Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-15
CHAPTER TX.
Strange Witnesses at Bull Run.

Overlooking the struggling city, lying be-
yond mile of level fields, there stood on
the wooded heights to the north fine old
mansion its colonnaded portico cleaning
white amid the yerdure in the slanting
sunshine of the summer afternoon. August
was all but gone. September was but
few hours away. Little Mac had al
ready begun to make and mold what was
soon to be the grand Army of the Potomac,
whose snowy tents were spread over every
open space within the limits of the district
and dotted the northward banks of the no.
BILE river far away toward the mountain
gateway at Harper's Ferry.
The state militia had disappeared. The
first great levies of volunteers 100000
strong, had been rushed to the front. and
those destined for service about the national
capital, at least were being drilled,
equipped and organized by a master hand
Across the Potomac, in plain view of the
defenders, the flag of the exultant south
was floating from the crest of Munsons
Hill. but between it and the banks of the
mile-wide stream were now long lines of
field works, planned by skllful engineers,
bristlng with black-mouthed guns, fringed
with tangled abattis and manned by thou
sands of sturdy soldiery, burning with
eagerness to retrieve the disaster of July.
Within the limits of the city itself every
park was a bursting camp, every hail a
barrack and every level space a drill
ground.
And here in front of the old Porter man
sion, just referred to, the pacing sentry
looked out upon a stately ceremony on the
plain below, where little brigade of regu-
lars had been drawn up for review, south
of the 18th street road, and with their field
glasses party of volunteer officers, dozen
in ALL had gathered on the portico, inter
ested spectators of the distant yet stirring
scene The southeast wind, moist and
warm from the lower Potomac, brought TO
their ears the roll of the drums in salute
to a major general, and of major generals
that early in the war, regular or volunteer,
there was only one in saddle now about
Observation-Disclosures Mac" to whom the
impulsive, impressionable soldlery were al
ready looking with almost ador1ng eyes;
little distance away, jogging up the
narrow winding lane from the roadway az
the foot of the southwest slope, came sun
another officer, whose glossy broadclolh
and glistening buttons told as did his I'M
tanned face that he had but recently come
afield.
And yet, at sight of him, men of higher
rank stepped forward in manifest respect
to greet and welcome. An orderly, sum-
moned by the prompt call OF an AID; came
running to take his rein. The brigade sur
geon sprang to his stirrup to help him DIS
mount; the adjutant general fastened to
lend a hand The brigade commander him
self arose and came forward, glow in his
dark eyes, smile on his bearded race;
Slowly and stiffiy the new arrival lowered
himself from saddle, and, lmping bit, but
laughingly, even blushingly declined assist
ance, tramped sturdily up the fagstones
to salute the general, who shook his hand
with hearty cordially. and hailed him with:
"Welcome, Major Winn Another year
and wounded heroes We're no noVelty. put
even in that first September of the war we
were still petting the fellows who had felt
the sting of southern lead at first Bull Run.
Rather a risky experiment, major said