Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-07-28
THE BATTLE OF RAHlSgAS..
DETAILS,
FROM CUR SOUTHERN EXCHANGES.

Nv 49, AZ ANAANNAA1 hAGF-Ae NN|N-
of it:
MANASSAS, July 22.-By divine favor we
are again victorious. To God be the glory.
The armies Of the North and South yester-
day faced each other, the former not less than
$4,000 men, the latter not exceeding 10000,
and wrestled together for six long hours, with
that desperate courage which Americans only
can show.
proceed to give you, as near as | can, a full
and detailed account Of that terrible battle,
Which will, through all time, make famous
Bull run and the plains Of Manassas.
On Friday, the 18th, Gen. Joseph E. John
sson, who had commanded the army Of the
Shenandoah, posted at Winchester, arrived at
Manassas Junction with 1000 of his division,
to reinforce Gen. Beauregard. The remain
der Of his army with the exception Of a suf-
fcient force TO hold Winchester were intend
ed to arrive on Saturday, the 20 h; but in con-
sequence Of some railroad casualty, they did
not reach the scene Of conflict until Sunday,
between the hours Of two and three O'Clock,
when the battle was raging at its hight.
Gen. Johnston, although perhaps entitled,
by strict military rule, to the command, being
the superior in rank Of Beauregard, with the
magnsnimity and ehivalric courtesy for which
that gallant soldier is distinguished, left the
latter to execute the plans which bad all been
maturea, assuring Gen. Beauregard Of his
earnest cooperation toward their success.
And nobly did Gen. Johnston redeem his
promise, contributing in no small degree to the
victory which was achieved on the ever
memorable 21st, by his distinguished associate
in arms.
The night before the battle, it was generally
understood at Manassas Junction the enemy
were gathering in great force, and designed
turning our left flank, which rested a few
milaa abOUa the gcana of 1hurQda Utg anUaup
ment, at a ford on BULBS run called Stone
Bridge.
We retired to rest under the full conviction
that on tomorrow the fortunes Of our young
nation were to be staked on A mighty contest,
and we were not disappointed.
There were not many spectators Of the bat
tie, the general commanding having. on Thurs
day, issued a general order requiring all civ
ilians, with the exception Of residents before
military operations commenced, and those en-
gagged necessarily ia business at Manassas
Junction, to leave the camp and retire beyonJ
a distance OF four miles.
The distant cannon at short intervals since
day break, had appraised us that the enemy
were in motion, but in what direction we coulC
only surmise until we reached a point a mill
and half from the breastworks, at the North,
west angle Of the Notifications of Manassas
Junction.
| so gTeds was our excitement we QdQ lei
the junction entirely unprepared, either in tn
way Of commissiarat or with glasses to view
the distant field, and bad it not been for Col
Bonner's fOrethought, in bringing a powerful
opera glass, our party had lost much which
through bis politeness we were permitted t
see.
The day was bright and beautiful-on tn;
left was the Blue ridge, and in front were th'
slopes on the north side of Bull run crowned
with woods, in which the enemy had early
planted his batteries, and all around US were
emineBcss on which were posted small but
anXiOus knots Of spectators, forming the most
magnificent panorama ! ever beheld.
At about 8 o'clock we reached a mill above
Mitchell's Ford, almost entirely bare Of trees,
and sufficiently high to afford an unobstructed
view of the opposite nights. After taking a
l%eisuTe,Y survey Of the beautiful landscape,
spread out before us in all its loveliness and
grandeur of nature, AMI listening with watch
full intent TO the booming Of the heavy cannon
on our right, and anxisusly examining the To-
cations where the guns Of the enemy On the
opposite bills were plainly TO be seen with the
naked eve, and the heavy clouds OF dust rising
above the woods in front and on either side,
indicating The direction in which the heavy
columns of the enemy were marching, vi
Leach drew forth our memorandum books and
pencils, to note down for the information Of
the thousands who looked to US for a descrfp-
ttion Of the days occurrences, the various
Fshiftirgs Of the scene which beneeforth forms
an era in the history Of our young Confedera-
cy, and grsndly inaugurates the march Of glO-
ry on which she has entered.
