army, and those easily guarded. Centreville was twenty-two miles distant from Washington, and Manassas Junction six or seven more. About midway between the two flowed the little rivulet of Bull Run, in a general direction from north-west to south-east. A road led from Centreville to the Junction, crossing the Run three miles from that place, at "Blackburn's Ford," while a turnpike running towards Warrenton, also crossed Bull Run at Stone Bridge, four miles distant. Somewhat east of south, a country road from Centreville crossed Bull Run, and the railroad at "Union Mills."

The Confederate force was distributed along the Run from Union Mills to the Stone Bridge, with reserves and a strongly fortified position near the junction.

The army of General McDowell, when it marched to attack that position, numbered about 30,000 men, consisting, with the exception of 700 or 800 regular troops, of raw volunteers, none of whom had been under military discipline more than two or three months. Added to this must be remembered the fact that, within three days, ten thousand of the number would have a right to claim their dismissal, as their term of enlistment (three months) would then expire. An army, consequently, less prepared to march to the attack of a strongly fortified position it would have been difficult to assemble; and this was rendered more fatal in its effects from the fact that the officers, with the exception of a few who had fought in the Mexican war, were unused to actual fighting, and almost totally unacquainted with their different commands.

Under these unpromising auspices, the army marched from the banks of the Potomac on the afternoon of July 16th. It advanced in four columns, toiling along under the burning sun and over the hot ground. One by the turnpike, one on the right, and one on the left of the railroad, and another between the turnpike and railroad. Expecting to encounter the enemy at Fairfax Court-House, seven miles this side of Centreville, where they had thrown up intrenchments, the three columns were directed to coöperate at that point. But the place was entered about noon on the 17th, only to find the intrenchments abandoned and signs of a hasty retreat visible.

On the morning of the 18th, the different columns commenced their march from Fairfax to Centreville. While General McDowell made a personal reconnoissance to the left, making the forward movement a mere demonstration, Major J. G. Barnard, chief-engineer 'of the staff, proceeded to examine the enemy's position in front. In this, however, he had been anticipated by General Tyler, who had pushed a brigade on towards Blackburn's Ford. Troops were in motion on the plateau of Manassas, moving up to reinforce the enemy's lines, and' though no attack had been intended by the commanding general at that particular

point, they opened upon them with two twenty-pounder guns in hope of ascertaining the position of these batteries. A reply was soon obtained-a battery, invisible except by the smoke, poured forth rapid discharges, and it required the assistance of a battery of rifled sixpounders to enable the Union troops to silence it. The brigade was then filed down to the stream and skirmishing maintained for some time. This battle, though apparently of small importance, was disastrous, inasmuch as it disorganized the arrangements of the commanderin-chief, and was accompanied by great loss of life, when compared with the magnitude of the undertaking and any beneficial result that could have sprung from it. The possibility of charging into Manassas, even under the most fortunate circumstances, was so remote, that the wisdom of an action at that point and at that time has been gravely questioned by the best military authorities. That night the columns of the army united, and encamped about a mile in the rear of Fairfax Court House, upon a broad hill side, and on the extended plain at its base. A stream of water which crossed the grounds rendered the spot peculiarly important to the soldiers.

The next day was spent in reconnoitering, and in determining how and where an attack should be made. The Stone Bridge was guarded by batteries, and the ground beyond obstructed by formidable abattis. The roads leading to fords between Blackburn's and the Stone Bridge were mere by-paths, and the opposite bank of the stream steep, tangled, and obstructed. Two miles above, however, there was a good ford, but slightly guarded, at Sudley's Spring.

On these data the plan of attack was based, as follows: One division, under Colonel Miles, to make, with one of its brigades, a false attack on Blackburn's Ford; another division (Tyler's) to move up the turnpike to the Stone Bridge and threaten that point, and at the proper time carry it, and unite with the principal column, which consisted of Hunter's and Heintzelman's divisions; then by a flank movement reach the Sudley Ford, and descending the right bank of the stream, take the defences in the rear of Stone Bridge, and give battle with the united force, strike at the enemy's railroad communication, or otherwise, as circumstances should dictate.

THE BATTLE OF BULL RUN.

Bull Run, that once unknown name, is marked with great crimson letters upon the scroll of time! Tears wrung from the anguished soul, tears hot and blinding, still fall at the mere mention of its ill-omened name. A nation's miserere has been tolled from uncounted steeples over

its dead, and a whole nation put on weeds of mourning when its battle cloud spread slowly over the land, filling it with gloom.

With bayonets for pens, and precious human blood for ink, the record of this first great battle of the Union War should be written in the history of the world;-the ensanguined page illuminated with iron hail and leaden sleet—with hissing shot-whirlwinds of death-missiles, and the fire-belching portals of masked batteries. O, day of doom, day of sad errors and illustrious deeds, when blood was poured forth like water, until the reeking earth shuddered as it drank in the crimson deluge! Generations shall hereafter look back on thee with painful wonder, for they will remember that the first pitched battle in which Americans met Americans in mortal strife, was fought on thy soil, beneath "the bloody sun at noon."

On the morning of the 21st, McDowell's forces were encamped in and around Centreville. The divisions were under orders to march at half past two o'clock, that they might reach the ground early and avoid the heat. Before this time the encampments were in motion; but the troops were not yet sufficiently disciplined for the exigencies of a prompt march, and some delay arose with the first division in getting out of camp. Thus the road was obstructed, and other divisions thrown two hours out of time. But there was no lack of energy or zeal; the very want of discipline which caused delay' rendered the scenes in the various encampments more grand and imposing. It was indeed a beautiful spectacle. A lovely moonlight flooded the whole country. Soft mists lay in the valleys-the hill-tops were studded for miles around by the camp fires which thirty regiments had left, kindling the landscape with their star-like gleams. In the hollows, along the level grounds, and among the trees, thousands on thousands of armed men moved athwart the fires, harnessing horses to artillery, getting out army wagons, preparing ambulances and filling haversacks with the three days' rations ordered for their subsistence. No man of all that vast host was idle-want of order there might have been, but no lack of energy. Now, thirty thousand men, horses, ordnance and wagons, were all in place, ready for a march through the beautiful night, and under that serene moon, which many of them would never look upon again.

McDowell and his staff moved with the first-Tyler's-central column, and the advance commenced. The picturesque encampments were soon left behind; the fires grew paler and twinkled out in a glow of mist; the tents dwindled into littleness, till they seemed more like great flocks of white-plumaged birds, nestled in the foliage, than the paraphernalia of war. Nothing could be more quiet and peaceful than the country the troops had left-nothing more solemnly grand than the advance. It was an army of Americans, marching through the still

246166