Browsing named entities in Edward Porter Alexander, Military memoirs of a Confederate: a critical narrative. You can also browse the collection for Contreras (Indiana, United States) or search for Contreras (Indiana, United States) in all documents.

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Edward Porter Alexander, Military memoirs of a Confederate: a critical narrative, Chapter 2: the battle of Bull Run (July, 1861） (search)
fired blank cartridges to make a great roar and pretend that he was coming, the panic at Centreville would have been doubled, and soon he could have advanced and found it deserted. His report of this episode is an instructive picture of how opportunities may be lost from overcaution, bred by the sense of responsibility in commanding officers not inured to its weight. Few who have never felt it can realize what this may be. Bonham had served in Florida and Mexico and had been wounded at Contreras. He was personally brave, but had here no major-general to give him orders, and the responsibility overwhelmed him. To nothing else can we attribute the excessive caution which here characterized the conduct of both our generals and of the President. Similar instances may be found in the stories of many battles. Magruder had already illustrated it at Big Bethel. Meade afterward did likewise at Gettysburg, and, even in our most recent war, the siege of Santiago narrowly escaped being t