a closer inspection the marks of genius and military skill were unmistakable. Their uniform was what I took to be plain undress. Not the least sign of excitement was to be seen on the countenances of either as they coolly rode forward into the storm of iron hail. Beauregard's eyes glistened with expectation, no doubt, when he afterwards threw himself into the very heart of the action, appearing then, as was afterwards most expressively said of him, to be the very impersonation of the "god of war." General Johnston, too, looked every iach a commander, and proved himself to be the worthy inheritor of the prowess and virtues of his ancestors. On reaching the top of the hill, where was a white house, owned, I believe, by a Mr. Lewis, they were again discovered by the enemy, as the rifled shot and shell whizzed through the air and lodged in the hollow behind. The aim was not so good at this time, the accurate artillerists three miles below not having yet come up with the enemy's main body. At about 12 o'clock Beauregard and Johnston assumed the command of our main body at the Stone Bridge. The line of battle extended some seven miles up and down the creek, and during the day there were some minor engagements at other fords. had only 18 guns on that part of the field.* It has been stated to me by so many of our soldiers I cannot but believe it, that the enemy by some means had obtained our signal for the day-they also used our red badge, which fortunately was discovered in time, and they carried into action the flags of the Palmetto State and the Confederate States. It has been asserted, too, by numerous individuals engaged in the battle, that there was great confusion and slaughter among our own men, who mistook them for the enemy. This was less to be wondered at from the similarity of uniform and the mean advantages above referred to taken by our unscrupulous foes. They pressed our left flank for several hours with terrible effect, but our men flinched not until their number had been so diminished by the wellaimed and steady volleys that they were compelled to give way for new regiments. The 7th and 8th Georgia regiments, commanded by the gallant and lamented Bartow, are said to have suffered heavily during the early part of the battle. Kemper's, Shields', and Pendleton's batteries were in this part of the field, and did fearful execution. I regret to be unable to name all the regiments engaged, in their order, not having succeeded in ascertaining their position. I am inclined to believe there was some mistake during the day in the delivery or execution of an order of Gen. Beauregard's respecting an attack on the enemy's rear, which was not effected. At Blackburn's Ford, General Jones's brigade made an attack upon the left flank of the en- | emy, who had two strong batteries in a commanding position, which it was important to capture. The Fifth South Carolina regiment led the attack, but our troops were compelled Between 2 and 3 o'clock large numbers of to retire for a while under the heavy fire of the men were leaving the field, some of them batteries and musketry, and the enemy imme- wounded, others exhausted by the long strugdiately retreated. Up to the time of this at-gle, who gave us gloomy reports; but as the tack, these batteries had been bombarding all the morning Gen. Longstreet's position in his intrenchments on this side of the run. fire on both sides continued steadily, we felt sure that our brave Southerners had not been conquered by the overwhelming hordes of the North. It is, however, due to truth to say that the result of this hour hung trembling in the balance. We had lost numbers of our most distinguished officers. Gens. Bartow and Bee had been stricken down; Lieut-Col. Johnson, of the Hampton Legion, had been killed; Col. Hampton had been wounded; but there was at hand the fearless general whose reputation as a commander was staked on this battle: Gen. Beauregard promptly offered to lead the Hampton Legion into action, which he executed in a style unsurpassed and unsurpassable. Gen. Beauregard rode up and down our lines between the enemy and his own men, regardless of the heavy fire, cheering and encouraging our troops. About this time a shell struck his horse, taking General Evans, of South Carolina, was the first to lead his brigade into action at Stone Bridge. It consisted of the Fourth South Carolina regiment and Wheat's Louisiana battalion. Sustaining them was General Cocke's brigade, consisting of the 17th, 19th, and 28th Virginia regiments, commanded respectively by Colonels Cocke, Withers, and Robert T. Preston. These brigades were the first to bear the brunt of the action, as they were exposed