Battle Of Bull Run Research Paper

The American civil war was the bloodiest conflict ever on American soil. Sparked by Southern States seceding and forming the Confederacy because of the election of Abraham Lincoln an anti-slavery Republican. The Southern states relied on agriculture to survive and slaves kept big farms working efficiently and with little cost. It war began on April 12, 1861 and ended May 9, 1865. The anti-slavery Union battled the seceded pro-slavery Confederate States of America. In this 4 year span over 620,000 Americans were killed about half of all Americans ever killed in wars. The first major battle of the Civil war was the first Battle Bull run. The Battle of Bull Run was fought in Prince William County, V.A and Fairfax County, VA between the Army of the Potomac (Union) and the Army of Northern Virginia (Confederacy). The Commanders for the Union were Irvin McDowell (Major General). The Confederate commander were P.G.T Beauregard (General) and Joseph E. Johnston (General). In the battle of Bull Run the Union had no artillery, but the Confederates had mortars and cannons. This puts the Union on the constant offensive. The Union attacked the Confederate lines from different angles trying to catch them by surprise. On the

General Ambrose Burnside takes command of the army from George McClellan. In order to impress the Commander in Chief, Burnside moves his army west to the small historic town of Fredericksburg, Soon a battle erupted in Fredericksburg on December 12, 1862. General Burnside commanded his army against General Robert E. Lee. In the battle the Union suffered huge amounts of casualties. About 1,284 soldiers were killed, 600 wounded, and 1,769 captured/missing. This was one of the greatest victories of the Civil War for the Confederate army, but there dreams were shattered after multiple Union victories, like Gettysburg, to close out the