BATTLE OF MANASSAS

CHAPTER VI

WE were soon to see actual fighting. An order was issued to our battalion to lay aside our muskets and take charge of some heavy guns in the earthen forts erected at Manassas. These forts were made of earth thrown up pretty high with openings at intervals for the thirty-two pound guns. These openings were thought to be well protected by bags filled with sand which were stacked up on either side of the embrasures. It was expected that these fortifications would be a protection for Gen. Beauregard's rear, and in case he was driven back this would afford a rallying point. Every day, twice a day, for hours at a time we were drilled to load and run these big guns out at the embrasures on trucks, fire, retire the guns, reload, etc., until we became proficient. This work, of course, became monotonous, but there was no let up, we were kept at it up till the time of the big battle. I was made captain of one of the gun crews and it was my duty to command them, sight and fire the cannon, have it mopped out, reload, etc. Every day there were exciting rumors throughout our camp. Grapevine dispatches from the front kept us constantly on the lookout. We heard that Gen. McDowell, who (Page 46) was the enemy commander, intended to cross Bull Run at one of the lower fords and attack our right; then again that he was crossing above. One day we heard that he had attempted to cross near our center and had been repulsed with heavy loss. Next we heard that he was falling back towards Washington. All these proved to be false rumors, yet we were ready to believe the next one that might come along. On the 18th of July we heard the cannon belching away at one of the fords and from the roar we were convinced there was something to pay this time. We took our positions beside our big guns in the fort and awaited orders. Rumors flew thick and fast of course, and we heard all sorts of things from the front until late in the afternoon we learned that a Federal force had attempted to cross in front of Gen. Longstreet's command but had met with such a warm reception they had finally desisted. This we now know was only a feint, but to us soldiers at the time it seemed the real thing and we felt proud that our folk had driven them back. Only a few days after this feint the real battle was opened.

I am not writing a war history-only endeavoring to give a glimpse of the war as I saw it. However I will here insert an extract from a letter written by a war correspondent with McDowell's army detailing what he saw fifty years ago as he viewed the army on its way to Manassas. The army advanced (Page 47) in three columns; starting the evening of the 16th of July, 1861, each column having about 12,000 men, all in light marching order with three days of rations. The right under Gen. Tyler marched by the road from Arlington to Vienna and Centerville from Georgetown Ferry. The center column moving from Washington and commanded by Col. David Hunter marched by the Leesburg turnpike. The left column from Alexandria under Col. Dixon Miles followed the Warrenton pike. "The sun shone brilliantly and the fresh morning air was highly invigorating. The troops on foot started off as joyously as if they were bound upon a New England clambake and not the slightest indication of fear or uneasiness. As the 12,000 composing the three brigades moved solidly on they presented a most magnificent spectacle when gazed upon from one of the elevations overlooking the road. The seemingly endless forest of glittering bayonets undulating with the ascents and descents of the road, the dark mass of humanity rolling on slowly but irresistibly, the waving banners the inspiring strains of numerous bands-the shouts and songs of the men all formed a most inspiring and animated scene which was contemplated with both amazement and terror by the unprepared country people along the road. About noon on the 17th July, 1861 the head of the column entered Fairfax. They entered the little village as conquerors, the (Page 48) bands ringing out with cheerful tones the 'Star Spangled Banner', and the troops cheering lustily. The soldiers displayed a spirit of plunder. This began with the abandoned camps of the Confederates. The appetite for plunder once excited became ungovernable and from camps they proceeded to houses and soon from plunder to wanton destruction. Houses were set on fire, others were completely sacked, furniture stolen, windows smashed, books and papers scattered to the winds. Soldiers were bringing in chickens, pigs, turkeys, etc., swung upon bayonets, proud of their exploits. Some of the troops dressed in women's clothes and promenaded the town amid the shouts and not over-delicate attentions of the surrounding troops. Others paraded the streets under the shade of tattered umbrellas which they had found in the deserted camps; and one donning a gown and broad bands marched solemnly down the principal street with an open book before him reading the funeral service of Jefferson Davis." It seems strange, with the light of fifty years before us, to see this vast army so thoughtless and so lacking in discipline on the eve of such important events. We gaze on it in wonder and surprise. On the Confederate side there was none of this frivolity, but on the contrary from the commanding general down to the private soldier all were serious, realizing the mighty task before them. On the 18th of (Page 49) July the advance of Gen. McDowell's army arrived at the banks of Bull Run, twenty-five miles from Washington. The 19th and 20th were spent by McDowell in resting and provisioning his troops and ascertaining by careful examination the position-of his antagonist. It was on the 18th that the feint against Gen. Longstreet was made. This was only a prelude. Early on the morning of the 21st, under cover of demonstrations at the fords on Beau regard's right he started a large turning column against the Confederate left. This movement was perceived while it was under way by the Confederate Generals, Evans and Bee, who hurriedly maneuvered to place their troops in position to oppose this advance. The battle was soon joined between these opposing forces and raged with varying success for a time, but the Confederates being greatly outnumbered were driven pell-mell from the field. They were soon rallied, however, on the next hill under cover of Stonewall Jackson's Brigade. Here the tide of battle ebbed and flowed until fin ally McDowell's boastful troops were put to an ignominious flight.

