It is stated by several friends that General Jackson said, while having his hand dressed, that, with ten thousand fresh troops, he believed that he could go into Washington city. However, as he was not the commanding general, he could not make the attempt, but could only do as he was ordered.
I must not fail to give you a part of a letter which he wrote to his wife the day after the battle, July 22nd:
“Yesterday we fought a great battle and gained a great victory, for which all the glory is due to God alone. Though under fire for several hours, I received only one wound, the breaking of the longest finger of the left hand, but the doctor says that it can be saved. My horse was wounded, but not killed. My coat got an ugly wound near the hip. * * * While great credit is due to other parts of our gallant army, God made my brigade more instrumental than any other in repulsing the main attack.
This is for you alone. Say nothing about it. Let another speak praise, not myself.”
But the praise of the Stonewall Brigade was not sung by Jackson alone. Both friend and foe unite in saying that if Jackson had not held the hill, which was the key to the Confederate position, until help came, the battle of Manassas (Bull Run) would have been a defeat, and not a victory for the South.
Jackson’s eagle eye saw the place to make a stand, and he held it for four hours against all odds.
At one time, while his men were lying upon the ground, they were so harassed by the bursting of shells that some of the officers begged to be permitted to advance. “No,” said Jackson, “wait for the signal; this place must be held.”
We do not seek to take glory from other heroes of this wonderful battle, many of whom, as Bee and Bartow, bravely gave up their lives in the storm of battle; or, as Smith and Early, made forced marches in order to rescue those so sorely pressed; but we do say that, in one sense, Jackson was the hero of the first battle of Manassas.
In this battle the Confederates captured twenty-eight cannon with five thousand muskets and vast stores of articles useful to their needy army.
The Confederates lost three hundred and sixty-nine killed on the field, and fourteen hundred and eighty-three wounded.
The road to Washington was now open, and there is no doubt that General Jackson thought it best to press on while the enemy was routed and take possession of the city.