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The New Henry House and the Monument of the first battle.
From a photograph taken in 1864. |
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Incidents of the first Bull Run.
From the day of his arrival at
Winchester [see page 124],
General Johnston was ceaseless in his labors to improve the efficiency of his little army, in which he was greatly assisted by several staff-officers who afterward rose to high distinction.
The two most active of these subordinates were
Majors W. H. C. Whiting and
E. Kirby Smith, the former of whom as a major-general fell mortally wounded at the capture of
Fort Fisher in
North Carolina, and the latter as a lieutenant-general commanded the Trans-Mississippi army when the final collapse came.
During our withdrawal from
Harper's Ferry, on June 16th, we were deflected from our direct line of march, and held in line of battle a day at
Bunker Hill, a few miles north of
Winchester, to receive an expected assault from
General Patterson, who had crossed the
Potomac, but who went back without attacking us. Again on July 2d we were marched to
Darksville, about midway to
Martinsburg, to meet
Patterson, where we lay in line of battle till the 5th, when
General Patterson, after a slight “brush” with
Jackson, again recrossed the
Potomac.
We returned to
Winchester, and to our arduous drilling.
After midnight of July 17th,
General Bee, my brigade commander, sent for me to go with him to headquarters, whither he had been summoned.
Several brigade commanders were assembled in a room with
General Johnston, and a conference of one or two hours was held.
When
General Bee joined me on the porch to return to our quarters, I saw he was excited, and I asked him, “What is up?”
He took my arm, and, as we walked away, told me we would march next day to the support of
General Beauregard.
He repeated a telegram
General Johnston had received from
Adjutant-General Cooper about midnight.
This was the famous dispatch that has led to so much controversy between
Mr. Davis and
General Johnston, as to whether it was a peremptory order, or simply permission to
Johnston to go to
Beauregard's support.
I quote it, and leave the reader to his own construction:
General Beauregard is attacked; to strike the enemy a decisive blow, a junction of all your effective force will be needed.
If practicable, make the movement, sending your sick and baggage to Culpeper Court House, either by railroad or by Warrenton.
In all the arrangements exercise your discretion.
