THE FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN.
2 or
pated, attempt to strike the Manassas Gap railway to my left, and thus cutoff railway communications between Johnston’s forces and my own, insteadof the mere effort to strike my left flank which he actually essayed. |
It seemed, however, as though the deferred attempt at concentrationwas to go for naught, for on the morning of the 18th the Federal forces
were massed aroundCentreville, but threemiles from Mitchell’sFord, and soon wereseen advancing uponthe roads leading tothat and Blackburn’sFord. [See map, page180.] My order of bat-tle, issued in the nightof the 17th, contem-plated an offensivereturn, particularlyfrom the strong bri-gades on the right andright center. The Fed-eral artillery openedin front of both fords,and the infantry,
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TIIE MCLEAN HOUSE. GENERAL BEAUREGARD’S HEADQUARTERSNEAR MANASSAS. FROM A PHOTOGRAPH.
while demonstrating in front of Mitchell’s Ford, endeavored to force a pas-sage at Blackburn’s. Their column of attack, Tyler’s division, was opposedby Longstreet’s forces, to the reenforcement of which Early’s brigade, thereserve line at McLean’s Ford, was ordered up. The Federals, after sev-eral attempts to force a passage, met "a final repulse and retreated. [ Aftertheir infantry attack had ceased, about 1 o’clock, the contest lapsed into anartillery duel, in which the Washington Artillery of New Orleans won creditagainst the renowned batteries of the United States regular army. A comicaleffect of this artillery fight was the destruction of the dinner of myself andstaff by a Federal shell that fell into the fire-place of my headquarters atthe McLean House.
Our success in this first limited collision was of special prestige to my armyof new troops, and, moreover, of decisive importance by so increasing Gen-eral McDowell’s caution as to give time for the arrival of some of General
4 “ I am, however, inclined to believe he [the tions with the Potomac through Leesburg andenemy] may attempt to turn my left flank by a Edward’s Ferry.”—(Extract from a letter ad-movement in the direction of Vienna, Frying- dressed by General Beauregard to Jefferson Davis ,pan Church, and, possibly, Gum Spring, and thus July 11th, 1861.)
cut off Johnston’s line of retreat and commu- | It is denied that a serious attempt “to forcenication with this place [Manassas Junction ] a passage” was made on the 18 th. (Seepage 178.)via the Manassas Gap railroad, while threaten- This engagement was called by the Confederatesing my own communications with Richmond the battle of Bull Run, the main fight on the 21stand depots of supply by the Alexandria and being known in the South as the battle of ManassasOrange railroad, and opening his communica- (pronounced Ma-nass'-sa).— Editors.