A Federal Congressman on the fight at Bull Run.
In a letter published in the Baltimore Sun of Saturday, from
the Hon. Wm. A. Richardson, member of Congress from
Illinois, who professes to be an eye-witness of the scene of the engagement at
Bull Run, he states that the action was commenced by
Gen. Tyler, of
Connecticut, at half-past 1 o'clock on Thursday--that the
Michigan,
Maine and
Wisconsin regiments stood their ground bravely, while the New York Twelfth and
Massachusetts regiments run with all their might, throwing away their arms, knapsacks, and in fact everything that impeded their progress.
The men say that their officers lack courage and were the first to ‘"take the back track."’ It seems that the only regiments who could be relied on in their greatest emergency were composed of foreigners — the New York 69th (
Irish,) and the 79 the (Scotch.) The writer gives it as his opinion that
Manassas cannot be taken with 50,000 men in two months, and that the
North has been greatly deceived, not only in their numbers and discipline, but in their fighting qualities — rushing as they did into battle with a shout which rose above the roar of cannon, whilst their artillery was served in unsurpassed style.
One ball fell directly amidst a group of Congressmen, amongst whom was
Owen Lovejoy, which caused a ludicrous scampering and dodging behind trees, very unbecoming these dignitaries.
One remarkable feature which impressed itself on the minds of the Congressmen, during their route to the scene of action, was the absence of all the male population capable of bearing arms.
The few whom they saw were a few decrepit old men and women, whose eyes ‘"fairly flashed fire at the sight of the
Yankee soldiers."’ The letter concludes with the opinion of
Gen. McDowell, that there would not be an immediate engagement, unless his troops stumbled over some of those inevitable ‘"masked batteries"’ which seem so much to exercise our invaders.
