Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1897-08-06
IA STORY OF BULL RUN
eEAuREGARD's TWo WOMEN SPIES
, IN WASHINGTON.

eEAUREcARD's TWO WOMEN SPIES
's .ss IN WASHINGTON.
They IIevealed the Federal Plans For tho
Battle Of Manassas to the Confederate
Commander-The Latter Relates tho In
cident In q Personal Letter.
Tho battle Of Bull Run, as it IL known
in history, called Manassas by the south,
was fought in July, 1851. It was planned
and won by Beauregard. 1t was tho great
est victory gained by the Confederates In
the entire war. Yet there was q time In
the midst of it when the southern COM
u1ander's heart "failed" him; when no
"felt as though all was lost, " and when he
wished che had fallen In battle" before.
These revelations arc made In personal
letter of Beauregard, written to Miss Au.
eusta j. Evans Of Mobile. The letter has
come into the possession Of the war depart
ment, but has not been made public until
now. s,..
Perhaps more interesting than the ad-
united fact that victory was snatohed
from defeat Is General Beauregard's state
ment that two women In Washington,
whom he names, betrayed the plans in
detail of the Federal army and enabled
him to choose bis position and make his
arrangements to give battle. The failure
of his own orders, not any mistake In the
betrayal, jeopardized temporarily the re-
suit. "
TO Miss Evans General Beauregard sent
an account Of the battle, inclOsing with 1t
. personal letter. He wrote a. follows:
Miss Augusta J. Evans, Mobile: ,$:
beg to thank you for your letter Of the 18th
inst, and am at last able to answer your in
Quiries by sending you my reports OF the bat
ties Of Bull Run and Manassas-not copied
however, to my satisfaction, but, for fear Of
further delays, send them as they are by tho
Southern Express company.
The young lady referred to miss Duval Of
Washington) brought, about the 10th Of July,
1861, to Fairfax Court House, headquarters Of
General Bonharl tho first message from Mrs.
Greenhow Of the intended positive advance Of
the enemy across the Potomac. tEen ir.:::o
diately commenced making my Preparations
to receive his meditated attack, and I sent one
Of my aids-Colonel j. 8. Preston-to coz.:mu.
nicate the information received to tie prcsi.
dent, as well as my future operations. On the
night Of the 10th Of July received Ivy special
messenger-a Mr.. Donnellan-the second dis.
patch-in cipher also-of Mrs. G., telling me
that the enemy-55, GOO strong, Ibelieve-would
positively commence that day los advance
from Arlington Heights and Alexandria on to
Manassas, via Fairfax Court House and Center.
vile. Early the next morning I telegrnphed
that information to President Davis. About
noon received his telegram to order General
Johnston to join his forces with mine. By
that time, however, tho enemy had already
driven in my pickets in advance Of Fairfax
ri ON TerS ho hat
II feared it was then too late, but still would
telegraph and send a messenger to General
Johnston" The latter arrived about noon on
the goth. At about 4 80 O. m. on tho 21st sent
orders to all the troops to hold themselves in
readiness to move at a moments notice, and
at about q. M. sent my final orders to com.
mence the movement (sce m, report Of tho
battle Of Manassns), Generals Eweu and
Holmes on the right, to start first to attack
and turn the enemy's left and rear at Center.
vile. At about $50 O. M, having given all
preliminary orders, / left my headquarters
with General Johnston for the scene Of action
near Mitchell's Ford, on Eull Run. At about
General Ewell-a gallant and meritorious Off.
cer-that he had not yet received directly my
orders to advance, but would do so at once
from information received to that effect from
General D. r. jones' next On his left, and who
was to have followed hts movement.
It was, however, then too late, for the enemy |
was already pressing with vigor my extreme |
left under Ganeral Evans st the Stone Bridge |
thus had suddenly or OIL the spur of the mo-
ment to change my whole plan Of battle, with |
troops which had never yet fought and could |
scarcely maneuver. My heart for o moment |
failed me! felt as though ell WIS lost, and / |
wished had fallen in the battle Of the 18th, |
but soon rallied, and then solelcnly pledged !
MY life that would that day conquer or diei |
m MAJ n nuoi1N ole
and hopeful, although tho worst was yet to |
come. About p M, finding that the cncEy |
had retaken the plateau Of tle Henry house, |
ordered my reserves (thrcc regi1nents) fUi.
ward and charged ut the head Of enc CT them.
We drove back the enemy, about five times |
cur number, and held the position until the |
|e-enforceme. q from our center and extreme !
right Of the morning had arrived and decided |
The fate of tho day. The enemy commenced
flying about Leo p. M, end the president ar
rived on the field about half an hour later, in
time, however, to enjoy that agreeable sight.
You will excuse, hope, these details, which
are given only to furnish you clearer insight /
10 remark here that the report Of that battle
sent you is more full history Of it than
nero report, which would have contained only
Tho leading facts. Moreover, had not much
experience in such matters. I am happy to
hear that you appreciated SO we'll and truly
my two most worthy TRENDS, johnston and
Price. would serve with pleasure under
ither; one Of them. I hope you will yet meet
also with another one, Breckenridge, than
whom there is not q nobler soul.
With my kind regards to all ut home, L re-
nAin, very truly, your friend,
G. I. BEAuREeARD.
The publication of this private letter
will give to many readers of tho history of
the civil war tho first definite impression
IF tho tremendous advantage the Con-
federatcs had through spies in Washing
;on, and also the first knowledge Of how
tho fortune of battle wavcred on the fold
If Bull Run.--St. Louis Globe Democrat
The Great Busterd.
The great bustard (Otis tarda), bird
till found In the southern provinces of
Russia, is tho heaviest European fowl. In
'ize it exceeds tho Norwegian blackjack.
The old males attain weight of 35 pounds,
md where food is plentiful specimens
SO pounds, and even 40 pounds,
nave been captured. These birds have DIS
appeared from western Europe, where once
they were almost as numerous as par.
ridges, and arc seen only In small focks In
The sand hills skirting tho lower valley Of