General Johnston describes the Confederate situation at two o'clock as "critical)); General Beauregard terms it a "pressing exigency" and speaks of the retirement of "our shattered bat talions," and of the fighting line as having "lost its cohesion." Dr. Jones, Jackson's distin guished biographer, records that "the retreat became every moment more disordered," that Bee's quick eye "now told him that all was lost" and that "he could not reform his line At that hour a Union victory seemed assured. Johnston and Beauregard reached the position together. The troops on the line of Bull Run that had been held there by the demonstrations of two Union brigades designed to mask Mc Dowell's turning movement were ordered in haste to the new line which was at right angles to . the first. Jackson soon arrived with five regiments and two batteries. Hampton's Legion joined him and the Union advance was checked. Other arrivals the line. Kirby Smith's brigade of Johnston'so army appeared about three o'clock, having just arrived on the field from Manassas, and pushed its three reg iments toward the right of the Union line. Early's brigade of Beauregard's force, from the extreme right of his line, hastened beyond Smith's brigade, now commanded by Colonel Elzey, and, supported by Stuart's cavalry, ap peared directly on the Union right flank. Two regiments from Bonham and two from Cocke also arrived upon the Union right. These also were of Beauregard's army. This turned the check which that portion of the Union line had received, first into retreat and then into a dis organized withdrawal, except that the rear guards maintained fair order till the columns were well off the field, the right retracing its long detour by Sudley Spring. At Cub Run, half-way to Centreville, the batteries of a pur suing column broke up the wagons and batteries on the bridge, convening the abandonment of 13 guns. From this point the movement to the rear was still farther disorganized, to which condition the vehicles of many visitors, congressmen, cor respondents and officials largly contributed. The attempt to rally the troops at Centreville failed, though General Johnston reported that the "apparent firmness" of the Union reserves at that point checked the pursuit. The army,
in great part disorganized, streamed on to Washington.
After the severe stress under which the Con federate leaders found themselves from 11 o'clock until about 3, the sudden change on the Union side, first from assaulting to cessation of fighting; next, to a general retreat, and later to widespread panic, was as much a surprise to the enemy as to the Union commanders. It was not until the second day after the battle that the Confederates ascertained the full ex tent of the Union stampede. Upon this point President Davis wrote General Beauregard: "You will not fail to remember that, so far from knowing that the enemy was routed, a large part of our forces was moved by you in the night of the 21st to repel a supposed attack upon our right, and the next day's operations did not fully reveal what has since been re ported of the enemy's McDowell's strength at Centreville appears to have been about 28,000 men and 49 guns. His report says he crossed Bull Run with 18,000 men. A very careful estimate made from official records in 1884, by Gen. James B. Fry, McDowell's adjutant-general at the battle, gives the number actually engaged as 17,676.
General Beauregard reported his strength on the field when the battle opened as 27,833 and 49 guns; and after Johnston's delayed troops and Holmes' brigade had arrived in the after noon as 31,972 and 57 guns. A very careful estimate by Gen. Thomas Jordan, his adjutant general, fixed the number actually engaged at 18,053, thus showing the two sides to have been about equal on the firing line.
The Union loss as reported was: killed, 460; wounded, 1,124; missing 1,312; total, 2,896. Union guns captured or abandoned, 29.
The Confederate loss reported was: killed, 387; wounded, 1,582; missing, 13; total, 1,982.
It was called the "Battle of Manassas" by the Confederates. ConsultJohnson and Bud, 'Battles and Leaders of the Civil War) (4 vols., New York 1887) ; Nicolay and Hay, 'Abraham Lincoln' (10 vols., New York 1890) ; Ropes, 'Story of the Civil War) (2 vols., New York 1898) ; and 'Official Records) (Vol. II, Wash ington 1880).
H. V. Bovicrox.