The First Major Battle of the Civil War

The First Battle of Bull Run was the first major battle of the Civil War, was fought in Virginia, near Manassas, on July 21, 1861. The main general of the Federal army was Brigadier General Irwin McDowell, whose forces consisted of 30,000 men split into five divisions. General Joseph E. Johnston led the Confederate army, with about 22,000 men, though his army was not yet organized. Bull Run was fought to defend Richmond, which the Union thought they could rush, and end the war quickly. McDowell's troops suffered greatly from inexperience, but his plans were designed for experience troops. This gave the Confederates time to dig in, and when the slow-moving Union army finally reached the battlefield, lack of coordination between officers didn't allow the Union to take advantage of its superior numbers. The battle was largely a stalemate until the arrival of Confederate reinforcements, who forced the Union to retreat back to Washington. …