172

MCDOWELL’S ADVANCE TO BULL RUN.

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scale of miles

MAP OF THE VICINITY OF WASHINGTON , JULY, 1861.

General Patterson, of Pennsylvania , a veteran of the war of 1812 and thewar with Mexico, was in command near Harper’s Perry, opposed by GeneralJoseph E. Johnston. The Confederate President, Davis, then in Richmond ,with General R. E. Lee as military adviser, exercised in person generalmilitary control of the Southern forces. The enemy to be engaged byMcDowell occupied what was called the “Alexandria line,” with head-quarters at Manassas, the junction of the Orange and Alexandria with theManassas Gap railroad. The stream known as Bull Run, some three milesin front of Manassas , was the line of defense. On Beauregard’s right, 30miles away, at the mouth of Aquia Creek, there was a Confederate bri-gade of 3000 men and 6 guns under General Holmes. The approach toRichmond from the Lower Chesapeake, threatened by General B. P. Butler,was guarded by Confederates under Generals Huger and Magruder.