Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-22
FIRST BULL RUN.
Southern View of the Battle by Gen.
Douglas.

Southern View of the Battle by Gen.
Douglas.
The thirty-sixth anniversary of the first
battle of Manassas was celebrated at
Manassas, Va, yesterday, under the au-
spices of the Ladies' Memorial Associa-
ton and Manassas Chapter, Daughters of
the Confederacy. Mr.. J. B. T. Thornton,
commemorative attorney Of the county,
delivered the address of welcome. Ad-
dresses were also made by Gen. H. Kyd
Douglas, Col. Lige White and Others
Some parts of General Douglas address,
relating to the first Bull Run battle, were
decidedly interesting. He said
Bull Run was not such an awful rout on
the part of the federal army, nor such an
easy daShing victory on the part of the
confederates as both sides are wont to con-
slider. Moreover, in the light of subse-
Quent events, a battle which was fought
with about 5000 men on each side and in
which there were less than 500 federal SOL
diers killed and less than 4U0 confederates
cannot be considered a very sanguinary en-
gagement But for new, green troops there
is no ground for criticism. Before the bat
tie, when the two bifurcated armies were
watching each other at Washington and
Winchester, General Mcdowell had about
10000 troops, General Beauregard about
$1,000, General Patterson about 1900 and
Gen. Joe Johnston about 11,000. General
Scott ordered Patterson to threaten fight
or hold on to Johnston while Mcdowell
whipped Beauregard; but this is exactly
what General Patterson didn't do. "Old
Joe" played with the aged Patterson until
the last moment and then, slipping away
helped to deal Mcdowell a mortal blow be-
fore Patterson missed him.
Lying on opposite sides of Bull Run, Nc
Dowell and Reauregard simultaneously de-
termined to attack. On Sunday morning
Beauregard ordered an attack against Nc
DowelIs left flank at Centerville, and Nc
Dowell started to make a detour to cross
Ilrrv,h r-C rr1l law NJ o,,1
regards left
-"McDowellS movement was more danger
Gus and difficult, but he moved more quick
ly and struck Beauregard while he was
waiting to hear from his own attack. But
for the soldierly intuition of General
Evans and the prompt and admirable dis
position Of his brigade. the surprise might
have been disastrous one. The confed-
sive. and up to that hour, outgeneraled and
outmarched, thing that never again oc-
Cured In the many campaigns between
the Army of the Potomac and the Army of
Northern Virginia. McDowelrs plan was
admirable. and. in its inception well ex-
ecuted. Early in the day the chances were
all with him, but when he undertook to
force the situation he failed. Beauregard,
and faced it daringly and slSillfully. Wheth-
er McDowelfs tactics were faulty or
whether he could not help 1t with new
troops, when he proceeded TO execute his
pio1a, INVESTMENT nc went 70 pieces WIN
the $4,000 troops he took across Bull Run,
or with two-thirds Of them, he ought TO
have hopelessly defeated the confederates
before noon, for Beauregard's army was
scattered along Bull Run and only a por-
ton of Johnston's command had arrived,
although they subsequently bore the bur-
den Of the battle. Delay was McDoweIfs
ruin, and 1t was doubly ruinous to delay in
the presence OF Johnston and Beauregard.
On their side there was no error nor delay
In the emergency. When Evans was driven
back and Barlow fell, and Bee died, and
jackson was bracing himself in the center,
fresh troops. as they came up, were sent
to the right spot, and when the supreme
moment came the tide of battle was turned
and the enemy was driven from the field
in hopeless confusion"