to a concentric fire, the object of the enemy being to turn our left flank while we were endeavoring to turn his right. These regiments of infantry were sustaining the famous Washington Artillery, of New Orleans, who had two of their guns at this point, which made terrible havoc in the ranks of the enemy. The Federal troops lead-its head off, and killing the horses of his aids, ing the action consisted of 10,000 regulars, sustaining the celebrated Sherman's battery, these regulars being in their turn sustained by immense masses of volunteers, the New York Zouaves among the number. General Beauregard estimated the enemy's numbers in the action to be not less than 35,000 men. We Their artillery far outnumbered ours. have captured 67 pieces of cannon, while we Messrs. Ferguson and Hayward. Gen. Béauregard's aids deserve honorable mention, particularly those just named, and Cols. W. Porcher Miles, James Chesnut, John L. Manning, and A. R. Chisolm. Gen. Johnston also threw himself into the thickest of the fight, seizing the colors of a Georgia regiment, and rallying The Federal forces had but 22 pieces on the field. The remainder of their artillery was in reserve.-W. F. B. them to the charge. His staff signalized them- | President's manly form pass by, raise their selves by their intrepidity, Col. Thomas being killed and Major Mason wounded. heads, and heard them give shout upon shout and cheer upon cheer. It has been stated the President commanded the centre and joined in the charge; but this is a mistake. The train had been delayed, and arrived at the Junction two hours behind its time, which must have been a grievous disappointment. The Washington Artillery, who had drawn their guns up the hill and in front of the house known as Mr. Lewis's-Gen. Cocke's and Gen. Johnston's head-quarters, and which was riddled with shot-commanded by Major J. B. Walton in person, gave the enemy about this time a parting salute. Your correspondent heard Gen. Johnston exclaim to Gen. Cocke just at the critical moment, "Oh, for four regiments!" His wish was answered, for in the distance our reinforcements appeared. The tide of battle was turned in our favor by the arrival of General Kirby Smith, from Winchester, with 4,000 men of Gen. Johnston's division. Gen. Smith heard while on the Manassas railroad cars the roar of battle. He stopped the train, and hurried his troops across the field to the point just where he was most needed. They were at first supposed to be the enemy, their arrival at that point of the field being entirely unex-powerful than his own, he observed the carpected. The enemy fell back, and a panic seized them. Cheer after cheer from our men went up, and we knew the battle had been won. Thus was the best-appointed army that had ever taken the field on this continent beaten, and compelled to retreat in hot haste, leaving behind them every thing that impeded their escape. Guns, knapsacks, hats, caps, shoes, canteens, and blankets, covered the ground for miles and miles. At about 5 o'clock we heard cheer upon cheer, and the word "Davis" ran along the ranks, and we saw in the distance the tall, slender form of our gallant President, who had arrived upon the field in time to see the total rout of the army which threatened his capture, and the subjugation of the South. The President left Richmond at 6 o'clock in the morning, and reached Manassas Junction at 4, where, mounting a horse, accompanied by Col. Joseph R. Davis and numerous attendants, he galloped to the battle-field, just in time to join in the pursuit by a magnificent body of cavalry, consisting of 1,500 men, commanded by Lieut.-Col. Stewart.* This sight, of itself, was worth the fatigue of the day's journey. We saw the poor wounded soldiers on the roadside and in the fields, when they observed the Soon after prayer in the Confederate Congress, on the morning of the 22d, the following despatch was read to that body: "MANASSAS JUNCTION, Sunday night. around were filled with wounded. With the aid of our glass, which was more to riage of a gun some two miles off. He gave Of the pursuit, already the particulars are known. Suffice it to say, we followed them on the Leesburg road and on the Centreville road as far as Centreville and Fairfax. The poor wretches dropped their guns, their knapsacks, their blankets, and every thing they had-they fell on their knees and prayed for mercy. They received it-Southerners have no animosity against a defeated enemy. We have captured 900 prisoners, and they will be treated with kindness. We have also captured 67 pieces of cannon, among them numerous fine pieces, Armstrong guns, and rifled cannon, hundreds of wagons, loads of provisions, and