. Stonewall Jackson and the American civil war . ursue, butthe cavalry was let loose, and before long the retreat becamea panic. The regular battahon, composed of young soldiers,but led by experienced officers, alone preserved its discipline,moving steadily in close order through the throng of fugitives,and checking the pursuing troopers by its firm and confidentbearing. The remainder of the army dissolved into a was not that the men were completely demoralised, butsimply that discipline had not become a habit. They hadmarched as individuals, going just so far as they pleased, andhaltin
. Stonewall Jackson and the American civil war . ursue, butthe cavalry was let loose, and before long the retreat becamea panic. The regular battahon, composed of young soldiers,but led by experienced officers, alone preserved its discipline,moving steadily in close order through the throng of fugitives,and checking the pursuing troopers by its firm and confidentbearing. The remainder of the army dissolved into a was not that the men were completely demoralised, butsimply that discipline had not become a habit. They hadmarched as individuals, going just so far as they pleased, andhalting when they pleased; they had fought as individuals,bravely enough, but with little combination ; and when theyfound that they were beaten, as individuals they retreated.* The old soldier, wrote one of the regular officers a weeklater, feels safe in the ranks, unsafe out of the ranks,and the greater the danger the more pertinaciously heclings to his place. The volunteer of three months neverattains this instinct of discipline. Under danger, and. VOL. I. RETREAT OF THE FEDERALS 163 even under mere excitement, he flies away from hisranks, and hopes for safety in dispersion. At four oclockin the afternoon of the 21st there were more than 12,000volunteers on the battle-field of Bull Eun who had entirelylost their regimental organisation. They could no longerbe handled as troops, for the officers and men were nottogether. Men and officers mingled together promiscuously;and it is worthy of remark that this disorganisation did notresult from defeat or fear, for up to four oclock we had beenuniformly successful. The instinct of discipline whichkeeps every man in his place had not been acquired. Wecannot suppose that the enemy had attained a higherdegree of discipline than our own, but they acted on thedefensive, and were not equally exposed to disorganisa-tion. * Cohesion was lost, says one of McDowells staff; * andthe men walked quietly off. There was no special excite-ment except tha
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