Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-03-28
THE BATTLE OF MANASSAS.

TIE following paper wss read by
Mrs Kate Hooper Of this city at re.
cen, meeting of the local organization of
the u. ID. G.
Euly in May 1861, the Alexandriaus
raised Confederate flag on the Marshall
House. There was speaking and music.
The 18th VIrgiaia. nearly all AltxsI =
drians, and the F4irfsx cavalry, mace
up of young men from Fairfax Curt
House and Cenierv'lle, we're with us.
We were up late and when day dswned
our city was filled with U. 5. soldiers
and a man OF war was st our wharf with
her por, holes open to us in case Of re
sisisDce. Captured without firing gun
Col. Ellsworth marched bis regiment
right up to the Marshall House stars
aud tore down the flag. AS he came
! down the proprietor, Jim Jsckson, shot
him dead and one of the soldiers ran bis
bayonet through Jackson and pinned
him to the floor at the feet Of his vile
There was intense excitement and
during that time the 17th Virginia AID
ihe Fairfax cav Try passed out of the
Old Dominion Road and escaped, all
but one OF the Cenletvile boys, who had
gOue home with ia. We concealed him
that day and sf:er supper some of our
NJ shbors walked with us to The Wesf
End, where we parted with him aud he
made his way safe 10 his company.
The people quieted down, the U. ).
troops threw up Notifications around our
ciiy, as it was very important pout,
ouly eight miles from the cspiIsl, and
they were determined TO hold it st all
risks.
They marched thousands through
there, fully equipped with ammunition,
horses and provisions and camped them
around and sent out body of men to-
wards Fairfax Court House. Our men
retreated from there TO Oenterville. They
advanced the u. ). army up near Ceu-
tefvile aud csmped near there. They
continued to advance and ours TO retreat
until our men reached the place which
thew had fortified ii d there they halted.
On July 81, Gen. Winfield Scott and
party passed through with flags flying,
bands playing, shouting "On to Rich
mond" as If they held the key to every
lhihg and intended to wipe out the CD
lire South. expressing contempt for Our
fleeing army, as they called it. When
we viewed ii all and realized how few
men we had and how poorly equipped
we were to cope with such host, our
hearts were heavy indeed. All day long
and in o the night we listened to :he
roar of the cannon. Some would sleep
awhile and get up 80 others might rest.
The whole city was watching and pray
ing, for dear old Alexandra was as true
as steel Among her Is. 600 population
you could not find twenty-five men
against the little band of brave men
that we're fighting on that never-to be-
forgotten July 2lst.
When it was light enough for us t.
see, the rain was pouring down on de-
mDrslz'd army, in full retreat, crest
fallen, woe be-gone, the most complete
rOut that was ever seen during The war.
There may have been harder battles
and more loss Of life, but the lesson
learned by the United STATES army on
he Bull Run-MaUssss> battle fell
WAS, that the lsst man in the south
would die before they wruli he sub
dued, so the only wsy WAS 10 outnumber
them, which they did.
Bstesville, Ark, Guard, Msrch 81.
Mrs. Hooper will be remembered by
mauy of the old residents of Alexandra.
During The war she resided here and de-
voted much of her lie t. the care OF the
Confederate soldiers and their families