It fell out otherwise, for Patterson retreated and left the Confederate general, Johnston, free to go to the aid of the sorely pressed Confederates at Bull Run. McDowell attacked vigorously and broke the Confederate line; but he could not maintain his position. The Union troops at first retreated slowly. Then they became frightened and fled, in all haste, back to Washington. The first campaign ended in disaster.
然而出现了意外，帕特森将军撤退，让南方联盟的约翰斯顿将军腾出手来去支援在布尔朗受到重创的友军。麦克道威尔发起猛烈攻击，撕破南方联盟的防线，但是，他不可能维持这个态势，联邦军队开始撤退，走得很慢，随后他们像惊弓之鸟一样匆匆逃回华盛顿，第一场战役以彻底失败而告终。
388. The Army of the Potomac.
388．来自波特马克的军队
While the Bull Run campaign was going on in eastern Virginia, Union soldiers had been winning victories in western Virginia. These were led by General George B. McClellan. He now came to Washington and took command of the troops operating in front of the capital. During the autumn, winter, and spring he drilled his men with great skill and care. In March, 1862, the Army of the Potomac left its camps a splendidly drilled body of soldiers.
在弗吉尼亚以东进行布尔朗战役的同时，联邦士兵在西弗吉尼亚取得了一些胜利，这些胜利由乔治·B·麦克里兰将军取得，此时他来到华盛顿掌管保卫首都的部队。他在秋季、冬季和春季都以高度的细心和技巧训练士兵，1862年3月，波特马克军，这支经过严格训练的部队离开了营盘。
389. The Army of Northern Virginia.
389．北弗吉尼亚军
Meantime the government of the Confederacy had gathered great masses of soldiers. There were not nearly as many white men of fighting age in the South as there were in the North. But what men there were could be placed in the fighting line, because the negro slaves could produce the food needed by the armies and do the hard labor of making forts. The capital of the Confederacy was now established at Richmond, on the James River, in Virginia. The army defending this capital was called the Army of Northern Virginia. It was commanded by Joseph E. Johnston; but its ablest officers were Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. Jackson (Stonewall Jackson).
与此同时，南方联盟政府集结了大批士兵，在南方符合参战年龄的白人几乎没有北方多，但是，南方人可以安排更多人投入战斗，因为黑人奴隶可以提供军队所需的食物并且可以去完成修筑堡垒这样的繁重劳动。此时，南方联盟的首都建在里士满，它在弗吉尼亚的詹姆斯河畔，保卫这个首都的部队被叫做"北弗吉尼亚军"，它的司令是约瑟夫·E·约翰斯顿将军，但它的最高长官是罗伯特·E·李和托马斯·J·杰克森（"石墙"杰克森）。