An interesting meeting here took place be-
tween our party and the venerable Edmund
Rnfin, who had, against the walls of Fort
Sumter, fired the first defiant gun at our inso-
lent and braggsrt foe. He bad CONT to this
conflict with his eighty-odd years weighing
upon him, and his flowing white locks, to take
part in this light, encouraging our young men
by bis presence and example. Agile as a
youth of sixteen, with rife on his shoulder, his
eyes g~listened with excitement as be burned to
engage the Yankee invader.
Shortly afterward, Generals Beauregard,
Johnston, and Bonham, accompanied by their
aids, came galloping up the hill, and dis.
mounted on the summit. The generals held an
earnest conversation for a few minutes, while
taking a survey OF the field, and watching the
successive challenges from the snemyJs bat
t%eTies, directed against our right and among
the woods near Mitehel's ford, where a hos
pital, was stationed and the yellow flag hyine.
bThis was also the point where their fire OF
Thursday was directed, and where the mark OF
q cannon ball is to be seen in he kitchen and
stable OF a house in which Gen. Beauregsrd
dined on that day at the time the ball struck
the building. Whether the enemy thought il
was again bis headquarters, or whether the fire
was now playing toward that point 10 draw
out a response from US, is not known. It is
more likely, however, it was a mere feint-an
iHPOtent attempt to deceive our skillfni and
able commander as to the point where the enc
my was most in force, for so our wise general
considered it, as he was seen to direct General
JohDston's attention particularly with bis hand
toward our extreme left, as if he knew the
struggle was to be made there.
| should here remark that it had been Gen.
Beauregard's purpose to make the attack, in
stead Of waiting to receive it; but from some
canse, Unknown to me, he preferred at last to
let the enemy take the initiative; perhaps for
the reason that Gen. Johuston's division had
been detained on the railroad.
As have said, General Beauregard was not
deceived, for the immense clouds Of dust ap-
pearing above the woods, indicated beyond a
doubt, the federal columns were moving in
solid masses in another direction, and one
which was unmistakable.
Just at this time, BY the aid of our glass,
we could see their guns brought to bear on the
bill where we stood, for in a few moments
the smoke was discovered issuing from their
batteries Of riaed cannon, snd before scarcely
a word could be said, the peculiar whiz and
ulSslng OF tne pals nOtlned US that their aim
bad been we'll taken Several balls fell in a
field Immediately behind US, and not a hun
dred yards from the spot where the generals
stood. An officer Of Gen. BeauregsTd's staff
requested us to leave the hill, and as we
moved away a she'll burst not twenty feet off.
Col. Bonner calculated with bis watch the time
taken by the balls to pass US, and made the
distance II miles from the enemv's battery.
The enemy no doubt discovered the horses Of
the generals, and thought it a good opportuni-
tY 10 display their workmanship, and credit is
due to them for the accuracy Of their aim.
Providence, however, who governs all things,
covered the heads Of our generals as with a
shield, and preserved them for the hazardous
service in which they were in a short hour or
two to be engaged.
It was now about eleven O'Clock. and the
enemy having opened fire with rife cannon and
shell on their right, which they had continued
for more than three hours, without response,
we heard away to the left, about three miles
distant, the heavy booming Of cannon, followed
Immediately by the rafting crack Of musketrv
the discharges being repeated and continuous
which notified Us the engagement had com
menced in earnest at the point where the battle
was to be fought and won
Proceeding toward the scene Of action about
VI miles, we came 10 a creek in the hollow
where one Of the hospitals for the day had
been stationed, and the first wounded, some
twenty or thirty, bad been brought. DR..
Castor, of South Carolina, formerly a surgeon
in Col. Gregg's regiment, but now attached
to Gea. Beauregard's headquarters, was
assiduonsly attending to the wants Of the