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this celebrated retreat began
under the direction of Genl
Joe Johnston.

Twenty companies, were with
difficulty, received by the Govt for
the Virginia Army (which State was
then the seat of the war.) since not
only the Govt but the Southern peo-
-ple supposed that the war would
be of short duration and South
-ern independence certain.
So much so was this the senti
-ment of the people. That the
greatest uneasiness prevailed
among the companies, for
fear that the war would end
and an opportunity was had
to [quit?][rush?] the dastard foe and
wreath their brows with the

this celebrated retreat began
under the direction of Genl
Joe Johnston.

Twenty companies, were with
difficulty, received by the Govt for
the Virginia Army (which State was
then the seat of the war.) since not
only the Govt but the Southern peo-
-ple supposed that the war would
be of short duration and South
-ern independence certain.
So much so was this the senti
-ment of the people. That the
greatest uneasiness prevailed
among the companies, for
fear that the war would end
and an opportunity was had
to [quit?][rush?] the dastard foe and
wreath their brows with the