First Bull Run
On July 21, 1861 (151 years ago today) the Battle of First Bull Run, also known as First Manassas (the name used by Confederate forces), was fought in Prince William County, Virginia, near the city of Manassas. It was the first major land battle of the American Civil War.
Just months after the start of the war at Fort Sumter, the Northern public was itching for action and the press was calling for a march against the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. Many northerners believed that this would bring an early end to the rebellion. Yielding to public and political pressure, Brigadier General Irvin McDowell led his unseasoned Union Army across Bull Run against the equally inexperienced Confederate Army of Brigadier General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard which was camped near Manassas Junction. McDowell was concerned about the untried nature of his army, but President Abraham Lincoln told him, "You are green, it is true, but they are green also; you are all green alike."McDowell's plan for a surprise flank attack on the Confederate left was poorly executed.
Confederate reinforcements under Brig. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston arrived from the Shenandoah Valley by railroad and the course of the battle quickly changed. A brigade of Virginians under a relatively unknown colonel from the Virginia Military Institute, Thomas J. Jackson, stood their ground, giving Jackson his famous nickname "Stonewall Jackson". The Confederates then launched a strong counterattack, and as the Union troops began withdrawing under fire, many panicked. McDowell's men frantically ran without order in the direction of Washington, D.C. The fierce fighting and numerous casualties made both sides realize that the war was going to be much longer and bloodier than either had anticipated.
Bull Run was the largest and bloodiest battle in American history up to that point. Union casualties were 460 killed, 1,124 wounded, and 1,312 missing or captured. Confederate casualties were 387 killed, 1,582 wounded, and 13 missing. The Northern public was shocked at the unexpected defeat of their army when an easy victory had been widely anticipated. Both sides quickly came to realize the war would be longer and more brutal than they had imagined. On July 22 President Lincoln signed a bill that provided for the enlistment of another 500,000 men for up to three years of service.
Below is an 11 minute excerpt from the PBS Ken Burns documentary series "The Civil War" about the battle. (Caution: some of the images in this video of wounded soldiers is quite disturbing.)
Just months after the start of the war at Fort Sumter, the Northern public was itching for action and the press was calling for a march against the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. Many northerners believed that this would bring an early end to the rebellion. Yielding to public and political pressure, Brigadier General Irvin McDowell led his unseasoned Union Army across Bull Run against the equally inexperienced Confederate Army of Brigadier General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard which was camped near Manassas Junction. McDowell was concerned about the untried nature of his army, but President Abraham Lincoln told him, "You are green, it is true, but they are green also; you are all green alike."McDowell's plan for a surprise flank attack on the Confederate left was poorly executed.
Confederate reinforcements under Brig. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston arrived from the Shenandoah Valley by railroad and the course of the battle quickly changed. A brigade of Virginians under a relatively unknown colonel from the Virginia Military Institute, Thomas J. Jackson, stood their ground, giving Jackson his famous nickname "Stonewall Jackson". The Confederates then launched a strong counterattack, and as the Union troops began withdrawing under fire, many panicked. McDowell's men frantically ran without order in the direction of Washington, D.C. The fierce fighting and numerous casualties made both sides realize that the war was going to be much longer and bloodier than either had anticipated.
Bull Run was the largest and bloodiest battle in American history up to that point. Union casualties were 460 killed, 1,124 wounded, and 1,312 missing or captured. Confederate casualties were 387 killed, 1,582 wounded, and 13 missing. The Northern public was shocked at the unexpected defeat of their army when an easy victory had been widely anticipated. Both sides quickly came to realize the war would be longer and more brutal than they had imagined. On July 22 President Lincoln signed a bill that provided for the enlistment of another 500,000 men for up to three years of service.
Below is an 11 minute excerpt from the PBS Ken Burns documentary series "The Civil War" about the battle. (Caution: some of the images in this video of wounded soldiers is quite disturbing.)