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[469]

Letters.

Confidential.

Headquarters Army of the Potomac, July 20, 1861.
Special Order, No. —
The following order is published for the information of division and brigade commanders: 1st. Brigadier-General Ewell's brigade will march via Union Mills Ford, and place itself in position of attack upon the enemy. It will be held in readiness, either to support attack upon Centreville, or to move in the direction of Sangster's Cross-roads, according to circumstances.

The order to advance will be given by the commander-in-chief. 2d. Brigadier-General Jones's brigade, supported by Colonel Early's brigade, will march via McLean's Ford to place itself in position of attack on the enemy, or about the Union Mill and Centreville road. It will be held in readiness, either to support the attack on Centreville, or to move in the direction of Fairfax Station, according to circumstances, with its right flank toward the left of Ewell's command, more or less distant according to the nature of the country and attack.

The order to advance will be given by the commander-in-chief. 3d. Brigadier-General Longstreet's brigade, supported by Brigadier-General Jackson's brigade, will march via McLean's Ford, to place itself in position of attack upon the enemy on or about the Union Mill and Centreville road. It will be held in readiness, either to support the attack on [470] Centreville, or to move in the direction of Fairfax Court-House, according to circumstances, with its right flank toward the left of Jones's command, more or less distant according to the nature of the country.

The order to advance will be given by the commander-in-chief. 4th. Brigadier-General Bonham's brigade, supported by Colonel Barton's brigade, will march via Mitchell's Ford to the attack of Centreville, the right wing to the left of the Third Division, more or less distant according to the nature of the country and of the attack.

The order to advance will be given by the commander-in-chief. 5th. Colonel Cocke's brigade, supported by Colonel Elzey's brigade, will march via Stone Bridge and the fords on the right, thence to the attack of Centreville, the right wing to the left of the Fourth Division, more or less distant according to the nature of the country and of the attack.

The order to advance will be given by the commander-in-chief. 6th. Brigadier-General Bee's brigade, supported by Colonel Wilcox's brigade, Colonel Stuart's regiment of cavalry, and the whole of Walton's battery, will form the reserve, and will march via Mitchell's Ford, to be used according to circumstances. 7th. The light batteries will be distributed as follows:

8th. Colonel Radford, commanding cavalry, will detail to report immediately as follows: [471]

To General Ewell, two companies of cavalry.

To General Jones, two companies of cavalry.

To General Longstreet, two companies of cavalry.

To General Bonham, two companies of cavalry.

To Colonel Cocke the remaining companies of cavalry, except those on special service. 9th. The Fourth and Fifth Divisions, after the fall of Centreville, will advance to the attack of Fairfax Court-House via the Braddock and Turnpike roads, to the north of the latter.

The First, Second, and Third Divisions will, if necessary, support the Fourth and Fifth Divisions. 10th. In this movement the First, Second, and Third Divisions will form the command of General Holmes, the Fourth and Fifth Divisions that of the second in command. The reserve will move upon the plains between Mitchell's Ford and Stone Bridge, and together with the Fourth and Fifth Divisions will be under the immediate direction of General Beauregard.

By command of General Beauregard: (Signed) Thomas Jordan, Assistant Adjutant-General.

Special order, no. —

Headquarters Army of the Potomac.
The plan of attack given by Brigadier-General Beauregard in the above order is approved, and will be executed accordingly.

(Signed) J. E. Johnston, General C. S. A.

Edgefield, January 14, 1874.
My Dear General:
Your letter of the 15th of April, 1870, as to first Manassas, has been too long unanswered, but circumstances, not necessary here to mention, have caused the delay. [472]

You are substantially correct as to what occurred after five o'clock of the 21st. In obedience to your orders, as delivered by Colonel Lay, with my own brigade and Longstreet's, I moved directly on Centreville, as the best and most practicable route for intercepting the enemy's retreat. Guided by the dust, the enemy fired a shot in the direction of our advance. I sent forward Colonel Lay with an escort of cavalry to reconnoitre. I am not sure whether Major Whiting of your staff, then with me, accompanied Colonel Lay-he probably did. The enemy opened fire with artillery on this party; they reported, on their return, that the enemy were in force in line of battle on the heights of Centreville. In the course of the conference which followed, and upon the state of facts then presented, Major Whiting said, in substance, that as a member of your staff he would suggest-possibly that he would direct — the further pursuit stopped. The views of Major Whiting thus expressed had, justly, great weight with, and possibly ought to have controlled, me; but all the circumstances led me to the same conclusion. I did stop, and deployed the two brigades on the right and left of the road; and Major Whiting went to the junction to report, and sent me from there further instructions for the night.

I made a report after the battle, but did not write the details of Major Whiting's connection with the matter.

General McGowan, of Abbeville, and Judge Aldrich, of Barnwell, then on my staff, remember this matter substantially as stated; and probably others of my staff.

Yours very truly, M. L. Bonham. General J. E. Johnston.

General McDowell's orders for the 21st of July were as follows:

Headquarters Department Army of Eastern Virginia, Centreville, July 20, 1861.
The enemy has planted a battery on the Warrenton turnpike to defend the passage of Bull Run; has seized [473] the Stone Bridge and made a heavy abattis on the right bank, to oppose our advance in that direction. The ford above the bridge is also guarded, whether with artillery or not is not positively known, but every indication favors the belief that he proposes to defend the passage of the stream. It is intended to turn the position, force the enemy from the road, that it may be reopened, and, if possible, destroy the railroad leading from Manassas to the Valley of Virginia, where the enemy has a large force. As this may be resisted by all the force of the enemy, the troops will be disposed as follows: The First Division (

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