Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-24
BULL RUN MEMORIES
Big Battle Was Fought Forty
Eight Years Ago.
WHERE JACKSON WON FAME
Exciting Scenes Here Recalled by
Survivors.
ROUT OF THE UNION TROOPS
Booming of the Cannon Could Be
Heard in This City-Star's Cor
respondents Narrative.
WHERE JACKSON WON FAME
aoUT OF THE UNION TROOPS

Foty-eight years ago last Wednesday
the first great battle of the civil war was
fought on the plains of Manassas. Va.
| To the soldiers who fought on the side
of the Union it was known as the first
battle Of Bull Run. On the Confederate
| side 1t was designated as the first bat
tie OF Manassas. Gen. Mcdowell COM
manded the United States troops while
Gems. Joseph E. Johnston and Beauregard
| commanded the forces of the Confederate
states. The result was disastrous de-
| feat for the Union side. 1t was in this
| fight that Gen. jackson of the Confederate
army gained the sobriquet of "Stonewall
/ by repulsing McDowell's attack and
keeping his men in gray steadily in line
| in the face of q fierce onslaught by the
Union troops.
| The older citizens of Washington well
remember the exciting times in this city
| that followed the rout of the Union army
Samuel II. Reeder, who was a member of
| the Metropolitan Rifles. District COM
| pany that was mustered into the service
of the United States before the arrival of
| troops from the states under the call of
President Lincoln for $1,000 volunteers,
yesterday wildly recalled the scenes fol-
lowing the first battle of Bull Run. His
company had been mustered out upon the
| arrival here of the 9Th Massachusetts, and
the eth New York regiments. These were
three-month regiments and the time of the
| men had expired when the battle was
| fought. The members of the 9Th Massa-
chusetts. Mr.. Reeder said, insisted upon
| taking part in the fight and were allowed
| to do so.
"rhey looked forward to the coming
battle as sort of picnic" Mr.. Reeder
| continued, but were woefully disap-
bers OF the regiment with whom l talked
that the capture of Richmond would be
| a walk-over, and that in thirty days the
war would be ended
Cannon Heard Here.
THE fight occurred on a Sunday after
noon. and seated in Lafayette Park wait
| ing for news from the front, which was
expected at the White House. / could
plainly hear the booming of the cannon at
Bull Run. 1t was terrific roar in the
distance. In the evening and on the fol-
lowing morning the defeated Union troops
| came piIing pell-mell into Washington.
Some came across the old Long Bridge
| by way of Alexandria, while others came
4
Some of them In their desperation swan
the Potomac. Many of the fleeing sol
diers were bareheaded; all were unarmed,
having thrown away their muskets in
In tatters, and many were bleeding and
wounded. Rain was pouring down In tor
| rents to add to the discontinue of the
defeated troops. and ambulances We're
hurried across the river to get the
wounded. Couriers were galloping about
the streets of this city, and the govern
ment seized the churches and converted
them into temporary hospitals. The ex-
was considerable talk of evacuating
Washington until confidence was re-
| stored
Mr.. Reeder's company, the Metropolitan
| Rifles, was among the first troops mus
tered into the service Of the United States
| ahead Of the state troops. The District
| volunteers did service three months
guarding the approaches to Washington
and the public buildings.
Too Tired to Pursue.
| Patrick v. Ryan OF this city. who was a
member of the Irish battalion of Virginia
troops on the Confederate side, related
many incidents Of the first Bull Run
fight. He was wounded through the
feshy part of his arm. but continued in
the fight until the Union forces were
routed. He was near Gen. Beauregard
i
ment and some Virginia regiments had
rushed in on the flank of Mcdowell 3
army and started the disastrous defeat.
He heard Beauregard say to Johnston:
Johnston. you are the Butcher OF the
day"
Mr.. Ryan said the Confederate troops
were too much exhausted to follow UP
the victory. Had they been able to do
so, he added. Washington would have
| been taken without much difficulty"
| AS the battle occurred Sunday, July Il,
Tho Evening Star OF Monday. July %.
1851, the following day. published an ac-
count of the fight The special CORE
spondent of The Star who accompanied
| McDowells army to the front, sent a long
account Of the affair. He wrote that as he
proceeded on foot via Fairfax Court
House to the scene of battle the roar
could be heard with terrible and In
| creased destructiyenesS as We approach
| ed within the last dozen miles.
Scenes at Centerville.
:, Between Fairfax Court House AMI
4 Centerville," the correspondent continued.
4 I'VE began to meet carriage loads OF
! civilians, newspaper men, consressn,en
and others just from the scene of con-
| fict, and who in elated terms shouted to
:, us the news of a glorious victory as they
/ Whirled past on their way to Washington
with the joyful tidinss. Three batteries
| taken The enemy driven back upon
Manassas Junction. was heard In a con-
tinuous buzz for miles and until we ar
l rived at the singular spur of observation
!, which shoots up so commandingly and
j known as Centeryille.
| Climbing to the earthwork erected
| here we could see clouds of smoke and
dust to the left. to the center and to tho
right, indicating active infantry and cav
airy movements going on, but the artillery
was quiet for the time. This was about
pm. 4 singular lull as to Information
as to what was going on below and be-
| yond was noticeable for few minutes.
| 'rhen the perturbed faces of some
seventy newcomers from nearer the scene
of conflict showed that something was
| going wrong" The Star correspondent
continued. las squads of dust-begrimed.
exhausted and spiritless looking soldiers
| began to arrive from the battlefield and
| hurry forward In the same direction, an
| uneasy feeling began to pervade the
gathering of spectators. The stream OF
demoralized soldiers who filled the roads
and overlooked into the fields on the