The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-03-30
From the Ne,c Orleans Picayune.
Beauregard on Manassas.
NEW ORLEANS. March, 7. Is

NEW ORLEANS, March, Z, 1876.
DEAR SRI avail myself of the first
oprortune moment to answer your letter
of the 18th ult., inquiring of me, as in
command at the time, why the pursuit of
the Federals Immediately after their rout
at the battle of Manassas, July q, 1861,
was suddenly checked and the Confeder-
ate troops recalled toward Manassas?
T will first state that, though with
General Joseph E. Johnston's consent
exercised the command during the battle,
at its close, after had ordered all the
troops on the field in pursuit, Invent per-
sonally to the Lewis House and relin-
quished that command to him. 1 then
started at gallop to take immediate
charge of the pursuit on the Centreville
turnpike, but was soon oycrtaken by o
courier from Manassas, with note ad-
dressed to me by Colonel T. G. Rhett, of
General Johnston's staff, who had been
left there in the morning to forward that
Generals troops as they might arrive by
rail from Winchester. Colonel Rhett
thereby informed me that strong body
Of federal troops had crossed the Bull
Run at Union Mills Ford, on our right,
and was advancing on Manassas, our:
depot of supplies, which had been neces-
sarily left very weakly guarded. hur-
lried back to the Lewis House to commu-
nicate this important despatch TO Gener-
al Johnston, and both oSus believing the
information to be authentic, / undertook
to repair 10 the threatened quarter with
Ewell's and Holmes brigades, at that
moment near the Lewis House, where
they had just arrived, too late. take
part in the action. With these troops. l.,
engaged to attack the enemy vigorously
before he could effect Judgment on
our side of Bull Run; but asked to be re-
inforced as soon as, practicable by such
troops as might be spared from the Cen
treville pursuit, :, t ia. .;.;,,,...
Having reached the near vicinity. Of
Union Mills Ford without meeting Gny
enemy, ascertained, to my surprise, that
the reported hostile passage was q false
alarm growing out of some movements of
our own troops Ia part of General D. r.
Jones' brigade,) who had been thrown
across the run in the morning, pursuant
to my offensive plan of operation for the:
day, and upon their return now to the,
south bank of the run were mistaken
through their similarity of uniform for
the federals. returned to intercept the
march of the two brigades who were fol-
lowing me toward Union. Mills, and as it
was quite dark when l met them, and p,
they were greatly. jaded by their long
march and counter-march during that
hot July day, directed them. to halt
and bivouac where they were. Hearing;
that President Davis and General. john
ston had gone to Manassas, I returned
and found them between haif-past nine
and ten o'clock at my headquarters. J; y:
This will explain to you why the par
tial "retrogade movement" to which YOU
refer, was made, and why no Sustained
vigorous pursuit of McDowelPs army
was made that evening. j., !Iarrg IL,
ANY pursuit of the federals next, day,
toward their rallying point at and around
Long Bridge, over the Potomac, could
have led to no possible military advani
tage, protected as that position was by
system. of field works. No movement
upon U,dSnlURtOuTUJ IudS louCO SSuiol
have been possible, for even if there had
been no such works the bridge-as mile
in length-was commanded by Federal
ships Of war, aud few. pieces:o artillery
or the destruction of small part Of the
bridge could have made its. passage i'm
practicable. - 80 ~ i''''.' - -
Our only proper operation was to pass
the Potomac above, into Maryland, at or
about Edwards Ferrys and marchIupon
the rear of Washington. With the hope,
of dertaking such a movement had
caused a reconnaissance of the country
and shore (south of the Potomac) in that.
quarter to be made in the month Of June,
but the necessary transportation, even
for the ammunition essential to suchsa
movement, had not been provided for
nv forces, notwithstanding my applica-'
ton for it during more than a. month
beforehand, nor was there twenty-four !,
hours food at Manassas for the troops
brought together for that battle. 81. e''F
.ca;irij CT. BEAUREGARDj ~
Hon. JOHN G. FERRIss, Nashville, Tenn,