The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-08-22
Official Report af Gen. Mcdowell.

q f5Itl-ltI - l-litf r t.s.t.. ~
The official report of Gen. Mcdowell
Of the Battle of Bull Run is published.
In the narrative portion we fud moth
ing beyond what our readers are al
ready familiar with. But the conclud-
ing portion, which partakes Of an ex-
culpatory character, and also shows
the object of his movements in the field,
we subjoin: a.s;6oT 4ca,ra t-e.5
AS my position may warrant, if it
does not call, for some explanation of
the causes as far as they may be seen,
which led to the results herein stated,
l trust it may not be out of place if i
refer in a few words to the immediate
entecedents of the battle. When SUBJ
mitted to the General-in- Chief, in COM
lpliance with his verbal instructions, the
plan of q operations and estimate of
force required, the time was to pro.
ceed to carry it into effect was fged
for the sth of July, Monday. Every
facility possible was given me by the
the General-in- Chief and heads of the
administrative departments in making
the necessary preparations. But the
regiments, owing | was told to want of
transportation, came over slowly.
Many of them did not come across till
eight or nine days after the time fixed
upon, and without having been togeth-
er before in brigade. The sending
of reinforcements to General Patterson,
by drawing off the wagons, was fur
ther and unavoidable cause of delay.
Notwithstanding the herculean efforts
of the Quartermaster General, and his
favoring me in every way, the wagons
for ammunition subsistence, &C., and
the horses for the trains and the artil-
lery, did not all arrive for more than a
week after the time appointed to move.
| was not even prepared as late as the
18th, ultimo, and the desire should
move became great, and it was wished
/ should not, if possible, delay longer
than Tuesday, the 10th ultimo. When
| did set out on the 10th, was still de-
ficient in wagons for subsistence. But
1 went forward, trusting to their being
procured in time to follow me. The
trains thus hurridly gathered together,
with horses, wagons, drivers, and
wagon managers, all new and unused
to each other, moved with difficulty
and disorder, and was the cause of a
days delay in getting the provisions
forward, making it necessary to make
on Sunday the attack they should have
made on Saturday. .ssa
/" / could not, with every exertion,
get forward with the troops earlier than
we did. l wished to go to Centerville
the second day, which would have
taken us there on the 18th, and enabled
us, as far as they were concerned, to
go into action on the 10th, instead OF
he2lst but when went forward from
Fairfax Court House, beyond George.
town, to urge them forward, | was told
it was impossible for the men to march
further. They had only come from
Vienna, about six miles, and it was not
more than six and half miles further
to Centerville-in all a march of twelve
and half miles; but the men were
foot weary, not so much, was told
by the distance marched, as by the
time they had been on foot, caused by
obstructions in the road, and the slow
pace we had to move to avoid ambus
+cades. The men were, moreover, un
accustomed to marching, their bodies
not in condition for that kind Of work
and not used to carry even the load O.
light marching order.
"We crossed Bull Run with abou
$4,000 men of all arms, the fifth divis
ion (Miles aud Richardson's brigade
on the left, at Blackburn's ford to Cen
terville, and Schenck's brigade, of Ty
ler's division on the left of the road
near the stone bridge, not participating
in the main action. The numbers op
posed to US have been variously esti
mated, I may safely say, and avoit
even the appearance of exaggeration
that the enemy brought up all he coul(
which were not kept engaged else
where. He had notice of our coming
on the 18th, and had from that tim,
until the 21st, to bring up whatever h'
: had. 1t is known that in estimating
the force to 60 against Manassas,
} engaged not to have to do with tn,
, enemy's forces under Johnston, thel
, kept in check in the valley by Major
, General Patterson, or those kept en-
gagged by Major General Butler, and
: know every effort was made by tn
Generalin- Chief that this should b.
/ done, and that even if Johnston joinet
} Beauregard, it would not be beause b,
, could be followed by Gen. Patterson
! but from causes not necessary for M
: to refer to, if / knew them all. This
, was not done, and the enemy was free
r to assemble from every direction il
numbers only limited by the amount'o
! this railroad rolling stock and his sup
! ply Ofprovisions. To the forces, there
fore, we drove in from Fairfax Court
House, Fairfax station, Germantowl
> and Centerville, and those unde
Beauregard at Manassas, must be add
: ed to those under Johnston from Win
3 chester, and those brought up by Davi
7 from Richmonda nd other places at tn
t South, to which is to be added the lev
< en- naasse ordered by the Richmond au
: thorities, which was ordered to assem-
e BILE at Manassas. What all thi
| amounted to, cannot say-certainl