First Battle Of Bull Run Research Papers

The First Battle of Bull Run or First Battle of Manassas was the start of the bloodiest and deadliest war on American soil to date. It saw two American factions, The Union and The Confederacy, conduct a first full on battle of the American Civil War. It would be the first of many battles that took place during the four year war and would be a stepping stone to what will be the darkest time in American history In 1861 Abraham Lincoln was sworn in as President of the United States of American. Shortly after, on April 12, 1861 the Southern states had seceded and the South had fired upon and captured Fort Sumter. In July, 1861, two American Armies, The Union and Confederacy, prepared for the first major battle during the Civil War. Both the

Bull Run Creek, which twisted and turned through the Manassas Junction as well as the Shenandoah Valley which was a Southern stronghold and was thirty miles northwest of Manassas Junction gave the Confederacy two huge advantages in this battle. In July 1861, the Union and Confederacy faced off against one another in Northern Virginia. General Irvin McDowell who was the commander of the Union Army of the Potomac, had 31,000 men in Washington. General Beauregard of the Confederate Army had 20,000 troops all being camped around Manassas Junction. To the North, at Harriers Ferry, Confederate General Joseph Johnston with 9,000 Soldiers faced off with the Union General Patterson who was holding strong with 18,000 Soldiers. These are the forces that would be involved in the First Battle of Bull

As the Union troops dug in to withstand the attack, General Johnston’s Confederate Army jumped on railcars and headed for Bull Run to reinforce General Beauregard’s Confederate Army. Meanwhile, at Bull Run, General McDowell was attempting to flank General Beauregard’s Confederate Army by moving north and west in order to flank him and his Army. The Union Army began to launch what would be several attacks upon Confederate Forces, to include attack along Bull Run Creek and attacks at the center of the Confederate line at Henry House. Attempting to wear down the Confederate troops at Bull Run, General McDowell was unaware of the reinforcements that were on their way from Harrier’s Ferry to assist the Confederates who were losing ground. As the battle wore on, the superior numbers of the Union Army were wearing down the Confederate lines. At one of the most critical points, the Confederate Army began to fall back, an officer, pointing out a line of Confederates who were still holding strong, stated “look at Jackson’s men standing like a stone wall.” This officer was in fact talking about General T.J. Jackson’s men. General Jackson was, from then on, known as “Stonewall Jackson”, one of the most famous Confederate Generals. During this time, it seemed to inspire everyone among the Confederacy at Henry House as they held their ground and began to