Thursday, April 26, 2012

Why The Rebels Did Not Advance Upon Washington After The Battle Of Manassas


The rebel politicians who are playing Congress at Richmond are wroth because after the battle of Manassas, the Confederate army did not take Washington and invade the Northern States. – Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, the Commander of the rebel army of the Potomac, concludes his official report of the battle of Manassas with these observations:

“The apparent firmness of the United States troops at Centreville who had not been engaged, which checked our pursuit, the strong forces occupying the works near Georgetown, Arlington and Alexandria, the certainty, too, that General Patterson, if needed, would reach Washington with his army of thirty thousand men, sooner than we could, and the condition and inadequate means of the army in ammunition, provision and transportation, prevented any serious thoughts of advancing against the Capital.  It is certain that the fresh troops within the works were, in number, quite sufficient for their defence; if not, Gen. Patterson’s army would certainly reinforce them soon enough.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 8, 1862, p. 2

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