alculable value. Panic-struck,
the Federals had thrown away everything that could impede their flight.
Besides fifty-four pieces of artillery of all kinds, horses and mules
in large numbers, ammunition, medical stores and miles of wagon and
ambulance trains, near six thousand stand of small arms, of the newest
pattern and in best condition, fell into the hands of the half-armed
rebels.

These last were the real prize of the victors, putting a dozen new
regiments waiting only for arms, at once on an effective war-footing.
Blankets, tents and clothing were captured in bulk; nor were they to be
despised by soldiers who had left home with knapsacks as empty as those
of Falstaff's heroes.

But the moral effect of the victory was to elate the tone of the army
far above any previous act of the war. Already prepared not to
undervalue their own prowess, its ease and completeness left a
universal sense of their invincibility, till the feeling became common
in the ranks--and spread thence to the people--that one southern man
was worth a dozen Yankees; and that if they did not come in numbers
greater than five to one, the result of any conflict was assured.

Everything was going smoothly. The first rough outlines had been laid
in, with bold effectiveness, a rosy cloud floated over the grim
distance of the war; and in the foreground--only brilliant and
victorious action.

The Confederate loss, too, was much smaller than at first supposed, not
exceeding eighteen hundred; and many of the slightly wounded began
already to hobble about again, petted by the communities and justly
proud of their crutches and scars. The Federal loss was harder to
estimate. Many of their wounded had been borne away by the rush of the
retreat; the Government, naturally anxious to calm the public mind of
the North, made incomplete returns; while large numbers of uncounted
dead had been buried on the field and along the line of retreat, both
by the victorious army and country people. From the best data
obtainable, their loss could not have been much short, if at all short,
of five thousand. The army was satisfied, the country was satisfied,
and, unfortunately, the Government was satisfied.

Among the people there was a universal belief in an immediate advance.
The army that had been the main bulwark of the National Capital was
rushing--a panic-stricken herd--into and beyond it; the fortifications
were perfectly uncovered and their small garrisons utterly