south-west. Warrenton, one of the prettiest towns in Virginia, lies at the foot of the mountain, south-west, with roads radiating in all directions, as if there were the body of a spider, and the highways were legs. Westward is the Blue Ridge, looming dark and high, like an ocean billow ready to break over all the surrounding plains. In the north-west are the Cobble Mountains, hillocks which lie between Bull Run and the Blue Ridge. Upon the railroad which winds towards Manassas Gap is the town of Salem.

If I had stood there on the 26th of August, I should have seen a body of Rebel troops moving across from the base of the Blue Ridge, through fields, through forests, and along the highways, towards Salem with great rapidity, - the men footsore, weary,—many of them barefoot, few of them decently dressed, but urged on by their officers. It is Jackson's corps pushing for Thoroughfare Gap.

At Warrenton, General McDowell is breaking camp, and moving east over the Centreville turnpike to reach Gainsville. General Sigel follows him. General Reno, with Burnside's troops, is marching for Greenwich. General Kearney's and General Hooker's men, who have fought at Williamsburg, Seven Pines, Glendale, and Malvern, have joined Pope, and are moving along the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. General Porter is at Warrenton Junction. General Banks is coming up near the Rappahannock to join Porter.

On the 26th, General Ewell's division, having passed through Thoroughfare Gap, fell upon Manassas Junction, burnt the depot, an immense amount of stores, a railroad train, and the bridge across Bull Run.

General Taylor's brigade, of Franklin's corps, reached the spot, but were obliged to fall back towards Fairfax, their commander mortally wounded.

Lee was following Pope. He hoped to crush him, — to grind him to powder between his own and Jackson's force then in Pope's

rear.

West of Manassas Junction is Kettle Run. General Ewell formed his line on the eastern bank, and waited Pope's advance. Hooker fell

upon him on the afternoon of the 27th, and defeated him. Ewell fell back upon Jackson and A. P. Hill.

Hooker was out of ammunition. Pope ordered Porter to join him, but he did not obey the order.

Jackson was in a dangerous place. He was not strong enough to advance and give battle to Pope, who was now pressing him. He must retreat and gain time, — delay an engagement till Lee could come up. He fell back before Pope from Manassas to Centreville, then turned west over the Warrenton turnpike, along which McDowell's army marched in the first battle of Bull Run, the 21st of July, 1861.

At this moment McDowell was moving east on the same turnpike. At six o'clock King's division of McDowell's corps, which was in advance, came in collision with Jackson at Groveton, on the western edge of the old battle-field. Gibbon's and Doubleday's brigades were engaged a short time, but darkness put an end to the conflict.

Pope, with Hooker, Kearney, and Reno, had reached Centreville; Porter was at Manassas Junction; Banks, south of it; while Sigel and McDowell were south-west of Jackson, towards Warrenton. Jackson was in danger of being crushed. Pope, instead of being ground to powder, had manoeuvred so admirably that he felt almost sure that Jackson would be utterly routed.

"Hold your ground at all "Push on at one o'clock was to move west over "Assault vigorously at

He lost no time in sending out orders. hazards," was his despatch to General King. to-night," was the word sent to Kearney, who Warrenton turnpike and attack Jackson's rear. daylight," he added, "for Hooker and Reno will be on hand to help you."

"Move on Centreville at the earliest dawn," was the order sent to Porter at Manassas.

General Pope was sure that he could crumble Jackson before Longstreet, who, he knew, was rapidly advancing towards Thoroughfare Gap, could arrive. Ricketts's division was thrown north, to hold the gap.

But General King's troops were exhausted. Instead of holding the ground, he fell back towards the junction.

General Ricketts sent a small force up to the gap, but Longstreet, who had reached Salem, sent a part of his troops over the mountains north, gained their rear, forced them back, and thus opened the gate for the advance of his corps. Ricketts joined McDowell at the junction. All this made it necessary for General Pope to issue new orders. He sent out his aides.

"Attack at once," was the word to Sigel.

“Push down the turnpike, as soon as possible, towards any heavy firing you may hear," was the despatch to Kearney and Hooker, also to Reno, commanding a division of Burnside's corps.

"Be on the field at daybreak," was the message to Porter.

"Send your train to Manassas and Centreville. Repair the railroad to Bull Run. Work night and day," were the instructions to Banks, who was guarding the trains.

It was of the utmost importance that the attack should be made instantly, before Longstreet arrived; and to that end General Pope directed all his energies.

CHAPTER X.

TH

BATTLE OF GROVETON.

HE morning of the 29th dawned calm, clear, and beautiful, Sigel obeyed orders. He was on the north-west corner of the old battlefield, near Dogan's house. Jackson was north of the turnpike, his right resting on Bull Run, at Sudley Springs, and his left on the turnpike near Groveton, along the line of an unfinished railway.

Schurz was on the right in Sigel's corps, Milroy in the centre, Schenck on the left, with Steinwehr in reserve. For an hour there was the deep roll of artillery.

Then the line advanced. There was a sharp contest, - Sigel occupying the ground which Jackson held in the first fight on that memorable field, and Jackson upon the ground where Burnside, Howard, and Hunter formed their lines. Milroy was driven, but Schurz and Schenck held their position. Hooker and Kearney were astir at daylight. They crossed the stream at the Stone Bridge, swung out into the fields, and moved north towards Sudley Springs, forcing Jackson back on Longstreet, who was resting after his hard march, his men eating a hearty meal from the stores captured at Manassas. He was in no condition to fight at that early hour.

Time slipped away — precious hours! McDowell had not come. Porter had not been heard from. Longstreet is getting ready," was the report from the scouts.

Noon passed. One o'clock came round. "Longstreet is joining Jackson," was the word from the pickets. The attack must be made at once if ever.

It began at two o'clock by Hooker and Kearney on the right, pushing through the woods and across the fields between Dogan's house and Sudley Church.'

The veterans of the Peninsula move upon an enemy whom they have met before. Jackson has made the line of a half-finished railroad his defence, and his men are behind the embankments and in the excavations. It is a long, desperate conflict. There are charges upon the enemy's lines, and repulses. Three, four, five o'clock, and Porter has not come. McDowell, who should have marched north-west to Groveton to meet Longstreet, has, through some mistake, marched east of that place, and joined the line where Kearney and Hooker are driving Jackson.

At this hour, sunset, on August 29, Kearney, Hooker, and Reno are pushing west, north of the turnpike, close upon the heels of Jackson. King's division of McDowell's corps is moving west along the turnpike past Dogan's house, to attack what has been Jackson's right centre, but which is now the left centre of the united forces of Jackson and Longstreet. Sigel's brigades have been shattered, and are merely holding their ground south of the turnpike. Oh, if Porter with his twelve thousand fresh troops was only there to fall on Jackson's right flank! But he is not in sight. Nothing has been heard from him. He has had all day to march five miles over an unobstructed road. He has had his imperative orders, has heard the roar of battle. He is an officer in the Regular service, and knows that it is the first requisite of an officer or a soldier to obey orders.

Longstreet is too late upon the ground to make an attack with his whole force. The sun goes down, and darkness comes on. The contest for the day is over. Jackson has been driven on his right, and Heintzelman's corps holds the ground. Both armies sleep on their

arms.

The auspicious moment for crushing Jackson had passed. The most that Pope could hope for was to hold his ground till Franklin and Sumner, who had landed at Alexandria, could join him. Thus far the

* See "My Days and Nights on the Battle-Field."