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DESTRUCTION OF LOCOMOTIVES
AT MARTINSBURG, VA.
ON this page we illustrate one of
the effects of the Southern Rebellion—the destruction of valuable property by
the rebels. Our special artist writes us from Martinsburg: " The destruction of
locomotives, cars, etc., by the Confederates is one of the most disgraceful
sights I ever witnessed. Forty-two as fine engines as could be built have been
mutilated, some by burning, others by mere destruction with hammers and
crow-bars. The stationary engine has met with no better treatment, and the
buildings themselves were only saved from destruction by the precipitate flight
of the Confederate troops."
SKIRMISH ON THE POTOMAC.
SKIRMISHING along the Potomac has
become an everyday amusement with the troops stationed on the upper part of that
river. Scarcely a day passes without an exchange of shots at some point between
Edwards Ferry and Sandy Hook. Both parties generally keep themselves sheltered
behind the trees and rocks that line the shores. So far two of the Federal
troops have been killed and three wounded. It is not known how many have lost
their lives on the other side. Several have been seen to fall. This sketch
represents a little brush which took place at Sandy Hook a few days ago. After
some pretty sharp firing, in which nobody was hurt, the Virginians retreated
into the mountains, and hostilities were suspended.
THE BATTLE AT BULL'S RUN.
WE devote a considerable portion
of our space this week to the illustration of the BATTLE OF BULL'S Run. A large
view of COLONEL
HUNTER'S ATTACK, from sketches by our special artist, who was
present, will be found on pages 488 and 489; the COMMENCEMENT OF THE FIRING is
illustrated on page 492; and on the same page will be found an illustration of
the cautious EXPLORING OF THE GROUND by our artillery. On page
484 will be found
a MAP of the battle. We give the following account from a letter addressed by
Mr. Henry J. Raymond to the Times :
On Saturday the troops were all
brought closely up to
Centreville, and all needful preparations were made for
the attack which was intended for the next day. On Sunday morning, therefore,
the army marched—by two roads —Colonel Richardson with his command taking the
Southern, which leads to Bull's Run, and General Tyler the Northern, running
parallel to it at a distance of about a mile and a half. The movement commenced
at about 3 o'clock. I got up at a little before 4, and found the long line of
troops extended far out on either road. I took the road by which Colonel Hunter
with his command, and
General McDowell and staff had gone, and pushed on
directly for the front. After going out about two miles Colonel Hunter turned to
the right—marching obliquely toward the Run, which he was to cross some four
miles higher up, and then come down upon the intrenched positions of the enemy
on the other side. Colonel Miles was left at Centreville and on the road, with
reserves which he was to bring up whenever they might be needed. General Tyler
went directly forward, to engage the enemy in front, and send reinforcements to
Colonel Hunter whenever it should be seen that he was engaged.
I went out, as I have already
stated, upon what is marked as the northern road. It is hilly, like all the
surface of this section. After going out about three miles you come to a point
down which the road, leading through a forest, descends; then it proceeds by a
succession of rising and falling knolls for a quarter of a mile, when it
crosses a stone bridge and then
ascends by a steady slope to the heights beyond. At the top of that slope the
rebels had planted heavy batteries, and the woods below were filled with their
troops and with concealed cannon. We proceeded down the road to the first of the
small knolls mentioned, when the whole column halted. The 30-pounder Parrott
gun, which has a longer range than any other in the army, was planted directly
in the road. Captain Ayres's battery was stationed in the woods a little to the
right. The First Ohio and Second New York Regiments were thrown into the woods
in advance on the left. The Sixty-ninth, New York, the First, Second, and Third
Connecticut regiments, were ranged behind them, and the Second Wisconsin was
thrown into the woods on the right. At about half past six o'clock the
30-pounder threw two shells directly into the battery at the summit of the
slope, on the opposite height, one of which, as I learned afterward, struck and
exploded directly in the midst of the battery, and occasioned the utmost havoc
and confusion. After about half an hour Captain Ayres threw ten or fifteen shot
and shell from his battery into the same place. But both failed to elicit any
reply. Men could be seen moving about the opposite slope, but the batteries were
silent. An hour or so afterward we heard three or four heavy guns from Colonel
Richardson's column at Bull's Run, and these were continued at intervals for two
or three hours, but they were not answered, even by a single gun.
At half past 11 we heard Hunter's
guns on the opposite height, over a mile to the right. He was answered by
batteries there, and then followed the sharp, rattling volleys of musketry, as
their infantry became engaged. The firing was now incessant. Hunter had come
upon them suddenly, and formed his line of battle in an open field, at the right
of the road. The enemy drew up to oppose him, but he speedily drove them to
retreat and followed them up with the greatest vigor and rapidity. Meantime, for
some three hours previous, we had seen long lines of dense dust rising from the
roads leading from Manassas, and, with the glass, we could very clearly perceive
that they were raised by the constant and steady stream of reinforcements, which
continued to pour in nearly the whole day.
The Sixty-ninth, Seventy-ninth,
Second, and Eighth New York—the First, Second, and Third Connecticut, and the
Second Wisconsin were brought forward in advance of the wood and marched across
the field to the right to go to Colonel Hunter's support. They crossed the
intervening
stream and drew up in a small
open field, separated front Colonel Hunter's column by a dense wood, which was
filled with batteries and infantry. Our guns continued to play upon the woods
which thus concealed the enemy, and aided materially in clearing them for the
advance. Going down to the extreme front of the column, I could watch the
progress of Colonel Hunter, marked by the constant roar of artillery and the
roll of musketry, as he pushed the rebels back from point to point. At 1 o'clock
he had driven them out of the woods and across the road, which was the
prolongation of that on which we stood. Here by the side of their batteries, the
rebels made a stand. They planted their flag directly in the road, and twice
charged across it upon our men, but without moving them an inch. They were met
by a destructive fire, and were compelled to fall still further back. Gradually
the point of fire passed further away until the dense clouds of smoke which
marked the progress of the combat were at least half a mile to the left of what
had been the centra1 position of the rebels.
It was now 2 o'clock. I was at
the advanced point of the front of our column, some hundred rods beyond the
woods, in which the few troops then there were drawn up, when I decided to drive
back to the town for the purpose of sending you my dispatch. As I passed up the
road the balls and shell from the enemy began to fall with more than usual
rapidity. I did not see the point from which they came; but meeting Captain
Ayres, he said he was about to bring up his battery, supported by the Ohio
Brigade, under General Schenck to repel a rumored attempt of cavalry to outflank
this column. As I went forward he passed down. General Schenck's Brigade was at
once drawn up across the road, and Captain Ayres's guns were planted in a knoll
at the left, when a powerful body of rebels, with a heavy battery, came down
from the direction of Bull's Run, and engaged this force with tremendous effect.
I went to Centreville, sent off my dispatch, and started with all speed to
return—intending to go with our troops upon what had been the hotly contested
field, never doubting for a moment that it would remain in their hands. I had
gone but a quarter of a mile when we met a great number of fugitives, and our
carriage soon became entangled in a mass of baggage-wagons, the officer in
charge of which told me it was useless to go in that direction, as our troops
were retreating. Not crediting the story, which was utterly inconsistent with
what I had seen but a little while (Continuation of
Bull Run Battle)
SKIRMISH BETWEEN A PORTION OF THE NINTH
AND CONFEDERATE TROOPS ACROSS THE RIVER AT SANDY HOOK
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