Start of the Battle of Bull Run

HARPER'S WEEKLY.

[AUGUST 3, 1861.

492

COMMENCEMENT OF THE BATTLE AT BULL'S RUN.—SKETCHED BY OUR SPECIAL ARTIST.—[SEE PAGE 491.]

(previous page) before, I continued to push on. I soon met Quarter-master Stetson, of the Fire Zouaves, who told me, bursting into tears, that his Regiment had been utterly cut to pieces, that the Colonel and Lieutenant-Colonel were both killed, and that our troops had actually been repulsed. I still

tried to proceed, but the advancing columns rendered it impossible, and I turned about. Leaving my carriage, I went to a high point of ground and saw, by the dense cloud of dust which rose over each of the three roads by which the three columns of the army had advanced, that they

were all on the retreat. Sharp discharges of cannon in their rear indicated that they were being pursued. I waited half an hour or so to observe the troops and batteries as they arrived, and then started for Washington, to send my dispatch and write this letter. As I came past the hill on

which the Secessionists had their intrenchments less than a week ago, I saw our forces taking up positions for a defense if they should be assailed.

Such is a very rapid and general history of Sunday's engagement.

FIRING INTO A DESERTED EARTH-WORK NEAR BULL'S RUN.-SKETCHED BY OUR SPECIAL ARTIST.-[SEE PAGE 491.]