MCDOWELL’S ADVANCE TO BULL RUN.

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ALEXANDRIA. ARLINGTON.

LONG BRIDGE. GEORGETOWN OBSERVATORY.

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VIEW FROM THE SIGNAL CAMP.—II. FROM A SKETCH MADE AT THE TIME.

6 or 7 miles east of Manassas Junction . Beauregard’s outposts fell backwithout resistance. Bull Run, flowing south-easterly, is about half-waybetween Centreville and Manassas Junction , and, owing to its abruptbanks, the timber with which it was fringed, and some artificial defensesat the fords, was a formidable obstacle. The stream was fordable, butall the crossings for eight miles, from Union Mills on the south to the StoneBridge on the north, were defended by Beauregard’s forces. [See map, page180.] The Warrenton Turnpike, passing through Centreville, leads nearly duewest, crossing Bull Run at the Stone Bridge. The direct road from Centre-ville to Manassas crosses Bull Run at Mitchell’s Ford, half a mile or so aboveanother crossing known as Blackburn’s Ford. Union Mills was covered byEwell’s brigade, supported after the 18th by Holmes’s brigade; McLean’sFord, next to the north, was covered by D. R. Jones’s brigade; Blackburn’sFord was defended by Longstreet’s brigade, supported by Early’s brigade;Mitchell’s Ford was held by Bonham’s brigade, with an outpost of two gunsand an infantry support east of Bull Run; the stream between Mitchell’sFord and the Stone Bridge was covered by Cocke’s brigade; the Stone Bridgeon the Confederate left was held by Evans with 1 regiment and Wheat’s specialbattalion of infantry, 1 battery of 4 guns, and 2 companies of cavalry. ☆

The state of General Beauregard’s mind at the enemy has assaulted my outposts in heavy force,time is indicated by the following telegram on the I have fallen hack on the line of Bull Run and will17 th of July from him to Jefferson Davis : “The make a stand at Mitchell’s Ford. If his force is over-

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