1st Battle of Bull Run

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1st Battle of Bull Run

• The Battle of Manassas

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Background

• On to Richmond
• After losing Ft. Sumter, Union forces wanted to
  take the capital of the CSA.
• Wanted to take Richmond, Virginia
• 39,000 Union Soldiers marched to Richmond
• Brigadier General Irvin McDowell

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Background

• Goal
• To capture the Virginia railroad line at Manassas
  Junction

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Background

• 21,000 Confederate troops
• Led by Hero of Ft. Sumter
• Brigadier General P.G.T. Beauregard
• 11,000 additional troops
• Brigadier General Joseph E. Johnston
• Reinforce Beauregard

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Picnicking at the Battle Ground

• People carried picnic baskets and champagne
• Brought binoculars to view the action more
  closely
• Believed the battle would not last long
• No doubt that the Northern army would easily
  overpower the Rebels

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The Battle of Bull Run

• There is nothing in American military history
  quite like the story of Bull Run. It was the
  momentous fight of the amateurs, the battle where
  everting went wrong, the great day of awakening
  for the whole nation, North and South together.
  Itended the rosy time in which men could dream
  that the war would be short, glorious and
  bloodless. After Bull Run the nation got down to
  business.
• Bruce Catton

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The Fight Begins

• July 21, 1861
• Manassas Junction, Virginia
• Near Bull Run Creek
• 30 miles west of Washington D.C.

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Fighting

• Union Forces, led by McDowell cross Bull Run
  Creek and attack the Rbs.
• Troops were undisciplined, inadequately trained,
  and poorly equipped.
• Officers had little experience leading large
  armies

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Fighting Continues

• At First,
• Union army successfully pushed back the left side
  of the Confederate Army
• Confederates Rally
• Thomas Stonewall Jackson
• He held Like a Stone Wall.

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Reinforcements

• Confederates receive reinforcements
• Push the tired Union troops back toward Bull Run
  Creek
• Union Retreats
• Began as an orderly retreat
• Army runs into hundreds of onlookers
• Picnickers paniced and got in the way of
  retreating soldeirs

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Battle Outcome

• The Rebels troops defeated the Union forces
• They won the first major battle in the war
• The Union hope of winning the war quickly
  disapeared
• Proved both armies needed training

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Outcome Continued

• Union General Winfield Scott retires
• General George McClellan appointed to lead the
  Union Army
• Takes time to train the army

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Casualties

• North
• 2,896 Casualties
• 460 Killed
• 1,124 Wounded
• 1,312 Missing
• South
• 1,982 Casualties
• 387 Killed
• 1,582 Wounded
• 13 Missing

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1st Battle of Bull Run