The Battle of Manassas/Bull Run I
The Civil War had just started, and most all Americans beleive that it would be short and quick, ending only a few months after it had begun. This is why the Union soldiers were only enlisted in the army for 90 days.However, the next war would change all of their minds.
The South had just won the Battle at Fort Sumter, and the North wasn't pleased. Abraham Lincoln was furious. Brig. General Irvin McDowell was appointed by Lincoln to command the Army of Northeastern Virginia. Pressed and pestered by politicians and civilians in Washington D.C., who wanted to see a quick and easy victory over the South, he was hesitant to fight. He was concerned about the inexperienceness about his army, but was comforted by Lincoln. "You are green, it is true, but they are green also; you are all green alike." Going against his gut, he proceeded to attack the South.
On July 16, McDowell was ordered by the president to leave Washington D.C. to go attack the Southern forces. They were to drive them from Manassas Junction, a vital railroad center about 29 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. (This is the place from where the war got one of its name.) The general was going to attack the South with a co-officer's army preventing the South's army to aid P. G. T. Beauregard, the South's commander.
The Union's intention was do cause the Confederates to flee and then run off to Richmond. On July 21, McDowell and his 12, 000 troops marched the Warrenton Pike. He was to attack Beauregard near Bull Run (this is where it recieved one of its names) a stream east of Manassas. However, it was too complex for the fresh Federalists to exucute, and his plan had leaked and gone to the South, causing the Southern army to help Beauregard in advance. At around 5 A.M., the Union artillery open-fired. However, Confederate signalmen had already been suspicious of the movement, and ran up northways to meet the movement.
The battle began strongly in midmorning when Col. Nathan G. Evans' Confederates opposed the Union attack force. Evans kept asking for reinforcments, but still, soon the outnumbered Confederates raced back across Warrenton Road. McDowell sent other forces to chase the South. During this short period, Beaureguard and Johnston sent more reinforcements. One unit contained a man names Thomas J. Jackson, who fought on Henry Hill, where the remains of the past soldiers of his side still remained. Brig. Gen. Barnard E. Bee saw Jackson fighting so fiercly and not giving up his position, he exclaimed to all ""Look! There is Jackson standing like a stone wall! Rally behind the Virginians!" in an attempt to rally up the broken brigade. Bee, after saying that, died from mortal wounds, but "Stonewall" Jackson's name still lives on today. During this time, the North also fixed up their mess of troops. After tidying themselves up, they climbed up the hill to attack Jackson's force. For two hours, 2 P.M until 4, Beauregard and Johnston defended the south themselves. Right before 4, the few of Johnston's troops still remaining ripped into McDowell's right flank, and rolled up the Union line.
The tired Feds at first slowly left, but a Confederate artillery shell attacked a wagon, blocking the main way to leave off to Centreville. Many panicked, and like ants, hurried away to their homeland, crossing the land where many Northerners were located, to watch the war, for they expected an easy Union victory. After the sudden attack on the wagon, everyone fled, trying to all take the road to Washington. The Confederates didn't follow them, which might have allowed them to win in the long run.
This win for the South increased their confidence, making them feel like any one of them could "whip 10 Yankees." The Union's retreat was known as the "Great Skedaddle."
McDowell, a cautious man, was replaces by Brig. Gen. George B. McClellan, whom Lincoln named General-in-Chief of all the Union armies.
This war opened up the eyes of the North as well as Lincoln, leading them all to believe that this war would be a long and costly one.
The South had just won the Battle at Fort Sumter, and the North wasn't pleased. Abraham Lincoln was furious. Brig. General Irvin McDowell was appointed by Lincoln to command the Army of Northeastern Virginia. Pressed and pestered by politicians and civilians in Washington D.C., who wanted to see a quick and easy victory over the South, he was hesitant to fight. He was concerned about the inexperienceness about his army, but was comforted by Lincoln. "You are green, it is true, but they are green also; you are all green alike." Going against his gut, he proceeded to attack the South.
On July 16, McDowell was ordered by the president to leave Washington D.C. to go attack the Southern forces. They were to drive them from Manassas Junction, a vital railroad center about 29 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. (This is the place from where the war got one of its name.) The general was going to attack the South with a co-officer's army preventing the South's army to aid P. G. T. Beauregard, the South's commander.
The Union's intention was do cause the Confederates to flee and then run off to Richmond. On July 21, McDowell and his 12, 000 troops marched the Warrenton Pike. He was to attack Beauregard near Bull Run (this is where it recieved one of its names) a stream east of Manassas. However, it was too complex for the fresh Federalists to exucute, and his plan had leaked and gone to the South, causing the Southern army to help Beauregard in advance. At around 5 A.M., the Union artillery open-fired. However, Confederate signalmen had already been suspicious of the movement, and ran up northways to meet the movement.
The battle began strongly in midmorning when Col. Nathan G. Evans' Confederates opposed the Union attack force. Evans kept asking for reinforcments, but still, soon the outnumbered Confederates raced back across Warrenton Road. McDowell sent other forces to chase the South. During this short period, Beaureguard and Johnston sent more reinforcements. One unit contained a man names Thomas J. Jackson, who fought on Henry Hill, where the remains of the past soldiers of his side still remained. Brig. Gen. Barnard E. Bee saw Jackson fighting so fiercly and not giving up his position, he exclaimed to all ""Look! There is Jackson standing like a stone wall! Rally behind the Virginians!" in an attempt to rally up the broken brigade. Bee, after saying that, died from mortal wounds, but "Stonewall" Jackson's name still lives on today. During this time, the North also fixed up their mess of troops. After tidying themselves up, they climbed up the hill to attack Jackson's force. For two hours, 2 P.M until 4, Beauregard and Johnston defended the south themselves. Right before 4, the few of Johnston's troops still remaining ripped into McDowell's right flank, and rolled up the Union line.
The tired Feds at first slowly left, but a Confederate artillery shell attacked a wagon, blocking the main way to leave off to Centreville. Many panicked, and like ants, hurried away to their homeland, crossing the land where many Northerners were located, to watch the war, for they expected an easy Union victory. After the sudden attack on the wagon, everyone fled, trying to all take the road to Washington. The Confederates didn't follow them, which might have allowed them to win in the long run.
This win for the South increased their confidence, making them feel like any one of them could "whip 10 Yankees." The Union's retreat was known as the "Great Skedaddle."
McDowell, a cautious man, was replaces by Brig. Gen. George B. McClellan, whom Lincoln named General-in-Chief of all the Union armies.
This war opened up the eyes of the North as well as Lincoln, leading them all to believe that this war would be a long and costly one.