Confederate Col. Nathan Evans, who had been left to guard the Stone Bridge, quickly assessed that the attack on the bridge was merely a demonstration, and he was able to move 11 of his 15 companies to Matthews Hill above Sudley Springs. Stonewall Jackson at the First Battle of Bull Run, July 1861. The Battles of Bull Run were two conflicts in the American Civil War . The entire Union army fled the 30 miles back to Washington, creating a scene Clara Barton described as “sad, painful, and mortifying.” The walking wounded led the way rather than remain in field hospitals closer to the battlefield and risk Confederate capture. Confederate Col. Nathan Evans, commanding at the Stone Bridge, soon realized that the attack on his front was only a diversion. Valuable time was lost as the men stumbled through the darkness along narrow roads. The First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861 resulted in a resounding Union defeat. The Battle of Bull Run: McDowell’s men struck the Confederates on the hot, humid morning of 21 July 1861, and steadily pushed back the Confederate left until South Carolina General Bernard Bee saw, over the ridge of Henry Hill, General Thomas Jonathan Jackson’s Virginians waiting to repel the Federals. The First Battle of Bull Run was the first major battle of the Civil War. The battle ended in a rout of Union forces, but the exhausted Confederates were unable to capitalize on their victory. Most of Johnston’s troops arrived at the junction on July 20 and 21, some marching directly into battle. First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas), lithograph by Kurz and Allison, 1889. The first day’s march covered only five miles, as many straggled to pick blackberries or fill canteens. To distract the Southerners, McDowell ordered a diversionary attack where the Warrenton Turnpike crossed Bull Run at the Stone Bridge. Cheers rang out in the streets of Washington on July 16, 1861 as Gen. Irvin McDowell’s army, 35,000 strong, marched out to begin the long-awaited campaign to capture Richmond and end the war. Attempting to rally his men, Bee used Gen. Thomas J. Jackson’s newly arrived brigade as an anchor. battle of bull run between federal and confederate armies on july 21, 1861 civil war engraving - battle of bull run stock illustrations The Second Battle of Bull Run, Fought August 29th, 1862. The First Battle of Bull Run was the first large battle of the American Civil War. Beauregard. Updates? Beauregard's men defended the strategic railroad junction at Manassas, just west of the creek. Beauregard, Joe Johnson, Irvin McDowell, and “Stonewall” Jackson. The First Battle of Bull Run gave citizens in both the Confederacy and the United States a small taste of the carnage to come over the next four years. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Overview of the First Battle of Bull Run during the American Civil War. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Soon brigades under Barnard Bee and Francis Bartow marched to Evans’ assistance. Though the Civil War began when Confederate troops shelled Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, the fighting didn’t begin in earnest until the Battle of Bull Run, fought in Virginia just miles from Washington DC, on July 21, 1861. It was joined at Manassas Junction, 30 miles (48 km) southwest of Washington, by the Manassas Gap railway from Strasburg in the Shenandoah Valley. The Battle of Bull Run First Manassas. Washington’s other significant rail line, the Orange and Alexandria, ran southwest to Lynchburg, Virginia; control of this line would be much contested in the days to come. Map of the First Battle of Bull Run, drawn by Capt. Beauregard and Johnston’s 32,230 Confederates lost 387 killed and 1,582 wounded, with just 13 reported missing or captured. They were fought in the summers of 1861 and 1862 at a small stream named Bull Run, near Manassas, Virginia. Leaving a small force to hold the bridge, Evans rushed the remainder of his command to Matthews Hill in time to check McDowell’s lead unit. Porter King, 4th Alabama Regiment, July 1861. Though Union forces held an early advantage, an overly-complex plan and the arrival of Confederate reinforcements led to their collapse and they were … The First Battle of Bull Run, 1861 Printer Friendly Version >>> I n July 1861 the northern newspapers pressured President Lincoln to bring a quick end to the rebellion of the southern states. At first the withdrawal was orderly. McDowell’s inexperienced troops arrived at Sudley Ford more than two hours late. Federal cavalry at Sudley Ford, Bull Run, Virginia, photograph by George N. Barnard. Beauregard. The Battle of First Manassas (First Bull Run) Rallying the Troops of Bee, Bartow, and Evans, Behind the