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Bull Run History

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The First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas, was the first major battle of the Civil War. It took place in Virginia near the city of Manassas on July 21, 1861. The Confederate Army won the battle with the retreat of the Union Army back to Washington.

This analysis will use information from numerous sources:
• Wikipedia: This open-source online encyclopedia can provide a general overview of the battle; but most importantly, this source provides links to other valuable sources. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Battle_of_Bull_Run • History Magazine: This reputable source provides a more in-depth analysis of the battle, including relevant before and after information.
http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/first-battle-of-bull-run …show more content…

It occured on July 21, 1861 near the city of Manassas, 25 miles from Washington, D.C. Despite Brigadier General Irvin McDowell’s doubts regarding the battle readiness of his troops, President Abraham Lincoln ordered him to mount the offensive. Lincoln hoped for a quick and decisive victory to end the war quickly, and he pushed aside McDowell’s requests for additional time to train, correctly assuming that the Confederates were equally ill-trained. Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard was camped at Bull Run and prepared for defensive operations due to advance notice of the attack through spies in …show more content…

At the beginning of the battle, it appeared that the numbers advantage McDowell had was a key factor that would secure a Union victory. Union Major General Robert Patterson and his 18,000 men were to support the operation by preventing Brigadier General Joseph Johnston’s unit of 12,000 Confederate troops from reinforcing Beauregard. Patterson failed in this endeavor. Johnston’s 12,000 Confederate soldiers arrived at the First Battle of Bull Run by way of railroad and swiftly changed the course of the battle.

This operation hinged on Beauregard’s lack of reinforcements, and Patterson’s failure was endemic of the shortcomings in the implementation of a strategy that involved several moving pieces. McDowell’s forces were not trained well enough to maintain proper command and control throughout the operation. Beauregard’s force was equally untrained; however, he had superior interior lines. While Patterson’s exhausted men moved slowly, Johnston could use the Manassas Gap Railroad to reinforce

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