We lay in camp at Centreville all of the 19th and 20th, and during that night began the movement which resulted in the battle of Bull Run, on July 21st.

Of this so much has been written that more would be superfluous; and the reports of the opposing commanders, McDowell and Johnston, are fair and correct.

It is now generally admitted that it was one of the best-planned battles of the war, but one of the worst-fought.

Our men had been told so often at home that all they had to do was to make a bold appearance, and the rebels would run; and nearly all of us for the first time then heard the sound of cannon and muskets in anger, and saw the bloody scenes common to all battles, with which we were soon to be familiar.

We had good organization, good men, but no cohesion, no real discipline, no respect for authority, no real knowledge of war.