The Portland daily press., 1897-07-07
BETRAYED AT BULL RUN.
Two Women Spies in Washington Re-
vealed the Federal Plans to Beauregard.

(From the ST. Louis Globe Democrat
Washington, D. c., June 26-The battle
of Bull Run, as it is known in history,
called Manassas by the South, was fought
in July, 1861. 1t was planned and won
by Beauregard. 1t was the greatest vic
tory gained by the Confederates in the
entire war. Yet there was time in the
midst of it when the Southern command
er's heart ''failed'' him; when he ''felt
as though all was lost" and when he
wished che had fallen in battle before
These revelations are made in person
al letter of Beauregard, written to Miss
Augusta J. Evans of Mobile. The letter
has come into the possession of the War
Department. but has not been made pub
lie until now.
Perhaps more interesting than the ad
mitted fact that victory was snatched
from defeat is Gen. 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 his position.an 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 Gen. Beauregard sent an
account Of the battle, inclosing with it
personal letter. He wrote as follows:
Miss Augusta J. Evans, Mobile, Ala:
II beg to thank you for your letter of
the 18th inst, and am at last able to an
swer your inquiries by sending you my
reports of the battles of Bull Run and
Manassas copied, however, to my
satisfaction, hut, for fear of further de-
lays, l send them as they are by the
Southern Express Company
The young. lady referred to miss
Duyal of Washington brought, about the
10th .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. 1 then Immediately
receive his meditated attack, and l sent
one of my aids (Col. J. S. Preston) to
communicate the information received to
the President, as we'll as my future oper-
ations. On the night of the 10th of July
| received by special messenger Ga Mr..
Donnellan) the second despatch in cipher
also of Mrs. g., telling me that the
.OOO StIOlSt DtllcNc-WOulu
positively commence that day his advance
from Arlington Heights and Alexandria
on to Manassas, via Fairfax Court House
and Centreville. Early the next morning
telegraphed that information to Presf-
dent Davis. About noon I received his
telegram to order Gen. Johnston to Join
his forces with mine. By that time, how
ever, the enemy had already driven in my
pickets in advance of Fairfax Court
House, and l answered the President
that L fearedsit was then too late, but
still would telegraph and send messen-
ger to Gen. Johnston The latter arrived
about noon on the Goth. AT about 4.3O
q. H., on the 21st T sent orders to all the
troops to hold themselves in readiness
to move at moments notice, and at
about a. IN. sent my final orders to
commence the movement (see my report
of the battle of Manassas), Gems. Elwell
and Holmes on the right, to start first to
attack and turn the enemy's left and rear
at Centreyille. AT about $50 a. H., hav-
ing given all preliminary orders, l left
my headquarters with Gen. Johnston for
the scene of action near Mitchell's Ford,
on Bull Run. At about 1920 a. IN. |
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 information received to that