Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/198



OPERATIONS ALONG THE POTOMAC—FROM FIRST MANASSAS TO BATTLE OF LEESBURG.

OON after the retreat of McDowell from Bull run to Washington, Longstreet's brigade, with artillery and Stuart's cavalry, was advanced, first to Centreville, then to Fairfax, and later to Falls Church and Mason's, Munson's and Upton's hills, commanding positions in full view of Washington, but with orders, writes Longstreet, "not to attempt to advance even to Alexandria." The Federal authorities soon threw a cordon of well-located, formidable and well-manned fortifications around the front of Washington and Alexandria, and heavy artillery guarded all approaches to the national capital. The Confederate cavalry was constantly at the front, but the infantry and artillery supports were frequently relieved. A single battery was allowed to Longstreet, and as that had to respond to calls in all directions, General Longstreet writes that he supplied the want of located batteries by collecting "a number of old wagon wheels and mounting on them stove-pipes of different caliber, till we had formidable looking batteries, some large enough of caliber to threaten Alexandria, and even the national capital and the executive mansion."

During this period of three months there was, practically, a suspension of active hostilities between the Confederate army of the Potomac and the Federal army of the Potomac, but the opposing governments were collecting recruits, organizing armies, and making preparations for the renewal of the mighty struggle between the two nations for the mastery within the boundaries of Virginia.

To guard the approaches to Washington from the west, a division of the Federal army was sent, under Banks, to occupy, in Maryland, the line of the Potomac from above that city to opposite Harper's Ferry; while the line of that river from Harper's Ferry westward was guarded by