AMERICA, DEFEAT OF THE FEDERAL TROOPS!

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 417, 22 October 1861, Page 3

AMERICA, DEFEAT OF THE FEDERAL TROOPS!

ExßiiY in July it was understood in the North tbat the Secessionists, under General Beauregard, to the number of 60,000, were posted near Manassas Gap. Their position was strongly intrenched. The Federal 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 terras in which ihe New York Times announced the advance of M'lXmeU, seem to

nuke it orobable that General Scott was compelled to move oa at all hazards, and belbro Bank's or Patterson's column oould possibly come up. It was certain, •m every one knew, that the position at Manassas Junction wouiil not be abandoned by the Confederates, if they could possibly avoid it. It commands tho various roads? towards the west and the south ; besides which, the nature of the situation is such a3 to be readily converted in skilful hands into a moat formidable military position. About three miles iv front there is a wooded valley, through 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 upon the north and west of the Confederates there is a rugged couutry covering the roads from Harper's Ferry and Winchester, admirably fitted for defensive operations. Now it appears that General Beaurgard fully appreciated those natural advantages, and, being a captain of engineers, was thoroughly oompetent to give practical effect to these advantages. He seems to have prepared a field of battle between the spurs of the B'ue Ridge on the north-west, the Ocoquan River on the southeast, and on the banks of tbe Bull's Run in his front. For miles within this cirouit the ground is said to have bristled with masked batteries; and so skilfully and secretly were these formidable preparations made, that the Federal officers seem to have been ignorant either of tbe number of guns in the batteries, or of tbe particular position which they occupied. At all events, on July 18, Colonel Richardson, with the 4th Brigade of the Ist division, advanced from Centreville, tb« head-quarters of General M'Dowell. But he soon found himself in tbe midst of an ambuscade. He was fired upon by uuseen batteries in 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 that a careful recoouoisance was necessary, and that a much more vigorous attack was to be organised. Accordingly, the 19th and 20tb of July were spent ia reconnoitring and in bringing up tbe whole corps d'armee, under General M'Dowell. In tbe meantime the batteries at Bull's Run lemained in the hands of tbe Confederates.

Early in the morning of the 21st General M'Dowell advanced with about 55,000 men. The right of the Federalists seems to have rested upon Ccntveville, 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 themselves of three batteries. But at this crisis an important event took place which marks the skill of the Confederate genera!. General Johnston appeared with a reinforcement of 25,000 men, This officer had retreated before the Federalist general, Patterson, from Harper's Ferry, and thenca to the South. It is evident from the New York journals that they iraagioed Johnston to be in full retreat, lest he might be overwhelmed by the Federalist, who, after leaving Harper's Ferry, had occupied Martinsburg. But the probability is that, anticipating an attack upon Bull's Eun, he made all speed through the defiles of the Blue Ridge Mountains to join General Beauregard, which he succeeded iv doing in time to take part in the battle of the 21<9fc. After the junction of tlieae 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, iv short, completely routed. The following passage is from the New York correspondence of July 24 in the Daily News: —■

' Our army, af;er gaining three victories, is at last repulsed before Manassaa.' 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 headlong race of panicstricken men, flinging down muskets and knapsacks, that all the muclwvaunted Northern batteries had been taken, that 5000 Northern men lay dead on the field, that Washington itself was in danger. Never has such a day been remembered in New York, Boston, Cincinnati, Chicago, Philadelphia and a hundred other cities. The only parallels which oan be found adequately describing the alternations between the highest pitch of confidence and the lowest depth of despair t;re iv the great Grecian orator's famou9 account of the news of the battle of Chseronea reaching Athens, or in Livy's narrative of the state of Rome after Cannae. With July 22, however, passed away the densest gloom of our horizon. ' Heaviness may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.' It was found that the panic of the 22nd was not confined to the army, but bad extended to the newspaper correspondents. The 5000 dead dwindled to 1000; the five or six Northern batteries, all represented at first as taken, are now said to be in part, if not, entirely, recovered. The Northern army, said to be utterly and hopelessly demoralised, is found ttf have suffered vastly less than was imagined, aud not to have been pursued by the Southerners. All trustworthy details of the battle are still wanting, and if I were to attempt to supply'them from the rumors and canards with which the air is thick, I could only reveal a phantasm of Jeff. Davis on a white horse, appearing like Castor and Pollux at Lake Regillus, 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 the height of presumption to commit to paper, and transmit across the Atlantic, such shadowy revelations. The disaster is not so great and overwhelming a catastrophe as it was at first represented ; still it cannot for one moment be pretended that the Northei'ners have not received a heavy and damaging defeat. It is possible that iv conformity with the ordinary and woeful disiugenuousness of the American press, this heavy repulse may be 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 army ; and that the war is not going to be the easy aud triumphant march to victory which nine-tenths of the Northerners have fondly imagined.'

From Southern sou.cc we have the following, relative to the battle :—

A special despatch to the Charleston Mercury, dated Jjuly 23, says:—' As soon as it became evident that the enemy meant to give battle, President Davis hastened to the scene of action, arriving in time to take part in the battle. He immediately assumed command of the centre. General Beauregard was commander of the right wing, and General Johnston of the left. It was against General Johnston's command the enemy concentrated tkcit bwt troops^ who fought moat obati-

nately; .At <>ne mti (' 1- '^f was pressed so severely that "the issue of the conflict in that dirccfion s-eemed doubtful. It was there Colonel Carton s Georgia regiment was posted, which was t-n terribly cut up that a large [».; !y of our troops from flltf centre was sent at a c ilical moment to llu* kit's assistance, and turned the tide of the b.ittle. The enemy broke and fled before tho impetuous charges of the Southerners, and the battle soon became a rout.'

A despatch from Richmond, dated July 22cJ, said :— * Soou after prayer in the Confederate Congress, the following despatch was r^ad to that body :—

Manassas Junction, Sunday night. Night has closed upon a hard fought field. Our forces were victorious. The enemy was routed and fled precipitately, abandoning a large amount of arms, ammunition, knapsacks, and baggage. The ground *vas strewed foe miles with those killed, and the farmhouses and the grounds around were filled with wounded. Pursuit was continued along several routes towards Leesburg and Centreville until darkness covered the fugitives. We have captured several field batteries, stands of arms, and Union and State flags. Many prisoners have been taken. Many prisoners have been taken. Too high praise cannot be bestowed, whether for the skill of the principal officers or for the gallantry of our troops. The battle was mainly fought on our left. Our force was 15,000, and that of the enemy 35,000. (Signed) Jefferson Davis.

General M'Dowell's official report of the battle at Bull's Run gives the total at 19 officers and 462 men killed; 64 officers and 947 men wounded; 40 officers and 1176 men missing; 26 pieces of artillery were taken by the enemy, besides ammunition, muskets, provision, &c.