Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1881-07-05
S2itit Of aefters6l.
ohaFles.oWn, Jegsrson county, YES. Ya.
TUESDAY, MORNING. July ), 1851.
First Battle Of Bnll Rnn..

Mr.. Jefferson Davis. in his History of the
War, speaks as follows in regard to the first
battle at Bull Run
Our cavalry. though there was present but
the squadron previously mentioned, and from
statement OF the commander of which /
will make some extracts, dashed boldly for>
ward to charge. The demonstration was fol-
lowed by the Immediate retreat of whnt was
L believe, the last, thereabout, of tho euemy's
forces maintaining their organization and
allowing disposition to dispute the poases>
sion of the field of battle In riding over
the ground il seemed quite possible to make
tho line of fugitiye's flight Here was a
musket, there was cartridge box, there a
blanket or orercoat, haversack, &e., as If tho
rnnner had stripped himself as he went of
all impediments to speed.
As we approached toward the left of our
line the signs of an utter route of the enemy
were unmissakable, and justified the concln-.
sion that the watchword of .tOn to Rich.
mond !" had been changed to "OR for Wash>
ington ~
81 then suggested that he should be orr
dered in pursuit; pause ensued, until Col.
onel Jordan asked me if would dictate the
order. | at onco dictated an order for i'm.
mediate pursuit. Some conversation followed
the result of which was modification of the
ordor by myself, SO that, instead of imme-
dlate pursuit, it should be commenced at
early dawn. Colonel Jorlon spoke across
the table to me, saying, eff you will send
the order as you first dictated it the enemy
won t stop,tIl he gets into the Potomac.''-
| believe [ remember tho words very nearly
and AN quite suro that do remember them
substantially"
Tho bio1,o oe ~
Davis places very clearly on General .Josenh
E. Johnston. OF the possibilities of n vic>
orous pursuit he says:
"This viow of the matter rests on tha rur.
position that the Notifications and rarrisons
described did actually exist, of which there
then seemed to be no doubt. IF the reperts
which have since reached us be true. that
there were at that time neither Notifications
nor troops stationed on tho south bank of the
Potomac that all the enemies forces fled to
the north side of the river and even bcyopd
that tho panic ol the routed army iufecte6
the whole population Of Washington citv
aud that no preparation was made or even
contemplated for the destruction of the bridce
across the Potomac, then it may have been.
as many have asserted, that our army. fol>
lowing close upon the flying enemy, could
have entered and taken posscssion of tho
United States capital. These reports. how
ever, present condition of affairs altogether
at variance with tho information on which
we had to act. Thus it was, and so far as
knew, for the reasons above stated. that an
advance to the south bank of the Potomac
was not contemplated as tho immediate se>
quenoc of the victcry at Manassas. What
discoveries would have been made and what
results would have ensued from tho cstab-
lishment of our gums upon the south bank
OF the river to open Gro upon the capital, are
sP'cu la'ive questions upon which it would be
useless to enter"