Dan, General Irwin McDowell was given command of the army in Washington, about 39,000 men. Despite the fact that many of his soldiers were raw recruits, lacked enough training and discipline, his superiors were demanding an "on to Richmond" movement to capture Beauregard`s force near Bull Run. Beauregard had about 21,000 men there to defend the Manassas railroad junction. Johnston commanded a smaller force of about 11,000 guarding Harper's Ferry and McDowell wanted Patterson, with 18,000 men, to seize Harper`s Ferry and push Johnston`s army back to Winchester and maintain enough pressure on Johnston to prevent him from re-enforcing Beauregard. It was imperative to Beauregard to bring all his scattered forces together if they had a chance to stop McDowell.

On July 18, the Confederate government allowed Johnston to withdraw from Winchester to join forces with Beauregard. Utilizing a cavalry screen to deceive Patterson and hold him in place, Johnston marched his men to Piedmont where they began boarding trains of the Manassas Gap RR. and while the effort over-taxed the RR, he got only two fifths of his command to Bull Run, but it was enough.

General Patterson failed in his assignment to prevent Johnston from joining Beauregard and became THE scapegoat. But, McDowell`s slow advance from the beginning, stopping for several days at Fairfax Court House on July 17 was problematic. He sent Tyler`s command to probe the Confederate flank where he blundered into a loosing effort at Blackburn`s Ford against Longstreet. McDowell finally ordered his attack along Bull Run to begin at dawn on 21 July, but the errors were many. Tyler, even blocking the movements of the units trying to make a march on the enemy`s flank at Sudley Springs , and he was to demonstrate to mask the flanking movement. His "demonstration" was so weak, it was believed by Col Nathan Evans to be a ruse, and a young Confederate officer, E P Alexander saw telltale evidence to the west that the enemy was flanking and signaled Johnston of the danger.

When all was said and done, the battle was won by Johnston and Beauregard, and McDowell`s "on to Richmond boys" became known for "the great skeedaddle.'

The blame belonged to many. The men who forced action on McDowell when his men were not ready. McDowell for being too slow when speed was needed. Patterson for not keeping Johnston out of the main fight. Tyler for constant screw-ups.

But, Patterson was the main scapegoat.

Respects, Morris

Dan,

The fortifications around Washington were formidable. This is why Lee was so disappointed that after Second Mannassas the Union Army escaped back to it. Both the Maryland and Gettysburg campaigns were intended to draw the Union Army away from Washington so they couldn´t retreat back into it´s safety.

Trevor