aversacks, before
going into action. We, however, lay down in our bush huts, expecting
to remain until morning; but about midnight we were aroused and
ordered to start on the road to Washington. The drizzle had not
abated and the night was dark; we had been in a state of continued
and unusual activity since 2 o'clock the previous morning, and in
addition had been all day without food. Footsore and weary we started
on our march of twenty-six miles to Washington, and soon after
daylight, Monday, July 22d, reached Long Bridge, where we made a halt
and rations were served to us, and at 8 A. M. we crossed over to
Washington, and marched across the city to our old home at Camp
Sprague. The roll was called, a ration of whiskey was given us, and
all turned in for a much needed and well earned rest.

OPINIONS ON THE BATTLE.

Many opinions have been given as to the causes that led to the defeat
of the Union army at Bull Run. General Sherman, who commanded a
brigade in the battle, said it was the best planned and worst fought
battle of the war. It has been said by some writers that the plans of
the commanding general were not carried out, and that each of the
three division commanders whose forces were actually engaged acted on
their own responsibility and were governed by circumstances. It is a
fact well known to-day, that the Union army, at or in the vicinity of
the battle field, were in numbers quite sufficient to have at least
held any and every position that a portion of the army had gained. On
a map now in possession of Charles E. Lawton Post, G. A. R. of this
city, of Bull Run battlefield, drawn under the direction of Generals
McDowell and Beauregard, by order of the War Department, the position
of every regiment and brigade of both armies at the commencement of
the engagement is defined, and in a note appended to the map it is
stated that the engagement was commenced by the Burnside brigade, and
it is a historical fact recognized at this time, that the battle was
fought and won by the Second Division, commanded by Burnside, General
Hunter having been wounded before the troops had been brought into
position, supported by no other troops, until noon, when a brigade of
the Third Division, which had followed us through the forest road,
came to our assistance. From 9.30 A. M. to 1 P. M., these seventeen
regiments of infantry and four light batteries, unaided by any other
troops, fought and drove the enemy from their positio