When, then, to-morrow came, our general, who was to give the rebels
such a whipping for us, found them in his rear, on his flank,
everywhere but where he wanted them. The very natural result of this
was that his army resolved itself into a state of confusion, and in
that manner came scampering back on Washington, leaving its
commander to take care of himself, which he did, though with the
loss of his wardrobe. It has been hinted that he returned to
Washington a much wiser general than when he left it.
The nation was again brought to grief, and fear and disorder reigned
in Washington. People were heard to say that Pope had made a
prodigious failure, and was not the general we took him for, or he
never would have let his army run away from him in this way. Others
declared he had opened the gates of the city to the enemy, and
invited him to walk in. And it was not with feelings of
encouragement that they saw gunboats move up and take position where
they could check the enemy's approach. Never did general lose his
laurels so quickly. Indeed, my son, when he returned to Washington,
with little else than his saddle, there was not a dog to bark him a
welcome, nor a chambermaid to wave a napkin in his honor.
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