Robinson House, by Thure de Thulstrup Cheers rang out in the streets of Washington on July 16, 1861 as Gen. Irvin McDowell’s army, 35,000 strong, marched out to begin the long-awaited campaign to capture Richmond and end the war. Although Winfield Scott, the commanding general of the Union army, had little faith in state militia units, he proposed to use them to defend Washington and recover the Federal garrison at Harpers Ferry, while he trained the newly raised volunteers for an autumn campaign. The battle took place near a stream called Bull Run. During the first two hours of battle, 4,500 Confederates gave ground grudgingly to 10,000 Union soldiers. The First Manassas or Bull Run was the biggest battle in American history until then. It was a training ground for some of America’s most colorful military figures: P.G.T. The following Confederate units and commanders fought in the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861. The First Battle of Bull Run is also known as the First Battle of Manassas. On July 18 McDowell’s army reached Centreville. Screened by the regulars, the three-month volunteers retired across Bull Run, where they found the road to Washington jammed with the carriages of congressmen and others who had driven out to Centreville to watch the fight. After a succession of more or less sleepless nights, Lincoln produced a set of memorandums on military policy. Johnston gave an opposing Union army the slip and, employing the Manassas Gap Railroad, started his brigades toward Manassas Junction. The Confederates, though bolstered by the arrival of President Jefferson Davis on the field just as the battle was ending, were too disorganized to follow up on their success. Beauregard spread his brigades on a nearly … First Battle of Bull Run Date July 21, 1861 Location Fairfax County and Prince William County, Virginia Victor Confederate States Contenders United States (Union) Confederate States Military Leaders Irvin McDowell Joseph E. Johnston P.G.T. The Confederates likewise realized that their rebellion would not … Let us determine to die here, and we will conquer! The First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas (the name used by Confederate forces), was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the city of Manassas. Then the fighting resumed, each side trying to force the other off Henry Hill. With 30,000 men he proposed to drive Beauregard’s force of 20,000 back behind the Rappahannock, provided that Patterson prevented Johnston from joining Beauregard. Gen. Irvin McDowell marched from Washington DC toward the Confederate army under Gen. Pierre G. T. Beauregard, drawn up behind Bull Run creek west of Centreville. This route took the Federals around the Confederate left. McDowell’s new plan depended on speed and surprise, both difficult with inexperienced troops. Panic now seized many of the soldiers and the retreat became a rout. At 2:45 pm, with more of Beauregard’s troops having come up, Jackson’s brigade launched a bayonet charge on the wavering Union lines. After Virginia voted overwhelmingly in favour of secession, Lee, acting as military adviser to Confederate Pres. About noon, the Federals stopped their advance to reorganize for a new attack. First Battle of Bull Run by Kurz & Allison The First Battle of Bull Run was a somber and painful notice to all Americans that the war would be neither quick nor painless. The following day, however, the mood would shatter in a battle that confounded the expectations of both sides―the first Battle at Bull Run. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. the Battlefield On July 16, 1861, the new Union volunteer army under Brig. The battle started on July 21, 1861 and took place near Manassas Junction, Virginia(“First Battle”). A Confederate regiment, being mistaken for friendly troops and allowed to approach, silenced the guns with close rifle fire. The humiliation of Bull Run provided focus to the unorganized enthusiasm of the North, which eventually coalesced into a determination to crush the rebellion at all costs. In the end Bull Run arguably did more harm to the victors than to the defeated. The Battles of Bull Run are also called First Manassas and Second Manassas. Beauregard at Manassas Junction, the other at Harpers Ferry under Brig. These troops were 90-day volunteers summoned by President Abraham Lincoln after the startling news of Fort Sumter burst over the nation in April 1861. Johnston meanwhile was similarly employed in fashioning the Army of Northern Virginia, which for four years carried the Confederacy on its bayonets. Because the infirm 75-year-old Scott was unable to conduct field operations, he had appointed Gen. Irvin McDowell as field commander of the forces south of the