Battle of Bull Run.

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In the summer of 1861, Confederate general P. T. Beauregard commanded a large force only thirty miles southwest of Washington DC near Manassas Junction, along a small river known to locals as Bull Run. Confederate President Jefferson Davis and his military advisor Robert E. Lee chose Manassas Junction since it lay in the direct path of Richmond and on an important junction of two railroads. One of these railroads directly linked Beauregard’s position on Bull Run to the Shenandoah Valley and a large body of men under Joseph Johnston. With the Northern papers and citizens clamoring for action, and with such a large enemy force within a day’s march of Washington, President Lincoln decided to prod his general, Irvin McDowell, into advancing into Southern territory, putting into motion what would become the Battle of Bull Run. McDowell, chosen as commander of over thirty five thousand men, the largest army yet assembled in North America, was given his command on the simple merit of being the only man of experience that hadn’t defected to the Confederacy.

McDowell moved at once toward Manassas Junction and the inevitable Battle of Bull Run, but delayed en route long enough for Johnston to move his entire force from the Shenandoah Valley by rail. Thus, the Battle of Bull Run was the first instance of soldiers moving by railroad, an innovation that would become convention in the 20th century, making the Civil War, from it’s first battle, the first modern war. The Battle of Bull Run commenced when McDowell reconnoitered Mitchell’s and Blackburn’s Fords just north of Manassas Junction. Deciding that position was too well defended, he conducted a wide flanking maneuver to the west of Manassas, around the Confederate left. Completely taken by surprise, the Confederate army scrambled to strengthen their left. At this point, three officers, Evans, Bartow, and Bee, the true heroes of the Battle of Bull Run, raced to throw their brigades in the path of the juggernaut of blue descending out of the woods. Their brigades were mostly decimated and Bartow and Bee were killed during their stand, but they held the Union troops long enough for the rest of Beauregard’s army to come on line, saving the Battle of Bull Run for the Confederacy.

The Confederate forces eventually beat the Union troops back into a frenzied retreat, known as “the great skedaddle”. The Battle of Bull Run was important for many reasons. Stonewall Jackson was nicknamed at this battle for stubbornly refusing to move forward in support of Bee. When Jackson finally issued orders to charge, he told his men to “yell like the furies”, initiating the first instance of the Rebel Yell. The civilians from Manassas Junction that came to watch the Battle of Bull Run were trampled by fleeing Union soldiers, reinforcing the notion that war is not a spectator sport. And most importantly, Lincoln realized from the Battle of Bull Run that the war would not be short or easy, causing him to lengthen terms of service and create income tax. The war would trudge forward for another four years.


James Webb©2005