Where the troops of
General McClellan, waiting near the round-house at
Alexandria, were hurried forward to the scene of action where
Pope was struggling with
Jackson and
Ewell.
Pope had counted upon the assistance of these reenforcements in making the forward movement by which he expected to hold
Lee back.
The old bogey of leaving the
National Capital defenseless set up a vacillation in
General Halleck's mind and the troops were held overlong at
Alexandria.
Had they been promptly forwarded, “
Stonewall”
Jackson's blow at
Manassas Junction could not have been struck.
At the news of that disaster the troops were hurriedly despatched down the railroad toward
Manassas.
But
Pope was already in retreat in three columns toward that point,
McDowell had failed to intercept the
Confederate reinforcements coming through Thoroughfare Gap, and the situation had become critical.
General Taylor, with his brigade of
New Jersey troops, was the first of
McClellan's forces to be moved forward to the aid of
Pope.
At
Union Mills,
Colonel Scammon, commanding the First Brigade, driven back from
Manassas Junction, was further pressed by the
Confederates on the morning of August 27th.
Later in the day
General Taylor's brigade arrived by the
Fairfax road and, crossing the railroad bridge, met the
Confederates drawn up and waiting near Manassas Station.
A severe artillery fire greeted the
Federals as they emerged from the woods.
As
General Taylor had no artillery, he was obliged either to retire or charge.
He chose the latter.
When the Confederate cavalry threatened to surround his small force, however,
Taylor fell back in good order across the bridge, where two
Ohio regiments assisted in holding the
Confederates in check.
At this point,
General Taylor, who had been wounded in the retreat, was borne past in a litter.
Though suffering much, he appealed to the officers to prevent another
Bull Run.
The brigade retired in good order to Fairfax Court House, where
General Taylor died of his wounds a short time afterward.
