THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume I, Issue 18, 31 October 1861, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA.

(From the Home Hews, Aug. 26.)

The most important event of the month has been the defeat of the North, in its first pitched battle ■with the Southern Forces. The great advance from Washington to the South, so long demanded by Northern opinion, was made on the 21st of July against the advice of General Scott, and was apparently mismanaged throughout. The Federal army, under General M’Dowcll, attacked the Confederates entrenched near Manassas Gap, at a place called Bull's Run, after a long march and a long fast, and under officers that understood little or nothing of their business. They were driven back, a panic spread fast through the ranks, and the whole army, abandoning the bulk of its guns, its baggage, and its accoutrements, fled back in disgraceful rout to Washington. General M’Dowell endeavored in vain to rally his men at Centreline. If Beauregard, the leader of the Southern forces, had been aware of the completeness of his victory (which he does not seem to have been), or if he had been able to follow it up, he could easily and within a few hours have been in possession of Washington. He made no attempt, however, to pursue the retreating array ; and lie has since contented himself with strengthening his position by fortifying Fairfax, resolved apparently on the defensive. The feeling of dismay caused at first in the North by the issue of the engagement is indescribable. But that quickly yielded to a desire for revenge. The Federal Government set itself heartily to repair its misfortune. Eighty thousand new troops were instantly summoned from New Tork and Pennsylvania, a bill was introduced to enable the President to dismiss incompetent officers, and Congress resolved to continue its sittings and carry on the war in the teeth of all disasters. Tt sat till the 6th August, by which time it had done all that lay in its power, by the passing of bills to supply the necessary funds. Amongst the measures passed is one which places a tax of three per cent, upon incomes over £l5O a-year, and raises the tariff to a preposterous height, the new duty on wine, for example, amounting to 50 per cent. ad valorem. Another measure authorises the confiscation of property of rebels, including slaves. Ihe prospects of the Northern States, however, are decidedly gloomy both in a financial and military point of view. While the victory of the South has strengthened the cause of Secession in Missouri and Kentucky, the Western Union States which were at first the most ardent in favor of the war are beginning to complain loudly of the increased taxation. The Federal blockade of the whole coast of the Southern States,meanwhile, continues; but it is only a nominal blockade. Successful reprisals by the privateers of the South are being reported from time to time. The reorganization of their army is found by the Federalists to bo no easy matter. General M’JDowell has been withdrawn from the command, and is succeeded by General M’Clellan, the hero of the day, whose popularity is such that he bids fair to be*the next President. General M’Clellan has taken vigorous measures to enforce something like discipline amongst his soldiers, and has already succeeded to a considerable degree. But much still remains to be done. The spirit of insubordination which has prevailed in the army is almost incredible. The officers appear to be generally worse than the men.

As to the volunteers who enlisted on the first outbreak of host ilities for three months, most of them have gone or have been sent home. It is a fact which should be recorded that on the very morning of the battle at Bull’s Run a body of them, whose time was “ up,” coolly left the field. We subjoin copious extracts from the correspondence &c., of the month, containing the details referring to all the principal events. DEFEAT OF TUE FEDERAL TROOPS. Early in July it was understood in the North that the Secessionists, under General Beauregard to the number of 60,000, were posted near Manas' sas Gap Their position was strongly intrenched. Ihe if edera! army, under General M’Dowell, in five divisions, and numbering about 55,000, Was advancing from Alexandria and Arlington heights to the attack. It is now obvious, from the tone of the American journals, that the popular clamor was loud against delay, and the somewhat extravagant terms m which the Xew York Times announces the advance of M’Dowell make it probable that G eneral Scott was compelled to move on at all hazards, and before the forces of Bank’s or Patterson s column could possibly come up. It was certain, as every one knew, that the position at Manassas Junction would not be abandoned by the Gontederates if they could possibly avoid it. It commands the various roads towards the west and the south ; besides which, the nature of the situation is such as to be readily converted in skilful hands into a formidable military position. About three miles in front there is a wooded valthrough which flows the stream of the Bull’s Run on the south the right flank of the Confederates is protected by another large river, whilst on the north and west of the Confederates there is a rugged country covering the roads from Harper’s Ferry and U mchester, admirably fitted for defensive operations. Now it appears that General BeaureS a j ““v appreciated these natural advantages, and, being a captain of engineers, was thoroughly competent to give practical effect to these advantages. He seems to have prepared a held of battle between the spurs of the Blue Ridge on the north-west, the Ocoquan river on the southeast, and the banks of the Bull's Run in his front, lor miles within this circuit the ground is said to have bristled with masked batteries, or of the particular position which they occupied. At all events on .July 18th, Colonel Richardson, with the dth Brigade of the Ist division, advanced from Centreyille. the head quarters of G eneral M’Dowell. But he soon found himself in the midst of an ambuscade. He was fired upon by unseen batteries, front, flank, and rear, and was ultimately compelled to retreat with some loss of 20 killed and wounded, according to the story of the Federalists. It was obvious tuat careful reconnaissance was necessary and that a much more vigorous attack was to be organised. Accordingly the 19th and 20th of July were spent in reconnoitring and in bringing up the whole corps d’ armee, under General M’Dowell. In the meantime the batteries at Bull’s Run remained in the hands of the Confederates. the morning of the 21st General . Dowell advanced with about 55,000 men. The right of tho Federalists seems to have rested upon Centrevdle, the left upon Fairfax Court-house, and the advance must have been made right against the Confederate batteries. The Federalists, after a struggle of nine hours, managed to possess themsel\es of three batteries. 33 ut at this crisis an important event took place, which marks the skill of the Confederate General. General Johnston appeared with a reinforcement of 25,000 men This officer had retreated before the Federalist General Patterson, in Harper’s Ferry, and thence to the South. It is evident from the New York journals that they imagined Johnston to be in full retreat lest he might be overwhelmed by the Federalists who, after leaving Harper’s Ferry had occupied* Martinsburg. But the probability is, that anticiting an attack at Bull s Run, he made all speed through the defiles of the Blue Ridge Mountains to join General Beauregard, which he succeeded m doing m time to take part in the battle of the 21st. After the junction of those 25,000 men General Beauregard assumed the offensive, attacked the Federal army, and drove it in disorder from the field. The whole army fled in open disorder towards Washington. Nor did all the efforts of General M’Dowell avail to check the retreat. The Federal army was, in short, completely routed.

