The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-08-30
THE STORY OF THE
SECOND MANASSAS
To-day the Forty second Anniversary of the
Great Battle

arrived none too soon, and posting his
crops Oh JacksOns right, with Stephen
ID. Lees regiment of artillery at the
point of contact, awaited the assault.
Three times did Pope throw his mas
slVe column upon Stephen Lees guns
and three times the blue columns melt
ed before the blast of those belching
cannons, and $500 bloody victims tes-
titled to the Vigor of the assault, and
the terrible work of the gray artillery.
Hood tells us, he could not restrain
the enthusiasm and order of his gall
liant Texans and to quote his queer
and laconic expression, they slipped
the bridle.' and delivering a counter
stroke, drove the blue line two miles.
But the hombast of the "Headquar-
ters-in-the- Saddle" still remained.
Though his army had been defeated,
still Pope hoped grandiloquent dis
patches 20 Halleck, might rectify de-
feat, for he sat down and telegraphed
the general-in-chief, we fought a
terrific battle here yesterday. So =
The enemy was driven from the field.
The enemy lost two to one. =
He is retiring toward the mountains.
We have made great captures. ="
l will quote from an authentic descrip-
tive federal historian. The enemy
had not been driven a single rod. He
had simply shortened his line. He was
not retiring. He had not lost two to
one. Pope had captured nothing. The
enemy had captured many prisoners
and several thousand stands of arms,
and yet Pope thought he had won a
great victory and spent the night in
preparing plans to crush the whole
Confederate army on the morrow!
That morrow was to see the number
of dead quadrupled-to see Pope driven
at every point-to see the blue lines
falling back upon Washington. He
I had lost over twenty-five thousand men
twelve battle flags forty pieces of ar
tillery, twelve thousand stands of arms,
animals and stores worth millions of
dollars"
Louisiana Bravery.
While Second dixie First) Manassas
was replete with Confederate heroism,
one instance of peculiar prominence
deserves reiteration here. The gallant
Louisiana brigade had been long and
heavily engaged, repulsing the strong
assault upon that part of Jackson
line defended hv them. They had
taken possession of d cut, part of an
intended railroad line, and had in it's
defense consumed their ammunition.
Once more the blue line formed for
the assault and onward it swept, hop
ing and intending to carry the position.
1t looked like JaCkson's line could not
be maintained against this attack.
But the "Pelicans" proved equal to
the occasion. They did not quail, but
realizing the gravity of the situation,
dropped their empty rifles and dislodg
ing rocks from the side of the railroad
cut, hurled them with savage force into
the faces of the foe.
A perfect rain of stone, instead of
lead, showered upon the enemy and
broke their attack. Assistance coming
at the critical moment, the "Pelicans'
were enabled to maintain their position
until a fresh supply of ammunition
made strong again Jackson's line.
Pope, with McDowells and Burn
sides corps, and the reinforcements
from the Potomac Army, up to the
time he was hurled back into the de-
lenses of Washington, numbered 10000
| men, while the Army of Northern Vir-
ginia carried into this battle but 1907
|, troops. Col. Walter Taylor, Gen. Lee s
|; adtutant general, puts Lees losses at
less than 5000 soldiers.
Could like forces now meet in deadly
conflict, improved arms and appli-
ances would quickly settle the con-
test, and make possible more appalling
losses.
While The Hague conference hoped
to pave the way to a universal dis
armament, and brighten the way to
universal peace, that condition of af-
fairs has not yet become a tangible
fact, therefore the old adage still ex-
lists I'm time of peace prepare for
war" and this government believes
there is potency in the maxim.