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the basis for the only joke of his life. I think it due to army tradition, andto the comfort of those who have so often repeated this ancient joke in thedays long before the civil war, that these later wits should not be allowedwith impunity to poach on this well-tilled manor. This venerable joke I firstheard when a cadet at West Point, audit was then told of that gallant soldierand gentleman, General W. J. Worth, and I presume it could be easily tracedback to the Crusades and beyond. Certainly I never used this expression orwrote or dictated it, nor does any such expression occur in any order of mine;and as it has perhaps served its time and effected its purpose, it ought to beretired.
I thus conclude for the present this account of the second battle of BullRun. The battle treated of, as well as the campaign which preceded it, havebeen, and no doubt still are, greatly misunderstood. Probably they will remainduring this generation a matter of controversy, into which personal feelingand prejudice so largely enter that dispassionate judgment cannot now belooked for.
I submit this article to the public judgment with all confidence that it willbe fairly considered, and as just a judgment passed upon it as is possible atthis time. I well understood, as does every military man, how difficult andhow thankless was the task imposed on me, and I do not hesitate to say thatI would gladly have avoided it if I could have done so consistent with duty.
To confront with a small army greatly superior forces, to fight battles with-out the hope of . victory, but only to gain time by delaying the forward move-ment of the enemy, is a duty the most hazardous and the most difficult thatcan be imposed upon any general or any army. While such operations requirethe highest courage and endurance on the part of the troops, they are unlikelyto be understood or appreciated, and the results, however successful in viewof the object aimed at, have little in them to attract public commendation orapplause.
At no time could I have hoped to fight a successful battle with the superiorforces of the enemy which confronted me, and which were able at any time tooutflank and bear my small army to tire dust. It was only by constant move-ment, incessant watchfulness, and hazardous skirmishes and battles, that theforces under my command were saved from destruction, and that the enemywas embarrassed and delayed in his advance until the army of General Mc-Clellan was at length assembled for the defense of Washington.
I did hope that in the course of these operations the enemy might commitsome imprudence, or leave some opening of which I could take such advantageas to gain at least a partial success. This opportunity was presented by theadvance of Jackson on Manassas Junction; but although the best dispositionspossible in my view were made, the object was frustrated by causes whichcould not have been foreseen, and which perhaps are not yet completely knownto the country.