Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-07-17
BETRAYED AT BULL RUN.

The Copfedel ates in the entire war
Yet there was Il time in the midst OF IL
when the Southern commanders heart
"failed;n when he "felt as though all
was lost" aud when he wished "he had
fallen in battle" two or three days be
fore.
These revelations are made in per-
sonal letter of Beauregard, written to
Miss Augusta ]. Evans, of Mobile. The
letter has come into the possession of
the War Department, but has not been
made public until now.
Perhaps more interesting than the
admitted fact that victory was snatch
ed from defeat is Gen. Beauregard's
statement that two women in Washing
ton, whom he names, betrayed the plans
in detail of the federal army and ensb-
| led him to choose his position and
make his arrangements to give tattle.
The failure of his own orders, not any
mistake in the betrayal, jeopardized
temporarily the result.
To Miss Evans Gen Beauregard sent
an account of the battle, inclosing with
it q personal letter He wrote as fol.
| lows
Miss Augusta ]. Evans, Mobile, Ala.
i beg to thank you for your letter OF
the 18th instant, and am at last able to
answer your inquiries by sendipg you
my reports Of the battles of Bull Run
and Manassas-not copied, however,
TO my satisfaction, but for fear of fur
ther delays | send them as they are by
the Southern Express Company
The young lady referred TO (Miss
Duval, of Washington brought, about
the 1Oih Of July, 1861, TO Fairfax Court
house, headquarters of Gen. Bonham,
the first message from Mrs. Greenhow,
of the intended positive advance of the
enemy across the Potomac. then i'm
mediately commenced making my pre-
parations to receive his meditated at
tack, and l sent one of my aides (Col.
J. S. Preston) to communicate the in
formation received to the President, a
we'll as my future operations. On the
light of the 10th of July received by
special messenger "a Mr. Donnellsn)
the second dispatch Gin cipher also OF
Mrs g., telling me that the enemy-55,-
900 strong, / believe-would positively
commence that day his advance from
Arlington Heights and Alexandria on to
Manassas, via Fairfax Courthouse aud
Centrs vile. Early the next morning
l telegraphed that information 10
President Davis. About noon l
received his telegram to order
General Johnston to join his forces
with mine. By that time, however,
the enemy had already driven in my
pickets in advance of Fairfax Cour :
house, and l answered the Presiden,
that 81 iearei it was then too late, but
still would telegraph and send a mes
senger to Gen. Johnston" The latter
arrived about noon on the 20ih. AT
about 4:30 a. No., on the 21st sent or
ders to all the troops to ho d
themselves in readiness to move
st moments notice, and at
about a. m. sent my final orders to
commence the movement (see my re-
port of the battle of Manassa), Gems.
Ewell and Holmes on the right, to
start first to attack and turn The enc
my's left and rear at Centreville. at
about $50 a. M, having given all pre-
liminary orders, left my headquarters
with Gen. Johnston for the scene of &C.
ton. near Mtchell's Ford, on Bull Run.
At about 1890 a. m. was informed by
message from Gen. Ewell "a gallant and
meritorious officer, that he had not yet
received directly my orders to advance,
but would do so at once from informa-
ton received to that effect from Gen.
ID. r. Jones, next on his left, and who
was to have followed his movement.
1t was, however, then too late, for
the enemy was already pressing with
vigor my extreme left under Gen:
Evans at the Stone bridge. l
thus had suddenly, on the spur
of the moment, to change my
whole plan OF battle, with troops
which had never yet fought and could
scarcely mauoeuver. My heart for a
moment failed me; felt as though all
vas lost, and l wished had fallen in
the bsttle OF the 18th; but l soon raj
lied, and 1 then solemnly pledged
nv life that l would that day
conquer or die Immediately every
thing appeared again clear and hopeful,
although the worst was yet to come.
About 3 p. M. finding that the enemy
had retaken the plateau Of the Henry
House, L ordered my reserves (tnree
reeiments) forward, and charged
at the head of Que of them. We drove
back the euemy, about five times ou-
number. and held the position until the
reinforcements from our center and
extreme right of the morning had ar
rived and decided the fate of the day.
The enemy commenced flying about
4.SO D. m. and the President arrived 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 events of that day. beg to re-
mark here that the report of that battle
sent YOU is more full history OF it
than mere report, which would have
contained only the leading facts
moreover, 1 had not much experience