"There are about 7,000 men here without officers. Nothing but confusion."
Gen. Mansfield to Capt. Mott at the Chain Bridge, July 22: "Order the Sixth Maine to keep these demoralized troops out of their camp. "
Gen. Mansfield to Gen. Runyan, July 22: "Why do the regiments I sent to you yesterday return so precipitously to Alexandria without firing a shot?"
Col. Thomas A. Scott to Gen. Mansfield, July 22: "Allow me to suggest that you man the forts and prevent soldiers from passing over to the city. Their arrival here would produce a panic on this side. The enemy is still pressing McDowell and you need every man in the forts to save the city."
W. T. Sherman to the adjutant general, July 22: "I have at this moment ridden in with, I hope, the rear men of my brigade, which in common with our whole army has sustained a terrible defeat and has degenerated into an armed mob."
Townsend to McDowell, July 22: " General Scott says it is not intended you should reduce your command to the minimum number of regiments mentioned by him to-day, but if the enemy will permit, you can take to-morrow or even the next day for that purpose."
Secretary Cameron to Moses H. Grinnell, July 22: "The capital is safe."
Gen. Scott to Gen. McDowell at Arlington, July 23: "It is reported that Mr. Jefferson Davis or the enemy is advancing on your lines. This is possible. Rally and compact your troops to meet any emergency."
These few extracts from the records exhibit the utter rout of the Federal army in a state of panic which was transmitted even to the Congress at Washington. Mr. Crittenden, on the 22d of July, seized the opportunity to propose a declaration, afterwards called the "panic resolution, of certain good intentions of the government in making the aggression upon the South, which was passed
