GREAT BATTLES BEFORE AND AFTER GETTYSBURG[G]
THE FIRST MANASSAS
The armies that prepared for the first grand conflict of the Civil War were commanded by West Point graduates, both of the Class of 1838,—Beauregard and McDowell. The latter had been assigned to the command of the Federal forces at Washington, south of the Potomac, in the latter part of May, 1861. The former had assumed command of the Confederates at Manassas Junction about the 1st of June. To him, Brigadier-General Longstreet reported for duty.
McDowell marched on the afternoon of the 16th of July at the head of an army of five divisions of infantry, supplemented by nine batteries of the regular service, one of volunteers, besides two guns operating separately, and seven companies of regular cavalry. In his infantry columns were eight companies of regulars and a battalion of marines,—an aggregate of thirty-five thousand men.
Beauregard stood behind Bull Run with seven brigades, including Holmes, who joined on the 19th, twenty-nine guns, and fourteen hundred cavalry,—an aggregate of twenty-one thousand nine hundred men, all volunteers. To this should be added, for the battle of the 21st, reinforcements aggregating eight thousand five hundred men, under General Johnston, making the sum of the aggregate thirty thousand four hundred men.
The line behind Bull Run was the best between Washington and the Rapidan for strategy, tactics, and army supplies.
General Longstreet always believed that by vigorous and concentrated work the Confederates, after the battle of the first Manassas, might have followed McDowell’s fleeing columns into Washington, and held the capital. But this is not a part of my story.
On the eve of the battle the Confederates had occasional glimpses behind the lines about Washington, through parties who managed to evade the eyes of guards and sentinels, which told of McDowell’s work since May, and heard on the 10th of July that he was ready to march. Most of the Confederates knew him and of his attainments, as well as those of Beauregard, to the credit of the latter, and on that point they were satisfied. But the backing of an organized government, and an army led by the foremost American war-chief,—that consummate strategist, tactician, and organizer, General Scott,—together with the splendid equipment of the field batteries and the presence of the force of regulars of infantry, gave serious apprehension.