tionate to the numbers engaged on either side, and to the duration of the conflict. The nature of the ground, and the fact that the struggle was confined to attacks upon batteries and ambuscades, made the whole affair a series of fiery skirmishes, rather than a grand field encounter. Men fought with a kind of American individuality-each for himself-and the musketry firing was of the most irregular character. There were few such heavy volleys as those which made the hills echo last Thursday.

dismay. Who ever saw a more shameful aban- | wide-spread action will not be found propordonnent of munitions gathered at such vast expense? The teamsters, many of them, cut the traces of their horses, and galloped from the wagons. Others threw out their loads to accelerate their flight, and grain, picks, and shovels, and provisions of every kind lay trampled in the dust for leagues. Thousands of muskets strewed the route, and when some of us succeeded in rallying a body of fugitives, and forming them in a line across the road, hardly one but had thrown away his arms. If the enemy had brought up his artillery and served it upon the retreating train, or had intercepted our progress with five hundred of his cavalry, he might have captured enough supplies for a week's feast of thanksgiving. As it was, enough was left behind to tell the story of the panic. The rout of the Federal army seemed complete.

A Check to the Retreat.

The sight of Miles's reserve drawn up on the hills at Centreville, supporting a full battery of field-pieces, and the efforts of the few officers still faithful to their trust, encouraged many of the fugitive infantry to seek their old camps and go no farther. But the majority pushed on to a point near the late site of Germantown, where Lieut. Brisbane had formed a line of Hunt's artillerists across the road and repulsed all who attempted to break through. I particularly request attention to the service thus rendered by this loyal young officer.

It would not be surprising if our entire loss in killed and wounded should prove to have been not over a thousand men. The rebels must have suffered twice as much from the terrific cannonading of our artillery in the forenoon, and from the desperate charges of the Zouaves, the Sixty-ninth, and the other corps which were especially distinguished in the engagement. The Zouaves captured two batteries, fought hand to hand with the Carolinians in a furious bowie-knife conflict, routed the famous Black Horse Cavalry, and only broke ranks when victory became hopeless.

Nine-tenths of our killed and wounded were perforce left on the field, and in the hospitals at either end; and as the enemy retains possession of the ground, we can get no accurate details of our losses. From prisoners taken by us we learned that the rebel leaders, determined to have no incumbrances on their hands, issued orders to give no quarter. It is positively known that many of our comrades were bayoneted where they fell. All the wounded Zouaves suffered this inhuman fate.

While he was thus engaged, a courier arrived with the news that Col. Montgomery was advancing with a New Jersey brigade from Falls Rickett's, Carlisle's, and the West Point batChurch, and that the retreat must be stopped, teries remain in the enemy's possession. Twenonly the wagons being allowed to pass through. ty-three of our guns, including the thirty-twoSome thousands of the soldiery had already pound siege pieces, were taken.* But Shergot far on their way to Washington. Poor man, who went into action with six cannon, fellows! who could blame them? Their own came out with eight-two of them dragged colonels had deserted them, only leaving orders from the rebel embrasures. Large numbers of for them to reach Arlington Heights as soon as sutlers' and train wagons are probably cut off, they could. A few miles further I met Mont- and abandoned arms and munitions have fallen gomery swiftly pressing to the rescue, and re- into the enemy's hands. At the date of this ported the success of Lient. Brisbane's efforts. | letter, it is uncertain whether any of our regiAnd so I rode along, as well as my weary horse ments which were intercepted at the time of could carry me, past groups of straggling fugi- the panic have surrendered themselves to the tives, to Fairfax, where Col. Woodbury was rebels; but this must be the case with many expecting, and guarding against, a flank move- of the infantry, who, ignorant of the country, ment of the enemy, and on again to Long starving and exhausted, dashed into the forests Bridge and the Potomac. But the van of the in their retreat. Every hour, however, is rerunaway soldiers had made such time that I ducing our list of missing, as the stragglers found a host of them at the Jersey intrench-reach their old camps along the Potomac. ments begging the sentinels to allow them to cross the bridge. To-day we learn of the safe retreat of the main body of the army; that they were feebly followed by the rebels as far as Fairfax, but are now within the Arlington lines, and that McDowell, a stunned and vanquished general, is overlooking the wreck of his columns from his old quarters at the Custis mansion.

Our Losses.

Theory of the Defcat.

The disastrous result of the action was perhaps inevitable-even though no panic had occurred at the close-from the three causes against which the noblest soldiery can never successfully oppose their daring. First, the enemy's forces had been largely underrated,

Six of the twenty-three cannon were recovered the next day by Col. Einstein, the enemy having delayed re

The list of the killed and wounded in this moving them from the field.

ceeded to Fairfax Court House, where they ar rived at 10 A. M., and found the breastworks of the enemy deserted, as well as the town, of all secession troops. Halted in the town before the Court House; the flag was hoisted upon the Court House by the Rhode Island regiments, the band saluting it with the national airs.