From our position at Manassas we could hear the roar of the battle as the two armies clashed in the deadly struggle. We were standing by our big guns behind our earth-works not knowing, of course, how soon our time might come. Our commanding officer (Page 50) came around to inspect us and ascertain, I suppose, how we were taking it. He would give a few commands, seemed satisfied with our demeanor and hurried on to inspect other points. Ah! This 21st day of July, 1861. What a day it was to me. My first experience of war. My mind wandered away to the peaceful scenes of home, such a contrast to the awful scenes being enacted around me. A day full of awe and suspense. Full of all kinds of forebodings. Stragglers and wounded from the front soon began to drop in and a woeful tale they told. They spoke of slaughter and carnage, whole regiments wiped out, and our side losing ground. They declared that 'the enemy, outnumbered us five to one, and that it was impossible for our thin lines to stand. Such news as this was brought in as the battle raged and we could tell by the firing our men had lost ground and our hearts were heavy as lead. As the day advanced we were sure from the sound of the guns that our line had fallen back and in the afternoon we were peremptorily ordered to man "the guns "and prepare for action, as a large force of the enemy had crossed at one of the lower fords rapidly advancing from that direction to attack us from that side. This was sad news as we felt that Gen. Beauregard had more than his hands full on his left flank without having to meet an attack on his right. We made quick work of it and soon (Page 51) had our big guns in shape, ready for the enemy when he should appear. Every man was at his post and appeared his part. We afterward learned that our superior officer gave this false alarm to test our mettle, and after it was over he was reported to have said that we fully came up to the requirement and that our action showed that we intended to give a good account of ourselves had the occasion demanded it. All know the result of the Manassas battle. After it was over, in company with a comrade I walked over the battlefield, the first my feet had ever trod. Dead artillery horses, dead men, broken artillery wheels, scattered guns, haversacks and canteens, all gave evidence of the fearful contest. On the road leading to Centerville in the direction of Washington City there was every indication of a flight and stampede. Hats and coats, broken sabers, abandoned guns, thousands of letters fluttering in the wind, dead bodies, all showing the horrors of war. Passing a cabin on field we saw a new grave dug in front of the door and on the inside was a Yankee with both legs off. Our men had dug the grave in front to bury him, but he was smoking a pipe and said he had no idea of dying. I don't know of course what became of him. It seemed easy enough for our men to push on and capture Washington. McDowell's army was completely demoralized. Thousands of his men (Page 52) had run from the battlefield back to Washington, completely worn out, without arms or accoutrements, having thrown them away to enable them to run better, and reaching the city they were in a pitiable plight and would have been an easy prey to our men flushed with victory. But those in authority thought best not to pursue. Probably because we wished the world to see and understand that the South was not engaged in an aggressive war, but was acting wholly on the defensive. And again, our entering Washington would have been the means in the hands of our bitter enemies among the Northern people to appeal to their prejudice and to stir that entire section as a beehive by pointing to this act of invasion on our part and calling on the whole people to rise in arms and hurl back the invaders. The North was numerically over three times as strong as the South, but we had many sympathizers among them and did not care to turn them against us. Now whether this was the actual reason or not, I cannot say, but from my point of view it was a good one.

