The three weeks intervening between the battles of Cedar Mountain and Second Bull Run were spent in heavy skirmishing and getting position for a decisive battle. General Pope's headquarters was at Culpeper Court House, but he had left much of his personal baggage and private papers at Catlett's Station, on the Orange and Alexandria railroad, while his vast store of supplies was at Manassas Junction.

Pope was expecting to be reËnforced by McClellan, but they had not yet arrived. Meanwhile Lee had sent Longstreet with his corps to reËnforce Jackson, and followed up later himself. Longstreet reached Gordonsville on the 13th day of August.

Lee observed that Pope's position was weak at Culpeper and determined to attack him without delay and gave orders for his army to cross the Rapidan. Pope knew that his position at Culpeper was weak and fell back to a stronger position behind the Rappahannock.

Lee hoped to attack the Army of Virginia before it could be reËnforced by McClellan, but, on account of heavy rains, which raised the streams, he was somewhat delayed until Pope had been reËnforced by a part of Burnside's corps, under General Reno, and later was also reËnforced by Generals Kearny and Reynolds with their divisions of the Army of the Potomac.

Lee sent the dauntless cavalry leader J.E.B. Stuart to make a raid around the Union army. Stuart crossed the Rappahannock with 1,500 mounted men, as bold as himself. After riding all day, and on the night of the 22d, in the midst of a torrential rainstorm, while the darkness was so intense that every man was guided by the tread of his brother horseman, Stuart fell upon the Federals at Catlett's Station, capturing 200 prisoners and scattering the remaining troops in the darkness. He seized Pope's dispatch-book, with his plans and private papers, took several hundred horses and destroyed a large number of wagons loaded with supplies. Among his trophies was a fine uniform cloak and hat, which were the personal belongings of General Pope. These were exchanged later for General Stuart's plumed hat, which he had left behind when surprised by a party of Federals.

Stuart's raid proved a serious misfortune for Pope's army. But Lee had far greater things in store. He resolved to send Jackson to Pope's rear with a large force, Jackson led his army westward, which was shielded by woods and low hills of the Blue Ridge. He passed through a quiet rural community. The majority of the country folk had never seen an army before, though it is true that for many days they had heard the roar of the cannon from the valley of the Rapidan.

General Lee, in the meantime, had kept Longstreet in front of Pope's army to make daily demonstrations, to divert Pope's attention from Jackson's movements and lead him to believe that he was to be attacked in front.

Jackson suddenly, on August 26th, emerged from the Bull Run Mountains and marshaled his clans on the plains of Manassas.

Pope was astonished to find Jackson in his rear, and hastened with all speed with his forces toward Manassas Junction, where he had vast stores of provisions and munitions of war, but he was too late to save them. They had been taken by General Stuart in advance of Jackson's army. This was a serious loss to Pope. The spoils of the capture were great, including 300 prisoners, 125 horses, ten locomotives, seven long trains of provisions, and vast stores and munitions of war. Pope was moving against Jackson with a far larger army, and was expecting to be reËnforced from the Army of the Potomac, while on the other hand, Longstreet was hastening to reËnforce Jackson, but had not arrived.

Pope, hoping to crush Jackson's army before he could be reËnforced by Longstreet, sent a force to interpose Longstreet at Thoughfare Gap. Jackson was not to be caught in a trap. He moved from Manassas Junction to the old battlefield of Bull Run. Late in the afternoon of the 29th he encountered King's division of McDowell's corps, near the village of Groveton, and a sharp fight was opened and kept up until after dark.

On the following day, August 29th, the first day's battle was fought. Pope was still hopeful of crushing Jackson's army before the arrival of Longstreet, and ordered a general advance across Bull Run.

Ere long a loud shout arose from Jackson's men that told too well of the arrival of Longstreet. Far away on the hills could be seen the marching columns of Longstreet, who had passed through the gap in safety and was now rushing upon the field. Pope had lost the opportunity of fighting the army of his opponent in sections.

The field was almost the same that the opposing armies had occupied the year before, when the first great battle of the war was fought, and many of them were the same men.

The two armies faced each other in a line five miles long. Late in the afternoon, the regiments, under Kearny and Hooker, charged the Confederate left, which was swept back and rolled upon the center. But presently General Hood, with his famous Texan brigade, rushed forward in a wild, irresistible dash, pressed the Federals back and captured several prisoners.

Darkness closed over the scene and the two armies rested on their arms until morning. Over the gory field lay multitudes of men who would dream of battlefields no more.

Lee and Pope each believed that the other would withdraw his army during the night, and each was surprised in the morning to find his opponent on the field. It was quite certain that on this day, August 30th, there would be a decisive battle, in which one army would be victor and the other defeated. Both armies were in full force, the Confederates with over 50,000 men, whose left wing was commanded by Jackson and the right by Longstreet, and the Union army with about 65,000 men, whose left wing was commanded by Porter and the right by Keno.

In the early hours of the morning the hills echoed with the firing of artillery. Porter made an infantry attack in the forenoon, and was pressed back in great confusion by superior numbers. One attack after another followed. In the afternoon a large part of the Union army made a desperate attack on the Confederate left, under Jackson, but their lines were swept by an enfilading fire from the batteries of Longstreet. Ghastly gaps were cut in the Federal ranks, and they fell back, but rallied again and again to the attack, each time to be mowed down by Longstreet's artillery. At length Longstreet's whole line rushed forward and the Union front began to waver. General Lee ordered a general advance. Pope retreated across Bull Run, leaving several thousand prisoners in the hands of the Confederates.

Pope led his army back to the entrenchments at Washington, while Jackson and Stuart followed close on the heels of his army, and he was compelled to make several stands in battle on his retreat, in one of which General Kearny was killed.