battle. That is, we pitched into him and he pitched into us, the
fight becoming general and extending over a great deal of ground.
Then the fighting became so mixed up and confused that it was
difficult to tell on which side victory was smiling. Indeed, neither
general could tell how things were going. For a long time both
armies kept at a respectful distance, under the evident apprehension
that somebody would get injured. In short, there was a great deal of
good ammunition wasted, and a great deal of wild and harmless firing
done. And just as we were about to proclaim a great victory over the
enemy--for many far-sighted persons declared they could see Mr.
Beauregard and his men with the toes of their boots turned towards
Richmond--a strange chapter of accidents occurred and changed the
whole scene. A number of our brave boys got killed, a greater number
got hurt, and a still greater number got frightened and thought it
high time to look to their own safety. A backward movement, not
ordered by our gallant general, began, and this soon resolved itself
into a grand race for Washington, where, it was thought, shelter and
safety were to be found behind its forts. What caused this sudden
backward movement still remains an undecided question. It was first
noticed among a regiment of brave Pennsylvanians, who had been
homesick for several days, and wanting to go home, started for that
purpose. The example of these gallant fellows was soon followed by
our Congressmen, editors, and citizens generally, each leaving his
stock of luxuries, and, indeed, everything he had, as a
peace-offering to the enemy, and resolved not to be outdone in the
race, especially in a case where it was made so clear that
discretion was the better part of valor. Indeed, these distinguished
non-fighting gentlemen proved themselves remarkably fleet of foot,
and not to be outdone in a race where personal safety was at stake.
But the worst of it was that their example was at once imitated by a