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Beauregard　in　time　to　take　part　in　the　approaching　struggle。



In　the　North　no　doubt　as　to　the　power　of　the　grand　array　to　make

its　way　to　Richmond　was　entertained。　　The　troops　were　armed　with

the　best　weapons　obtainable；　the　artillery　was　numerous　and

excellent；　the　army　was　fed　with　every　luxury；　and　so　confident

were　the　men　of　success　that　they　regarded　the　whole　affair　in　the

light　of　a　great　picnic。　　The　grand　army　numbered　55；000　men；

with　9　regiments　of　cavalry　and　49　rifle…guns。　　To　oppose　these；

the　Confederate　force；　after　the　arrival　of　Johnston's　army；

numbered　27；833　infantry；　35　smooth…bored　guns；　and　500　cavalry。　

Many　of　the　infantry　were　armed　only　with　shot…guns　and　old

fowling…pieces；　and　the　guns　were　small　and　ill…supplied　with

ammunition。　　There　had　been　some　sharp　fighting　on　the　18th；　and

the　Federal　advance　across　the　river　of　Bull　Run　had　been　sharply

repulsed；　therefore　their　generals　determined；　instead　of　making　a

direct　attack　on　the　31st　against　the　Confederate　position；　to　take　a

wide　sweep　round；　cross　the　river　higher　up；　and　falling　upon　the

Confederate　left　flank；　to　crumple　it　up。



All　night　the　Federal　troops　had　marched；　and　at　day…break　on　the

21st　nearly　40；000　men　were　in　position　on　the　left　flank　of　the

Confederates。　　The　latter　were　not　taken　by　surprise　when　Stuart's

cavalry　brought　in　news　of　the　Federal　movement；　and　General

Beauregard；　instead　of　moving　his　troops　toward　the　threatened

point；　sent　orders　to　General　Longstreet　on　the　right　to　cross　the

river　as　soon　as　the　battle　began；　and　to　fall　upon　the　Federal　flank

and　rear。



Had　this　movement　been　carried　out；　the　destruction　of　the　Federal

army　would　have　been　complete；　but　by　one　of　those　unfortunate

accidents　which　so　frequently　occur　in　war　and　upset　the　best　laid

plans；　the　order　in　some　way　never　came　to　hand；　and　when　late

in　the　day　the　error　was　discovered　it　was　too　late　to　remedy　it。



At　eight　o'clock　in　the　morning　two　of　the　Federal　divisions

reached　the　river；　and　while　one　of　them　engaged　the　Confederate

force　stationed　at　the　bridge；　another　crossed　the　river　at　a　ford。　

Colonel　Evans；　who　commanded　the　Confederate　forces；　which

numbered　but　fifteen　companies；　left　200　men　to　continue　to　hold

the　bridge；　while　with　800　he　hurried　to　oppose　General　Hunter's

division；　which　had　crossed　at　the　ford。



This　consisted　of　16；000　infantry；　with　cavalry　and　artillery；　and

another　division　of　equal　force　had　crossed　at　the　Red　House　ford

higher　up。　　To　check　so　great　a　force　with　this　handful　of　men

seemed　all　but　impossible；　but　Colonel　Evans　determined　to　hold

his　ground　to　the　last；　to　enable　his　general　to　bring　up

reinforcements。　　His　force　consisted　of　men　of　South　Carolina　and

Louisiana；　and　they　contested　every　foot　of　the　ground。



The　regiment　which　formed　the　advanced　of　the　Federals　charged；

supported　by　an　artillery　fire；　but　was　repulsed。　As　the　heavy

Federal　line　advanced；　however；　the　Confederates　were　slowly　but

steadily　pressed　back；　until　General　Bee；　with　four　regiments　and　a

battery　of　artillery；　came　up　to　their　assistance。　　The　newcomers

threw　themselves　into　the　fight　with　great　gallantry；　and

maintained　their　ground　until　almost　annihilated　by　the　fire　of　the

enemy；　who　outnumbered　them　by　five　to　one。　　As；　fighting

desperately；　they　fell　back　before　Hunter's　division；　the　Federals

who　had　crossed　at　Red　House　Ford　suddenly　poured　down　and

took　them　in　flank。



Swept　by　a　terrible　musketry　fire；　these　troops　could　no　longer

resist；　and　in　spite　of　the　efforts　of　their　general；　who　rode　among

them　imploring　them　to　stand　firm　until　aid　arrived；　they　began　to

fall　back。　　Neither　entreaties　nor　commands　were　of　avail；　the

troops　had　done　all　that　they　could；　and　broken　and　disheartened

they　retreated　in　great　confusion。　　But　at　this　moment；　when　all

seemed　lost；　a　line　of　glittering　bayonets　was　seen　coming　over　the

hill　behind；　and　the　general；　nding　of　in　haste　toward　them；　found

Jackson　advancing　with　the　first　brigade。



Unmoved　by　the　rush　of　the　fugitives　of　the　brigades　of　Bee　and

Evans；　Jackson　moved　steadily　forward；　and　so　firm　and　resolute

was　their　demeanor；　that　Bee　rode　after　his　men；　and　pointing　with

his　sword　to　the　first　brigade；　shouted；　〃Look；　there　is　Jackson

standing　like　a　stonewall〃　　The　general's　words　were　repeated；　and

henceforth　the　brigade　was　known　as　the　Stonewall　Brigade；　and