We were ordered away from Manassas and went direct to "Cock Pit Point" on the Potomac River and were put in charge of some artillery planted behind some rude earth embankments on a very high point overlooking the Potomac. Here we were expected, with this artillery, to blockade the river, allowing no craft to move up or down the channel. The (Page 53) river was three or four miles wide at this point and on dark nights vessels would occasionally attempt to steal by, by hugging the Maryland shore, with all lights out and making as little noise as possible. The noise of the machinery would attract the attention of our sentry and he would give the alarm and we would speedily open fire. It -was all guesswork in the dark, shooting at a noise. But when a bomb would explode it would somewhat reveal things, and we could see the vessel sitting low in the water and moving along like a great big terrapin. We would then try to put the shots as close as possible under the circumstances. Our position here had one advantage, when we began to fire we gave the alarm to Evansport just below us and they could be ready to give them a warm reception, which they always did. We being from Alabama where the winters are not so severe, considered this winter of 1861-62 the coldest of our lives and this high point on the Potomac, the coldest in America. So it seemed to us, and we came near freezing and starving to death that winter. We were away off to ourselves, and the roads were impassible from the rains and freezes, and rations became an item for the first time in our war life. I put out one morning on a private foraging expedition and struck out boldly across the country in search of a farmhouse, expecting to beg or buy milk, butter and bread, but to my astonish (Page 54) ment the country seemed to be uninhabited. There were signs of old fields grown up now in broom-sedge, briars and bushes, but not a person to be seen. Passing across one of these old fields, along a well-beaten foot-path, when about half way across, whom should I meet right in the path in front of me but two large sleek red foxes, and I don't know which was more surprised, I or they. They stood an instant, while we looked at each other just long enough to recognize the awkwardness of the situation, when we separated as unceremoniously as we had met. This convinced me that inhabited houses could not be close by, so I returned to camp to withstand the guying of my comrades over the success of my first foraging. At night we posted pickets out on the sandbars to prevent any landing by the enemy on our side and this picket duty was something never to be forgotten. The wind along and across the river had full sweep, as cold as the north pole, and it set in every night about time for the tide to rise. We were in messes in our company, four to six in a mess. It was our custom for the messmate who went on guard to put on all the spare clothes in the mess, sometimes two or three shirts, as many drawers, coats and trousers, and this was the only way we kept from freezing. If the "Yanks" had landed, we, with all those clothes on, would have made an awkward effort in giving the alarm. One day the Yankees on the (Page 55) Maryland side brought out some rifle cannon and getting an elevated point in the hills began to fire at our battery. About the third shot they struck the truck of one of our guns and came near dismounting it. They were shooting at long range, some four or five miles, or perhaps more, and every shot was exactly in range but a little too high, and they would pass on nearly a half mile to the rear, slashing through the trees as they went. The Yankees soon stopped firing and this was the only time they ever molested us. I am sure they never knew the accuracy of their aim or they would have kept it up. They were too far for our guns to reply. Whilst here I was offered the position of Adjutant of the Battalion. Quite an honor, but I was disposed to shrink from the responsibility and would not accept it. I have seldom mentioned this, and allude to it now only as a matter of fact, and it is something that I look back upon with pride even if I did refuse to accept it. (Page 56)

Family Record and War Reminiscences
by William Frierson Fulton, Jr.
Livingston, AL, 1919
Transcribed by James W. Martin