FIRST MANASSAS

[ FIRST BULL RUN ]

VIRGINIA

30 MILES FROM WASHINGTON D.C.

21 JULY 1861

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PRELUDE

Although there had been skirmishes there had been no big battles from the declaration of war until Bull Run. For nearly three months both sides had been recruiting men to fight, mostly on short term contracts.

The view on both sides was that the war would be short and both sides thought they would be allowed to prevail. There were some dissenting voices and in particular the Union commander in chief General Scott forcasted that the struggle would take some years. Most however were thinking short term strategy.

The Confederate Army put itself some 100 miles north of Richmond [its capital], to protect it, and was therefore only 30 miles from Washington DC. This was near the stream known as Bull Run.

Union Brigadier General McDowell was reluctant to advance with his untrained troops but was forced to do so, being told that his oponent's troops were as 'green' as his own.The Union's overall strategy was to squeeze the Confederacy with attacks from the North West and in Virginia, the North East.

Confederate General Joseph Johnston was in the West while Brigadier General Beauregard was in command of the East. [Army of the Potomac ]. The Union sent one of their older Generals [ Patterson ] to contain but not fight Johnston in the West to prevent him coming to the aid of Beauregard. Patterson did not do this and as a result Johnston's men played a major part at Bull Run , and in particular Brigadier General Thomas Jackson whose nickname 'stonewall' came from his performance here.

Thus the scene was set. Neither side had a real understanding of what a bloody conflict it was to be and, indeed , families in the north moved nearer to Bull Run to watch the battle as though it was a Sunday picnic.

THE COMMANDERS

McDowell 1818-85	Beauregard 1819-93	Johnston 1807-91	Jackson 1824-63

A.M.

McDowell's Union Army was at Centreville where he arrived on the 18 July. This was about 5 miles from Manassas Junction where Conferderate Beuregard was camped. Both sides were planning surprise attacks on the other but unbeknown to McDowell General Patterson had retreated from Johnston's Confererates in the West because he feared a superior force. Thus with Patterson at Charlestown and Confederate Stuart's Calvery screening Johnston from Patterson between Charlestown and Winchester, Johnston moved his army via rail to Manassas Junction and joined Beauregard. This made Patterson and his army of 18000 men ineffective. At Manassas Junction Johnston assumed command of the two confederate armies although in reality he allowed Beauregard, with his local knowledge, to continue to direct what was to be the first real battle of the Civil War.

McDowell acted first sending his Federal Second and Third Divisions , at night , to the left flank to take the rebel left while the First Division would advance down the Warrington Turnpike to keep the attention of the Confederates at the Stone Bridge crossing Bull Run.

The Federal left flanking force was late and although the leading Brigades crossed Bull Run at Sudley Ford they lost the dawn surprise and by the time they were ready to meet the Confederates , they in their turn having seen the danger had wheeled their lines from Stone Bridge left to Sudley Ford. In particular Colonel Evan's brigade did at 9.45 am confront the vanguards of the two Union Divisions on Matthews Hill. Confederate Evans gained valuable time and was reinforced by Brigadier General Bee and Colonel Bartow's Brigades. Both the latter were killed later that afternoon.Union Forces charged Evans up Matthews Hill. Initially these were led by Colonels Hunter and Slocum.Both were wounded, Slocum mortally and the Union Colonel Burnside was left facing the enemy on the hill. At 10.30 the Confederate line charged although numerically outnumbered.

The fighting was fierce but eventually they had to retreat from the superior Union forces, down the southern slopes of Matthews Hill towards Henry House Hill. It was during this withdrawal that Union Colonel William T Sherman arrived from Stone Bridge and attacked the Conferedate flank.

They were followed by Union Brigadier Keyes and the Confederate withdrawal was in danger of becoming a rout and it seemed to General Mcdowell that victory was in sight but these thoughts were somewhat premature. Colonel Evans had together with General Bee and Colonel Bartow had given the Conferedates precious time , some two hours by holding the Union forces back at Matthews Hill and this was to be decisive.

P.M.

As the Confederate army fell back in disarray the Confederate Hampton Legion [see map above] fresh from disembarking from their train found theirselves in front and the only Confederate force actually fighting. They were decimated by the Union batteries of Captains Ricketts and Griffin and withdrew sideways North East.

