Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-20
GEN. SCHENCK.

kind. Gen. Pope in fact missed the greatest
opportunity Of his life. Unfortunately, from
the very outset, as is now perfectly clear from
the records, he msapprehended the meaning
OF Jackson's movements, and his first step was
dreadful mistake.
Pope was a fighter, and he instinctiyely be-
lieved the enemy intended to stand and fight
at the Junction. On this wrong assumption he
ordered forward on the morning of the 2sth
not only all the troops along the railroad, but
also Mcdowell and Sigel. who were to leave
the turnpike and march on Manassas The re-
suit Of this order is obvious-it was abandoning
his commanding position between the separated
wings of the confederate army and was fatal to
his hopes of crushing Jackson, for as we have
seen. that able chieftain was retiring from the
junction at the very moment Pope was making
these faulty dispositions.
Then, finding Jackson gone, Pope q second
time mlsconceiyed his proper course entirely
overlooking Taliaferros march by the Sudley
Springs road. Observing only the movement
OF Hill and Ewell across Bull run. apparently
toward Centerville, about noon Of the 2eth.
Pope pushed for that point with Heintzelman
and Reno, to be supported by Mcdowell and
Sigel, who were to return to the turnpike and
resume their eastward march. So by accident
as 1T were on the evening of that day Mcdowell
and Sigel once again found themselves in the
right position to fight jackson and prevent
Longstreets advance. These various moves con-
sumed nearly the entire day OF the 28th
After a loss Of nearly twenty-four vital hours
this last movement of McDowelrs finally unrav-
eled the mystery Of Jackson's position. In fact
Jackson himself had been misled by Pope's
cratic movements, first to Manassas and then
toward Centervile, and convinced that the
federals were now in full retreat he came
out and attacked what he mistook for an
isolated detachment endeavoring to get across
Bull run. But he struck a small snag.
THE FIGHT OF THE IRON BRIGADE.
As Kings division was moving along the
pike east of Gainesville about shutdown of the
2sth, Gibbons brigade-composed of the SEQ
ond, sixth and seventh Wisconsin and nine
teenth Indiana regiments, and battery B.
fourth artillery-known the ''lron brigade"
OF the west, was astouished but not thrown into
disorder by a sudden and unexpected attack
by Talaferros and Ewells troops advancing
from north of the pike, supported by rafting
artillery fire. Gibbon-a fighting general Of
conspicuous sbility-faced his splendid brigade
to the front and advanced in line from the
PIKE to meet the enemy. His battery, assisted
by one or two Others soon forced the confed-
crate batteries practically ont Of the fight.
linen followed most savage, sanguinary and
remarkable combat Taliaferro's division OF
four brigades. aided by two of Ewelrs-twenty-
nane regiments OF infantry in sll-attempted to
drive on the Iron brigade, but with the sup
port OF the ffty-sixth Pennsylvania and sew
enty-sixth New York. Gibbons veterans held
their ground until darkness put stop 70 the
firing. These six regiments were the only fed
ssai infantry thss Arsd nuskst - ~ soalon,