[352] were standing. One ball fell directly in the midst of a group of Congressmen, among whom was Owen Lovejoy, but injured no one, the members scampering in different directions, sheltering among trees, &c. It is said to have been admirably served, too, as the heavy list of killed and the disabling of Sherman's battery amply testify. There were a number of rifle-pits also in front of the batteries, from which much execution was done by expert riflemen. The Congressmen were greatly impressed with the extent and magnitude of the earthworks, intrenchments, &c., erected by the Confederates from Alexandria to Centreville and beyond. They were all of the most formidable and extensive character. It is thought by them that Manassas Junction is encircled by a chain of batteries, which can only be penetrated by severe fighting. All the intrenchments evidence consummate skill in their construction. The entire column under Gen. McDowell fell back at 8 o'clock on Thursday evening, a short distance from Centreville, where they encamped. They were joined during the evening by Heintzelman's command, and on the succeeding morning by that of Col. Burnside, all of which troops are encamped there. Later in the evening, Gen. Schenck's brigade of Ohio troops was sent forward on the Hainesville road to flank the batteries, but no tidings had been heard of them up to 8 o'clock yesterday (Friday) morning, when the Congressmen left Gen. McDowell's Headquarters, bringing with them his despatches to the War Department. These despatches put the loss of the Federalists in killed at 5, but Mr. McClernand states that he himself saw a greater number than that killed. All of these gentlemen agree in estimating the number killed at 100. The disparity between the statements of the gentlemen and the official despatches is accounted for by the fact that the latter are based upon the returns of the surgeons, and that many of the killed are oftentimes never reported until after the publication of the official accounts. One remarkable fact which commanded the special attention of the members of Congress was the absence, from that portion of Virginia visited by them, of all the male inhabitants capable of bearing arms. They state that they saw but few people, and those were chiefly old women and children. The women seemed to regard the soldiers with bitter hostility, and, to quote the language of one of the Congressmen, their “eyes fairly flashed fire whenever they looked at a soldier.” General McDowell expressed no fears of being attacked, but seemed apprehensive of some of the volunteer corps stumbling upon a masked battery, and thus “precipitating a general engagement.” The loss of the Confederates was not known, but is conjectured by the Federalists to have been heavy. Among the killed, is said to be one Colonel Fountain--at least, a deserter so stated. The excesses of the Federal troops in Virginia are exciting general indignation among army officers. A member of Congress, who visited the scene this morning, states that the village of Germantown has been entirely burnt, with the exception of one house, in which lay a sick man, who had been robbed, he was told, by an army surgeon, of nearly every article he possessed of the slightest value, even to his jack-knife. Gen. McDowell has issued orders that the first soldier detected in perpetrating these depredations shall be shot, and has ordered that a guard be placed over the principal residences of any town the troops may enter.
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[352] were standing. One ball fell directly in the midst of a group of Congressmen, among whom was Owen Lovejoy, but injured no one, the members scampering in different directions, sheltering among trees, &c. It is said to have been admirably served, too, as the heavy list of killed and the disabling of Sherman's battery amply testify. There were a number of rifle-pits also in front of the batteries, from which much execution was done by expert riflemen. The Congressmen were greatly impressed with the extent and magnitude of the earthworks, intrenchments, &c., erected by the Confederates from Alexandria to Centreville and beyond. They were all of the most formidable and extensive character. It is thought by them that Manassas Junction is encircled by a chain of batteries, which can only be penetrated by severe fighting. All the intrenchments evidence consummate skill in their construction. The entire column under Gen. McDowell fell back at 8 o'clock on Thursday evening, a short distance from Centreville, where they encamped. They were joined during the evening by Heintzelman's command, and on the succeeding morning by that of Col. Burnside, all of which troops are encamped there. Later in the evening, Gen. Schenck's brigade of Ohio troops was sent forward on the Hainesville road to flank the batteries, but no tidings had been heard of them up to 8 o'clock yesterday (Friday) morning, when the Congressmen left Gen. McDowell's Headquarters, bringing with them his despatches to the War Department. These despatches put the loss of the Federalists in killed at 5, but Mr. McClernand states that he himself saw a greater number than that killed. All of these gentlemen agree in estimating the number killed at 100. The disparity between the statements of the gentlemen and the official despatches is accounted for by the fact that the latter are based upon the returns of the surgeons, and that many of the killed are oftentimes never reported until after the publication of the official accounts. One remarkable fact which commanded the special attention of the members of Congress was the absence, from that portion of Virginia visited by them, of all the male inhabitants capable of bearing arms. They state that they saw but few people, and those were chiefly old women and children. The women seemed to regard the soldiers with bitter hostility, and, to quote the language of one of the Congressmen, their “eyes fairly flashed fire whenever they looked at a soldier.” General McDowell expressed no fears of being attacked, but seemed apprehensive of some of the volunteer corps stumbling upon a masked battery, and thus “precipitating a general engagement.” The loss of the Confederates was not known, but is conjectured by the Federalists to have been heavy. Among the killed, is said to be one Colonel Fountain--at least, a deserter so stated. The excesses of the Federal troops in Virginia are exciting general indignation among army officers. A member of Congress, who visited the scene this morning, states that the village of Germantown has been entirely burnt, with the exception of one house, in which lay a sick man, who had been robbed, he was told, by an army surgeon, of nearly every article he possessed of the slightest value, even to his jack-knife. Gen. McDowell has issued orders that the first soldier detected in perpetrating these depredations shall be shot, and has ordered that a guard be placed over the principal residences of any town the troops may enter.
Van Nostrand. New York, New York. 1862.
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