The Battle of Bull Run, or First Manassas to the Confederate States of America, was the first major battle of the Civil War. The battle would be a rude wake up call for everyone entering the war. This paper will explore the various details of the battle, including its importance. The Battle of Bull Run occurred on July 21, 1861 approximately three months after the start of the war. It took place in Prince William County, Virginia. To be more specific, nearby the town of Manassas and the river known as Bull Run. This is where the two sides derived the name of the engagement from. Often times, the Confederates used the name of the town they used as their base and the Union used rivers or streams. For this battle, the Union had a large …show more content…
Gen. P. G. T. Beauregard and Brig. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. Each were in charge of their respective armies, while Johnston was commander for the battle. Also, there was Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Jackson who contributed significantly to the Confederates victory. This contribution would earn him the nickname “Stonewall”. Next, we have the analyzation of the strategies, tactics, and battlefield layout. This battle can be separated into two engagements. Each of these engagements can be identified by the hill they primarily fought by. The first battle is on Matthews Hill. It started with the Col. “Shanks” Evans engaging the Union’s flanking maneuver. Beauregard also attempted to flank in the direction where these Union troops were coming from. Eventually, the small engagement turned into a more sizable battle as each side sent more troops. Unfortunately for the Confederates, they were outnumbered in all aspects and were forced to retreat to Henry Hill. At Henry Hill, Gen. Jackson along with several others formed a large defensive line in order to support the disorganized retreated troops. The Union and the Confederates spent the beginning of the battle with their artillery firing at each other. But, the Union lacks the support for their artillery batteries and the Confederates take advantage of that fact. This is where the Union begins to crumble. The Union sends its troops in piece by piece, unable to permanently hold their artillery pieces. While
It was well believed until Jackson’s forces began unloading rounds on the Union army stopping McDowell’s forces from advancing, holding the line like “a stone wall.” As the new Union recruits witnessed battle for the first time and felt the lack of preparation, they were quick to retreat back to Washington DC. The Southern victory and the tens of thousands of lives lost proved to the Union that this war was not going to be easily won.
At the beginning of the battle the Confederates were getting beat and began in defense. After a while the Union pushed them back to Henry Hill. Though the Confederates were outnumbered they started firing back. The Union was Inexperienced while the south didn’t know how to communicate with each other. In the end the Union retreated but the south to disorganized to chase after them. This information told me how the North had started the battle by trying to sneak attack the South but the South came out on top. This battle was the first major battle and we know how it
There were two low ridges that were first defended by the 54th Corps of the Union Army which was commanded by General John Buford. He was reinforced by 2 larger Corps of the Union Army. Soon after, 2 Confederate Corps attacked each side forcing the lazily placed Union troops to fall back through the city of Gettysburg to the hills just south of the city.
The first battle of bull run also known as the first Manassas was the bloodiest battle the nation had seen at that point. It all started on july 21st, 1861 near the city of Manassas in Virginia. There were two armies the Union and the Confederates. Both sides had many strengths and weaknesses throughout the war and they played factors.This battle’s view changed over the course of the battle because they thought it was going to be a quick and easy battle but it was not. Many deaths, missing, and wounded people followed with this battle.
Americans had been engaged in a Civil War which had been begun in April of 1861 with shots fired on a fort in South Carolina. In the summer of 1863 in a small town called Gettysburg, there would be a fierce battle fought between the Union Army of the Potomac led by General George G. Meade and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia led by General Robert E. Lee. The events of the battle would overcome the losses suffered by the Union and put the Confederacy on the run. “Over 165,000 men would converge, and before the fighting ended, the ground would run red with blood. The battle was fierce, and the casualties proved it. But the casualties that resulted would not be in vain, at least for the Union; the formidable power
The people fighting in this war included the Confederates and the Union, like most battles during the U.S. Civil War. The battle took place around 10 miles northeast of Richmond, Virginia. Richmond is the Confederates capital so this area was somewhat familiar to them, which is a benefit.
The Battle of Bull Run, also known as the Manassas by the Confederacy, was the first major land battle that the armies of Virginia fought. Most think that the Civil War officially started when the Confederate troops gunned down Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, but the Battle of Bull Run is what really kicked off the war. No one had actually really got down and dirty to fight until this battle. It was essentially the first battle of the Civil war.
The weather on the day of battle was hot, in the mid 80’s to low 90’s, and humid. The heat had a negative effect on Union soldiers. The Union Army set out at 2 a.m. to avoid engaging in battle during the hottest part of the day. Many of these Soldiers were untrained in road marches and lacked discipline. They would break ranks to find water, rest or collect blackberries. For these reasons they reached Bull Run three hours late and consequently ended up fighting well into the day. Both sides went into the battle with high morale. They believed that over the course of a few days they would be victorious and the war would be won in this one battle. The terrain of the Battle was mostly rolling country side. Bull Run River was running through the battlefield, which is what the battle was named after. Soldiers had to
This battle was amazing because the generals where Ulysses S. Grant and Braxton Bragg. These were two really good generals. Grant was so smart and confident that Lincoln made him head of all unions army’s. Grant won a lot of battles. Bragg became a full time
As you already know, this battle lasted only two days. The Yankees (North) left with 10,000 individuals wounded and killed, while the Rebels (South) lost about 1,300 with 7,000 wounded. This battle was similar to the first battle in terms of what they were striving to accomplish. In this battle, the Union constructed a plan to obtain the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. The Union thought they were being surrounded and retreated into southern artillery.
The first Battle of Bull Run took place near Manassas Junction, Virginia, an important railroad junction twenty five miles west of Washington, D.C. Bull Run
General Meade sent in his reinforcement troops and took many troops from the Union right in order to stop the 1st corps advance. Meade’s reinforcements took positions to fill up the gaps in the center of the Union line, to defend the Union left flank on Little Round Top and to engage Longstreet’s 1st corps as Sickles’ 3rd corps were
THE BATTLE OF BULL RUN- The first battle between the Union and the Confederacy. General Irvin McDowell with 35,000 troops were on the side of the North and General Thomas J. Jackson with 35,000on the side of the South. The North was excited and confident that they would win and many civilians joined the troops to watch the excitement. General Irvin McDowell complained that his soldiers “stopped every moment to pick blackberries or get water; they would not keep in the ranks, order as you pleased” The first interaction happened about 25 miles to the southwest of Washington. The Union drove the left side of the Confederates back and 35,000 held positions along Bull Run. The Confederate defense stiffened until a Confederate Unit under General
McDowell had 34,000 troops ready to attack 25,000 Confederate forces spread out over eight miles on the other side of Bull Run. Most of the Confederate forces were clustered on the Confederate right flank, prepared to counterattack. McDowell plan
With lack of reinforcements and Jacksons powerful counter attack stymied the effort, but the Union Army's main assault against stonewall jackson produced initial success and held the promise of destroying the Confederate right. with no real change the strategic situation, both sides suffered heavy