First Battle Of Bull Run Essay

First Battle of Bull Run Result: Confederate Victory · Location: Manassas Junction, Virginia. This set the record as the 1st land battle during the Civil War that America fought against each other. On July 21, 1861, The Union and Confederate armies went head to head at Manassas Junction, Virginia. This was known as the First Battle of Bull Run (or Manassas.) The battle started with almost 35,000 Union troops marched from Washington, D.C. (the federal capital) to attach a Confederate force of 20,000 along the small river known as Bull Run. The Confederates fought most of the day and they were able to break the Union right flank. This sent the Federals into a frenzied withdrawal towards Washington. The Confederate victory boosted the South’s

So therefore the Union army was able to successfully reach Washington by July 22. The First Battle of Bull Run (called First Manassas in the South) cost lives unfortunately however, the Union ultimately had more casualties about 3,000 compared to the 1,750 for the Confederates. This win basically allowed the North to realize this would not be a walk in the park as they expected but on the other hand it gave the South false hope. In fact, both sides would soon realize reality of a long, demanding conflict that would take an unbelievable toll on the country and its

The Union Commander was John Pope. The Confederate Commander was Robert E. Lee. In order to draw Pope’s army into battle, Jackson ordered an attack on a Federal column that was passing across his front on the Warrenton Turnpike on August 28. On August 29, Pope introduced a series of attacks against Jackson’s position along an unfinished railroad grade. The attacks were sickened with heavy casualties on both sides. At noon, Longstreet arrived on the field from Thoroughfare Gap and took position on Jackson’s right flank. On August 30, Pope renewed his battle, unaware it appeared that Longstreet was on the field. A massed Confederate artillery devastated a Union assault by Fitz John Porter’s command, Longstreet’s wing of 28,000 men counterattacked in the largest, concurrent mass assault of the war. The Union left flank was crumpled and the army driven back to Bull Run. Only an effective Union rearguard action prevented a replay of the First Manassas