Item description: Entry, dated 2 September 1862, from the diary of William Penn Lloyd (1837-1911) of Lisbon, Pa., 1st Lieutenant, A.A.G., First Regiment Pennsylvania Reserve Calvary during the Civil War.

In this entry, Lloyd writes while on the retreat from the Union defeat at the Second Battle of Bull Run (Second Battle of Manassas), fought in Prince William County, Va., 28-30 August 1862.

[Transcription available below images.]

Item citation: From the William Penn Lloyd Diary and Notebooks, #3130, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Item transcription:

Tuesday 2nd

Marched through Alexandria, and encamped near the Long Bridge. We are safe I suppose now from the pursuit of the enemy, who has driven us 80 miles [?] the last 20 days, as we are huddled beneath the forts which surround Washington. It is enough to arrose the honest indignation of not only the soldier, who has born the privations of the fruitless campaign; but of every loyal citizen, to see the present condition of an army and know the cause from which it resulted.

Now that the enemy has fully accomplished his designs thus far, it is easy to see, by tracing his movements for the last few weeks, what his plan of operations were.

It is evident now that Jackson’s retreat from Cedar Mountain, was merely to draw our forces farther after him, and where he failed in this and advanced on us, and forced us to fall back beyond the Rappahannock, that he never intended crossing the river at the station; or the various fords at which he made the feints; but left a force along the river merely to draw our attention, and engaged us, while he marched with the main body of his army he pushed up the Culpepper and Luray pike, through Thoroughfare Gap and down to Manassas, in our rear, thus completely out witting our Generals.