Battle Breakdown: The First Battle of Bulls Run

Welcome to my 2nd Battle Breakdown: The First Battle of Bulls Run or other
wise known as Battle of First Manassas. The first battle of bulls runs was the first in a series of two battles. Bulls run took place during the civil war and was the first major battle. Especially for the Union since it was a political battle too. I will explain more on this so called "Political Battle". It was the Unions' first attempt to invade the confederacy.
This was the first battle for the confedrates to prove that were a worthy nation to world. This battle was high stakes for both sides. A Union defeat would mean that the Union isn't as strong as orginally thought. A confedrate defeat would mean a short and quick defeat with the fall of Richmond.
The battle took place in July 21, 1861. It was at Manassas Junction in Viriginia. Here is Manassas Junction on Google Maps if you don't know where that is. The Men who fought in this battle were led by on Union side Irvin McDowell and on the confederate side, the Fort Sumter winning general Pierre G. T. Beauregard. Irvin McDowell should be some what familiar if you are familiar with the civil war. If you need to refresh your memory or learn more then here is a biograhpy on him. A interesting thing happened before the battle in which the Confederacy proceeded to move their captial to Richmond, Virginia only a 108 miles away from the current capital and then Union capital Washington Dc. Which the Union found insulting.
The Confederacy looks like its mocking the Union. The thing I don't understand why its so close to the Union. Did they think about if there was going to be war, having the capital 108 miles from the enemy is the most strategic place. But looking at it from their point of view they thought it would be a quick war.
This how the battle in terms of troops lined up. The union had McDowell with is 30,000 troops along with General Robert Patterson with his 18,000 and lastly Union General Benjamin Butler had 10,000 men. Most of the Union troops were along the Potomac river, Harper's Ferry, Fort Monroe respectively. On the Confederate side, Beauregard had 20,000 along with Joseph E. Johnston who had 12,000 troops. Most of the Confederate troops were behind a creek called Bull run and near Harper's Ferry. If you need Geographic help here's a link to Google Maps.
The battle started on July 21st, 1861. The confederate strategy was based the great Napoleon's strategy at Austerlitz. The plan failed due to the inexperience of troops and a greater force to the Union's advantage. This tends to be a trend throughout the war, the Union consistently out-numbers the confederate forces. At one point during the battle at place called Henry House Hill, where the Union troops advanced on this plateau and defeated some confederate units. This plateau was where General Thomas Jackson got his nickname "Stonewall Jackson".
The real turning point in this battle was probably the most embarrassing thing to happen to the Union for the whole war. More troops from Harpers Ferry arrived to help the steadily losing Confederate lines. This caused the Union main line to collapse and since the troops were inexperienced they retreated. Eventually the whole Union force had to pull pack. This giving the Confederates a victory. But Victory comes with a price; Confederate losses 1,982 and Union losses 2,896. This implied that a so-called short war was not going to be possible.
This is only round one of Bulls run at Manassas. This really was tone setter for how the war would go. Everyone thought it would take one battle and be decided. But on the account of hard-fighting and even deeper beliefs the confederacy manages to pull out a victory. The impact on Lincoln was even greater than just losing a battle. He had politics to deal with also making it a hard job for anyone.
If you want more information, the book I used is list on the side with author(Everything Civil War book). You can also use an encyclopedia or Google.


My next post: The Second Battle of Bulls run at Manassas Junction.

Battle Breakdown: Fort Sumter

Welcome to my 1st Battle Breakdown: I will be breaking down battles in terms of troops, strategy, whats at stake for each side, commanders and who wins and who loses also what this means for the respective armies. I will be using The Everything Civil War Book as one of my resources and this Civil War Battles site for information and also some pictures. I will be doing Fort Sumter today and it might take two posts for some major battles. I will put more of my opinion in these then in the biographies.
Almost everyone knows the answer to question when asked. What was the first battle of the Civil War? Everyone usually says Fort Sumter. They would be correct but how much do you really know? It took place in Charleston Harbor, Charleston, South Carolina in April 1861 on the 12th and 13th. It was not a major battle in the war but it was a major political battle that showed the whole world the Confederate intentions. I will probably started each battle by giving some location and date and just some introductory stuff. Fort Sumter is the equivalent to the shot heard around the world in Revolutionary war.
The men who fought in Fort Sumter, were the men at the Fort. They were Union soldiers and the other side was Confederate who actually attacked. It is not well known how many men fought there but it is known that the Union was outnumbered and low on supplies. As the Dates imply it was a short lived battle. The first shot was at 4:30am on April 12th. The Confederacy offered a surrender but the Union refused.
The Command, was Robert Anderson for the Union and Pierre G. T. Beauregard for the Confederates. Not well known is Robert Anderson but Beauregard fought some other battles later in the war and had some success. Anderson was consider a failure after the battle but went to become Brigadier General in Kentucky.
The results of Fort Sumter are pretty obvious at a political stand point, As said Its showed the Confederates intentions and started the Civil War. It also forced Abraham Lincoln to call for 75,000 Volunteers to quell the rebellion. Fort Sumter was the battle that was seen around the world and because the south later wanted help from foreign countries, the south need to show they were willing to go to war. Fort Sumter is one of the most well known battles besides Gettysburg and Antietam and maybe Fredricksburg or Bulls run. Fort Sumter in short marked the start of a war that would kill over 600,000 people, Brother vs Brother and become one of the bloodiest wars our nation has seen besides War World 2.
If still want more information go the Civil Battles Site that I have hyperlinked on top.^ Its has a excerpt from a book. Or you could google it or use a encylopeida .


My Next Battle Breakdown: The First Battle of Bulls Run

Union Officer: Willliam Tecumseh Sherman

William Tecumseh Sherman was a Union officer in the civil war. He was born February 8th, 1820 in Lancaster, Ohio. You can read this Biography if you prefer that over my thing. I will be using my The Everything Civil War Book to supplement my writing and information.
Sherman is pretty well known for his accomplishments. Sherman was born Ohio with his mother and Father and at the age of 9. His father a well known Judge and Lawyer died. Sherman was raise by his neighbor until age 16 when he went off to West Point. Sherman graduated from West Point in 1840 and enter the military as a second Lieutenant. Sherman saw action in a few small wars the most notable one the Mexican War. Sherman temporarily retired from the military in 1853. He went on to try a career in law and banking but he found it very boring. He ended working as a superintendent for a Louisiana Military school.
When the Civil War started, Sherman was somewhat of southern but when asked to fight for the Confederacy, he turn it down and went to the Union. Sherman was colonel for the infantry and saw action at the First Bulls run campaign in July 1861. Note: The Union did not do very good in the being of the war. So even though he was successful the union was not. Sherman was promoted to Brigadier General and he was also assigned to Kentucky. Sherman has some trouble and was not a very commander of his department. He argue with his commanding officers and the press and eventually consider suicide. In March 1862, He took over in Tennessee. Sherman was injured in the battle of Shiloh and it was almost blamed on him. Ulysses S Grant praised Sherman for his quick thinking. Sherman was placed in command on the Mississippi.
This started Sherman's Famous march. Sherman's orders were to march down to Atlanta and disable the economic center of the Confederacy. Sherman burned Atlanta to the ground and went on to march through the south creating havoc. This was called Sherman's March to the Sea. Sherman had the south surrender and he took over the for the conclusion of the civil war for Grant. William T Sherman died February 14, 1891. William T Sherman was a great Military leader and if it wasn't for him, the north would have had trouble. If YOU want more Information on William Tecumseh Sherman then type in on Google or look in a encyclopedia.


Next: Battle Breakdown...Fort Sumter