From the Seat of war.
We had indulged the hope that we would be able to lay before our readers this morning some particulars of the great fight of Saturday last.
In this, however, we have been disappointed, and must content ourselves with giving such information as we have been able to collect.
We have been permitted to make some extracts from a private letter written at
Gatesville, Saturday night at 10 o'clock. The writer says:
‘
"We are again victorious on the classic plains of
Manassas.
This morning we were anxious, but not uneasy.
We fought and won yesterday, but heard of immense reinforcements to the enemy during the night, while ours could not come up in time to participate in to day's fight.
But it began, and tonight while I write the enemy are fleeing and our troops after them.
So the combined armies of
Pope,
McClellan, and
Burnside, are driven ingloriously from the field.
Several of their regiments were cut to pieces, and in ten minutes all but three of the 1st Pennsylvania were killed or wounded.
Kemper a division of our corps captured three batteries;
Hood a division passed over thirty pieces of artillery,
Gen. Jenkins, of South Caroline, was wounded,
Col. Skinner mortally wounded; and many others whose names I have not learned.
They outnumbered us by their own account, nearly three to one
Anderson's division was slightly engaged this afternoon.
"The fight did not commence until 4 o'clock, and even now occasionally I can hear the booming of big guns coming back on the air, as they harass the retreating enemy.
The passengers by the
Central train, yesterday, were familiar with no facts beyond what has already been laid before the public.
As usual, they came freighted with reports collected at
Gordonsville during the short stay of the train at that point.
The real position of the two armies was not known, though it was stated that the enemy, when last heard from, were rapidly retreating in the direction of
Occoquan, and our forces hotly pursuing.
A large body of our army was at
Fall's Church, whilst
Stuart's cavalry was represented to have reached
Alexandria.
We have heard of several names among the wounded not heretofore published.
Of these are
Col. Lawson Botts, of the 2d Virginia regiment, wounded in the face, but not dangerously;
Lieut. Col. Rowan and
Maj. Nadenbousch, of the same regiment, the former slightly, and the latter severely;
Colonel Grigsby, 27th Va., wounded;
Major Terry 4th Va., wounded in the arm;
Capts. Simms,
Samuel Moore, 2d Va., wounded;
Capts. Gibson,
Lee,
Harman,
Bennett,
Fulton, and
Lieutenants Wade,
Strickler, and
Slosser, 4th Va., wounded;
Lieut. Cummings, 4th Va., killed;
Capt. Roberts, 5th Va., wounded.
Capt. Simme's company, of the 5th Va., lost every officer.
Major May, of the 12th Va. reg't, was killed, and two of his brothers in the same regiment wounded.
Passengers by the train reported the death of
Gen. Ewell, but this was afterwards contradicted.
Up to a late hour last night the War Department had received no additional information.
One account states that the loss in
Gen. Jackson's corps is estimated at from 600 to 800 killed and wounded. The 6th Virginia regiment is reported to have lost one-half the men they had engaged.
On Thursday afternoon the positions of
Generals Jackson and
Ewell were near Sudley Church, their right resting on
Groveton, and their left to the old battle-field of
Manassas.
About 5 o'clock, the enemy, under
McClellan, advanced by the
Warrenton road, when our artillery opened upon them.--An engagement of two hours ensued, when the enemy were driven from the field, and beyond the
Warrenton Turnpike.
’