ammunition. The credit is accorded them: they fought well and long, but their cause was bad-they were on soil not their own, and they met their about 40,000, and the entire force of the United States near equals, who were fighting in defence of their "Night has closed upon a hard-fought field. Our forces were victorious. The enemy was routed, and fled precipitately, abandoning a large amount of arms, ammunitions, knapsacks, and baggage. The ground was strewed for miles with those killed, and the farm-houses and the ground "Pursuit was continued along several routes towards Leesburg and Centreville, until darkness covered the fugitives. We have captured several field-batteries, stands of arms, and Union and State flags. Many prisoners have been taken. Too high praise cannot be bestowed, whether for the skill of the principal officers, or for the gallantry of all our troops. The battle was mainly fought on our left. Our force was 15,000; that of the enemy estimated at 35,000. "JEFFERSON DAVIS." Another despatch says the entire Confederate force was 80,000. No particulars are received of the dead and wounded. -Richmond Enquirer. homes, their liberty, and their honor. -Richmond Dispatch, and Baltimore Sun, August 1. Doc. 3.-WM. H. RUSSELL'S LETTERS ON THE BATTLE OF BULL RUN. WASHINGTON, July 19, 1861. The subjoined general order gives the organization of the standard of the several divisions of the army under Brig.-Gen. McDowell, now advancing into Virginia from the lines opposite Washington.* Some changes have been made since this order was published, and the corps has been strengthened by the accession of two regular field-batteries. The effective strength of the infantry, under McDowell, may be taken at 30,000, and there are about sixty field-pieces at his disposal, and a force of about ten squadrons of cavalry.t tion, which to-morrow's news must outstrip, cease here, and let us examine the composition of the forces actually engaged with the Confederates. The head of the naval and military The army of the North is fairly moving at forces of the United States is the President, in last, and all the contending voices of lawyers theory and in the practice of appointments; but and disputants will speedily be silenced by the Lieut.-Gen. Winfield Scott is "Commander-innoise of the cannon. Let no one suppose that Chief” of the United States Army. His staff the war will be decided in one or two battles, consists of Lieut.-Col. E. D. Townsend, Assistor conclude from any present successes of the ant Adjutant-General, Chief of the Staff; Col. Federalists that they will not meet with stern H. Van Renssellaer, A. D. C. (Volunteer ;) opposition as they advance. The Confederates Lieut. Col. George W. Cullum, United States uniformly declared to me after their failure to Engineer, A. D. C.; Lieut.-Col. Edward Wright, take either Faneuil Hall or the Capitol, they United States Cavalry, A. D. C.; Lieut.-Col. would wait in Virginia and "entice" the Fed-Schuyler Hamilton, Military Secretary. eralists into certain mysterious traps, where they would be "destroyed to a man." There is great reliance placed on "masked batteries" in this war, and the country is favorable to their employment; but nothing can prove more completely the unsteady character of the troops than the reliance which is placed on the effects of such works, and, indeed, there is reason to think that there have been panics on both sides -at Great Bethel as well as at Laurel Hill. The telegraph is faster than the post, and all the lucubrations of to-day may be falsified by the deeds of to-morrow. The Senate and Congress are sitting in the Capitol within the very hearing of the guns, and the sight of the smoke of the conflict which is now raging in Virginia. Senators and Congressmen are engaged in disputations and speeches, while soldiers are working out the problem in their own way, and it is within the range of possibility that a disastrous battle may place the capital in the hands of the Confederates; and the news which has just come in that the latter have passed Bull Run, a small river which flows into the Potomac, below Alexandria, crossing the rail-pation of Maryland under Gen. Banks, most of road from that place, is a proof that Fairfax Court-House was abandoned for a reason. It is stated that the Confederates have been repulsed by the 69th (Irish) Regiment and the 79th (Scotch) New York Volunteers, and as soon as this letter has been posted I shall proceed to the field (for the campaign has now fairly commenced) and ascertain the facts. If the Confederates force the left of McDowell's army, they will obtain possession of the line to Alexandria, and may endanger Washington