Battle of Bull Run – A Brief History for the Civil War Reenactor

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What is commonly known as the first major Civil War battle was fought on July 21st, 1861. In the north the battle would be known as the 1st Battle of Bull Run and the 1st Manassas Battle in the south. The Union Army General, Irvin McDowell, as well as the politicians in Washington, felt that this battle, with a quick win by the Union would lead to an early end of the war. As it turned out they had highly under estimated the determination and tenacity of the Confederate Army in general and General Pierre Beauregard in particular. Having been battle seasoned at Ft. Sumpter, Beauregard counted on a decisive victory that he thought would bring peace as well. He and his soldiers did have their victory, but it would be far from being the end of the war.

The Confederate and Union Armies were each split into three major battle commands. Beauregard, with 20,000 troops, was dug in near Manassas Junction on Bull Run Creek and 30,000 men under McDowell were situated along the Potomac River. Union General Robert Patterson had 18,000 men at Harpers Ferry and greatly out numbered Confederate General Joseph Johnson with 12,000 soldiers under his command. At Fort Monroe, Virginia General John Magruder pinned down Union General Benjamin Butler and his 10,000 troops with a much smaller Confederate contingency.

Leaving Washing on July 16th, McDowell's army with his largely inexperienced soldiers and a large and cumbersome supply train headed for Manassas Junction. The untrained and undisciplined army didn't arrive at Manassas Junction until July 18th. As soon as they arrived McDowell deployed scouts to recon the enemy forces but they were beaten back, and suffered the Unions first small but demoralizing defeat, by a small group of Confederate forces.

McDowell planed to have Patterson keep General Johnson at bay at Harpers Ferry, giving him a large advantage in troop numbers against Beauregard's forces. Early on in the battle it looked like the Union forces would see victory due to this advantage of a larger force and the confidence coming from having won several small clashes in their drive for Henry House Hill. When Johnson and his men were able to get around the Patterson forces and come to the rescue of General Beauregard the advantage turned.

The formidable fighting skills and determination of the Confederate soldiers caused General McDowell to issue an order for retreat. What was supposed to be an orderly retreat turned into a rout, with Union officers deserting their men and the soldiers running for their lives. The large supply train was left in a jumbled trail behind the fleeing army. Sightseeing civilians, having followed the Union Army down from Washington and gathered on surrounding hilltops, made the rout even more chaotic. This 1st battle of a divided country claimed approximately 5,000 casualties and includes the missing, wounded and dead civilians as well. The Confederacy had sent a message to Washington that there would be no quick and easy victory in the war.

The Battle of Bull Run as a Civil War reenactment is a favorite of modern day southerners who dust off their reproduction civil war weapons, put on Confederate uniforms and raise the Confederate flag. Unlike most other Civil War battles with yearly reenactments this first meeting of Union and Confederate forces is reenacted every five years.