severed entirely from his neck.
The deathly silence was now broken, and more shot and shell followed in
quick succession, plowing through the startled air and falling with
destructive force among the Union troops. This iron hail from the guns
of the enemy was composed in part of old pieces of chain and broken iron
rails, as well as the shot and shell ordinarily used. Our artillery soon
replied, but from some unexplained cause the Union troops in this
portion of our line broke and fled in panic before a shot had been fired
from the muskets of the enemy. This battle, like the first Bull Run,
had been well planned, and every effort which good generalship and good
judgment could dictate in order to insure success, had been made by
Generals Pope and McDowell.

"At this crisis of affairs, the cavalry under Bayard and Kilpatrick were
ordered to the rear, to stem, if possible, the tide of retreat, but the
effort was well nigh fruitless. Regiment after regiment surged by in one
continuous and almost resistless wave. A cheer was heard to go up from
the Confederate ranks as Stuart's cavalry charged us, and though we
returned the charge it did not stop the panic which had taken possession
of our troops.

"One of its causes was undoubtedly the supposition that the enemy was
executing a flank movement on our left. In forty-five minutes from the
beginning of the battle, this part of the army was in full retreat; but
the determined stand made by Heintzelman, and also one or two heroic
attempts to stop the backward-surging wave, saved our forces from utter
rout and possible capture.

"As soon as the Union batteries were taken by the enemy, they were
turned upon us, in addition to their own guns, and afterwards, on came
Stuart in a head-long charge with one of those hideous yells peculiar to
the Southern 'chivalry.' With thousands of others who were rapidly
retiring, I had recrossed Bull Run Creek when my attention was arrested
by a mounted officer who sprang out from the mass of flying men, and
waving his sword above his head, called on every one, irrespective of
regiment, to rally around him and face the foe. He wore no golden
leaf--no silver star. He was appealing to officers higher in command
than himself, who, mixed with the crowd, were hurrying by. His manner,
tense with excitement, was strung up to the pitch of heroism, and his
presence was like an inspiration, as he stood outside the mass, a mark
for the bullets of the enemy.