Three months after the Civil War erupted at Fort Sumter,
Union military command still believed that the Confederacy could be crushed
quickly and with little loss of life. In July, this overconfidence led to a
premature offensive into northern Virginia by General McDowell. Searching out
the Confederate forces, McDowell led 34,000 troops (mostly inexperienced and
poorly trained militiamen) toward the railroad junction of Manassas, located
just 30 miles from Washington, D.C. Alerted to the Union advance, General
Beauregard massed some 20,000 troops there and was soon joined by General
Joseph Johnston, who brought some 9,000 more troops by railroad.
On the morning of July 21, hearing of the proximity of the
two opposing forces, hundreds of civilians, including men, women, and children,
turned out to watch the first major battle of the Civil War. The fighting
commenced with three Union divisions crossing the Bull Run stream, and the
Confederate flank was driven back to Henry House Hill. However, at this
strategic location, Beauregard had a strong defensive line anchored by a
brigade of Virginia infantry under General Thomas J. Jackson. Firing from a
concealed slope, Jackson's men repulsed a series of Federal charges, winning
Jackson his famous nickname "Stonewall."
Meanwhile, Confederate cavalry under J.E.B. Stuart captured
the Union artillery, and Beauregard ordered a counterattack on the exposed
Union right flank. The rebels came charging down the hill, yelling furiously,
and McDowell's line was broken, forcing his troops in a hasty retreat across
Bull Run. The retreat soon became an unorganized flight, and supplies littered
the road back to Washington. Union forces endured a loss of 3,000 men killed,
wounded, or missing in action while the Confederates suffered 2,000 casualties.
The scale of this bloodshed at Bull Run horrified not only the frightened
spectators but also the U.S. government in Washington, which suddenly realized that
quelling the "Southern insurrection" was not going to be as quick and
easy as they had thought.
Today's Reflection:
When a dog or cat food is 'new and improved' -who tests it?
Live Long and Prosper....
1 comment:
War is a fascinating subject. Despite the dubious morality of using violence to achieve personal or political aims. It remains that conflict has been used to do just that throughout recorded history.
Your article is very well done, a good read.
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