arrival of fresh troops, and from their position on the hill our soldiers could perceive long and well ordered columns of infantry hastening up in the Confederate rear. It was whispered instantly from rank to rank that General Patterson had come to their assistance; and then the Plains of Manassas were made to ring with the hearty cheers of the Boys in Blue. The surprise and consternation may be imagined when our men heard still louder cheers breaking out along the whole Rebel front followed by a sharp fire from the woods on their right which rapidly extended to their rear. Patterson had neither come to their aid nor moved from his position, and the troops whose appearance had called forth such an outburst of enthusiasm were Johnston's remaining brigade under General Kirby Smith which arrived in season to turn the scale in favor of the Confederates.

The effect of this surprise upon our army was extremely disheartening. The first line recoiled before the fire of the enemy, and confused by vague apprehensions of being surrounded by overwhelming numbers, became panic stricken and fell into disorder. The example was contagious. Regiment after regiment broke and fled in confusion down the hill, the panic momentarily increasing, until the greater part of the but recently victorious army, had become a mass of fugitives rushing pell mell across the Warrenton Turnpike to the fords at which they had crossed in the morning, completely indifferent to the commands of their officers.

As our retreating columns approached Bull Run the miscellaneous crowd of teamsters and civilians on the

other side who had not crossed the stream caught the infection and suddenly turned their faces towards Washington, notwithstanding the Confederates were some miles distant and from eight to twelve thousand fresh Union troops who had not as yet been engaged, were in readiness to withstand their attack. But the Rebels, whether too much exhausted, or intimidated by the firmness of our reserves, made no attempt to pursue their advantage, and beyond harrassing our retreat with a few squadrons of cavalry, contented themselves with occupying the field of battle.

Our losses, according to the official report of General McDowell, were four hundred and eighty-six killed, one thousand and twelve wounded, and thirteen hundred and four missing. Considerable artillery was abandoned during the retreat, including the batteries of Griffin and Rickets, which through loss of horses fell into the hands of the enemy at the beginning of the panic. The Confederate loss as reported by General Beauregard was three hundred and seventy-eight killed, fourteen hundred and eighty-nine wounded and thirty-five missing. On the Union side, Colonel Cameron of the Seventy-ninth New York Volunteers was killed, Colonels Hunter and Heintzelman wounded, and Colonels Wilcox and Corcoran were taken prisoners. The Confederate Generals Bee and Bartow were killed and General Kirby Smith wounded.

Thus ended the famous battle of Bull Run, of which more absurd stories have been told than of any engage. ment of modern times, and the result of which filled the Rebels with an inflated idea of their superiority and contempt for their enemy, for which they were shortly

compelled to pay dear. Our army, fighting under many disadvantages and against overpowering numbers, was uniformly successful until their sudden panic; and the vigor with which they pushed the Confederates may be seen in the official reports of the killed and wounded, and in their utter failure to pursue our retreating columns. The chief cause of our defeat may be attributed to the stupidity of General Patterson, who should have engaged Johnston on the Potomac and thereby prevented his forming a junction with Beauregard at Manassas. Had Patterson attacked or followed Johnston the battle might have terminated very differently, and the struggle which was protracted through four bloody years have been closed in a single campaign.

3

CHAPTER IV.

WILSON'S

CREEK.

Gǝneral Fremont in Command of the Western Department.-Rendezvous at St. Louis.-Lyon in a Critical Situation.-The March at Night.-Out of the Streets of Springfield.-The Midnight Halt.Camp Fires of the Enemy.-The Rebels at Breakfast.-Sigel adds an Unexpected Dish to their Morning Repast.-Panic and Flight.Battle and Victory, followed by Confusion.-The Mistaken Troops."Our Friends are Firing Upon us."-Sigel's Disaster.-General Lyon at the Front.-They cannot Break His Lines.-Heroism and Bravery Conquer Numbers.-Lyon's Last Charge.-Victory and Death. The Nation's Beloved Hero.-Rebel Army Routed and in Full Retreat.-Withdrawal to Springfield.

IMM

MMEDIATELY after our repulse at Bull Run, GenMEDIATELY after our repulse brave and accomeral John Charles Fremont, a brave and accomplished officer who had distinguished himself in early life in an expedition to California, was assignedto the command of the Western Department, comprising Illinois and the states and territories lying between the Mississippi and the Rocky Mountains. General Fremont assumed command on the twenty-sixth of July, 1861, and established his head-quarters at St. Louis, making that point a place of rendezvous for the organization of recruits then arriving as reënforcements to his army. He also located a camp at Jefferson City for the reception and instruction of volunteers, and placed it under the command of General John Pope.

General Fremont put forth every exertion in his power to raise and equip a force for the rescue of the state from the grasp of the Confederates, who from the first, were determined to possess it. Regiments of undisciplined troops soon began to pour in, but there were neither arms nor equipments sufficient for them, and the situation was indeed critical. Cairo and St. Louis were both threatened by the constantly increasing rebel force near Columbus; while in southwestern Missouri the bold and intrepid Lyon, who had pressed on to Springfield, was in a critical position owing to the greatly superior force of McCulloch and Rains, who were advancing to meet him, his own little army being in the meantime reduced by the expiration of the term of service of the Iowa three months regiments.

Fremont's force at St. Louis, undisciplined and but poorly armed, was hardly sufficient to withstand an attack from such a force as the Rebels could bring against it; and Cairo, a position of considerable importance in a military point of view, was defended by a handful of unorganized troops. If any reënforcements were sent to General Lyon they could not reach him in time to be of service, while their withdrawal would seriously endanger St. Louis and Cairo. He was poorly supplied with cavalry, he was one hundred and fifty miles from any railroad, and had no present hope of reënforcements. Had he attempted to retreat with such an army, it is highly probable that the entire force would have become disorganized and destroyed. Nor could he remain on the defensive at Springfield with an almost certain prospect of capture