Become a supporter through Patreon for exclusive rewards – https://www.patreon.com/vth
If you want to know more, make sure to LIKE, subscribe, and leave a comment! And if you want to contribute more to the future of the channel, consider joining my team of patrons. Thanks in advance!
Check out History Guy Gaming (my strategy games channel) – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsJCJD1tAzTZ1eUUiskH-9w
Updated link for Discord – https://discord.gg/bjnC4nB
Twitter – https://twitter.com/thehistoryguy25
For any commercial inquiries, contact: [email protected]
Special thanks to the following people who are official sponsors of this channel:
Level 6 – Mike Tasset, crazy
Level 5 – Kai Stasch
Level 4 – Graham Brown
Level 3 – Qethsegol, Robin Svensson, Austin White, Chris Curtis, John Molden
The First Battle of Bull Run (the name used by Union forces), also known as the First Battle of Manassas (the name used by Confederate forces), was the first major battle of the American Civil War and was a Confederate victory. The battle took place on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, just north of the city of Manassas and approximately 25 miles west-southwest of Washington, DC. Union forces were slow to position themselves, allowing time for Confederate reinforcements to arrive. rail. Each side had approximately 18,000 poorly trained and led soldiers in their first battle. It was a Confederate victory, followed by a disorganized retreat of Union forces.
Just months after the war began at Fort Sumter, Northern public opinion was clamoring for a march on the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia, that would bring a swift end to the Confederacy. Yielding to political pressure, Brig. General Irvin McDowell led his inexperienced Union army across Bull Run against the equally inexperienced Confederate army of Brig. General PGT Beauregard was camped near Manassas Junction. McDowell's ambitious plan for a surprise flank attack on the Confederate left was poorly executed; nevertheless, the Confederates, who planned to attack the Union left flank, initially found themselves at a disadvantage.
Confederate reinforcements under the command of Brig. General Joseph E. Johnston arrived from the Shenandoah Valley by rail and the course of the battle quickly changed. A brigade of Virginians led by the relatively unknown Virginia Military Institute brigadier general Thomas J. Jackson held out, earning Jackson his famous nickname, "Stonewall/." The Confederates launched a strong counterattack, and as Union troops began to retreat under fire, many people panicked and the retreat turned into a rout. McDowell's men ran frantically and without orders toward Washington, D.C.
Both armies were sobered by the fierce fighting and numerous casualties and realized that the war was going to be much longer and bloodier than they had anticipated. The First Battle of Bull Run highlighted many of the problems and shortcomings typical of the first year of the war. Units were engaged piecemeal, attacks were frontal, infantry failed to protect exposed artillery, tactical intelligence was minimal, and neither commander was able to effectively employ all of his strengths. McDowell, with 35,000 men, could only commit about 18,000, and the combined Confederate forces, with about 32,000 men, could commit only 18,000.
Please take the opportunity to connect and share this video with your friends and family if you find it useful.