The following passage is from the New York correspondence of July 24. in the Daily News: “ our ar “>y. after gaining three victories, is at last repulsed before iMamissfis.’ ’ These were the first words that burst like a shell in our midst, and from that moment until midnight despatch followed despatch, each worse than the last announcing that the retreat had become a rout, that the rout was a race ot panic-stricken men, flinging down muskets and knapsacks, that all the much vaunted Northern batteries had been taken, that 5,000 Northern men lav dead on the field, that Washington itself was in danger. Never has such a day been remembered in New York, Boston, Cincinati, Chicago, Philadelphia, and a hundred other cities. The only parallel which can be found adequately describing the alternations between the highest pitch of confidence and the lowest depths of despair are in the great Grecian orator's famous accountof the news of the battle of ChaDrona reaching Athens, or in Livy’s narrative of the state of Borne after Canute. With July 22, however, passed away the densest gloom of our horizon. Heaviness may endure for a night, but ioy comct. ‘ m Morning.” It was found that the panic of the 2_nd was not confined to the army, but had extended to the newspaper correspondents. The 5,000 dead dwindled to 1,000 ; the five or six Northern batteries, all represented at first as taken ai ' u 11 sa ' T t f f° f ,e in part, if not entirely recovered. The Northern array, said to bo utterly and hopelessly demoralised, is found to have suffered vastly less than was imagined, and not to have been pursued by the Southerners. All trustworthy details of the '■'* MIC PUU yy an VLJ it;, u«(i it x were to attempt to supply them from the rumors and canards with which the air is thick, I could only reveal a phantasm of Jelf. Davis on a white horse appearing like Castor and Pollux at Lake Eegillus, and turning the Southern retreat into an advance at the most deadly and critical moment. With our recent experience as to telegraphic despatches and newspaper correspondents, it would