The march was then resumed; the whole brigade proceeded half a mile beyond Fairfax, and bivouacked on the old camp-ground of the rebels, which they had abandoned that morning between 6 and 9 o'clock. Large quantities of blankets were found burning, having been de

and nearly doubled our own in number; second, | the onus of the attack rested entirely upon us, and the natural and scientific defences of the rebels made their position almost impregnable; third, many of our leaders displayed a lamentable want of military knowledge. There was little real generalship in the field. There was no one mind of the Napoleonic order, at once centralizing and comprehending the entire movement of the day. There was no one to organize our regiments in strong, swift-moving columns, and hurl them powerfully against the foe. Nor were the generals of division more competent to their work. They exhibited per-stroyed by them in this manner in their hasty sonal bravery, but advantages gained were not secured; important points were abandoned as soon as carried; and a reckless, fatiguing pursuit preferred, until Beauregard and Davis, who commanded in person, led us on to positions thoroughly available for the attack of their final reinforcements. As for us, no one had thought of providing that reserve absolutely necessary to the sealing and completion of a battle's successes.

It is the last conflict of the day that decides the victory and defeat. We had no cavalry to rout our retreating foe. Our artillery was not rendered efficient in the afternoon. Gen. Tyler neglected to guard his rear, and to check the pushing forward of his trains. As for the colonels, many of those who were not wounded or killed in the engagement exhibited not merely inefficiency, but the pusillanimity which I have before recorded. To conclude: Before we can force our way through a country as well adapted for strategic defence as the fastnesses of the Piedmontese, the defiles of Switzerland, or the almost unconquerable wilds in which Schamyl so long held the Russians at bay-before we can possess and advance beyond the scientific intrenchments with which the skill of disloyal officers has made those Virginia forests so fearfully and mysteriously deathful to our patriotic soldiery, we must discover the executive leader whose genius shall oppose new modes of subduing a novel, and thus far successful, method of warfare, and whose alert action shall carry his devices into resistless effect. -N. Y. World, July 23.

Doc. 6.

retreat; also, a store-room of military clothing was found by them, as well as a dozen or more tents, which were immediately put to good use, and a bullock just dressed, which furnished rations for the Seventy-first, as far as it went.

In this encampment the brigade remained till 7 A. M. Thursday, July 18, the brigade again marched one mile, and halted by command of Gen. McDowell. Here the brigade remained till 3 P. M., on an old camp-ground of the enemy, when the march was again taken up, under a scorching sun, till within a mile and a half of Centreville, where we bivouacked once more, the men making pleasant huts of the boughs of trees.

During the night the regiment was called to arms, in consequence of the firing of pickets on our left. Friday and Saturday were passed in this place very pleasantly, the regiments of the brigade having a regimental drill each day, and also being served with good rations of fresh meat and plenty of coffee and sugar.

On Saturday, orders were issued to prepare to march at 1 A. M., Sunday, each man to take two days' rations of good salt beef, salt pork, and crackers in haversack, with positive instructions to fill his canteen with water, and not to use it on the route, as water was scarce. This was done, and the regiment marched with the brigade Sunday morning at 2 A. M., for the battle-field, passing through Centreville just before sunrise.

After proceeding a mile and a half beyond Centreville we were ordered to halt and cap our pieces. We then crossed a bridge, mounted a hill in the vicinity, and to the right of Gen. McDowell's head-quarters, and then turned to the right into a field, at a double-quick, which

NEW YORK SEVENTY-FIRST REGIMENT, was kept up about a quarter of an hour, passing

AT BULL RUN,

THE regiment left the Navy Yard Tuesday, July 16, at 10 o'clock, and marched up the avenue over the Long Bridge, to their camping grounds, within five miles of Fairfax, where, at 9 P. M., they stacked and bivouacked for the night in the open field, together with Colonel Burnside's brigade, consisting of the First and Second Rhode Island Infantry, Second Rhode Island Battery, and Second New Hampshire Volunteers. At 5 A. M.. July 17, (Wednesday,) the brigade formed a line of march, and pro

through a wood and halting in a field, where we remained about twenty minutes. Gen. McDowell and his staff came into the field. This was between 6 and 7 o'clock. The march was then resumed by a circuitous route through the woods, passing several dry brooks, until wo reached Bull Run, which we waded in great confusion, every one being anxious to get water. Company lines were immediately formed on the other side, and an advance was made up the road at a quick step, firing being heard upon our left.

