Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume III.djvu/436

 430 BULL RUN Union array streamed wildly back toward the bridge and fords. The eight companies of regulars alone kept anything like military order. In retreating they presented a firm front, and checked the pursuit until the fugi- tives had gained a fair start. The confederate infantry was in no condition to make a vigor- ous pursuit; half of them had been engaged for hours, and the rest were exhausted by long marches. Some regiments pursued for a mile, and were then recalled, only a few hundred cavalry and a light battery keeping up the chase. By one route or another the fugitives crossed Bull Eun, and reached the turnpike leading to Centreville. This was crossed by a brook, over which was a narrow wooden bridge. A crowd of sight-seers from Washing- ton had come thus far in carriages and on horse- back, to look upon a battle which they had been told was already a victory. A cannon shot overturned a caisson which was crossing the bridge, and blocked the way. The artil- lery horses were cut from their traces, and the drivers mounting rode through the throng. Finally the crowd got over the stream, some by the bridge, others by wading, and hurried to Centreville, where Miles's division had re- mained all day. The pursuing horsemen were checked by the sight of a regiment of these, drawn up across the road. It was now even- ing. A hurried council of war was held, and it was determined to fall back to Washington ; but the routed regiments were already on their way, and reached the capital before daylight next morning. In six hours of darkness they had traversed a distance which it had taken them 40 hours to accomplish in their advance. The federal loss is officially stated at 2, 952, viz. : killed, 481; wounded, 1,011; missing, 1,460. As the dead and those severely wounded were left on the field, many of those reported as missing were undoubtedly killed or wounded. The confederates reported the capture of 1,421 prisoners, of whom 871 were unwounded. The Unionists also lost 20 cannon, 4,000 muskets, 4,500 sets of accoutrements, and a considerable quantity of ammunition. The confederates lost 378 killed, 1,489 wounded, 30 missing; in all, 1,997. II. August 29-30, 1862. While Gen. McOlellan was prosecuting his operations in the peninsula, a considerable force had been left in northern Virginia. At the close of June these troops were organized as the army of Virginia, and put under the command of Gen. Pope, while Gen. Halleck as general-in-chief was placed in supreme control of all the armies in the field. Pope collected his forces, and be- gan to demonstrate upon the Rappahannock and Rapidan. To counteract his movements, Lee sent thither Jackson and Ewell, with a third of the army at Richmond. On Aug. 9 a sharp but indecisive encounter took place at Cedar mountain. Halleck ordered McClel- lan to withdraw from the peninsula, and Lee thereupon moved nearly his whole army north- ward, hoping to fall upon Pope before he could be re6nforced from McClellan. He had about 85,000 men. Pope, who had 45,000, fell back beyond the Rappahannock; and on Aug. 20 the two forces were in front of each othei*, upon opposite banks of the river, Lee trying to find an unguarded place to cross. On the night of the 22d Stuart made a bold cavalry dash around the right of Pope, and reached Catlett's station, 10 miles in the rear, near which were the Union headquarters. To these Stuart was guided by a negro. He seized Pope's personal baggage, in which was his de- spatch book, containing information as to the number and position of the whole federal force. This raid, which cost only a single life, shaped the operations of the ensuing campaign. Lee was persuaded that if he could throw his force upon Pope's rear, cutting him off from Wash- ington, his whole army might be captured. To effect this he must divide his own force, a part remaining in the enemy's front, while the other moved rapidly around to his rear. Jack- son, with about 30,000 men, set off on the morning of the 25th, moving up the western side of the Bull Run mountains, which lay be- tween him and the Union posts. A forced march of 20 miles brought him to Thorough- fare gap, by marching through which he would gain the Union rear. The pass, which could have been held by a small force, was unguarded. Jackson went through on the morning of the 27th, and by sunset was at Bristoe station, on the Orange railroad, which formed Pope's main source of supply. At Manassas Junction, 7 miles distant, was a large depot of provisions ; these were seized by a small body of cavalry, and destroyed. Lee had remained with Long- street's division in front of Pope. On the 26th this division set out to follow Jackson, moving, however, much more slowly. Pope divined the object of the movement, and began to fall back toward Manassas, whither Jack- son had moved, leaving Ewell at Bristoe, where he was attacked on the 27th by Hooker. The engagement was slight, but it showed Jack- son that his movement was not a surprise, and that he was in peril of being surrounded by the enemy, who were moving by several routes toward Manassas. His only alternative was to fall back toward Thoroughfare gap, and take a position which he could hold until Long- street should come up. To blind the enemy he moved northeastward to Centreville ; then turning sharply to the west, he crossed Bull Run, and took post about a mile N. W. of the battle field of the preceding year. The posi- tion was strong, the abandoned cuttings and embankment of a railroad forming an excellent intrenchment which protected his whole front. Pope had by this time 54,000 infantry, still considerably scattered, and 5,000 cavalry, whose horses were so worn out that scarcely 500 were fit for service. On the evening of the 28th McDowell, who was moving near Jackson's extreme right, was met by a sharp artillery fire. There was some loss on both