itself. The design of Beauregard may have been to effect this very object while he engaged the bulk of the Federalists at Manassas Junction, which you must not confound with Manassas Gap. The reports of guns were heard this morning in the direction of the Junction, and it is probable that McDowell, advancing from Centreville, has met the enemy, prepared to dispute his passage. The division under Gen. Patterson is about 22,000 strong, and has three batteries of artillery attached to it; and Gen. Mansfield, who commands the army of Washington and the reserve watching the Capitol, has under him a corps of 16,000 men almost exclusively volunteers; Gen. McDowell has also left a strong guard in his intrenchments along the right bank of the Potomac, guarding the bridges and covering the roads to Alexandria, Fairfax, and Falls Church. The division in military occu which is concentrated in and around Baltimore, consists of 7,400 men, with some field-guns. The corps at Fortress Monroe and Hampton, under Gen. Butler, is 11,000 strong, with two field batteries, some guns of position, and the fortress itself in hand. Gen. Lyon, who is operating in Missouri with marked success, has about 6,500 men. Gen. Prentiss at Cairo commands a division of 6,000 men and two fieldbatteries. There are beside these forces many regiments organized and actually in the field. The army under the command of Gen. Beauregard at Manassas Junction is estimated at 60,000, but that must include the reserves, and a portion of the force in the intrenchments along the road to Richmond, in the immediate neighborhood of which there is a corps of 15,000 men. At Norfolk there are 18,000 or 20,000, at Acquia Creek 8,000 to 9,000, and Johnston's corps is estimated at 10,000, swollen by the débris of the defeated column. The railways from the South are open to the Confederates, and they can collect their troops There are some stories in town to the effect that Gen. Tyler has met with a severe check on the right, but the advance of McDowell was very cautious, and he would not let his troops fall into the ambuscades against which they have been especially forewarned. Let specula-Western Virginia. Vol. II-Doc. 9 For this order, see page 1, ante. Here follows an account of McClellan's Division in rapidly, so that it is not at all beyond the reach | pulse of the Federalists, decided as it was, of probability that they can collect 150,000 or 160,000 men in Virginia, if that number is not now actually in the State. In cavalry they have a superiority, but the country is not favorable for their operations till the armies approach Richmond. In field-artillery they are not so well provided as the Federalists. They have, however, a great number of heavy batteries and guns of position at their disposal. Food is plentiful in their camps; the harvest is coming in. In general equipments and ammunition the Federalists have a considerable advantage. In discipline there is not much difference, perhaps, in the bulk of the volunteers on both sides, but the United States forces have the benefit of the example and presence of the regular army, the privates of which have remained faithful to the Government. If we are to judge from what may be seen in Washington, there are mauvais sujets in abundance among the United States troops. might have had no serious effects whatever beyond the mere failure-which politically was of greater consequence than it was in a military sense-but for the disgraceful conduct of the troops. The retreat on their lines at Centreville seems to have ended in a cowardly rout-a miserable, causeless panic. Such scandalous behavior on the part of soldiers I should have considered impossible, as with some experience of camps and armies I have never even in alarms among camp-followers seen the like of it. How far the disorganization of the troops extended, I know not; but it was complete in the instance of more than one regiment. Washington this morning is crowded with soldiers without officers, who have fled from Centreville, and with "three months' men," who are going home from the face of the enemy on the expiration of their term of enlistment. The streets, in spite of the rain, are crowded by people with anxious faces, and groups of wavering politicians are assembled at the corners, in the hotel passages, and the bars. If, in the present state of the troops, the Confederates were to make a march across the Potomac above Washington, turning the works at Arlington, the Capitol might fall into their hands. Delay may place that event out of the range of probability. The various foreign ministers have been so much persecuted by soldiers coming to their houses and asking