After a mile's marching at quick step, we

meant to carry them out. We were accordingly | back on parole-Drs. Peugnet, Swift, Winston, all seized, hands bound, except the doctors, who De Graw, Buxton, and Stewart-and immediwere in ambulances. It was then raining in ately commenced attending to the wounded. torrents, and some 80 of the wounded were Their exertions were unremitting; their time lying in the vicinity of the church and black- day and night was given to the wounded until smith shop without any shelter excepting a all the wounds were properly dressed and all blanket. The doctors were hurriedly taken cared for. away, we being told that our wounded would be cared for by themselves.

On Wednesday morning, Dr. Peugnet put me in charge of the hospital, and allowed me to choose 20 from the prisoners and wounded, who were able to take care of the wounded, to assist me.

The same morning a lady of the neighborhood brought us a bottle of wine and two dozen eggs, and we bought at noon twelve dozen eggs from a sutler. Thursday morning a number of secession doctors made their appearance, bringing with them some luxuries, which they gave to our doctors. Some time during the day Noble, of Company F, and Gillette, of the Engineer Corps, both of the Seventy-first, were brought in as prisoners, and were retained as assistants at the hospital. They were not wounded. This day a number of ladies and farmers of the surrounding country visited our hospitals, bringing with them milk, soup, and cakes.

Here we waited till 12 o'clock at night in the rain, awaiting orders, when I requested Capt. Patrick to allow me to go down to the hospital to see a relative who was badly wounded, telling him it would be better to shoot our wounded at once than to allow them to die off by inches; they were all calling for water, and no one there to give it to them. He then said, "Well, my man, choose another man with you and go down." I chose Smith, of Company H, Seventy-first regiment. Capt. Patrick then inquired if there were any more men who had brothers or relatives among the wounded. A general rush took place among the prisoners -they all stepping forward. He then allowed Atwood Crosby, of Maine, to take care of his brother, who was wounded in the back, and five others: Tompkins, Company C, Seventyfirst; John Hand, of Massachusetts; a young boy of the Second Rhode Island, about 17 years old; Deegan, of the Twenty-seventh, and another, an assistant to a Maine surgeon, and his servant, who cooked for the prisoners, under the direction of Tompkins. The rest were kept out in the rain all night, and the follow-containing the wounded, who had undergone ing morning were sent to Richmond.

During Monday night a man from Wisconsin died, calling for his mother. He had a daguerreotype of his wife and two children. He called me to give him some water, which I did very frequently. He called for his "Dear mother "these were his last words. He was a man about 5 feet 6 inches, with a light mustache, and was wounded in the groin. A boy about 18 years old, dressed in the uniform of the Eighth regiment, about 5 feet 10 inches in height, sandy complexion, shot in the head; had $21 in his pocket-book, and a white silk badge, marked "Parker Guard," died Monday night. Lieut. Devers, of Ellsworth Zouaves, wounded in the arm. He laid down to rest, and in the morning, when I went to bandage his arm, I found him dead. Also, a man from Rockland, Me., named Fletcher.

On Tuesday, Allen, of Company C, Seventyfirst, died. He was wounded in the abdomen. Butler, of Company C, Seventy-first, Elizabethtown, N. J., also died; wounded in legs. Doctors were not there to amputate. George Sayne and John P. Morrissey, both of the Seventy-first, also died Wednesday morning, within one hour of each other, lying side by side. Mead, of Massachusetts, a wealthy shoe-manufacturer, died while having his thigh amputated. Several others died, whose names I could not learn, numbering in all 32.

On Tuesday evening, six of the doctors came

On Friday, they commenced removing the prisoners and wounded, amongst them Capt. Gordon, of the Eleventh Massachusetts, Lieut. Hamlin, Scott Life Guard, and all the noncommissioned officers, leaving instructions with us to be prepared to follow the ambulances

operations, on Saturday. In the mean time, Capt. Allen, of the Eleventh Massachusetts, disguised as a private and wounded prisoner, a Wisconsin boy, named Worldorf, and myself, planned an escape, which was successfully accomplished between 5 and 10 P. M. Friday night. We ran the guard, and crawled on our hands and feet out of hearing distance of the sentinels; proceeded in a north-east direction until 33 A. M.; met two pickets of the enemy in a small tent on the main road, which we had to cross to accomplish our escape; the pickets cowed at our appearance, and hid behind a tree, and we backed some one hundred feet with sticks pointed in the direction of the pickets, and then turned and ran about two miles, keeping a little to the north.

At 2 P. M., not knowing where we were, we determined to approach a house and inquire. We met two women at the gate, and told them we belonged to the Fourth Alabama regiment. They asked for Messrs. Grey of that regiment

if we knew them-and a number of others, all of whom, we told them, were shot at Bull Run. They asked where we came from, and where were our arms. These questions we evaded, and asked them to show us the way to Centreville, which they did. We took an opposite direction, and at 4 P. M. halted at another house, where an old man came out and asked if we were soldiers. We replied in the affirmative, and added that we belonged to the