The National tribune., 1884-01-10

cepted it as retreat.
GENERAL JoHNsToN's NoyEMESTs.
Let us imagine ourselves in Winchester
moment lit is June Is. The cavalrymen sent
out BY General Johnston are coming in. " Pat
terson is beyond the 0pequon River" they re-
port. de is as far away as be was at Mar
tinsburg.
1t is j o'clock in the afternoon, and mes
sage is coming over the wires from Richmond:
General Beauregard is attacked. Go TO his
assistance
The drums beat the soldiers gather up
their blankets and fall into line the regiments
face eastward, aud IN a few moments are on
their way eastward. Seventeen miles viii
take them through-the gap of the mountains
TO Piedmont, TO the railroad. Major Whiting
gallOps ahead to get cars and engines IN readi-
ness. III is Thursday afternoon, and on Friday
morning at s O'Clock, the soldiers of General
Jackson brigade are in the cars, whirling
towards Manassas. All through Friday and
Saturday. long trains of cars are rolling from
Piedmont te Manassas, transporting the army.
GENERAL BEAUREeARDs POSITION.
Now let us go down TO Manassas aud take a
glance MT General Beauregard's position. bis
supply camp is Al the junction of the railroads,
but his troops, most of them, are stationed
along Buli Run branch of the Occoquan. 1t
is a law stream. winding down from the Bull
Mountains, beautiful range Of hills toward
the northwest. At tho season Of midsummer
il can be forded almost anywhere. As you 90
up the stream from the Dec0quan you come TO
McLean's Ferd 4 another mile brings you TO
Black5urn's. Two miles above that you come
10 a stone bridge and the Warrenton turnpike,
which runs east aud west. Looking east you
see CcntFeyilie three miles away. A brook
YoGngs Branch-oomes tricking down from
the west and the turnpike runs beside it. A
mile west OF the bridge on hill south of the
turnpike. stands 8ir. Henry's house, and beyond
il Mr. ohinDs. On the north side, half a mile
distant. is Mr. Mathews house. A road comes
up from Manassas, crosses the pike, runs past
Mr. Mathews and goes on 10 SHdiey Church. a
mile and hall. Just beyond the church we
come to Bulb Run, which here bends 10 the west;
we sec an old mill and great water-wheel and
several lalm houses. There are woods along
the stream. but south of the church, on the
west side Of the road leading to Manassas. are
beautiful fields ali the way 10 the turnpike.
This tie scenery Of the field where the first
Important battle OF the war was TO be fought.
BEAUREGARD's PROCLAMATION
When the Union troops took possession Of
Arlington. General BeaRregard issued the fol
lowing proclamation 70 has troops:
a reckless and uEprincipled tyrant has
invaded s0aF SOIL Abraham Lincoln. regard
less cf sll moral, lesal and constitutional re-
straints has thrown his abolition hosts among
you. who arc nnrdering and inpriscning your
citizens, couiiscating and destroying Your
property. and committing other acts of violence
ard outrage too shocking and revolving 10
humanity to be enumerated.
= AL rules cfciVilized warfare are abandoned,
and they proclaim by their acIs if not on their
banners that their war cry is Beauty and
BOOTY Ali that is dear TO man-your honor
and that Of yuur wives and daughters, your
fortunes and your lves-;lres involved in this
mDmentoHs conflict"
GENERAL McDowELL's ORDERS.
Id contrast. General Mcdowell. commanding
the Union troops, issued an order directing al
officers 10 keep an account OF al land taken
for encampments and for field works, all crops
destroyed. al buildings occupied. trees cut
down, or fences burned, that people might re-
ceive pay from the Government.
THE ARMIES
General Be2uregard had 1900 men and
twenty-niae guns besides those mounted IN
the breastTfZEs at Manassas. Some OF his
troops Eese at Fairfax. some at Centreville, but
h. cnose BGll Kun as the place where he would
wait an attack. When General Johnston's
troops came ne had in al $1,000 men and fifty
fSe cannon.
Going now to Arlington and Alexandria we
see General Mcdowell with $1,000 men getting
ready to march to Manassas. He has FIVE di-
visions. tire FIRST commanded by General
Tyler. the second bv General Hunter, the
third by General Heintzelm2n, the fourth by
General Rnnyon, the 6fth By General Niles
The country between Alexandria and Manassas
is SO tliiekly covered with woods that he con
clndes it wal be best 70 march to Centreville
and approach Manassas through the open
fields froia tbs north.
McDowEIL's MARCH.
At noon, july I6, the drums beat, the troops
faii into line and the columns take up the line
OF march with waving banners. At last the
soldiers feel that they are on their way 20 Rich-
1nOnd. But they kaoE nothing Of war, have
heard 40 thundeFs OF hostile cannon, or felt
the storm oil icaden rain sweeping through
their ranks. They are inpatient at discipline.
They Tsisz biacEber-les- down 10 rest when
tirea with marching. A.aay Of them are tbree
months nen. and their term Of enlistment vii
expire beioEe the end Of the geek.
BATTLES WITH BEES.
II woa,d make this letter % long were te
naFra.t ali the incidents Of the march-hoV
General Tslers division canped at Vienna a
night. hew q soldier upset bee hive II fhs
morning - get tie honey, and Sow the bee
buzzea ab0ut their ears; Of how the soldier
ran; how fAe horses reared and kicked!
BLAcKBUEE's FORD.
1t WAS on Friday afternoon, July 10. thz-
Ceaafai Z Eler sent General Richardson from
brigade 70 make a reconnaissance De dit
more than General Tyler intended. Their
aEaE q skirnish, and Sky men were killed ans
WoBndea before he retrealcd.
General BeauregaBd had thrown up breast
works at all the l0rds, and has cannon wer
planted to sweep them. u hat shall Genera
McD0GFeil d0g All through Saturday he wait
70 see how TO get across Bail Run. Preciou
the hours 70 Beauregard, for Johnston is has
telsing 10 bis aid. JacHzsons brigade ha
already arrived. and before Sunday closes al
JohDsien's troops win be there Holmes bri
fade Is coning from Acqaia Creek, AID Nor6l
Carolina troops arc on their way with Hamp
IONS legion from South Carolina.
PLANS.
Down fy Bnll Run Beaurecard and Jollnstol
are in consultation They VIII cross Ball Bun
march 10 CeutrcyIle aud attack Mcdowell
in tire dan gray Of the morning Johnston
writes the order
But General Mcdowell is carrying ont hi
plan. General Tyler is marching down th
turnpike toward the Stone Bridge with thre
bTigades. On the opposite side Is Geners
Evans guarding il with Confederate reg
ment.
A little further down the stream are Cook
and Bees br.gades, and at Balls Ford ar
BOnham's and Jacks0n's brigaaes. Longstre,
and Eafly are still farther down.
afcDowEILs PLANK MOVEMENT.
General Mcdowell is intending to max
Johnston snd Bcauregard bolieve that he
going b attack at Blackburn's Ford and q
Stone Bridge, while he sweeps Hunter an