for help, that sentries were ordered to be put at their doors. Lord Lyons, however, did not acquiesce in the propriety of the step, and in lieu of that means of defence against demands for money, a document called "a safeguard" has been furnished to the domestics at the various legations, in which applicants are informed that they are liable to the penalty of death for making such solicitations. Gen. McDowell writes in his despatch from Fairfax Court-House: "I am distressed to have to report excesses by our troops. The excitement of the men found vent in burning and pillaging, which, however soon checked, distressed us all greatly." What will take place at the close of a hardly contested action in the front of populous towns and villages? The vast majority of the soldiers are very well-gance and supercilious confidence, either real behaved, but it will require severe punishment to deter the evil-disposed from indulging in all the license of war. The energy displayed in furnishing the great army in the field with transport and ambulances is very great, and I have been surprised to see the rapidity with which wagons and excellent field hospitals and sick carts have been constructed and forwarded by the contractors. The corps in Virginia under McDowell may be considered fit to make a campaign in all respects so far as those essentials are concerned, and the Government is rapidly purchasing horses and mules which are not inferior to those used in any army in the world. These few lines must suffice till the despatch of the mail on Wednesday. July 22.-I sit down to give an accountnot of the action yesterday, but of what I saw with my own eyes, hitherto not often deceived, and of what I heard with my own ears, which in this country are not so much to be trusted. Let me, however, express an opinion as to the affair of yesterday. In the first place, the re The North will, no doubt, recover the shock. Hitherto she has only said, "Go and fight for the Union." The South has exclaimed, “Let us fight for our rights." The North must put its best men into the battle, or she will inevitably fail before the energy, the personal hatred, and the superior fighting powers of her antag onist. In my letters, as in my conversation, I have endeavored to show that the task which the Unionists have set themselves is one of no ordinary difficulty; but in the state of arro or affected to conceal a sense of weakness, one might as well have preached to the pyrainid of Cheops. Indeed, one may form some notion of the condition of the public mind by observing that journals conducted avowedly by men of disgraceful personal character- the bewhipped, and be-kicked, and unrecognized pariahs of society in New York-are, nevertheless, in the very midst of repulse and defeat, permitted to indulge in ridiculous rhodomontade toward the nations of Europe, and to move our laughter by impotently malignant attacks on "our rotten old monarchy," while the stones of their bran-new Republic are tumbling about their ears. It will be amusing to observe the change of tone, for we can afford to observe and to be amused at the same time. On Saturday night I resolved to proceed to Gen. McDowell's army, as it was obvious to me that the repulse at Bull Run and the orders of the General directed against the excesses of his soldiery indicated serious defects in his armynot more serious, however, than I had reason to believe existed. How to get out was the difficulty. The rumors of great disaster and get across until after 5 o'clock in the morning. repulse had spread through the city. The liv- | When McDowell moved away, he took so many ery stable keepers, with one exception, refused of the troops about Arlington that the camps to send out horses to the scene of action-at and forts are rather denuded of men. I do not least the exception told me so. Senators and give, as may be observed, the names of regiCongressmen were going to make a day of it, ments, unless in special cases-first, because and all the vehicles and horses that could be they possess little interest, I conceive, for those procured were in requisition for the scene of in Europe who read these letters; and secondaction. This curiosity was aroused by the story ly, because there is an exceedingly complex that McDowell had been actually ordered to system-at least to a foreigner-of nomenclamake an attack on Manassas, and that Gen. ture in the forces, and one may make a mistake Scott had given him till 12 o'clock to be master between a regiment of volunteers and a regiof Beauregard's lines. If Gen. Scott ordered ment of State militia of the same number, or the attack at all, I venture to say he was merely even of regulars