tes to adjust himself to this
unexpected position of affairs, when his batteries opened with such
precision and effect, aided by the musketry of his infantry, that the
Rebels fell back in much greater haste than they had advanced, leaving
six of their guns in our hands and multitudes of dead, wounded, and
prisoners. Five of the captured guns, still serviceable, were at once
seized and used against the disappointed foe with telling power. One
historian says, "Our loss in killed and wounded was about two hundred,
including Colonel James E. Mallon, Forty-second New York, killed, and
General Tile, of Pennsylvania, wounded; that of the enemy was probably
four hundred (besides prisoners), including Generals Posey (mortally),
Kirkland, and Cooke, wounded, and Colonels Ruffin, First North Carolina,
and Thompson, Fifth North Carolina Cavalry, killed."

This Bristoe fiasco was a stunning blow to the Rebel pursuit, and
greatly checked their incursions. But our soldiers held the field so
lately won only until dark, and "then followed the rest of the army,
whose retreat they had so effectually covered."

General Meade continued his retreat to Centreville, and then, seemingly
ashamed--as well he might be--of his flight, would have retraced his
steps and pushed back the insolent foe, but he was prevented from
executing his plans by a heavy rain-storm, which began on the sixteenth.
While he was awaiting the arrival of pontoons to enable him to recross
Bull Run, which was enormously swollen, the enemy, after some daring
skirmishes along his front, and some feints of attack, retreated quite
rapidly, completely destroying the Orange and Alexandria Railroad from
Manassas Junction to the Rappahannock. A more thorough work of
destruction was never witnessed. Scarcely a tie even remained. The ties
were generally heaped together, and set on fire, and the rails were laid
upon the heaps cross-wise. As the middle of the rails became heated, the
ends lopped down, forming a graceful bow. They were thus effectually
ruined. In many instances the rails thus heated were twisted around the
trees. The road and the telegraph lines and posts were utterly
demolished.

For a few days the Harris Light was bivouacking near Sudley Church, and
the cavalry was picketing, scouting, and patrolling on either side of
Bull Run; and, on one occasion, while endeavoring to ford the swollen
stream, several men and horses were drowned.

_October 18._--To-day Kilpatrick