Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-08-02
w. d. WALLACH.
THE BATTLE OF BULL RUN.
A Confederate Accent Of the Battle of Ru,

n NJ MI
Run.
The Richmond Dispatch gives the folIo,;rr
account of the battle of Bull Run. fro,, ,,h,,S
it will be seen that If the Federal reaerTes had
been properly managed it woula have most
likely been a victory instead Of a defeat.
MANASSAS JUNCTION, July 22-By Divine
favor We ere again vlotorlo .ds To God be the
glory. Inc armies OF TIE North and South
less than 90 900 men. the Isttsr NOT .vcaad;ns
30,OOO-and wrest ed together for SIX Ione
n"urs, VIII to".6 desperate courage which
Ameftc'us OF ~ can show. On Friday the
~ d, zen Joseph Z. Jnbnston, who had COM
mSuHe" .ie GImy of the Shenandoah, posted
d. III Jnester, arrived at Manassas Junction
win fOnr thousand of his division to reinforce
U sn. Beauregard. The remainder of his army
{wi'h the exception of a sufh jient force to hold
WInchestsr.) we're intended TO arrive on Sat
ur1ay, the 29jh; but in consequence of some
railroad casualty, they did not reach the
scene &C conflict until Sunday. between the
hours OF 2 and 3 o'clock, when the battle was
raging At its height. Gen. Johnston, although
perhaps entitled, by strict military rule, to
the Command, being the superior in rank to
BsIureg ard, with the magnanimity and chiv-
alric courtesy for which that gallant soldier is
distinguished, LETT the latter to execute the
pl,ns which had all been matured assuring
towards their success.
The night befnre the battle it was generally
understood at NJ Inassas Junction the enemy
were gathering in great force, and designed
turning our left flank, which rested few miles
above the srene Of Thursdays engagement, at
a frrd on Bulls Run, called Stone Bridge.
We retired to rest under the full conviction
that on the morrow 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 battle, the General
comm anding having, on Thursday, issued a
general order requiring all civilians, with the
exception of residents before military opera
tiOns commenced. and those engaged neces-
sarily iu business at Manassas Junction, to
leave the camp and retire beyond the distance
of four miles. The distant cannon at short
Intervals since day break had apprised us that
the enemy was in motion, but 10 what direc-
tinn VIC could only surmise until we reached a
point mite and half from the breastwOrks.
at The northwest angle of the Notifications Of
Manassas Junction.
Al shout 3 o'clock we reached a hill above
Mi'cheil's Ford almost entirely bare Of trees
and sufficiently high to sffJrd an unobstructed
view of the opposite heights.
Shortly afterwards, Gems. Beauregard, John
stOn, and BOnham, accompanied by their aids,
came gallOPping up the bill, and dismountei
on the summit. The Generals held an earnest
cUnversatiOn for few minutes while taking q
challenges frsm the enemy's batteries, direct
Ell against our right aud among the woods
near Mitchell 5 Ford, where hospital was sta
TONED and the yellow flag flying. This was
also the FOlnt where their fire uf Thursday WAS
directed, aud where the mark Of a cannon ball
is 10 be seen in the kitchen aad stable of
house in which Gen. Beauregsrd dined on that
day at the time the ball struck the building.
Whether the enemy thought il was agsin his
headquarters, or whether the fire was now
playing toward that point to draw out re-
spOnse from US, is not known. II is more like
II, hO Eever. it was a mere feint-an important
attempt to deceive to deceive our skillfuI aud
able cOmmsnder as to the point whore the en-
e-Iy was most in force, for so our wise General
considered it, as he was seen to direct General
JOhnston's attention particularly with his
hand toward our extreme left. rs if he knew
the ruggle was 10 be made there.
should here remark that it had been Gen.
Bsauregard's purpose to make the attack, in
stead Of waiting to receive it; but from some
cause, unknown TO me, he preferred at last to
let the enemy take the initiative perh APPS for
the reason that Gen. JOhnstOns division had
been detained on the railroad. As have said,
Geu. Besurexard was not dec for the i'm
mense clouds Of dust appearing above the
woods, indicated, beyond doubt, the Federal
columns were moving in solid masses in an
O-heI direction, and one Wbicn was unmistak-
able. Just at this time, by the aid OF our glass
we could see their gus brought to bear ON the
bill where We stood, for in 4 few m6nents the
smoke was discovered issuing from their bat
teries OF rIhed cannon, and before scarcely a
word could be said the peculiar whis and hiss
ing Uf the balls notified that their aim had
been we'll taken. Several balls fell in q field
imne1iateiy behind us, and not q hundred
yards from the spOF where the u enerals stood.
An officer of Gen. Beauregard's staff requested
Us 10 leave the hill, and as We moved away a
she'll burst not twenty feet of. Col. Bonner
calculated with his watch the time taken by
the balls TO pass US. AMI made the distance Il
uIiles fr-m the enemy's battery. The enemy
No doubt discovered the horses of the G enc rails
and thought IL good opportunity to display
their Workmanship, and cresit is due to them
for the accuracy Of their aim.
1t was now about IL o'clock, and the enemy
having opened With riHed cannon and she'll 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 imme ediately
by the ra,tling crack Of musketry-the dis
ch hirges being repeated AMI continuous
notified US the engagement had commenced in
earnest at the point where the battle WAS to be
fought and won.
Proceeding towards the scene of action about
two miles, We came to q creek in the hollow
where one Of the hospitals for the day had been
stationed, and the first wounded, some 20 or
80, hsd been brought. At this point Generals
BsIuTegaTd snd Johnston, accom- mpanied by a
staff Of some 10 or IL officers, passed at the full
gailOp, riding towards their headquarters for
the day, which was on q hill imm edIately over
boxing the ground where our brave soldiers
were manfully and persistently struggling for
the victory. A large force Of cavalry were
here stationed.
Both Of our Generals were plainly dressed.
M large epaulettes, no gilt, nor any fuss and
feathers; you could only distinguish them at
distance To DC officers by their swords Their
uniforms was what took to be plain uudress
Not the least sign Il excitement was to be seen
on the cOuntenances Of either as they coolly
rode forward int the storm of iron hail Bean
TsHs}' eyes glistened with expectation, no
donsA when be afterwards threw himself into
the very heart Of the action, appearing then,
ss Was afterwards most expressiyely said Of
him, te be the very improvisation Of the god
Of war" Gen. Johnston, too, looked every
inch q comm ander, and proved himself TO be
the worthy inheritor Of the prowess and vir-
tues Of his ancestors. On reaching the top of
the hill, where was awhile house, owned be-
heye by Mr.. Lewis, they were again discoy-
II k.,f n Il. Il.