First Battle of Bull Run

Basic Info:

· Date: July 21, 1861

· Location: Manassas, Virginia

Objectives:

·         Union:

o   Capture Richmond

o   Seize Manassas, a railway center

·         Confederacy:

o   Wanted to protect Richmond

o   Wanted to keep Manassas

Commanders:

·         Union:

o   General Irvin Mcdowell

·         Confederacy:

o   General Pierre Beaugard

Geography:

·         Climate: hot and humid

·         Terrain: hills, creek, and forests

Troop Strength:

·         Union: had 28,450 soldiers

·         Confederacy: had 32,230 soldiers

Advantages:

·         Union:

o   Had roads that connected northwest, west, southwest villages

o   Positioned next to a stream

·         Confederacy

o   Able to watch the movements of the Union army; on higher grounds

o   Location was near railroads that connected to supplies and other armies; had better communication

Disadvantages:

·         Union:

o   Confederacy had cannons

o   Plans were already known

·         Confederacy:

o   Losing in the beginning of the war and lost soldiers; around the same amount of soldiers with the Union army

Strategies:

·         Union

o   Attack the Confederate army

§  Face the Confederate Army with main army

§  Flank the left of the enemy’s army

o   Go for Richmond

o   End of war

·         Confederacy

o   Settle down and occupy Henry Hill

o   Protect Richmond

Confederates Won!

·         Keys to winning:

o   Reinforcements

o   Exhausted Union soldiers

o   Strategic location

Unique Info

·         “The Great Skedaddle”

·         Spectators

·         “Stonewall” Jackson

Casualties

·         Union:

o   Deaths: 460

o   Wounded: 1124

o   Missing and captured: 1312

·         Confederacy:

o   Deaths: 387

o   Wounded: 1582

o   Missing and captured: 13

Confederates Victory:

·         Union needs to try harder

·         Increased morale

·         “Poisoned” the Confederates minds