“There I had to lie in the bushes, for two columns of troops were coming and going, the flying fellows that Sherman had routed near the stone bridge and the re-enforcements that were tearing up from the Manassas Railway.  The men coming were laughing and singing as they ran.  The men flying were silent, and seemed too frightened to notice the forces coming to their support.  I broke out of the bushes and ran toward the line of thick trees that seemed to mark the course of the river.  As I came out on a deep sandy road I ran right into troops, halting.  There were great cheering and hurrah; then a cavalcade of civilians came through the rushing ranks at a gallop.  ’Hurrah for President Davis!  Hip, hip, hurrah!’ I saw him.  He was riding a splendid gray horse, and as the men broke into shouts he raised his hat and bowed right and left.  He was stopped for a few minutes just in front of where I stood, or, rather, I ran to where he halted.  There were long trains of wounded filing down the road, and men without guns, knapsacks, or side-arms, breaking through the bushes on all sides.

“‘They’ve routed us, Mr. President,’ a wounded officer cried, as the stretcher upon which he was lying passed near Jeff Davis.

“‘What part of the field are you from?’ Davis asked, huskily.

“’Bartow’s brigade, stone bridge.  They’ve captured all our guns, and are pouring down on the fords.  You will be in danger Mr. President, if you continue northward a hundred yards.’

“Sure enough, there was a mighty cheer, hardly a half-mile to the north of us, and clouds of dust arose in the air.  Davis watched the movement through his glass, and, turning to a horseman at his side, cried, exultantly: 

“’The breeze is from the northwest; that dust is going toward the Warrenton Pike.  Johnston has got up in time; we’ve won the day!’

“With this he put spurs to his horse, and the squadron halted on the road set off at a wild gallop.  The words of the President were repeated from man to man, and then a mighty shout broke out.  It seemed to clip the leaves from the trees, as I saw them cut, an hour or two before, by the swarming volleys of musketry.  A horseman suddenly broke from a path just behind where I was.

“‘Is President Davis here?’ he asked, riding close to me, but not halting.

“‘He has just ridden off yonder.’  I pointed toward the cloud of dust east and north of us.

“’Split your throats, boys!  General Beauregard has just sent me to the President to welcome him with the news that the Yankees are licked and flying in all directions!  Not a man of them can escape.  General Longstreet is on their rear at Centreville.’