Potomac. (Civil War battles often had one name in the North, which was usually associated with a prominent nearby physical feature, and another in the South, which was usually derived from the town or city closest to the battlefield.) On June 24 McDowell submitted a plan of operations that overruled Scott’s recommendations. Advancing into northern Virginia, Union and Confederate troops clashed near Manassas Junction. First Battle of Bull Run: The U.S Marines As Marine Major John G. Reynolds marched his battalion over the Potomac Long Bridge on the afternoon of July 16, 1861, he … Southern leaders undeniably rested on their laurels, confident in the seemingly justified belief that “one Southerner could whip ten Yankees.” The delay enabled Gen. George McClellan, who was called to the chief military command at Washington, to raise, organize, and train the Army of the Potomac. The railroads that intersected there were key to Washington’s ability to send troops and supplies south into Virginia in case of an invasion of the South. Johnston arrived on the scene July 20 and, as the ranking general, accepted Beauregard’s plan of attack against Centreville, a town some 5 miles (8 km) to the east. Five miles ahead a small meandering stream named Bull Run crossed the route of the Union advance, and there guarding the fords from Union Mills to the Stone Bridge waited 22,000 Southern troops under the command of Gen. Pierre G.T. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. When Union Maj. Gen. Robert Patterson threatened Harpers Ferry with a larger force, Johnston evacuated his post on June 15 and fell back, covering the Manassas Gap railway. Gen. George B. McClellan was given the job of training…, …for the federal forces at Bull Run (July 21, 1861). First Battle of Bull Run, also called First Battle of Manassas , Battle of First Manassas, or Manassas Junction, (July 21, 1861), in the American Civil War, the first of two engagements fought at a small stream named Bull Run, near Manassas in northern Virginia. His basic thought was that the armies should advance concurrently on several fronts and should move so as to hold and use…. Pointing to Jackson, Bee shouted, “There stands Jackson like a stone wall! In the days following the Battle of Fort Sumter, the Union capital at Washington, D.C., strengthened its defenses and secured its railway connection with the North through Baltimore via the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) railway. Gen. P.G.T. As excitement spread, many citizens and congressman with wine and picnic baskets followed the army into the field to watch what all expected would be a colorful show. In the meantime, Beauregard asked the Confederate government at Richmond for help. Rally behind the Virginians!” Generals Johnston and Beauregard then arrived on Henry Hill, where they assisted in rallying shattered brigades and redeploying fresh units that were marching to the point of danger. Adam Goodheart, author of [1861: The Civil War Awakening], talked about the First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas, held July 21, 1861. U.S. Pres. His delay in advancing, however, would prove the undoing of his plan. Abraham Lincoln had proclaimed a blockade of Confederate ports (April 19) and called for 42,000 three-year volunteers and 40,000 more men to join the regular army and navy (May 3). Here the Orange and Alexandria Railroad met the Manassas Gap Railroad, which led west to the Shenandoah Valley. It was an army of green recruits, few of whom had the faintest idea of the magnitude of the task facing them. Rally behind the Virginians!” The Union assault was checked, but both Bee and Bartow were mortally wounded while leading their troops. At 5:30a.m. There he was supported by brigades commanded by Barnard Bee, Francis Bartow, and Thomas Jackson. Upon observing Jackson, one of his fellow generals reportedly said, "Look, men, there is Jackson standing like a stone wall! The First Battle of Bull Run The first battle of Bull Run, also known as the first battle of Manassas in the south, was the first major land battle of the Civil War. Robert E. Lee, commanding the Virginia state forces, was loath to become the aggressor in the expanding conflict and refrained from attacking Washington or supporting Confederate sympathizers in Baltimore. This article was most recently revised and updated by, “There stands Jackson like a stone wall!”, https://www.britannica.com/event/First-Battle-of-Bull-Run-1861, United States History - First Battle of Bull Run, Encyclopedia Virginia - The First Battle of Bull Run, National Park Service - The Battle of First Manassas, History Learning Site - The First Battle of Bull Run, Learn through an animated map about the First Battle of Bull Run, First Battle of Bull Run; Stonewall Jackson. The plan was approved, and McDowell advanced from Alexandria on July 16. Order of battle compiled from the army organization during the battle and the reports. The First Battle of Bull Run or the First Battle of Manassas as it is also called, resulted in thousands of lives lost; and as such it if referred to as first major land battle of the American Civil war. