son hurled his column against and broke the Union centre. The Confederates gained a temporary success, taking the plateau, and capturing several guns; but the Union infantry moved up in heavy force, and regained the field. Once more victory perched on the banners of Liberty, and a certain triumph seemed just at hand.

It was now two o'clock. Fresh troops from Johnston's army came up. Reserves were brought forward, and another dreadful contest came on. The Confederates came forward with ringing cheers and dreadful energy, which threatened to carry all before them. Keyes charged Keyes charged up the slope, through rebel cavalry and infantry, and took the Robinson House. A still fiercer conflict raged on the Union right, around the Henry House. The lines surged one way and the other. Griffin's and Rickett's batteries were 'captured and recaptured. "Three times the Confederates overran Griffin's battery, and three times they were repulsed; while thrice also the Union batteries surged in vain against the Confederate position.' "'* The battle hung in suspense. The heat was dreadful; and the suffering of the Northern troops was almost beyond endurance.

The Confederate commander now ordered up Ewell's, Holmes's, and Early's brigades, who had been guarding the fords against the demonstrations of Miles and Richardson. These fresh troops burst upon the Union lines with dreadful fury. M'Dowell brought up Howard's brigade, almost fresh; Tyler swept through the abatis, and, carrying the batteries. at the stone bridge, deployed in the open country beyond. Schenck, with his fresh brigade, dashed across the stone bridge, and moved on to the right of the enemy. The third grand crisis of the battle had come; when suddenly on the enemy's left, more than a mile distant, the front of a column was seen in motion. By signals, Beauregard was warned to "look out for the enemy's advance on the left." Was it Patterson, with his eighteen thousand fresh troops, to relieve the pant

* Decisive Battles of the War, by Swinton, pp. 13-42.

ing, bleeding freemen, and decide at once this dreadful struggle? or was it the long-expected remaining forces of Johnston, moving up to give sudden triumph to the mangled hosts of slavery? All eyes were strained to catch the light of the banners. "At this moment," says Beauregard, "I must confess, my heart failed me. I could not tell to which army

the waving banners belonged." banners belonged." He gave to Col. Evans orders for Johnston to make hasty preparations for a retreat. Gazing still at the advancing column, a gust of wind shook out the folds of the flag; and it was the stars and bars. "Col. Evans," exclaimed Beauregard, his face lighting up, "ride forward, and order Gen. Kirby Smith to hurry up his command, and strike them on the flank and rear!" Cheer after cheer rose from the Confederate ranks. Horror seized the bleeding, panting Union men. On, on, came the proud column, with their weapons of death glittering in the sun. In a few moments more, they struck our staggering ranks in flank and rear. Early's fresh brigade, coming up at the instant, fell upon our right flank; and Gen. Beauregard led on his now fierce and rallying hosts in the centre. It was too much for our wearied, bleeding volunteers, sweltering under a Southern sun, to endure. They were forced down the long-contested hill; and the battle of Bull Run was lost.

The heroic efforts of our generals to re-form their columns were but partially successful. A battery, dashing to the rear for a re-supply of ammunition, was supposed to be in retreat; and a panic began. Masses of troops, demoralized, surged against each other. A shot from Kemper's rebel battery struck the horses of a wagon, crossing Cub-Run Bridge: the vehicle was overturned, and the passage obstructed. Amid the confusion, the Confederate artillery began to play upon the masses rushing for the obstructed bridge; and a scene which beggars all description followed. Horses, cannon, men, and carriages were crushed together in one tumultuous ruin; members of Congress, gala-day spectators, who had been waiting to echo the exultant shout

of a Union victory, and join the hosts of freedom as they moved in triumph "on to Richmond," were now struggling for their lives amid the surging mass rushing toward Washington.

The Confederates seemed stunned by the appalling sight, and paralyzed by the effects of their victory: so suddenly and unexpectedly had they been rescued from ruin, that commanders and men seemed not to have strength enough remaining to endure their joy. There was no pursuit equal to the opportunity. The only movement of importance of this kind attempted was checked by a single battery, with a column of brave men from the reserves at Centreville; and the Confederate chieftains gave up their hosts, first to delirious joy, and then to repose.

