To gain time, Beauregard gathered all the cavalry at hand, and, mounting behind each an infantryman, started to head off the reported Federal movement. Nearing McLean's ford, by which the Federal attack must have come, he found the report a false alarm caused by the withdrawal of Jones to the south side of Bull run, whose men, in consequence of the color of their uniforms, had been mistaken for the enemy. It was now nearly dark and, in Beauregard's opinion, too late to resume the interrupted pursuit of the retreating army; so turning toward his headquarters and meeting the troops that had been recalled to his assistance, he ordered them to bivouac for the night where they were.
After caring for the wants of his men, Beauregard rode to his headquarters near Manassas Junction, where, at about 10 p. m., he found President Davis and General Johnston. The former had arrived from Richmond late in the afternoon and at once galloped to the battlefield with Colonel Jordan, Beauregard's chief of staff, and reached it in time to witness the last of the Federals retreating across Bull run. The next morning, at his breakfast table, President Davis handed Beauregard his commission, as full general in the army of the Confederate States, dated July 21, 1861, in recognition of his services in the magnificent victory which had been won under his immediate direction.
The Federal army lost in this battle 2,896 men, of which 460 were killed, 1,124 wounded and 1,312 captured or missing. The Confederate loss was 1,982 men, of which 387 were killed, 1,582 wounded and 13 captured or missing. The Confederates captured 26 pieces of artillery, 34 caissons and sets of harness, 10 battery wagons and forges, 24 artillery horses, several thousand stand of small-arms, and numbers of wagons and ambulances, as well as large quantities of army supplies of all kinds. In this Young's Branch or Henry Hill battle were engaged the First, Second and Third Federal divisions, with 18,000 men and 30 guns; and 18,000 men and 21 guns of Johnston's and Beauregard's Confederate divisions, the former furnishing 8,700 combatants and the latter 9,300. Jackson's brigade lost 488 of its 3,000, nearly one-third of the total Confederate loss, and more than that of any other Confederate brigade; and yet it was in good condition for service immediately after the battle.
