Jackson had charged, Beauregard sent forward the rest of the
troops, and for a time a tremendous struggle took place along the whole
line. Generals Bee and Barlow fell mortally wounded at the head of
their troops. General Hampton was wounded, and many of the colonels
fell. So numerous were the Federals, that although Jackson had pierced
their center, their masses drove back his flanks and threatened to
surround him. With voice and example he cheered on his men to hold their
ground, and the officers closed up their ranks as they were thinned by
the enemy's fire, and for an hour the struggle continued without marked
advantage on either side.

Jackson's calmness was unshaken even in the excitement of the fight. At
one time an officer rode up to him from another portion of the field and
exclaimed, "General, I think the day is going against us!" To which
Jackson replied in his usual curt manner, "If you think so, sir, you had
better not say anything about it."

The resolute stand of the Confederates enabled General Beauregard to
bring up fresh troops, and he at last gave the word to advance.

Jackson's brigade rushed forward on receiving the order, burst through
the Federals with whom they were engaged, and, supported by the
reserves, drove the enemy from the plateau. Then the Federals, though
vastly superior in force, brought up the reserves, and prepared to renew
the attack; but 1700 fresh men of the Army of the Shenandoah came upon
the field of battle, Smith and Early brought up their divisions from the
river, and the whole Southern line advanced at the charge, and drove the
enemy down the slopes and on toward the ford.

A panic seized them, and their regiments broke up and took to headlong
flight, which soon became an utter rout. Many of them continued their
flight for hours, and for a time the Federal army ceased to exist; and
had the Confederates advanced, as Jackson desired that they should do,
Washington would have fallen into their hands without a blow being
struck in its defense.

This, the first great battle of the war, is sometimes known as the
battle of Manassas, but more generally as Bull Run.

With the exception of one or two charges, the little body of Confederate
horse did not take any part in the battle of Bull Run. Had they been
aware of the utter stampede of the Northern troops, they could safely
have pressed forward in hot pursuit as far as Washington, but being
numerically so inferior to the Feder