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INCIDENTS OF THE FIRST BULL RUN.
On the next day, the 18th of July, we left Winchester for Manassas . Itwas late in the afternoon before my battery took np the line of march—as Inow recollect, with the rear-guard, as had been the case when we left Harper’sFerry a month before. It was thought probable that Patterson, who wassouth of the Potomac, and only a few miles distant, would follow us. But J.E. B. Stuart and Ashby with the cavalry so completely masked our movementthat it was not suspected by Patterson until July 20th, the day before theBull Bun fight, and then it was too late for him to interfere.
On the second day of the march an order reached me at Rectortown,Virginia , through Brigadier-General Barnard E. Bee, to collect the four field-batteries of Johnston’s army into one column, and, as senior artillery captain,to march them by country roads that were unobstructed by infantry or trainsas rapidly as possible to Manassas Junction, and to report my arrival, at anyhour, day or night, to General Bee, who was going forward by rail with hisbrigade. Having assembled the batteries in the night, I began the march atdawn of Saturday, July 20th, the day before the battle. About 8 in themorning we reached a village in Fauquier county — Salem, I think it was.The whole population turned out to greet us. Men, women, and childrenbrought us baskets, trays, and plates loaded with their own family breakfasts.With the improvidence of raw campaigners, we had finished the night beforeour three days’ cooked rations; so I ordered a halt for thirty minutes to enjoythe feast. The Staunton Artillery J (my own battery) was at the head of thecolumn, and, being largely composed of young men of high social standing,was especially honored by the ladies of the village, conspicuous among whomwere the young daughters of Colonel John A. Washington, late of Mount Ver-non . I noticed that some of the young fellows of the battery, lingering roundthe baskets borne by these young ladies, who bade them die or conquer in thefight, seemed very miserable during the remainder of the march. No doubtmany of them, during the battle, felt that it would be better to die on thefield than retreat and live to meet those enthusiastic girls again. I makespecial note of that breakfast because it was the last food any of us tasted tillthe first Bull Run had been fought and won, 36 hours later.
It was 1 o’clock that night when the head of my little column reachedGeneral Bee’s headquarters, about one mile north-east of Manassas Junction.He was established in the log-cabin to which afterward he was brought whenhe was mortally wounded, and to which I shall again allude. General Beeordered us to unharness the horses and bivouac in the fence corners, adding,“You will need all the rest you can get, for a great battle will begin in themorning.”
A little after daybreak we were aroused by the sharp, ringing report of agreat Parrott gun across Bull Run, two miles away, and the whizzing of a30-pounder elongated shell over the tree-tops, 400 or 500 yards to our left.Instantly every man was on his feet, and in five minutes the horses were
i It numbered 140 officers and men. Six were col- chanics, whose mechanical skill was of much ser-lege graduates, and several had left college to enter vice. I had provided them with red flannel shirts atthe army. The majority were young men of leisure Harper’s Ferry , because our uniforms were too fineor mercantile clerks. About forty were young me- for camp life and for service in the field.—J. I). I.