The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-07-31
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T1s Battls ofs sBull Ran as esshst tY
Civilians
WHO TOOK 5IT FOR SA HOLIDAY.
When tho Shook OF Defeat
Came There Was a Rapid
Race for Homo by
~ 80 tiE - 81 'sl's -fi Si5 Is y.

IS. Came There Was a Rapid
Race for Homo BY
Thousands. 1.- .--t,... ,..
Very few people there are who are
familiar with the date OH which falls
the anniversary OF the battle Of Bull
Run, says the Washington Post.
The date is remembered by and
known to more speople and comes
/ nearer being celebrated in Washing
ton and the District of Columbia; than
In any other quarter of the United
| States.
The first battle Of Bull Run was
fought on July IS, 1861, aud when
that day arrives during the present
month it will see large numbers of old
veterans, ladies and gentlemen Of the
older generation and not u few of the
younger, celebrating in their own
quiet way, this, one Of the list of un-
Official holidays. This statement may
be surprise to many, and cause some
people to inquire why, in view Of the
fact that Bull Run was "a UuiOn de-
feat and q Confederate Stampede as
one writer put 1t, the remembrance of
that event has been cherished by
Washing tonians until the anniversary
OF the fight has become sort OF half
way, unrecognized, unlegalized holi-
day. This, perhaps, IS best answered
by venerable pentlcman, now fast
approaching his S0th year, who for
many years has been connected with
the Army and Navy Medical Museum.
He said:
THE BULL RUN NANNIyERsARY.
Perhaps it is little hard for out
sidcrs and newcomers TO understand
why we WaShingtOnianSS set such store
by the anniversary Of the battle of
Bull Run, but to me the reasons are
clear enough. Now that the civil
war and its long train Of attendant
evils are past and gone dare say it
would be utterly ilnpossible-for any
one TO imagine or 70 form. Il correct
idea OF the altogether vague, mistaken
and even frivolous view that people
North and South took Of the war at
the beginning Of the struggle. You
see the country had enjoyed long
era OF peace. From 1916 down to
1861, almost a half century. there
had been war worthy of the name.
OF course there was the Mexican war
and the various Indian outbreaks, but
these were left largely to the regular
| army to settle and did not affect nor
conyulse the country as n whole. All
over the United States the people had
settled into a rut. from which nothing
Snort OF terrible war could have
moved them and had matters gone on
in this way for another half century
we would have been a nation more
backward than the Boers of South
Africa.
Therefore when the civil war came
on both sides went about the matter
In lazy, perfunctory, dilatory sort of
way, as though one noisy and blood
less battle would settle the dispute
forever and day. This appears all
the more amusing to me now, as look
back over the vista of years and think
how, early in July, 1861, we Washing
tonians got word that battle was
soon to be fought out at Bull Run.
Our half century OF. peace had enderr-
cd bloody spectacles a decided novel
ty and l can remember, as the day
drew near, how the city was all a bus
tie and agog over what many looked
forward to as the greatest sight of
their lives. Had any Of Napoleon's
veterans dropped into the city a few
days before Bull Run he would never
have guessed that a battle was i'm
mlnent 1t was more like city get
ting ready for flower carnival, an
exposition opening, or grand holiday
OF some sort. Department clerks were
bustliDg about, beseeching leaves Of
absence in order to take their wives
and SweetheartS out to see the fight,
nor were they obliged to beg very
hard, for their SupcriOrs were quite
as anxious as their Subordinates to
gape at the battle which was to settle
forever the question Of secession, etc.
THOUGHT IT A PICNIC,
When the day came and the boom
ing of cannon rcsounding over the
hills told us that the struggle was Oh
in earnest 1 venture to say You
couldn't have hired a horse and rig
for $40 an hour. happened to be
one of the spectators and so | know
whereof speak, | also obtained a
leave OF absence, or, rather, l took it,
inasmRch us the department in which
| was employed was deserted and,
Joining Il friend who had horse and
buggy, we followed the throng out to
where the fighting was in progress.
On reaching the battlefield we Joined
a large crowd Of sight-seers posted on
a little hiiloclS in the rear Of body of
infantry, which, by the way, had one
cannon that was firing, in a sort of
desultory way, at the enemy, whose
battery was situated on an opposite
rise beyond an intervening hollow or
gully. The latter were bcmbarding
the Federal infantry at IL pretty lively
rate and, as it seemed to me at the
time, were using more solid cannon
balls than Shells. Many of these
passed over the infantry, fell and re-
bounded near the spectators on the
hilock in the rear. Instead of frigh.
tcning any of us, from the very out
set we lost all sense Of fear. The
big, solid cannon balls from the Con-
federate battery were not at all ter
rifying. They seemed to bowl over to
our side like so many base balls and,
although moving AT, Il very ronid ratio