in the lower figures. The solthe mouthpiece of the more violent civilians of diers lounging about the forts and over the the Government, who mistake intensity of feel- Long Bridge across the Potomac were an exing for military strength. The consequences ceedingly unkempt, "loafing set of fellows, of the little skirmish at Bull Run, ending in the who handled their firelocks like pitchforks and repulse of the Federalists, were much exagger- spades, and I doubt if some of those who read ated, and their losses were put down at any or tried to read our papers could understand figures the fancy of the individual item who them, as they certainly did not speak English. was speaking suggested. "I can assure you, The Americans possess excellent working masir, that the troops had 1,500 killed and wound- terials, however, and I have had occasion reed; I know it." I went off to the head-quar-peatedly to remark the rapidity and skill with ters, and there Gen. Scott's Aid informed me which they construct earthworks. At the Virthat Gen. McDowell's official report gave 6 ginia side of the Long Bridge there is now a killed and 37 wounded. The livery keepers very strong tête de pont, supported by the stuck to the 1,500 or 2,000. The greater the regular redoubt on the hill over the road. number hors de combat, the higher the tariff These works did not appear to be strongly for the hire of quadrupeds. All I could do was held, but it is possible men were in the tents to get a kind of cabriolet, with a seat in front near at hand, deserted though they seemed, for the driver, to which a pole was affixed for and at all events reinforcements could be two horses, at a Derby-day price, a strong led speedily poured in if necessary. horse, which Indian experiences have induced The long and weary way was varied by difme always to rely upon in the neighborhood of ferent pickets along the road, and by the examuncertain fighting. I had to enter into an ination of our papers and passes at different agreement with the owner to pay him for points. But the country looked vacant, in horses and buggy if they were "captured or spite of crops of Indian corn, for the houses injured by the enemy," and though I smiled at were shut up, and the few indigenous people his precautions, they proved not quite unrea- whom we met looked most blackly under their sonable. The master made no provision for brows at the supposed abolitionists. This porindemnity in the case of injury to the driver, or tion of Virginia is well wooded, and undulatthe colored boy who rode the saddle-horse. ing in heavy, regular waves of field and forest; When I spoke with officers at Gen. Scott's but the roads are deeply cut, and filled with head-quarters of the expedition, it struck me loose stones, very disagreeable to ride or drive they were not at all sanguine about the result over. The houses are of wood, with the of the day, and one of them said as much as in- usual negro huts adjoining them, and the speciduced me to think he would advise me to re- mens of the race which I saw were wellmain in the city, if he did not take it for grant- dressed, and not ill-looking. On turning into ed it was part of my duty to go to the scene of one of the roads which leads to Fairfax Courtaction. An English gentleman who accom- House, and to Centreville beyond it, the distant panied me was strongly dissuaded from going sound of cannon reached us. That must have by a colonel of cavalry on the staff, because, he been about 9 A. M. It never ceased all day; at said, "the troops are green, and no one can tell least, whenever the rattle of the gig ceased, the what may happen." But my friend got his pass booming of cannon rolled through the woods from Gen. Scott, who was taking the whole on our ears. One man said it began at 2 affair of Bull Run and the pressure of the mor- o'clock, but the pickets told us it had really row's work with perfect calm, and we started become continuous about 7 or 8 o'clock. In on Sunday morning-not so early as we ought, a few minutes afterward, a body of men apperhaps, which was none of my fault-for Cen- peared on the road, with their backs toward treville, distant about 25 miles south-west of Centreville, and their faces toward Alexandria. Washington. I purposed starting in the beau- Their march was so disorderly that I could not tiful moonlight, so as to arrive at McDowell's have believed they were soldiers in an enemy's camp in the early dawn; but the aides could country-for Virginia hereabout is certainly so not or would not give us the countersign over-but for their arms and uniform. It soon apthe Long Bridge, and without it no one could peared that there was no less than an entire |