their　general　by　the　nickname　of　Stonewall　Jackson；　by　which　he

was　ever　afterward　known。　　The　greater　part　of　the　fugitives

rallied；　and　took　up　their　position　on　the　right　of　Jackson；　and　the

Federal　forces；　who　were　hurrying　forward　assured　of　victory；

found　themselves　confronted　suddenly　by　2；000　bayonets。　　After　a

moment's　pause　they　pressed　forward　again；　the　artillery　preparing

a　way　for　them　by　a　tremendous　fire。



Jackson　ordered　his　men　to　lie　down　until　the　enemy　arrived

within　fifty　yards；　and　then　to　charge　with　the　bayonet。　　Just　at　this

moment　Generals　Johnston　and　Beauregard　arrived　on　the　spot；

and　at　once　seeing　the　desperate　nature　of　the　situation；　and　the

whole　Federal　army　pressing　forward　against　a　single　brigade；　they

did　their　best　to　prepare　to　meet　the　storm。　　First　they　galloped　up

and　down　the　disordered　lines　of　Bee；　exhorting　the　men　to　stand

firm；　and　seizing　the　colors　of　the　4th　Alabama；　Johnston　led　them

forward　and　formed　them　up　under　fire。



Beauregard　hurried　up　some　reinforcements　and　formed　them　on

the　left　of　Jackson；　and　thus　6；500　infantry　and　artillery；　and

Stuart's　two　troops　of　cavalry；　stood　face　to　face　with　more　than

20；000　infantry　and　seven　troops　of　regular　cavalry；　behind　whom

at　the　lower　fords　were　35；000　men　in　reserve。　　While　his　men

were　lying　down　awaiting　the　attack；　Jackson　rode　backward　and

forward　in　front　of　them　as　calm　and　as　unconcerned　to　all

appearance　as　if　on　the　parade　ground；　and　his　quiet　bravery

greatly　nerved　and　encouraged　the　young　troops。



All　at　once　the　tremendous　artillery　fire　of　the　enemy　ceased；　and

their　infantry　came　on　in　massive　lines。　　The　four　Confederate

guns　poured　in　their　fire　and　then　withdrew　behind　the　infantry。　

When　the　line　came　within　fifty　yards　of　him；　Jackson　gave　the

word；　his　men　sprang　to　their　feet；　poured　in　a　heavy　volley；　and

then　charged。　A　wild　yell　rose　from　both　ranks　as　they　closed；　and

then　they　were　mingled　in　a　desperate　conflict。　　For　a　time　all　was

in　wild　confusion；　but　the　ardor　and　courage　of　Jackson's　men

prevailed；　and　they　burst　through　the　center　of　the　Federal　line。



Immediately　Jackson　had　charged；　Beauregard　sent　forward　the

rest　of　the　troops；　and　for　a　time　a　tremendous　struggle　took　place

along　the　whole　line。　　Generals　Bee　and　Barlow　fell　mortally

wounded　at　the　head　of　their　troops。　　General　Hampton　was

wounded；　and　many　of　the　colonels　fell。　　So　numerous　were　the

Federals；　that　although　Jackson　had　pierced　their　center；　their

masses　drove　back　his　flanks　and　threatened　to　surround　him。　With

voice　and　example　he　cheered　on　his　men　to　hold　their　ground；　and

the　officers　closed　up　their　ranks　as　they　were　thinned　by　the

enemy's　fire；　and　for　an　hour　the　struggle　continued　without

marked　advantage　on　either　side。



Jackson's　calmness　was　unshaken　even　in　the　excitement　of　the

fight。　　At　one　time　an　officer　rode　up　to　him　from　another　portion

of　the　field　and　exclaimed；　〃General；　I　think　the　day　is　going

against　us！〃　　To　which　Jackson　replied　in　his　usual　curt　manner；　〃If

you　think　so；　sir；　you　had　better　not　say　anything　about　it。〃



The　resolute　stand　of　the　Confederates　enabled　General

Beauregard　to　bring　up　fresh　troops；　and　he　at　last　gave　the　word　to

advance。



Jackson's　brigade　rushed　forward　on　receiving　the　order；　burst

through　the　Federals　with　whom　they　were　engaged；　and；

supported　by　the　reserves；　drove　the　enemy　from　the　plateau。　　But

the　Federals；　still　vastly　superior　in　force；　brought　up　the　reserves；

and　prepared　to　renew　the　attack；　but　1；700　fresh　men　of　the　army

of　the　Shenandoah　came　npon　the　field　of　battle；　Smith　and　Early

brought　up　their　division　from　the　river；　and　the　whole　Southern

line　advanced　at　the　charge；　drove　the　enemy　down　the　slopes　and

on　toward　the　fords。



A　panic　seized　them；　and　their　regiments　broke　up　and　took　to

headlong　flight；　which　soon　became　an　utter　rout。　Many　of　them

continued　their　flight　for　hours；　and　for　a　time　the　Federal　army

ceased　to　exist；　and　had　the　Cenfederates　advanced；　as　Jackson

desired　that　they　should　do；　Washington　would　have　fallen　into

their　hands　without　a　blow　being　struck　in　its　defense。



This；　the　first　great　battle　of　the　war；　is　sometimes　known　as　the

battle　of　Manassas；　but　more　generally　as　Bull　Run。



With　the　exception　of　one　or　two　charges；　the　little　body　of

Confederate　horse　did　not　take　any　part　in　the　battle　of　Bull　Run。