The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-08-08
Bv MAIL HENRY

or Anteitam, urfreeS6Oro or stone
River. This battle was the first i'm
portant battle of the war. and was
fought by raw recruits chiefly who had
never before been in battle. In the
Northern army We're q few regi-
rnents of regulars. we'll drilled and dis
ciplined before the war began, but the
great bulk of that army and all OF the
C~onfederataS, were volunteers A large
part, and the best part. Of the Federal
army, as stated by its commander
(Gen. Irwin McDowelD in his official
report, were three months volunteer
whose term Of service was about ex-
piring. In this connection We will add
that General Mcdowell in the same re-
port also stated that "On the eve OF
the battle the Fourth Pennsylvania
Regiment of Volunteers and the bat
Eighth New York Militia, whose term
of service expired, insisted on their
discharge" General Mcdowell says:
81 wrote to the regiment as pressing q
request as 7 could pen. and the Hon
orable Secretary Of War. who was at
the time on the ground. tried to induce
the battery to remain at least five days.
but in vain. They insisted on their
discharge that night. It was granted;
and the next morning. when the army
moeed forwardinto battle, these troops
moved to the rear to the sound of the
enemy's This does not speak
we'll for the patriotism or courage OF
those volunteers. and is in striking
contrast to the action of the Confed-
crate soldiers who promptly re-enllsted
when their terms expired.
The Federal troops had been drill
ing near Washington for several weeks
and there vas quite a demand on the
part OF the Northern papers and peo-
pie for them to move w and ad-
vance to the capture of Richmond. So
insistent and persistent was this de-
mand of 'On to Richmond" that the
expression became household words
both North and South. The general
idea was hat all those untried SOL
dierS had to do was to march right
on to Richmond and capture it with
out any difficulty. Many Southern
people in like manner thought that
all the Confederates had to do was
to march to Washington n capture
that city without any opposition. Both
SIDES found out later their mistake by
most painful experience. Finally the
Federal commander, in obedience to
the popular clamor end demand. de-
termined to begin his forward %
ment. and on the AFTERNOON of the
18th of July his army left the camps
near Washington and on the 10Th a
part Of it had a skirmish ct a stream
called Bull Run with the advance of
the C~DnfederateS. This skirmiSh
caused a delay to the Federal army
that was fatal, for at once a portion
of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's army!
Of the Shenandoah was hurried to re-
inforce Gen. Beauregard's army tina
was stationed near Manassas juno
ton. nat place was a railroad sta
ton about thirty miles southwest of
Washington at the junction of thel
Manassas Gap railroad and the Orangei
& Alexandria railroad. and was about
loo miles north of Richmond. 1t was
a strategic point that a been Sc
lected by the Confederates for oppos-
ing the Federal advance.
Before daydawn on the 21st of July,
1851. the Federal army was In mo-
ton and by sunrise cannonading be-
gan. The Confederates had taken d |
position on the south side of Bull
Run. which could be crossed at only
a few places and their line extended
over four miles in length. OF course
the ConfederateS could not at first
know at what point the attack would
be made on them. and they tried to
be prepared to meet the enemy at
any point. At first the Federais pre-!
that they were going to make
main attack on our right and
moved large bodies Of troops there.
who made vigorous assaults, but while
tAifo oc Oii On int iIloNc gu d StIlit
larger body of troops some d~istance
our left flank, where they
made their chief attack. This was
anticipated by Generals Johnston and
who had placed near
there a brigade under Gen. n. G.. Ev-I
ans, and the battle began in earnest.
and although Gen. Bees brigade soon
came to the rescue and a most de-
resistance was made to thet
Federals in greatly supe-
rior numbers, yet after severe fight
ing and heavy losses the C~onfederates
were forced to retreat. While retreat
ing they We're met by Gen. T. ].
Jackson and his brigade and were rail-
and renewed the battle. 1t was
there that Jackson acquired It's fa-I
nous name Of "~Stonewall." AS Gent
Bee Vas irving to rally his man h.