Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-03-20
The First Bull Run Battle.

The Gazette has heretofore noticed the letter
of which the following is copy
Dear Sir avail myself Of the frat oppor-
tunu moment to answer your letter of the 18th
ultimo inquirng of me, rs IN command at the
time, why the pursuit of the Federsls imme-
di 4tey alter their route at the battle OF Manss.
sas, July 81 1871, was suddenly checked and
the Confederate troops recalled toward Msnas.
sss l will first state that, though with General
Joseph Z. JGhnstons consent l exercised the
command during the battle, at its close, after l
had ordered all the troops on the field in pursuit,
l went personally to the Lewis house and re-
linquisned that command to him. l then start.
ed at a gsrop to take immediate charge of the
pursuit on the Centreville turnpike. but was soon
overtakon by courier from Manassas, with
note addressed to me by Colonel I. 9. Rhett, Of
General Johnston's staff, who had been left
there in the morning to forward that Gonerafs
troops as they might arrive by rail from Win
chester. Colonel Rhett thereby informed me
that q strong body of Federal troops had cross.
sd the Bull Run at Union Mills ford on our
right and was advancing on Manassas, our de-
pot Of supplies, which had been necessarily left
very wesky guarded. l hurried back to the
Lewis house to communicate this important
dispatch to General Johnston, and both of US
believing the information to be authentic
undertook to repair to the Threatened quarter
with Evelrs and Homes brgades at toe mo-
ment near the Lewis house, where they had just
arrived, LOO lSL6 W Laho phIk ia euo oSIioA'
With these troops l engaged to attack the enc
my vigorously before he could effect iodgm emit
on our side OF Bull Run, but asked to be rein
forced rs soon as practicable by such troops As
might be spared from the Centrevile pursuit.
Having reached the near vicinity of Union
Mills ford without meeting any enemy, sscer-
tsined to my surprise that the reported hostile
passage WAS false alarm growing out OF some
movements Of our own troops Ia part OF General
D. r. Jones' brigsde) who had been thrown
across the run in the morning pursuant to my
offensive line Of operations tor the day, and upon
their return now to the south bank Of the run
were mistaken. through their similarity of uni.
FORM for the Federals. l returned to intercept
the m"rch of the two brigsdes VINO were follow
ing me toward Union Mills, and as i: was quite
dark when | met them and they were greatly
faded by cir long march and countern arch
that hot July day, directed them to halt snd
bivouac whore they were. Hearing that Pres-
dent Davis and General Johnston had gone to
Manassas l returned and found them between
$50 and 10 &C ock at ny headquarters.
This will explain TO you Why the partial re-
trogrsde movement to which you refer was
made and why no sustained vigorous pursuit of
McDoweiis army WAS made that evening. Any
pursuit of the Federas next day toward their
rail- ying point, at and around the Long Bridge,
over the Potomac could have led to no possible
military advantage prot acted as their position
was by a sy stem Of 4 ID works No movement
upon Washington by that route could have been
possible for, even if there had been no such
works, the bridge-a mile in length-was com-
manded by Federal ships of war, and few
pieces of srtillery or the destruction of small
part of the br dge could have made its passage
imprscticable.
Our only proper operation was to pass the
Potomac above into NJ srylsnd, at or about Ed
W ,rds Ferry, and march upon the rear of
Washington With the hope of undertaking
such movement, had caused reconnaissance
I tba .r5 ehnra {spnth tho PDt0mac)
in that quarter to be maj eln the month OF june,
but the necess ry transportation, even for the
ammunition essential to such movement, had
not been provided for my forces, notwthstsnd.
ing my application for it duing more than
month beforehand, nor was there twenty-tour
hours lood at Manassas for the troops brought
together for that battle.
G. T. BEAUREGARD.
Talleyrand once sald VA witty wife can