The Battle of Bull Run History

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The Battle of Bull Run was the first battle fought during the Civil War. It was a bloody battle and showed both sides that this war would not be won quickly. There were a few factors that swayed the battle in favor of the Confederacy, such as terrain, weather and technology. The Confederacy was able to use railroads to transport troops to battle, which had never been done before. This allowed them to continue fighting while the Union troops were growing tired and weak. Since the battle was fought on Southern soil, the Confederacy gained the upper hand. Not only did their troops have knowledge of the terrain, they were also accustomed to the warmer, humid climate of the south. The Union also had its share of advantages, one being use of the Balloon Corps. This allowed them to map the terrain and gather intelligence in a way that had never been done before. This battle confirmed to both sides that training troops was important to success, and should be a priority. Neither side was prepared for a long drawn out war.

The Battle of Bull Run was the first major battle of ground forces during the American Civil War. It occurred on Sunday, July 21, 1861. The Union Army confronted the Confederate Army in Manassas, Virginia. The Union began to plan their attack against the Confederacy in April 1861, in response to the Confederate Army’s attack on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, North Carolina.

The principle adversaries of this battle were the Union Army of Northeastern Virginia and two Confederate commands, the Army of the Potomac and the Army of the Shenandoah. The Union Army was commanded under BG Irvin McDowell. The Confederate Army was commanded by Brigadier General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard and BG Joseph E. Jo...

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...on to lose the battle. While this battle was not the most significant it did change the way the Union approached battle, in their resources and planning, and ultimately led to their victory in 1865.

Works Cited

Ballard, T. (2004). First Bull Run: An Overview. Retrieved from http://www.history.army.mil/StaffRide/1st%20Bull%20Run/Overview.htm#b3

The Battle of Bull Run Summary & Facts | Civilwar.org. (n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2013, from http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/bullrun.html?tab=facts

Bull Run Animated Map | Civil War Maps | Civilwar.org [Video file]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/firstmanassas/first-manassas-maps/bull-run-animated-map/

First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) — History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts. (2013, November 9). Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/battle-of-first-bull-run

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