The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-16
FILES OF OLD PAPER
TELL STORY OF FIGHT
Interesting Accounts From the Richmond Dis
patch of First Real Battle of War-How
News of Confederate Success Was
Received in Richmond.

ouiy, 1901, at the STATE Library. war
correspondents and others send vivid
surrounding events. and the preiimi-
nary skirmishes. The receipt of the
news in Richmond is graphically told
1t was the first real battle OF the war
the first great battle to be fought
with modern arms-the first show OF
strength between North and South. To
nearly all the troops engaged 1t was
their first baptism OF fire. While the
field was holly contested throughout
the day the final rout was more com
plctc than In any subsequent engage
mcnt of the Civil War.
Telegraphic accounts of the day
were brief and meagre and the Dis
patch tells OF the gathering OF an
eager throng OF FIVE thousand or more
people at the Central Railway Station
10 meet the first incoming train. The
anticipated cheers for conquering
heroes were silenced when instead of
the line OF marching soldiers there
came from the train procession OF
filters bearing wounded and the FIRST
horrors of war came home TO the
people when the train went back that
night laden with collins in which to
bury the dead. The nation had clam
ored for war--the war had come in all
OF Its hideous reality.
Numbers on Both Sides.
The Dispatch at that time was pub
lished by Cowardin and Hammersley.
daily except Sunday. After the full
details of Sumter, the PAPERS give al
most daily accounts of desultory Skin
mishes all along the frontier. In Nir-
GINA alone had the struggle then as
sumed the form of a campaign be-
tween organized armies.
There are accounts OF fights at Rom
ney. at Matthias Point, OF brush near
Alexandria on July 3. and OF an en-
Basement of more general character
near Winchester later. President Lin
coin had called. after Sumter. for ?5 900
troops After the secession of Virginia
and other States and the removal of
the Confederate seat OF government
from Montgomery. Ala. to Richmond.
Mr.. Lincoln published proclamatio ton
on July S. 1861. calling on the nation
for 100000 mon. and on Congress for
$500, 100000 The accounts from day to
aay vary TO such an extent that It has
been necessary to check by later Off
cial reports TO show the actual number
OF troops engaged. Captain Cecil Bat
tine. OF the English army. says that
before First Manassas Lincoln's call for
$4,000 men had been greatly oversub-
scrihed, and that when Mcdowell ad-
vaned toward Manassas Junction It
was with we'll equipped but undisci-
plined army of 10000 men AT the
same time there were about 10000 Fed
erals in arms on tho Potomac. Shenan-
toah and at Fort Monroe, besides the
corps under Mcclellan in West Virginia
The Southern Forces.
These were opposed by about $4,000
Confederates of all arms. OF whom one
half had been raised BY Lee in Virginia
These forces were distributed Is fol-
lows: 10000. under Besuregard quar-
tered around Manassas Junction. bar
ting the railways connecting Washing
ton with Virginia: $4,000 under Jos
enh f. Johnston. defending the shen-
andoah Valley. and 5000 holding Nc
Clellan in West Virginia. the remainder
being posted on the York and Jane
Rivers to defend the coast. The great
strategy of the battle consisted OF the
forced march of Johnston from the
Shenandoah Valley In time to Join
seauresard at Manassas. giving an eft
fective Confederate force on the field
OF $4,000 men, The Richmond Howit-
GERS were at Yorktown, but the First
virginia Regiment, under Colonel
Brooke. served with distinguished gall
lantry at Manassas. The papers of the
day give roundabout dispatches from
Washington and reprint much from the
New York and other papers rejecting
Northern sentiment. The temper of
the times is shown In the heading of
the daily Washington letter. View of
Affairs at the Seat OF Despotism" Edi-
torial reference was constantly made TO
the "Black Republican war of subju-
CATION" There were preliminary fights
at Laurel Hill on July IL and at Rich
Mountain on July Is, of more or less
Importance.
Mcdowell Halted.
The first decisive engagement came
at Stone Bridge, near Manassas, on July
is. when McDowell's advance was halt
ed and the delay of three days while
re was gathering his forces for a fur
,ther advance gave just the time needed
for Johnston to cross the Blue Ridge,
leaving a bewildered Federal force to
hunt for him in the Valley while the
battle was fought at Manassas The
Dispatch gives a graphic account of
the fight at Stone Bridge. where the
Confederates. under Beuaregard
checked the advance OF Mcdowell. A
telegram says:
"At daylight the enemy appeared in
full force at Bull Run and attempted
to cross. The enemy was repulsed three
times with loss, and retreated In con-
fusion. There were slight casualties"
The Dispatch of July 90 gives more
detailed accounts of the skirmish. with
list OF the wounded. The First Vir-
ginia Regiment, under Colonel Moore.
is stated to have borne the brunt OF
the engagement. Mcdowell was forced
back. and the following day sent flag
of truce asking permission to bury his
dead.
The Great Battle.
There was no paper on the morning
OF Sunday. July q. the day of the great
battle, for like Waterloo and Blen-
helm and many of the greatest of the
worlds decisive contests. the engage
ment was on Sunday. The Dispatch of
Monday. the ED, devotes it's entire nrst
page to message from President Davis
to the Confederate Congress, in session
In Richmond. Telegraphic news on the
fhird page tells briefly of a terrific
battle: Our army again victorious
Great slaughter on both sides Beaure-
CARDS horse shot under him. Genera,