| On July 21st, 1861 the first real battle of the Civil | | | | out recon units to scout out the enemy forces that |
| War was fought. This battle would become known in | | | | were driven back by a small number of Confederate |
| the north as the Battle of Bull Run and later on as | | | | forces in the Unions first small but demoralizing |
| the First Battle of Bull Run. In the south it is called 1st | | | | defeat. |
| Manassas. The feeling in Washington, and Union | | | | McDowell's plan was to have General Patterson keep |
| forces General Irvin McDowell, was that this would | | | | Johnson in place at Harpers Ferry, thus giving him the |
| be an easy and decisive victory and therefore a | | | | decided advantage in numbers of troops against |
| quick end to the war. The problem with this was that | | | | Beauregard's forces. In the early stages of the battle |
| no one had shared this strategy with the | | | | it appeared that the Union forces would be victorious |
| Confederate Army or General Pierre Beauregard and | | | | due in part to the advantage of having the larger |
| his soldiers. Beauregard, already battle seasoned at Ft. | | | | force, as well as having won several small skirmishes |
| Sumpter; also counted on a major victory which he | | | | in their advance to Henry House Hill. The tide turned |
| felt would lead to peace as well. He got his victory, | | | | when Johnson was able to make it around Patterson |
| chasing the Union soldiers all the way back to | | | | and his soldiers, and come to the aide of General |
| Washington but an early end to the war was not to | | | | Beauregard, as did numerous other rebel units. |
| be. | | | | The aggressive fighting of the Confederate soldiers |
| Both Union and Confederate sides were divided into | | | | caused McDowell to call for a retreat. The retreat |
| three major fighting units. Beauregard had 20,000 | | | | soon became a rout as Union officers began |
| troops behind Bull Run creek near Manassas Junction | | | | deserting their men and soldiers started fleeing for |
| and McDowell commanded 30,000 men staged along | | | | their lives, leaving the supply train in a shambles |
| the Potomac River. Confederate General Joseph | | | | behind them. The many civilian sightseers that had |
| Johnson with 12,000 soldiers was facing 18,000 Union | | | | came down from Washington and gathered on the |
| soldiers at Harpers Ferry led by Union General Robert | | | | surrounding hills, made the retreat even more chaotic. |
| Patterson. Not actually seeing any action at Bull Run, | | | | This first Civil War battle claimed approximately 5,000 |
| there were also 10,000 men under Union General | | | | casualties, including dead and wounded. This number |
| Benjamin Butler being held at bay at Fort Monroe in | | | | includes those civilians killed or wounded as well. This |
| Virginia by a considerably smaller Confederate unit led | | | | battle sent the message to Washington that a quick |
| the Confederate General John Magruder. | | | | and easy victory was not going to happen. |
| McDowell's army had left Washington on July 16th, | | | | As a Civil War reenactment, the Battle of Bull Run, is |
| heading for Manassas Junction with an army of | | | | near and dear to those who get out their civil war |
| inexperienced soldiers and a large supply train. The | | | | weapons, dress up in Confederate uniforms and fly |
| inexperienced and undisciplined soldiers, together with | | | | the Confederate flag. The battle is reenacted in force |
| the large number of wagons made for slow going | | | | every five years. |
| and didn't arrive until July 18th. Upon arrival he sent | | | | |