venience and luxury which they carried with them. The army rations were varied by large supplies of preserved meats, cordials, liquors, wines, and every luxury to tempt the palate. Excellent oil-cloths protected the troops from the damp, and white "havelocks" warded off the burning rays of the sun. The march was looked upon as a frolic. With the United States regulars, who had been summoned from the West, the "Grand Army" amounted, by Federal accounts, to about 55,000 men, with 9 regiments of cavalry, and 12 batteries of rifled artillery, numbering 49 guns. It was placed under the command of Major-General Irwin McDowell, an officer of ability, and its movements directed by Lieutenant-General Winfield Scott, a Virginian, who had retained his position in the United States Army, and now commanded all the Federal armies. His own Such was the force which was ready by the middle of July to advance upon General Beauregard at Manassas. army consisted of 21,833 muskets, and 29 pieces of smooth-bore artillery, with about 3 companies of cavalry. By the arrival subsequently of General Johnston, with 8,333 muskets, 300 cavalry, and 20 guns, and General Holmes from the lower Potomac, with 1,265 muskets and 6 guns, Beauregard's force was increased to 31,431 muskets, 55 guns, and about 500 cavalry. The Confederate commander had taken position upon Bull Run, a small watercourse which rises near Aldie, and flowing around Manassas Junction, empties into the Occoquan. The banks of this stream were abrupt, and densely wooded; but it was fordable in numerous places, and was crossed on the Centreville and Warrenton road, below Sudley Church, by the "Stone Bridge," a solid and not unpicturesque structure of brown stone, near which the battle of Manassas was fought. General Beauregard had posted his troops along this watercourse, behind earthworks, from Union Mills nearly to Stone Bridge, a distance of about eight miles, ready to meet the Federal forces should they attempt to cross at any of the fords. His erre read a Videli bei se the frem road from Centre ville to Manassas and opposite this point. Facken i w be remembered had been fired to take up his positive. The Federal army moved forward on the 16th of July, and a the wring of the 17th entered Fairfax Coun-House, Gear en! Bonham ho gommanded the Confederate advance guard a tu plam, retiring dowly before them. He ccctioned so fall back all day, kis rear skirmishing with the Federal advance: A ser making a brief stand at Centreve after dark, and throwing up signals to warn General Beauregard of his approach, retired, at daylight on the 18th, within the lines on Ball Ran. About ten in the forenoon the enemy appeared, and opened as artery fire upon the Confederate centre at Mitchell's ford; but the dense woods concealed the troops from view, and no los was inflicted. This was followed by an obstinate attack upon General Longstreet, who was placed with 1.200 muskets at Blackburn's ford below. A force of about 3.000 Federal infantry drove in his advance on the north bank of the stream, and, supported by a heavy fire of artillery, attempted to force their way across the ford. Three vigorous charges were made to attain this object, but all were repulsed. Longstreet's infantry, although unprotected by earthworks, fought with great nerve, and the Federal infantry finally retired; the affair turning into an "artillery duel," as General Beauregard styled it, in which the guns of the Washington Artillery of New Orleans were handled with great skill, and inflicted some loss upon the enemy. Soon afterwards the Federal infantry retired from Longstreet's front. Such was "the battle of the 18th," as it is called-the pre- lude to the greater struggle on the 21st. These two unsuccessful attacks, at Mitchell's and Blackburn's fords, upon the Confederate front, induced the Federal commander to abandon the further attempt to break through Beauregard's line. His attention was now turned to the left |