The Union men were without power to think, command, or obey, until they had reached their quarters at Alexandria. So little of the true promptness and energy of a successful campaign appeared in the rebel army, that a courageous commander, with a small body of men, soon turned back on the track of the route, and, gathering up at his leisure enormous quantities of fire-arms, heavy ordnance, and ammunition, brought them in safety to the Union camp.

Several things in this first terrible battle for the preservation of the Union seem at first inexplicable. Why did not the reserves under Miles move promptly down upon the enemy when the crisis came, and the fords were nearly abandoned to concentrate all the rebel forces in the second grand crisis of the battle? Perhaps their commander received no orders: certain it is that he was in no condition to understand or execute them. Richardson, his next in command, literally implored permission to move, but was not allowed. Thus nine thousand fresh troops listened to the noise of the battle, which was at length literally destroying their companions in arms, without being allowed to march to their relief. Why were not fresh re-enforcements brought up from the stations in the rear, and hurried on from Washing

ton? The infatuated Union authorities were too sure of an easy conquest to give room to ordinary prudence. Why did not Patterson detain Johnston at Winchester with half the number of men, and make our victory certain? or, at least, why did he not follow Johnston with such celerity as to overtake him on the grand field of action? or, at the very least, why did he not fall upon that body of men detained for the want of railroad conveyance, and prevent the appearance of that splendid column on the field in the last grand crisis? To all this it may be answered, that there was confusion of orders from headquarters, or that the time of large numbers of Patterson's three-months' men had expired.

But all the explanations given are inadequate. How easily could all these conditions have been controlled by the Hand above us! The time had not come. What depths of humiliation for our national sins were yet to be reached! what severity of discipline, what struggles for justice, before God could permit our arms to triumph! Had the onset been delayed till our army organizations and drills began to approximate true military order; had the transportation of troops and supplies been prompt, so as to have brought our forces into action on Friday, as was intended, instead of Sunday; had Hunter and Heintzelman been able to get their forces into position on the enemy's right before the firing of Tyler's signal gun; had the commander of the reserves retained his sobriety and self-control; had Patterson moved promptly, and engaged Johnston only for twenty-four hours, how certain would have been our victory! But God would not permit any of these contingencies to control the result: if he had, and the Union troops had moved on to immediate and successive conquests, we should to-day have been a nation of slaveholders; and the cry of injustice would now rise up to Heaven against us. We had learned the character of our foe, gained successes sufficient to demonstrate our patriotism and power on the battle-field, and received a discipline of inestimable value. This was all Providence intended.

BALL'S BLUFF.

The freemen of the nation were humbled and roused by the disaster of Bull Run. Volunteers from every part of the country poured into Washington; and the Army of the Potomac was re-organized under Gen. George B. M'Clellan. In September, he held his first grand review, and seventy thousand men moved with great military precision at his command; but still the number increased, until absolute necessity for space crowded back the rebel forces in the immediate vicinity of Washington, resting upon the laurels of Manas

sas.

On the 20th of October, Gen. M'Clellan ordered Gen. Stone to "keep a good lookout on Leesburg, to see if demonstrations made by Gen. M'Call from Dranesville had induced the Confederates to retire ;" and Capt. Philbrick, from the Fifteenth Massachusetts, with a few men, was ordered to cross, by the way of Harrison Island, to the Virginia shore, and reconnoitre. They ascended Ball's Bluff for this purpose; but the only appearance of a hostile force was a small camp of rebels not well guarded. Col. Devens was directed to send five companies of his regiment quietly, and attack the camp at daybreak. Col. Lee, Twentieth Massachusetts, was to take charge of the island with four companies, and send one of them over to the Virginia shore to wait the return of Col. Devens. Col. Devens accordingly crossed, and drew up his five companies just at daylight. Scouts were sent out, who reported that they could find no camp. Col. Devens advanced to within a mile of Leesburg, and, seeing no enemy, halted in a wood, reported to Gen. Stone, and waited further orders.

At seven, A.M., he discovered a company of riflemen, and three of cavalry; but they retired as they were approached. Col. Devens then fell back to the bluff, where he received orders from Gen. Stone to remain. He found he had twenty-eight officers, and six hundred and twenty-five men. At about twelve,