New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-04-04
JOSEPH T. JOHNSTON on THE Battle or
BULL RUN

DULL KUN.
Gen. Joseph l.. Johnston of the late COnfed
crate Army has written long letter to The
Selma Daiiy Messenger, to correct various errors
in "Life of Stonewal Jackson recently pub
lshed by a member of that officers staff. He
is at particular pains to deny the biographers
assertion that the pursuit of the routed Union
army at the close of the disastrous battle of
Bull Run was not urged with the energy which
the Southern people had right to expect and
that the City of Westinghouse VIM. II. Russell
and a good many moro competent Judges Qn-
Guiding George b. Mcclellan dcclarcd-Was
wholly at the mercy of the Rebels. lie shows
indeed, several lame reasons why the pursuit
could not have been carried into the capital,
but none why it should not have been pressed;
and his labOrcd defense of his conduct strength
ems the impression which has been generaily
entertained at the North, that our disgraceful
defeat at Manassas surprised nobody 50 much
as it did the enemy who defeated us.
No more could have been hoped from this
battle, saws Gen. Johnston, than the prcServa-
ton of the COnfcdcracy, and the arrest OF the
Federal advance toward Richmond. move
ment upon Washington was ont OF the ques-
ton. owe could not have carried the ntrench-
"ments by assault, and bad none of the means
"to besege them. Our assault would have
"becn repulsed, and the enemy, then become
"the victorious party, would have resumed
"ther march to Richmond. But IL we had cap
"tured the intrenchments, a river, mile
"widc. Law between them and Washington,
commanded by the guns of Federal fleet"
This makes an odd contrast with McClellan's
Al. hot xNrbn N
he declares that :" in no quarter were the us-
positions for defense such as to offer vIgor-
"ous resistance to a respectable body OF the
"cnemv:" that the earthwOrks on the Virginia
side were of the slightest and most trivial
character; and that there was nothing to pre-
vent the Confederates from occupying the
nights and Smelling the city from across the
Potomac But even had it been impossible Tor
the Rebels to follow our routed army into
Washington that was no reason why they
should not have followed and harrassed us as
far as they could. Gen. Johnston says
that his infantry gave up the chase be-
cause they found it Intellectual, and his
cavalry "was drirea back by the solid resist
"ance" of our reserves. The story that
number of fresh Confederate regiments were
recalled from the pursuit III consequence OF
false rumor that our forces were moving upon
Union Mills he pronounces a talsehOod; but
Gen. Bcauregard states it very distinctly III
his official report, with minuteness of detail
which leaves no room for doubling its correct
ness. The true reason of the dilatOry and irTes'
olute pursuit seems to have been that the Rebels
were almost rs much bewildered and demOral-
lied rs ourselves, and feather would have
turned the scale of victory to either side.
Neither army knew the damage it had in
fcted on the other. Beauregard bears witness
to the disorganization which prevailed in his
command at the close of the day; and Gen.
Johnston adds that the eXultation OF victory
cost him more than the Federals lost by de-
feat The troops believed the war ended and
the independence of the South assured, and
they left the army in crowds to return to their
homes What might have been done could
the panic rout have only been stayed for half
an hour-what years of battle might
have been spared had our soldiers
only known that day how near they were to
yictory-it is hardly worth while now to con-
slider The effective force of the Confederates
after the battle was about $1,000, and during
the next six weeks they received not more than
5000 When Mcclellan took command OF the
Army of the Potomac, on the 9th OF July,
1861 our forces in and around Washington
numbered $1,000 We don't like to fight against
dead generals: but if Mcclellan has any little
reputation left, should not this fact be enough
tn finish il