Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 32.djvu/267

 Griffith- Barksdale-Httm.phrey Mississippi Brigade. 255

bullets. We were told that not more than 100 escaped, and it was probably the greatest mortality which occurred during- the war. The Zouaves wore red blouse pants and bright blue jackets. They also wore bucktails in their hats. Several men of the i8th Missis- sippi left the scene with bucktails in their hats, the writer among the number.

General Lee, in the meantime, had crossed the Potomac and marched into Maryland, and McLaws and Walker hurried to join him. Reaching Leesburg, where the Mississippians had spent the winter of '61-62, almost the entire population turned out to greet them. Old men and ladies, m'arried and single, children and ne- groes, gathered along the sidewalks and in the streets, and with words of welcome recalled the happy associations of the time spent among them. It was a scene never to be forgetten, and from which it was difficult to stir the men. All order and formation were dis- carded, and officers and men mingled among the throng with mu- tual expressions of pleasure. The Barksdale Brigade, with the 8th Virginia, fought the battle of Leesburg the year previous and de- feated the enemy, which endeared them to the hospitable Vir- ginians.

We crossed the Potomac near the Point of Rocks and marched to Frederick City. The Federal army was drawn back within the lines of fortifications at Washington, leaving in General Lee's hands 9,000 prisoners, 11,000 dead and wounded, forty pieces of artillery and 30,000 stands of small arms as the result of Second Manassas. It was stated that fully 50,000 stragglers reached Washington ahead of the army. All the bright anticipations which Pope had caused by his effusive bombast, were cast to the earth. Exit Pope !

When General Lee put his army in motion after the seven days' battle before Richmond, there was no purpose of crossing into the enemy's country on a campaign of invasion. His object was to call away from the peninsula the Army of the Potomac. His rapid march to meet Pope, who moved south from Washington, with what was called "The Army of Virginia," had the effect which he hoped for. The Federal government, bewildered by General Lee's manoeuvers, halted between conflicting opinions for some days. But when Jackson defeated Banks at Cedar mountain, on August Qth, the liveliest apprehensions were created in Washington, and General Halleck ordered McClellan to hasten with all possible speed with his army to the capital. Thus relieved from further care for the