The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-03-30
THE FIRST BULL RUN.
Why the Federal Troops were not Followed
Up by the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES from
Gen. Benuregard.

Why the Federal Troops were not FolIowe cd
Up by the Confederntes---Letter from
Gen. Benuregnrd.
Gen. Beauregard has written the fol.
lowing letter, which will be read with
interest: avail myself of the first op-
perfume moment to answer your letter
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 81, 1861, was sudden
ly checked and the Confederate troops
recalled toward Manassas. I will first
state that, though with Gen. Joseph E.
Johnston's consent, exercised the COM
mand during the battle, at its close, after
| had ordered all the troops on the field
in pursuit, ] went personally to the
Lewis House and relinquished that COM
mand to him. then started at q gallop
to take immediate charge of the pursuit
on the Centreville turnpike, but was
soon overtaken by a courier from Man
assas, with note addressed to me by
Col. L. G. Rhett, of Gen. Johnston's s
staff, who had been left there in the
morning to forward that generals troops
as they might arrive by rail from Win
chester. Col. Rhett thereby informed
me that q strong body of Federal troops
had crossed the Bull Run at Union
Mills ford, on our right, and was ad-
vancing on Manassas, our depot of sup
plies, which had been necessarily left
very weakly guarded. 1 hurried back
to the Lewis House to communicate
this important dispatch to Gen. John.
ston, and both of us believing the infor-
nation to be authentic, I undertook to
repair to the threatened quarter with
Ewell's and Holmes brigades, at that
moment near the Lewis House, where
they had just arrived, too late to take
part in the action. With these troops I
engaged to attack the enemy vigorously
before he could effect lodgment on our
side OF Bull Run, but asked to be re-
enforced as soon as practicable by such
troops as might be spared from the Cen
treville pursuit.
Having reached the near vicinity of
Union Mills ford without meeting any
enemy, ascertained to my surprise that
the reported hostile passage was false
alarm growing ont of some movements
of our own troops Ga part of Gen. d. r.
Jones brigade), who had been thrown
across the run in the morning, pursuant
to my offensive plan of operations for
the day, and upon their return now to
the south bank of the run were mis-
taken, through their similarity of uni
form, for the Federals. returned to
intercept the march of the two brigades
who were following me toward Union
Mills, and as it was quite dark when 1
met them, and they were greatly iaded
by their long march and countermarch
during that hot July day. L directed
them to halt and bivouac where they
were. Hearing that President Davis
and Gen. Johnston had gone to Manas-
sas, returned and found them at nv
headquarters.
This will explain to you why the par
tial "retrogade movement " to which
you refer was made, and why no sustain
cd vigorous pursuit of McDowell's army
was made that evening. Any pursuit of
the Federals next day, toward their raj
lying point at and around the Long
Bridge over the Potomac, could have
led to no possible military advantage,
protected as that position was by sys-
tenn of field works. No movement upon
Washington by that route could have
DSS1 pooo'biC, lOlJ CNCl IL AuU
been no such works, the bridge-a mile
in length-was commanded by Federal
ships of war, and a few pieces of artil-
lery or the destruction of small part of
the bridge could have made its passage
impracticable.
Our only proper operation was to pass
the Potomac above into Maryland, at or
about Edwards ferry, and march upon
the rear of Washington. With the hope
of undertaking such movement, 1 had
caused 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
such movement, had not been provided
for my forces, Notwithstanding my ap-
plication for it during more than a
month beforehand, nor was there twen-
ty-four hours food at Manassas for the
troops brought together for that battle.