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. About 9:15 am the Federal troops came under Confederate fire and were forced to deploy, but two hours later McDowell’s flanking threat caused Evans, Bee, and Bartow to withdraw in disorder to the Henry House Hill. The battle actually has two names: the First Battle of Bull Run and First Battle of Manassas. McDowell took personal command of two of his four divisions, controlling the turning movement at Sudley Ford, while one division executed a feint at the Stone Bridge and the last remained at Blackburn’s Ford in reserve. But Evans’ force was too small to hold back the Federals for long. It was fought on July 21, 1861. But even with these reinforcements, the thin gray line collapsed and Southerners fled in disorder toward Henry Hill. Early on July 21, the First Battle of Bull Run began. the deep-throated roar of a 30-pounder Parrott rifle shattered the morning calm, and signaled the start of the battle. While Scott continued to urge caution regarding the use of militia troops, in Washington there was a demand that Beauregard should be attacked before the three-month term of the militia’s service expired. The First Battle of Bull Run, or the First Battle of Manassas as it was known in the South, focused on the railroad intersection at Manassas. The Union order of battle is shown separately. Please select which sections you would like to print: While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The First Battle of Bull Run was fought on July 21, 1861, during the American Civil War (1861–1865), and was the first major battle of the conflict. The Federal forces gave way at once, and a Confederate artillery barrage turned the retreat into a panicked flight to the Potomac. He then spent the next two days scouting the Southern left flank. The Confederacy won both battles. When compared to the rest of the Civil War, it was a midsize Civil War battle with a moderate number of casualties. The strategic significance of the location lay in the fact that Manassas was an important railroad junction. The battle continued until just after 4p.m., when fresh Southern units crashed into the Union right flank on Chinn Ridge, causing McDowell’s tired and discouraged soldiers to withdraw. If McDowell could seize this junction, he would stand astride the best overland approach to the Confederate capital. Jackson’s First Brigade stood firm, however, and Bee reportedly shouted to his men, “There is Jackson standing like a stone wall! From that time, though the hill was taken and retaken several times, the Union attack made no further headway. Confederates called it … Confederate soldiers killed during the First Battle of Bull Run, July 1861. …Richmond, Virginia, were stopped at Bull Run (Manassas) and then driven back to Washington, D.C., by Confederates under Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson and Gen. P.G.T. Omissions? The American public and leaders had expected an easy victory, and were embarrassed by their loss. The fighting at Henry House Hill was severe, and about 1:30 pm, McDowell brought up two artillery batteries to the fighting line. At the same time, the Union troops were assailed by the last brigades of Johnston’s army, which had arrived at the critical moment from the railway. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. McDowell first attempted to move toward the Confederate right flank, but his troops were checked at Blackburn’s Ford. Upon perceiving the Union movements, Beauregard notified the authorities in Richmond by telegraph, and Johnston, then facing Patterson’s army near Winchester, was ordered to join Beauregard as quickly as possible. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Although the Union forces outnumbered the Confederates, the experience of the Confederate soldiers proved the difference as the Confederates won the battle. McDowell’s army of 28,450 suffered 460 killed and 1,124 wounded, with over 1,300 listed as missing or captured. But their swaggering gait showed that none doubted the outcome. Johnston was able to mask his intentions and, utilizing the Manassas Gap railroad, moved 10,000 troops to Bull Run. Catharpin Run, Sudley Church, and the remains of the Sudley Sulphur Spring house, Bull Run, Virginia, photograph by George N. Barnard. 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