Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-10-07

The monument will live and will let the slabs
live too q little while, unless some Union SOL
Giers who fought on that day should happen to
see them, when we fear they would rapidly and
uuceremoniously disappear. All over the field,
around this house, are vestiges of this battle
bits of cauteens and cartridge boxes, straps,
shoe-soles, minnie balls, aud other signs of the
great struggle Its distance from depots has
prevented the devastation of relics.
In yet another respect the battle resembled
Waterloo. Each commander expected re-en
forcements The one on the defensive 10 each
case alone received them. Had each Of them
not been helped, it is doubtful it they would
have either of them won the day. johnson
and Blucher were essential to the success OF
Beauregard and Willingtoo. Patterson and
Grouchy failed to come. Through that tho.
roughtare gap, which opens on our lett between
these Bull Run mountains, the greatest save
one OF the Confederate Generals, on that Sab
bath day, having rode 10 cars from Harper S
Ferry. marched his troops at set of sun on the
field. entering it, as Blucher did at Waterloo,
from the south, or left hand That settled the
day. The forces of Beauregard, which had
already begun to break under the steady and
unbroken purpose of the Federals, were reas
sured, and the troops of Mcdowell, before this
fresh arrival, broke often. Down the bill,
down the road they rushed, everywhere but to
the front. The retreat became panic, and
the heroes, who had all day fought their way
up these raviues aud over these slopes, were
turned into deer, that rested not IN their tlmor-
Gus flight till the forts and streets OF Washing
ton were reached So quick can the bravest
become the most fearful.
The second battle was fought mile or TWO
south of this, and at right angles with lt-that
is from north to south this chiefly from west
to east. The change was natural. The two
Confederate Generals had got through the gay
in the last case, and united their forces before
they we're broken up They therefore looked
northeastward, aud had to be met there on
their own line of battle. The retreat IN each
instance was in the same direction. Herein
Waterloo and Bull Run differ The former
concluded war of twenty years; the latter
began war of four. The former was perma-
nent victory the latter resultedin the ultimate
defeat Of the vctors. The iormer lnV0iV-
ed no principle of especial value. The
latter was the more than Bunker Hill, where
principles then lost were thereby made more
sure of success. No one cau more properly re-
ioice, to-day, over their victory than the two
Generals who won this day; for each has since
accepted the conclusions Of that war, and one,
and he the chief 10 this conflict, has avowed
himself the advocate of all its issues, the civil
and social aud Christian equality of all men.
God bless that brave General. His name was
held as an omen of good by those for whom he
then fought. 1t is an omen Of good now OF
those and all the laDd.
The quiet scene, this Monday morning, how
different from that Monday after the fight
What sight of blood, death, groans and de-
ISOLATION there met the eye. The corn grows
on this hillside, scaut aud poor-the first plant
ed here siuce the battle 1t does not look as
ifeuriched with human gore. The hills stand
majesticalIy calm around this valley and the
hills Youug's Branch giugles softly along;
then gorged with blood and bodies-the brook
to which the South gave the maue ofthe battle
properly. for it was not fought within halfa
mile of Bull Run, and was fought straight along
this bit of steam. Calmness possess the
scene May it possesses all the land then and
there wrestling 10 the death-throes of a gigan
tic evil, 10 the birth. .throes of divine lite.
flag. one people, one blood, one Immortality
Gilbert Horen, IN lions Herald.