Voices of the Past

Part of the Army Heritage Center Foundation’s Educational Series CIVIL WAR Highlights: Setting the Stage: The Battle of Bull Run • Over 60,000 Union and Confederate troops fought (Virginia, 1861) Cheers rang out in straggled to pick blackberries or fill at Bull Run, the first major the streets of Washington on July 16, canteens. battle in the Civil War. 1861 as Gen. Irvin McDowell’s army,

35,000 strong, marched out to begin McDowell’s lumbering columns were • Before the battle many the long-awaited campaign to capture headed for the vital railroad junction at people believed the war Richmond and end the war. It was an would be short. Manassas. Here the Orange and army of green recruits, few of whom Alexandria Railroad met the Manassas • After the battle the Union had the faintest idea of the magnitude Gap Railroad, which led west to the Army withdrew in of the task facing them. But their Shenandoah Valley. If McDowell could disorder, but the swaggering gait showed that none seize this junction, he would stand Confederates were too doubted the outcome. As excitement astride the best overland approach to battered to follow. Both spread, many citizens and the Confederate capital. sides realized that the war congressman with wine and picnic would be long and baskets followed the army into the field On July 18 McDowell’s army reached difficult. to watch what all expected would be a Centreville. Five miles ahead a small colorful show. meandering stream named Bull Run Note: In the North the two crossed the route of the Union battles fought in the These troops were 90-day volunteers advance, and there guarding the fords vicinity of Bull Run were summoned by President Abraham from Union Mills to the Stone Bridge known as the 1st and 2nd Lincoln after the startling news of Fort waited 22,000 Southern troops under Battles of Bull Run. In the Sumter burst over the nation in April the command of Gen. Pierre G.T. South they were called 1861. Called from shops and farms, Beauregard. McDowell first attempted the 1st and 2nd Battles of they had little knowledge of what war to move toward the Confederate right Manassas. Officially the would mean. The first day’s march flank, but his troops were checked at US Army designates the covered only five miles, as many Blackburn’s Ford. He then spent the actions that occurred in the vicinity of Bull Run on 16 - 22 July, 1861 as the Bull Run Campaign, whereas the actions that occurred in the same vicinity on 7 August - 2 September 1862 are designated as the .

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Battle of Bull Run. Photo Courtesy of the .

next two days scouting the Southern commanding at the Stone Bridge, soon left flank. In the meantime, Beauregard realized that the attack on his front was asked the Confederate government at only a diversion. Leaving a small force Richmond for help. Gen. Joseph E. to hold the bridge, Evans rushed the Johnston, stationed in the remainder of his command to Shenandoah Valley with 10,000 Matthews Hill in time to check Confederate troops, was ordered to McDowell’s lead unit. But Evans’ force support Beauregard if possible. was too small to hold back the Johnston gave an opposing Union Federals for long. army the slip and, employing the , started his Soon brigades under Barnard Bee and brigades toward Manassas Junction. Francis Bartow marched to Evans’ Most of Johnston’s troops arrived at assistance. But even with these the junction on July 20 and 21, some reinforcements, the thin gray line marching directly into battle. collapsed and Southerners fled in disorder toward Henry Hill. Attempting On the morning of July 21, McDowell to rally his men, Bee used Gen. sent his attack columns in a long Thomas J. Jackson’s newly arrived march north towards Sudley Springs brigade as an anchor. Pointing to Ford. This route took the Federals Jackson, Bee shouted, “There stands around the Confederate left. To Jackson like a stone wall! Rally behind distract the Southerners, McDowell the Virginians!” Generals Johnston and ordered a diversionary attack where Beauregard then arrived on Henry Hill, the Warrenton Turnpike crossed Bull where they assisted in rallying Brigadier General P.G.T. Run at the Stone Bridge. At 5:30a.m. shattered brigades and redeploying Beauregard, C.S.A. Photo the deep-throated roar of a 30-pounder fresh units that were marching to the Courtesy of USAHEC, MASS- MOLLUS Collection. Parrott rifle shattered the morning point of danger. calm, and signaled the start of the battle. About noon, the Federals stopped their advance to reorganize for a new McDowell’s new plan depended on attack. The lull lasted for about an speed and surprise, both difficult with hour, giving the Confederates enough inexperienced troops. Valuable time time to reform their lines. Then the was lost as the men stumbled through fighting resumed, each side trying to the darkness along narrow roads. force the other off Henry Hill. The Confederate Col. Nathan Evans, battle continued until just after 4 p.m.,

Maj. General Irvin McDowell held rank of Brigadier General during battle. Photo Courtesy of USAHEC, MASS-MOLLUS Collection. Stone Bridge in ruins. Photo Courtesy of USAHEC, MASS-MOLLUS Collection.

Setting the Stage: The Battle of Bull Run

when fresh Southern units crashed into the Union right flank on Chinn Ridge, causing McDowell’s tired and discouraged soldiers to withdraw. “Capt. Chamberlain challenged them three At first the withdrawal was orderly. Screened by the regulars, the three-month volunteers times “what troops are retired across Bull Run, where they found the road to Washington jammed with the those” then he said if you carriages of congressmen and others who had driven out to Centreville to watch the fight. don’t answer I shall fire Panic now seized many of the soldiers and the retreat became a rout. The Confederates, though bolstered by the arrival of President on the field just as the battle then we made Ready aim + was ending, were too disorganized to follow up on their success. Daybreak on July 22 fired then laid down on found the defeated back behind the bristling defenses of Washington. ground + the enemy fired + bullets whizzed over our Source heads…” Article Courtesy of the National Park Service - Charles Perkins describing Bull Run on July http://www.nps.gov/mana/historyculture/first-manassas.htm. st 21 , 1861

The carnage of battle is apparent at this railroad bridge near Blackburn's Ford. Photo Courtesy of the USAHEC, MASS-MOLLUS Collection. www.armyheritage.org