ACHIEVEMENTS OE FIELD ARTILLERY. 
629 
of August, 1862, was fouglib the second battle of Bull Run, or Manassas, 
as the Confederates call it. In the first battle at that place we have 
seen how a year previously the Federal artillery distinguished itself on 
their left by the firm front with which it faced its foes, and saved the 
army from total ruin. In this second battle we shall find the Federals 
experiencing the powers of their adversaries, and we shall notice an 
excellent example of the offensive force of the arm, of artillery brought 
up in place of reinforcements of other troops, and striking a blow which, 
if not decisive of the fate of the battle, had at least a very notable 
influence on one phase of it. 
The Federal General, Pope, having fought a successful action on the 
previous day imagined that he had a beaten and retreating enemy in 
front of him, and, indeed, his only anxiety was that he might slip away. 
In reality the Confederates were so little demoralised that they were 
intending to attack Pope, and were only apprehensive that he might 
elude them. 
General Pope hurried Porter’s corps forward to the north of the 
turnpike, and was so confident that Longstreet had retreated that he 
ignored him altogether, while he directed his attention almost entirely 
on Jackson, who stood opposed to him on the railway embankment. 
Longstreet, who was watching the movements on the Federals left 
flank, says that their whole army seemed to surge up against Jackson 
as if to crush him with an overwhelming mass. 
About four o’clock Porter pushed Morell’s division out to the front, 
and the Confederates as their foes came on in superior numbers, were 
driven out of the woods in front of their position and fell back on the 
old railway embankment. The attack was made with the greatest 
resolution. Jackson’s veterans resisted with dogged determination 
and pluck, but were steadily forced backward. The Federals gradually 
pressed right home to the embankment. Longstreet, who was an 
interested spectator of it all, writes thus—“It was a grand display of a 
well organised attack thoroughly concentrated and operating cleverly.” 
The enemy’s rush is so strong that Jackson’s stout heart fails him 
for a time. He fears he cannot resist it much longer, and sends to beg 
Lee to send him reinforcements, and Lee orders Longstreet to go to 
his assistance. But Longstreet, watching the fight from his vantage 
point, saw that he could not usefully go to Jackson, and, moreover, he 
thought he could aid him better in another way. This is what he says : 
“ To retire from my advanced position in front of the Federals and 
get to Jackson would have taken an hour and-a-half. I had discovered 
a prominent position that commanded a view of the great struggle, 
and realising the opportunity I quickly ordered out three batteries, 
making twelve guns. Lieut. Wm. H. Chapman’s Dixie battery of four 
gams was the first to report, and was placed in position to rake the 
Federal ranks that seemed determined to break through Jackson’s 
lines. In a moment a heavy fire of shot and shell was being’ poured 
into the thick columns of the enemy, and in ten minutes their stub¬ 
born masses began to waver, and give back. For a moment there 
was chaos, then order returned and they reformed, apparently to renew 
the attack. Meanwhile my other eight pieces reported to me, and from 
