forts, when they breathed freer and felt safe. This was a dark day
for Washington and the nation, which became bowed down with sorrow
and disappointment. The brave general followed his army into
Washington; and I have heard it intimated that he boasted of having
the most fleet-footed divisions history had any account of.

You will see, my son, that forts have a moral as well as a material
effect. The enemy might, had he known our forlorn condition, have
followed up his victory and marched into Washington with flying
colors. He was probably restrained by his fears of what we might
have in store for him when he reached the forts. As to the
provisions for the feast, we left them for the enemy to enjoy, which
he did with many thanks to us for the bounty, his own fare being
very scanty. And now, my son, I shall leave to my artist the task of
giving you an exact picture of our army as it appeared on its way to
Washington after the battle of Bull-Run.






CHAPTER V.





THE wise men of Washington agreed that McDowell was not the general
we took him for, so we sent for George B. McClellan, who had been