At that point nothing stood in the way of the Union advance but Mcdowell found it necessary to reform his line along the Warrington Turnpike at the foot of Henry House Hill [see map below ]. By 2.00 pm he had redeployed and was ready to advance up Henry House Hill.

The plateau on Henry House Hill which dominated the surrounding area became the scene of the heaviest fighting. Although Union Commanders had squandered their forces during the morning by using single regiments to attack, McDowell still had the edge with manpower. He also deployed 24 pieces of artillery including the 12 guns of Ricketts and Griffin. The fact was that one good push up Henry House Hill would have given the Union Forces the victory they thought they had. However General Jackson had reinforced the Confederate left having advised General Bee that he was coming to his aid. He did not go into the thick of the fighting immediately but place his men to form a line just behind the crest of Henry House Hill.

This hill was named after Henry House, a two storey, mostly wooden structure, owned by appropriately Mrs Henry who was mortally wounded by Union shells during the battle.

By this time Johnston had virtually taken over the actual command from Beauregard, and ordered his troops up towards Jackson where Beauregard was to deploy them. In addition just as the Union artillery was decisive so were the 26 guns in the centre of the Confederate line. [ Both Union and Confederate guns can be seen clearly on the above map.] Bee's Confederates retreated from Matthews Hill to Henry House Hill fighting all the way. Bee seems to have been sent back from General Jackson into the fray again asking his men to follow him. It was about now that General Bee utter the words about "Stonewall" Jackson. It seems that this could have actually been a recrimination rather than the rallying point as Bee appears to have been critical that Jackson did not at that moment join the fight. Whatever the meaning and there are several versions, the nickname stuck with a meaning that General Jackson and his troops were a "stonewall" under fire as indeed they later proved.

Bee then lead his Confederates back down the slopes into the Union onslaught which was powered by the artillery fire by Griffin and Ricketts which decimated the Confederates and killed General Bee. General Johnston arrived at this point and the survivors of the charge together with General Jackson's troops and other reminents grouped at Henry House Hill. Bearegard as tactical commander plug the gaps as they happened and Johnston established his HQ a mile south of the battle. The Confederate line had stabilized.

This and the fate of the Union artillery changed the battle in favour of the Confederates. Union General McDowell ordered Rickett's and Griffin's artillery forward to within 300 yards of the enemy. Supporting infantry could not keep up and in the confusion regarding the colour of uniforms [ on both sides some regiments were wearing blue and grey, thus in the height of battle there was difficulty in regcognising friend or foe] meant that the batteries were taken. Captain Ricketts was captured wounded [later paroled].

There was now a period of bloody attack and counter attack on both sides and the batteries were taken by both sides several times but no one could limber them up as they did not have stable possession of Henry House Hill. However by mid-afternoon Beauregard was re-inforced on his left by Early and Kirby-Smith and he ordered a general advance. The Union practice of putting up Regiments piecemeal meant that there were very few fresh Union troops in the field and McDowell trying to rally his troops lost sight of the battle. Union troops began to retreat and this turned into a rout with only a few regular army troops holding their positions.

The Union retreat at about 4.30pm and Henry House after the battle

Johnston and Bearegard both tried to cut off the Federal Forces but their own Confederate Forces were so weary that this failed. Nor were they able to follow up the following day when heavy rain put paid to any possible pursuit.

McDowell could not stabilise his line again until the retreating Federals were pouring into Washington much to the dismay of the civilian population. The Command was established at Alexandria.

AFTERMATH

On the Confederate side the battle was hailed as a great victory. The truth was that the efforts of Jackson, Bee, Bartow and Evans made the difference with Bee and Bartow paying the price. Without them, at different times in the battle, and at the end by Jacksons tenacious defense it would have been the outnumbered Confederate Army that would have fled the field.

Although McDowell's stratigic plan was considered a good its execution was badly fought. Washington was devastated and afraid. The "romance" of war with the idea of ladies picnicing on the hilltops was gone forever. The Lincoln Administration were now convinced that the war would be long and costly. McDowell was relieved of command on 25 July [but was later cleared of any blame] and was replaced by Major General George B Mcclellan who set about reorganising and training the troops.

RESULT: CONFEDERATE VICTORY

CASUALTIES

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BATTLES OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR 1861-65