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One of the rebel papers gives the following reasons why our army was net pursued from Bull Run by the enemy:
Under such a thorough defeat, rout, and disorganization of the Federal army, it might have been driven from Virginia; and Alexandria, Arlington, and all their intrenchments and guns on this side the Potomac taken.
Great as the victory has been, its results would have been incalculable could we have pursued the flying and terror-stricken enemy to the Long Bridge.
And why was it not done?
Simply because
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Beauregard had not the force.
Though only a part of the army was engaged in actual battle, all had been on active duty the whole day. The combined forces of Beauregard and Johnston did not exceed thirty-five thousand men in the field.
At least half of these were engaged in the fight.
The rest were under the fire of the enemy's guns, with an occasional encounter.
All, in fact, were on the battle-field and in battle-array, from the earliest hour in the morning till the defeat in the evening.
Every man was needed.
There were no reserves.--Boston Transcript, Aug. 10.
Van Nostrand. New York, New York. 1862.
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