be tlie height of presumption to commit to paper: /and transmit across the Atlantic, such shadowy rcrelations. The disaster is not so great and overwhelming a catastrophe as it was at first reprcscnted ; still it cannot for one moment bo pretended that the Northerners have not received a heavy and damaging defeat. It is possible that in conI forinity with the ordinary and woful disingenuousness of the American press, this heavy repulse mav he frittered away until it is made almost into a Northern triumph. Still the truth remains, that the first great pitched battle of the war has resulted in a great defeat of the Northern arluy; and that the wai is not. going to be the easy and triumphant march to victory which nine-tenths of the Northerners have fondly imagined. In a later communication Mr. Russell states the following facts in reference to the battle : There was not a bayonet charge made by the Federalist’s infantry during the day ; there was not a charge of any kind made by the Confederate c.nalry upon any regiment of their enemy until the latter broke. There was not a hand-to-hand encounter between any regiments. There was not a single battery charged or taken by the federalists. There wci'e no masked batteries brought in play by the former. There was no annihilation of rebel horses by Zouaves Fire or other. A volley fired by one battalion emptied three saddles among a body of horse who appeared at some distance and the inlantrv which performed the execution then retired. There were no desperate struggle except by those who wanted to get away. '1 he whole matter in plain English amounts to this. The Federalists advanced slowly but steadily under the fire of their artillery, drivum the enemy, who rarely showed out of cover, in line before them, and gradually forced them back on the right and centre for a mile and a-lmlf towards Manassas. As the enemy fell back they used their artillery also and there was a good ileal of pounding at long ranges with light field guns, and some heavier rilled ordnance, (ho line on’both sides being rarely within 500 yards of each other On one occasion (he regiments on tiio right were leeched by a musketry lire from the enemy, which inuuced them to Adi back, but they wore rallied and led forward towards the front. The Confederates again gave way, and the Federalists advanced once more. Again the line of the enemy appeared in front, and delivered fire. The Zouaves as they are called, and the 11th New York, which were on the flank, fell into confusion not to be rained, and eventually retired from the field in disorder, to use the mildest term with a contagions effect on their comrade', and with the loss of the guns which they were supporting. Nothing would or coulu, or did slop them. In vain they were reminded of their oaths to “ avenge Ellcsworth’s T. hcii- Hag was displayed to the winds ; it had lost its attractions. They ran in all direetionswnh ;l speed winch their fortune favoured, imt il tue miserable rout and panic of the Federalists have produced such deplorable results to t.icir cause, (hey have still much to be thankful lor. Had the Conlederatcs been aware of their success, and followed up their advantage early on ■uonnay morning (July 22), there was no reason Ci ' ,l >‘ l why flic.v should not have either got into U ashmgton or compelled the whole of the Federalists army that kept together and could not escape as it was all on one road, to surrender themselves prisoners, with all they possessed. If the statements m Lie !• oderahst papers as to their strength /wi IVCt ’ t -' e rL ‘ be * s could have easily spared nrn me . n thnfc P !ll 'Pose. with a reserve of 10,000 or in the rear. If Beauregard's or Leo’s force smad, had suffered as much as the Federalists k. 10 is tlie more incomprehensible. Hut still it is very strange that the victors should not iiavc been aware of (heir victory—that is, of the utter rout which followed their*’ repulse. The attempt to,, form line on the top of Centreville, only paitially successful as it was, might have imposed on the enemy, and saved M’Dowell from the pursuit, which he did his best to avert. The journals T-nnA at f!rSt boastcd of t! ‘c grand Union array of OA aaa mCU fU * C 110 ' v al «ious to show that only were engaged. Why did the other 25,000 run away ? The. German regiments under Colonel -Lineker and perhaps some oilier crops, mav have retired in good order, but eventually few withstood Lie incessant alarm. Johnston, whose junction with .10 000 nien is said to liave taken place (if lie tiacl half tlie number it is more than I gave him credd for) on the morning of the battle must have swel.cd the force under Lee and Beauregard to /0,000 at (he least. He is the best officer” in the t onfedernte army, and he is already operating in \v estern I irginia. There is a suspicious silence in the despatches and telegrams from (he West and Soutli-Western camps of the Federalists, which justifies (ho Secessionist rumours of disaster in those quarters. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. Home Hews Office. Monday, Ang. 26 IS6I. ANOTHER BATTLE —THE EEPEKALISXS AGAIN DLTEATED. Y. o have just received nows down to the 14 th of August from America. A second great battle has been longht, and the result lias been again disastrous to the North. Onr information is derh ed from the following two telegrams from New York ; August 13.—-It is reported from St. Louis that General Lyon s command at. Springfield had been totally routed by tlie Confederates, and General Lyon killed. The Eedorals, it is stated, were in full retreat. Mr. I-aulkiicr, the late American Minister, at Baris, has been arrested on a charge of treason, and lodged in Washington gaol. The Fing s Comity Court lias issued an order to arrest the commander of Fort Lafayette for refusing to obey the writ of habeas corpus to produce the Baltimore police Commissioners. Prince Napoleon has returned to New York. He was received at Manassas by Generals Beauregard and Johnston. Ale win proceed to Niagara in a few days. Tlie Secretary of the Treasury has not yet obtained the loan for which he has proposed to the New Y ort banks. The Bank Committee will report on the Secretary's proposal to-morrow. Some uncertainty prevails in commercial circles as'to the result. • August 14—The news of a battle having been fought at Springfield, resulting in the defeat of the

Eederals and the death of General Lyon, has been confirmed. The Federal loss is officially reported at 800 killed and wounded. The Federalists retired in good order to Holla. 8,000 Fcderals and 25,000 Confederates are stated to have been engaged. The Confederate loss is said to be heavy and it is rumoreu (nut uenerms Brice and iu'Culloch were killed. Twenty-three Federal prisoners have been released and have returned from llichinond, where 1,200 prisoners remain. General Wool will take the command of Fort Munroe. It is reported for certain that the New York, Boston, and Philadelphia Bank will now take 50,000,000 of the Federal loan, and the remaining 120,000’000 in instalments by December.