Page images
PDF
EPUB

112

INVASION OF VIRGINIA.

[SECT. VII.

him from the city. There was truth in what he so solemnly remarked subsequently: "I have not controlled events, but events have controlled me;" and accordingly now he found himself compelled to invade in self-defense to in- Virginia. If he failed to do that, he must be driven ignominiously from Washington.

Lincoln compelled

vade Virginia.

On the night of May 23d national troops were thereThe national troops fore thrown across the Potomac into Vircross the Potomac, ginia. They took possession of the city of Alexandria, on the Potomac, nine miles below Washing

ton.

Without delay, earthworks were constructed on Arand defenses for the lington Heights and in the vicinity, and the city thrown up. capital made safe from the Confederate troops threatening it at Manassas Junction. The command of the forces thus thrown into Virginia was given McDowell assigned to General McDowell. General Scott, the to the command. commander-in-chief, was too old and infirm to take the field himself, and, from the patriotic motive of setting an example of loyalty, was unwilling to resign his position to another. In this determination he was sustained by many political aspirants, who supposed that in case of his brilliant military success he would not stand in their way for the next presidency.

exandria.

In taking possession of Alexandria, an incident occur The tragedy at Al- red which at the time gave rise to a deep sensation. Such sad events, however, became common enough in the Border States before the summer was over. A Confederate flag had been seen from the President's residence in Washington flying over an inn, the Marshall House, kept by a person of the name of Jackson. This flag Colonel Ellsworth, of the New York Fire Zouave regiment, accompanied by three or four of his soldiers, removed, and, on coming down the stairs of the house, was shot by Jackson, who was him

CHAP. XL.]

THE CONFEDERATES AT MANASSAS.

113

self instantly killed by one of Ellsworth's companions. The colonel's body was carried to the President's house, where funeral services were performed, Mr. Lincoln himself being one of the mourners. Throughout the South Jackson was regarded as a patriotic martyr who had lost his life in the defense of his fireside.

The Confederates

tomac.

Batteries were constructed by the Confederates on the Virginia bank of the Potomac below Alexblockade the Po- andria, and small affrays were continually occurring between them and the national shipping on the river. Eventually these works proved to be not only a troublesome inconvenience, but also a public indignity. They kept the river approaches to Washington under blockade.

troops,

The term for which the three-months' troops had engaged would end about the close of July. Necessity of using the three-months A clamor had arisen in the North that something should be done to obtain an advantage from the large army which, at so much expense, had been collected, before it should spontaneously dissolve. It was of course impossible to permit that to take place while the Confederates still remained intrenched and untouched at Manassas. The passive resistance of the troops in Washington was not enough. Unless something more were done, the enemy had only to bide his time quietly in his camp, and when the national army had dispersed by the limitation of its own enlistments, to move forward and take possession of the coveted city.

and of paralyzing

at Manassas.

That the conflict would end in "three months or sooner" was already discovered to be a delusion. the Confederates Evidently the essential thing to be done could not be accomplished by an idle encampment round Washington. A vigorous blow must be struck at the force which lay at Manassas. That force,

114

FORCES ON EACH SIDE.

[SECT. VII.

gathered for the capture of Washington, must be dispersed before Washington could be considered safe. In addition to this paramount consideration, there were others of serious weight which called for such active operations. The Confederate Congress was to assemble in Richmond on the 20th of July. It was necessary to avoid the national discredit that must arise from the undisturbed organization of an insurgent government in its newly-selected capital.

Disposition and strength of

McDowell's force.

The force under McDowell in front of Washington was about 45,000 men. It extended from Alexandria to the Chain Bridge. At Martinsburg, toward the northwest, there were 18,000 more, under the command of Patterson. On the other hand, the Confederates had a force of 20,000, under the command of Beauregard,

Disposition and

federate force.

strength of the Con- near Manassas. Considering this as the centre of their army, their right rested on the

[blocks in formation]

Potomac below Alexandria, and held the batteries that were blockading the river. Their left, about 8000 strong,

CHAP. XL.]

THE MARCH OF MCDOWELL.

115

under Joseph E. Johnston, lay at Winchester, in the Shenandoah Valley.

Patterson and Johnston, therefore, confronted each othPatterson enjoined er. The former was strictly enjoined to hold to hold Johnston. the Confederates at Winchester, and prevent their joining Beauregard at Manassas.

Orders were given on July 15th for McDowell to move and attack the Confederate position at Ma

McDowell ordered to attack Manassas.

nassas Junction. He commenced carrying them into effect on the following day. His marching force was about 30,000, nearly all of them being threemonths' men. Among them were, however, 800 regulars. Fifteen thousand, Runyon's division, had been left for the defense of Washington, and the remainder, in four divisions, under Brigadier General Tyler, and Colonels Hunter, Heintzelman, and Miles, advanced.

Order of his march,

The forward movement from the Potomac was executed in four columns, converging to Fairfax Courthouse. On nearing that point, barricades were encountered, but they were either removed or passed round without difficulty. It had been expected that the Confederates would have made a stand here, but it was found that they had retired through Centreville to Bull Run, a stream flowing in front of their position at Manassas Junction.

and its disorderly character.

reliable

Much difficulty had been experienced in obtaining a of the country in which operamap tions were now to be carried on, though it was so near to Washington. McDowell commenced his movement with very imperfect information in that respect. Neither the soldiers nor their officers knew any thing about marching; the army was little better than a picturesque mob in gay uniform. Under a burning sun, for the weather was excessively hot, the men moved along through roads, in the woods, or by the zigzag fences

116

FIRST PLAN OF THE BATTLE.

[SECT. VII.

of maize-fields, singing and joking as they went. They stopped to pick blackberries, stepped aside to avoid mud-puddles, and refilled their canteens at every stream. Many of the houses by the wayside had been deserted, except by negroes, who were here and there peeping at the window-corners or at the half-closed doors. McDowell's first intention, on finding that his enemy had evacuated Centreville, was, under cover plan of the bat- of a vigorous demonstration on their front, to turn their right. A personal reconnoissance, however, satisfied him that this was impracticable. The country was too densely wooded and too difficult. He therefore now changed his plan, and made preparation for turning the Confederate left, so as to seize the railroad in their rear.

McDowell's first

tle.

Tyler makes a front

ed.

But, while McDowell was exploring the Confederate right, Tyler, supposing that he might march attack, and is worst- without much difficulty directly on Manassas, moved down from Centreville into Bull Run Valley. He opened an artillery fire on the forest bank opposite, and deployed his infantry along the stream. When too late, he saw the twinkling of the enemy's bayonets in the woods, and found himself exposed to their artillery and musketry. They were so concealed that he could only fire at the flash of their guns. He attempted to dislodge them by sending several regiments into the wood; but, though he brought up Sherman with the third brigade, he was compelled to fall back, having suffered in this imprudent affair a loss of nearly one hundred. The Confederate loss was about seventy. This check was an admonition to the military politicians who were swarming into the army that the harvest of glory they were expecting would not be easily reaped. By parading their doings in the newspapers, they had hoped to create election and office capital.

« PreviousContinue »