The national Republican., 1861-08-09

varlously estimated, may safely say, and
avoid even the appearance Of exaggeration,
that the enemy brought up all he could which
were not kept engaged elsewhere. He had
notice Of our coming on the 18th, and had
from that time until the 2lst to bring up what.
ever he had. 1t is known that in estimating
the force to go against Manassas, I engaged
not to have to do with the enemy's forces under
Johnston, then kept in check in the valley by
Major General Patterson, or those kept enga.
ged by Major General Butler, and I know
every effort was made by the General-in Chief
that this should be done, and that even If John.
ston Joined Beauregard, 1t would not be be-
cause he could be followed by General Patter.
son, but from causes not necessary for me to
refer to, If knew them all. This was not
done, and the enemy was free to assemble from
every direction in numbers only limited by the
amount of this railroad rolling stock and his
supply of provisions. To the forces, therefore,
we drove in from Fairfax Court House, Fairfax
station, Germantown and Centreville, and those
under Beauregard at Manassas, must be added
those under Johnston from Winchester, and
those brought up by Davis from Richmond and
other places at the South, to which is to be
added the levy en- masse ordered by the Rich.
mond authorities, which was ordered to assem-.
BILE at Manassas. What all this amounted to-,
cannot say-certainly much more than we
attacked them with.
az could not, as have said, more early push
on faster, nor could delay A large and the
best part of my forces were three months vol.
unteers, whose term Of service was about to
expire, but who were sent forward as having
long enough to serve for the purpose ofthe ex.
pedition. On the eve of the battle the fourth
Pennsylvania regiment Of volunteers and the
battery OF volunteer artillery of the New York
eighth militia, whose term Of service expired,
insisted on their discharge. l wrote to the
regiment, expressing a request for them to re-.
main short time, and the Hon. Secretary Of
War, who was at the time on the ground, tried
to induce the battery to remain at least five
days. But in vain. They insisted on their
discharge that night. 1t was granted, and the
next morning, when the army moved forward
into battle, these troops moved to the rear of
the enemy's cannon.
"In the next few days, day by day, l should
have lost ten thousand Of the best armed drilled,
offcered and disciplined troops in the army.
In other words, every day which added to the
strength Of the enemy made US weaker.
In conclusion, desire to say, in reference
to the events of the 2lst ult., that the general
order for the battle to which I referred was,
with slight notifications, literally conformed
10, tnat tne corps were Drought over DUH nun
in the manner proposed, and put into action
as before arranged, and that up to late in the
afternoon every movement ordered was carry.
ing us successfully to the object we had pro.
posed before starting-that Of getting to the
railroad leading from Manassas to the valley Of
Virginia and going on it far enough to break
up and destroy the communication and inter.
views between the forces under Beaureguard
and those under Johnston. And could we
have fought a day or a few hours sooner, there is
everything to show how we could have continued
successful, even against the odds with which
we contended."