Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-05-13
A New View of Bull RIM.

THE UNION FORCES WERE NOT ROUTED THERE.
From the Chicago Times.
The series of battle accounts being published
In the Century is characterized by one some
what noticeable quality; that is, there is a very
considerable amount of disagreement among
the southern writers, while thus far there has
been little or none at ali among the contribu-
tors who present views from the federal stand
point. The current number of the monthly
contains several articles relating to the earlier
battles between Washington and Richmond,
and in which three confederate officers, limbo
den, GuStavus Smith and j. T.. Johnston, and
one federal officer, Geo. y. Mcclellan, pre-
sent their views. IInboden was an artillerist
who played an important part in the first en-
counter at Bull Run. and who very graphically
describes that celebrated battle. His account,
taken in connection with that of Gen. Joseph
Il. Johnston affords good deal of light on that
conflict. and make IL far less diScreditable to
The national forces than the statements pub
Iished at the time and which have since been
received as being just in their presentations of
the battle.
The nationalist have been Inundated for al
most quarter of a century over the alleged
plumbers, tncapacity, retreat, rout and sdure
g1ti pe,a flight of the federal troops toward the
national capital. Nothing of the sort appears
in the accounts furnished by Johnston and I'm
boden, and not only do they furnish no evil
dence in favor of any such disgraceful flight,
but they establish distinctly that nothing of the
kind occurred. In Johnston's account the char
acter OF the federal retreat is brought out incl
dentally, but in manner that admits OF no
question. Johnston is defending himself
against the charges or insinuations of Jefferson
Davis that he lacked in Judgment or capacity In
failing to follow the retreating federals into
Washington. He says that at little before
O'Clock. when the federal retreat began, he or
dered Gen. Bonham to march with his own and
LODgstreet's brigades by the quickest route to
the turnpike, and form them across it to inter
cept the federal retreat. But he found SO little
the appearance of rout in these troops TO
make the execution of his instructions seem
impossible, the two DrgadeS returned to
their camps" That the federal right did do some
heavy running away admits OF no doubt. but
the main portion of the army, the center and
the left, marched from the field in almost as
good order as they went on II before the battle.
The popular impression of the first battle of
Bull Run was founded on the newspaper cor
respOndence concerning the event. and which
evidently emanated from men who were de-
moraliZed by the unexpected defeat, and who
miStOOk the rush of frightened mules and in
sane drivers as the wild retreat of a defeated
army. The assertions of Johnson and I'm
boden do not convey the idea that the federals
did not fight determinedly and with perth
nacity; on the contrary, they recognized and
freely state that the first onset was irresistible,
and that the national troops fought like vet
Grams. ImbOden thinks that McDOwell's order
changing Ricketts, and Griffin $ batteries to a
more advanced position was a blunder which
lost him the battle, for the that the time
occupied in moving the batteries gave the con-
federates time to take up new and advan-
have been possible had the batteries remained
in place, for. as then located, they commanded
the line along which the new front was formed.
1t Is q satisfaction to the country to learn,
even after lapse of nearly quarter of a CEN
tury, that the cowardice, incapacity and de-
moralization charged TO the account of Bull
Run had no existence outside of the fleeing cor
respondents and the routed Congressman and
other civilians who went out to see the battle
expecting to make of it grand picnic. 1t is a
little out of the usual order of things that the
correction should come from the men who in
fiicted the defeat, and that an army accused of
inability and cowardice should be relieved of
the charge by the enemy against whom it
fought.