"General Beauregard unquestionably performed the duty assigned
him with great ability, and General Johnston gives him full
credit therefor. Where, then, is there any room for a
controversy in regard to the actual command, and what profit can
there be in it?
"General Johnston assumes the responsibility for the failure to
advance on Washington, and why, then, should an effort be made
to shift it on any one else? He certainly was
commander-in-chief, and had the privilege of advancing if he
thought proper. The attempt to show that the failure to advance
was due to the want of transportation and rations for the army
is idle. If the Bull Run bridge had not been burned on the 18th,
our supplies could have been run to Alexandria, if we could have
advanced, as easily as to Manassas, for the enemy had repaired
the railroad to Fairfax Station as he moved up, and failed to
destroy it when he went back. Moreover, we had abundant
transportation at that time for all the purposes of an advance
as far as Washington. In my brigade, the two Virginia regiments
had about fourteen six-horse wagons each, and that would have
furnished enough for the brigade, if the Seventh Louisiana had
none. In 1862 we carried into Maryland only enough wagons to
convey ammunition, medical supplies, and cooking-utensils, and
we started from the battle-field of second Manassas with no
rations on hand, being, before we crossed the Potomac, entirely
dependent on the country, which, in July, 1861, was teeming with
supplies, but in August and September, 1862, was nearly
depleted.
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