Where the troops of General McClellan, waiting near the round-house at
Alexandria, were hurried forward to the scene of action where Pope was
struggling with Jackson and Ewell. Pope had counted upon the assistance of
these reënforcements in making the forward movement by which he expected
to hold Lee back. The old bogey of leaving the National Capital
defenseless set up a vacillation in General Halleck's mind and the troops
were held overlong at Alexandria. Had they been promptly forwarded,
"Stonewall" Jackson's blow at Manassas Junction could not have been
struck. At the news of that disaster the troops were hurriedly despatched
down the railroad toward Manassas. But Pope was already in retreat in
three columns toward that point, McDowell had failed to intercept the
Confederate reënforcements coming through Thoroughfare Gap, and the
situation had become critical. General Taylor, with his brigade of New
Jersey troops, was the first of McClellan's forces to be moved forward to
the aid of Pope. At Union Mills, Colonel Scammon, commanding the First
Brigade, driven back from Manassas Junction, was further pressed by the
Confederates on the morning of August 27th. Later in the day General
Taylor's brigade arrived by the Fairfax road and, crossing the railroad
bridge, met the Confederates drawn up and waiting near Manassas Station. A
severe artillery fire greeted the Federals as they emerged from the woods.
As General Taylor had no artillery, he was obliged either to retire or
charge. He chose the latter. When the Confederate cavalry threatened to
surround his small force, however, Taylor fell back in good order across
the bridge, where two Ohio regiments assisted in holding the Confederates
in check. At this point, General Taylor, who had been wounded in the
retreat, was borne past in a litter. Though suffering much, he appealed to
the officers to prevent another Bull Run. The brigade retired in good
order to Fairfax Court House, where General Taylor died of his wounds a
short time afterward.
[Illustration: BRIGADIER-GENERAL GEORGE W. TAYLOR]
[Illustration: AN UNREALIZED OPPORTUNITY]
Here might have been won a Federal victory that would have precluded
defeat at Second Bull Run. The corps of General Heintzelman, consisting of
the divisions of Hooker and Kearny, was the next detachment of McClellan's
forces to arrive to the aid of Pope. On the 28th of August, Heintzelman
had pushed forward to Centreville, entering it soon after "Stonewall"
Jackson's rear-guard had retired. Instead of pursuing, Heintzelman drew up
his forces east of Cub Run, which we see in the picture. Jackson's forces,
now in a precarious position, fell back toward Thoroughfare Gap to form a
junction with Longstreet's Corps, which Lee had sent forward. The battle
was commenced on the west somewhat feebly by Generals McDowell and Sigel.
By nightfall the Confederate left had been driven back fully a mile.
[Illustration: MAJOR-GENERAL SAMUEL P. HEINTZELMAN AND STAFF