Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-10-07
FLA GAZETTEER VIRGINIA ADVERTISER.
BULL RUN,

BULL RUN.
Five o'clock iu the morning is not my 'best
hold for sentiment or duty. | had rather be
called to each service at later hour. But if
would leave for the South at 9, and not
would see this field, be up at that uuseemly
hour-anything for duty or curiosity. The
hour comes, and the men. Four of us climb
into an open wagon, and two horses speedily
drag us from Manassas junction to the battle
field Not so did they 60 hence Oh that July
week, twelve years ago. ''Ah, then there
was mounting in hot haste,' but not such
mounting as this. Beauregard on his blooded
beast, and his subordinates leaped into saddle;
the Black Horse Cavalry curveted on those
spacious plains; artillery wagons ratified heavily
across the felds soldiers marched solidly-gray-
backed, but not gray bearded-to the front,
which was their rear; for the battle of Bull
Run;was made by flank movement Of the
national army, attempting to get between the
enemy and their base of supplies. Our wagon
goes by the side Of the Manassas Gap Railroad,
so familiar and SO dreaded a name in our hlsto-
ry, a mile and a-half (no gap here, but usual
upland plain) crosses it, and proceeds north
westerly along rough roads, half billy and half
level, among scant fields and scantier forests,
till it reaches au opening five miles out, which
gives US views OF the general landscape about
the field, though not the field itself A few
houses are sea! tered about, some ofthem pretti-
ly embosomed 10 trees the one of Mr.. Wheel
er, member of the Church South, being es-
pecialY attractive outwardly.
A short half mile through wood brings US
to the bill slope that commands and concluded
the battle. Look from this spot, where We
come out of the forest fence, upon the vision
of the whole field. There is a descent, not
steep, of quarter of mile to where this road
crosses the Warrenton pike that goes from AL
exandra to Warrenton, Aome dozen miles be-
yoDd Near the tour corners is stone house.
Beyond it the land rises, sharp 10 hillock aud
hollow, to broad level upland, mile away,
cleared on its front of woods, and stretching,
40 unusual opening, for. a mile or 30. At the
iunction of these roads is rivulet, called
Young Branch, which empties itself into the
more famous, though less deservedly famous,
Bull Run, some mile or more to the north.
That level slope before those woods, that
stone house and riyulet, and these upIands,
where We come out and pause to paint the pic
ture-how poorly ARE the main features of
that bloody opening Of bloodier followiug.-
They are not unlike Waterloo, except that 10
the latter case the valley is wider and smooth
er, the Wellington or hither bill ablupter and
the opposite up!andS broader.
On that farther slope, on Sunday morning,
July 81, deployed the $4,000 troops under Nc
Duwell; on this rested those Of Beauregard.
The advance was made across that rough raVlne
on the line here located The first onset was
half way between the two lines, 90 hill back
Of the stone house. The enemy was forced
back into the ravine, and up this bloody slope
Terrible fighting occurred around that stone
house. Ii was not made a fortihcatioD, as was
the farm house OF La Haye Sainte, which stood
almost in exactly the same relative position to
the contendiug armies at Waterloo. 1t would
probably have been of no use to either General
tor such purpose. AT its well soldiers would
crowd to get drink, regardless of life in their
passionate thirst on that hot day, and many
around that we'll Que feels David thirst for
the we'll Of Bethlehem, and its cost, as he hears
these stories.
As in Waterloo the effort was to dislodge the
troops stationed on the neither hilltop, so was it
here. Mcdowell intended to force Beauregard
back on Manassas, and so get him between him
self and the national forts. The most Of the
battle, therefore, here as there, took place up
ou the bearer hillside and hilltop. Up this
road, again and again, the battle ragged. 1t
has gu its side ravine, the bed of the older
road, abandoned and washed out in deep gul-
lies. That cut was full of dead and wounded
horses and men, rider and horse, friend, foe,
IN one red burial blent." On the left hand
side Of the road, up gradual incline, the
Black Horse Cavalry were cut to pieces by the
Ellsworth Zouaves, many of whom we're also
cut to pieces, aud their red leggngs have been
often picked up along the farther wooded
edges of the field
But the chief seat of the battle was on the
night Of the road, and on this hill, 10 this too
resembling Waterloo. just at its edge Is a
gate that admits to the premises of Mr. Henry,
Shose house, few rods off, one room at the
oase aad two-storied, stands where the thickest
OF the battle ragged. 1t is on the edge OF an
cay slope, while back of it and around it lies
anarge open space of twenty acres, or more.
V9r troops pushed their fraternal foes up to
.als house and field, but pushed them no fur
Mer; II was in the rear of this field that Jack
m ,In heId bis troops, SO compact and unbroken
Tna, den Lee, pointing to him, said: See
jackson he is as steady as stone WALL" and
Ieoce arose his famous name. In this house
"yan old lady, sick; she was wounded. They
uea TO get her away, but were compelled to
90 pack, and she was killed by shot aud lies
Su Sutlea IN her own yard-a sad proof of the
,a @ead mpartality of war One of her daugh-
cb;,,, S, now llvlug here, it is said stood IN the
lulaney all that awful day, smothered by the
Aess and blinded by the SCOT.
na hu The yard close to the house, is monu-
N; ;eu' OF red sandstone, with tablet inserted
uns lItI Place 10 the patriots who fell, July 81,
;nl' ;Sol' Around the base of this pyramid, rest
STs Svs, against Its sides, aud on its pedestals are
,se nae VI SIX smal boards, with we'll. painted SEN
Suses Sass telling that four Confederate officers lie
M ote-1hat t General Lee started from this spot
S,. ~: n march to Washington, after Pope's de-
,rao, o 10 o2-that Stonewall Jackson had his
inc ;0ps ~ near here-and other information pleas
oxr0o W Confederate eyes, 1t is the work of the
ssrSI, VI the house, who, if reconstructed out
ed En,. ls not yet inwardly, and who has avail
erva .seil OF this national monument to pre-
bis b'e ra memorials of anti-national events. But
By ,he! memorials are of wood, and supported only