Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1861-12-12
A Narrative by Gen. Beauregard.

4 A 49,
The Virginia army correspon
dent of the New Orleans Delta
gives an account of the late selcc!
dinner party to Gen. Beauregard,
from which we extract, what we
have no doubt can be relied on
as correct, as this correspondent
is good short hand reporter and
a fine writer:
Another incident of this enter
tainment was likewise peculiarly
interesting. When the newly de-
vised battle flag was brought in,
Gen. Beauregard related to the
company the motives which led
to its adoption; and as the recital
embraces a thrilling portion of the
eventful battle of Manassas, | shall
endeavor to reproduce it, as near
ily as possible, in the Generals own
words:
''On the 21st of July, at about
half past 8 o'clock, Or perhaps 4,
it seemed to me that victory was
already in our grasp. In fact,
up to that moment, [ had never
wavered in the conviction that
triumph must crown our arms
Nor was my confidence shaken,
until at the time | have mentioned
/ observed on the extreme left, at
the distance of something more
than mile, a column Of men APP
preaching. AT their head waved a
flag which / could not distinguish.
Even by the aid of a strong
glass | was unable to determine
whether it was the United States
flag or the Confederate flag. At
this moment received a dispatch
from Capt. Alexander, in charge
of the signal station, warning me
to look out for the left; that large
column was approaching in that
direction, and that it was supposed
to be Gen. Patterson's command,
coming to reinforce MeDowell.-
At this moment, must confess my
heart failed me. | came reluctant
ly, to the conclusion that, after all
our efforts, we should at last be
compelled to yield to the enemy
the hard fought and bloody field.
| again took the glass to examine
the flag of the approaching column;
but my anxious inquiry was un-
productive of result could not
tell to which army the waving
banner belonged. At this time all
the members of my staff were ab-
sent, having been dispatched with
orders to various points. The
only person with me was the ga.-
liant officer who has recently again
distinguished himselfby a brilliant
feat of arms-General, then Col.
Evans. To him l communicated
my doubts and my fears. | told
him that l feared the approaching
force was in reality Patterson's
division; that if such was the case,
| should be compelled to fall back
upon our own reserves, and pest
pone, till the next day, q continu-
alton of the engagement. After
further reflection | directed Gel.
Evans to proceed to Gen. John
ston, who had assumed the task of
collecting a reserve; to inform him
of the circumstances of the case,
and to request him to have the re-
serves collected with all dispatch
and hold them in readiness to sup
port our retrograde movement
| Col. Evans started on the mission
thus entrusted to him. He had
proceeded but a short distance,
when it occurred to me to make
another examinatioh of the still
approaching flag. | called him
back: Let u.s. said l, wait q few
moments to confirm our suspicious
before finally resolving to yield
the field / took the glass and
again examined the flag. 1t had
now come within full view. A
sudden gust of wind shook out
! It's folds, and l recognized the stars
and bars Of the Confederate ban
ner. It was she flag borne by your
regiment-Eh ere the General
turned to Col. Hay, who sat be-
side him the gallant 7th Louis
lana; and the column Of which
/ your regiment constituted the ad-
vance, was the brigade Of Gen.
(then COLI Early. as soon as
you were recognized by our sol
diers,, your coming was greeted