond authorities;
which was ordered to assemblo at
Manassas. ' What all this amounted
to, I cannot say—certainly mach more
than we attacked them with:- -
I could not-, as I have -said,- more
early push on•fit4fdri' nor could I delay.
A large and the best part of 'my furl.
ces, were three months volunteers,
Whose term Of service was
ex pi re, •bu t 'were' Bent forer4rd, l as
having lung enough to serve for-the
purpose of the expedition. On the eve
of the battle the Fourth Pennsylvania
regiment of volunteers, and the 'bat
tory of Volunteer artillery of the New
York Eighth militia, whose term of
service expired, insisted on • thekr . disi
charge. ' I wrote'to the regiment, A T
pressing a request for them to remain
a short-time r and-ilni_incni.—Sec L e• flaw'
of War, who Was at the ''time on' the
grounditried to :iiidtteelle battery to
remain at least five days. But in
vain. They insisted on their discharge
that bight. It was gratited, and the
next morning, when the army moved
forward into battle, these troops moved
to the rear tp the sound of the enemy'
cannon.
. In the next few- days, dity,b . y . day r l
should 'have lost tek - thedstind of 'the
best armed, drilled, offieeretl and dis
ciplined troops in the alin;y: -- ,ln other
words, every day Which added to the
strength of the enemy x made us weaker.
In conclusidn, 'I desire. to say, in
reference to the events of the 21st ult.
that the-general,:order fbr ~the battle
to which I referred was, with slight
modifications, literally conformed to;
that the corps were brought over Bull
Run in the Manner proposed, and put
into action as before arranged; and
that up to-late in;the, afternoon every
movement ordered was carrying is
successfully to the object we, had pro
posed before starting—that of getting'
to the railroad leading from Manassas
to the valley of, ;Virginia, and " going
on it fir enough to, break up. and , de
stroy the communication and inter
views between the.fbrces , tinder Beau
regard and those under Johnston.-,--
And could we have fought% day or
few hours sooner, there is everything
to show hoW we could have Continued
successful, even against the odds with
which We i'enteaded. -
I have the honor to be, very respect
fully, your most obedient servant,
MeDowELL,
Brig. General Commanding.
The Wounded of the Battle of Bull Run
PHILADELPHIA, 'AlignSt I.42—A'
fished list of the wounded prisoners=at
Richmond and Centreville, foote up IL
total of five hundred and nineteen,_ of'
which twenty-four had died of their
wounds; at Centreville two hundred
and twenty-five, of which twenty had
died.
OUR CORRESPONDENCE;
UNION TOWNSHIP, Aug. 13, .1801,
MR. LEWIS :—After a short silence,
I will again endeavor to give you a
few items from this toWnship.', - ,
Farmers are somewhat behind with
their work, owing to the wet weather
this week. On Friday of. last - week,
we had quite a heavy rain aecompa,
flied with thunder and lightning, which
caused considerable damage,Ao both
public and private property. Nearly
all-the bridges over the small streams
were swept away, and the roads in
many places - were left impassable.
A. barn belonging to Samuel - Grove,
situated' en a farm a mile from Mill
Creek, was struck by the lightning,
and was completely destroyed with all
its contents. The barn contained
about four hundred dozen of rye, nine-,
ty dozen of wheat, and two windmills,
belonging to Charles Geissinger; also
sonic hay, oats, two. plows, and a few
other articles, the property of Henry
Greenawalt, were alsa destroyed. • The
lass will fall heavily on' both of them.
The corn presents a very fine appear,
auce; oats also look promising...
Yours, &e.,. "