six
o'clock
War was yet a joke and the contagious fire of patriotism had flung its halo even over this night 's work . Except here and there a veteran of the Mexican War , not one of these men had ever seen a battle or had the remotest idea what it was like . John was marching with Sherman 's brigade of Tyler 's division . At six o'clock they reached the stone bridge which crossed Bull Run . On the hills beyond stretched a straggling line of grey figures . It could n't be an army . Only a few skirmishers thrown out to warn off an attempt to cross the bridge .