Free Essay

Battle of Bull Run

In: Historical Events

Submitted By millernd33
Words 1446
Pages 6
Weaponry
Since many of the soldiers who participated in the first battle of Bull Run were state volunteers, they were armed with whatever the state government provided them. Many soldiers were issued smooth bore weapons at the beginning of the war. As it progressed, more and more soldiers were armed with rifled weapons, being more accurate and far superior to smooth bore rifles. For the past 150 years, the soldier’s weapon of choice was the .69 caliber smooth bore musket. These rifles were inaccurate and did not have an effective killing range (100-200 yards). A lot of luck went into the soldier’s marksmanship. In the days prior, Napoleonic tactics were commonplace on the battlefield. In this fashion, soldiers lined up side by side and fired a volley of lead into the enemy’s direction, each rank taking turns to reload while the other fired. This tactic was effective in its own right, causing high casualties to both sides. During the civil war however, good soldiers were hard to find, and advancements in technology allowed them to use tactics and weaponry that helped keep soldiers alive on the battlefield.
Advancements in the weaponry used during the First battle of the Bull Run made a significant difference in many aspects of the battle. Rifles used in the battle looked identical to the ones previously used, but with one key change: rifling. Rifled weapons have groves cut inside the barrel that cause the projectile to spin as it leaves the muzzle of the weapon. This barrel groove allowed rifles to be much more accurate, having a longer range than their predecessors (400-600 yards). Rifled muskets however were still muzzle loaded weapons. This required each soldier to aim and shoot, place the butt of their gun on the ground, load a powder charge, load the wad and musket ball, pack the loaded barrel with the ram rod, place a percussion cap on the breech, caulk the weapon and then repeat the cycle. A typical soldier was expected to accomplish this feat at a steady 3 rounds per minute. Each infantryman carried 40 rounds of ammunition in a leather pouch at his side. If a big battle was imminent, they were issued extra 20 rounds to avoid having to resupply and keep them in the fight for longer periods of time. .
Officers were armed with either single shot or multiple shot handguns. Which were usually Colts or Remington handguns chambered in either .36 or .44. Union cavalry men were armed with sabers and handguns, later carrying rifled muskets with them on horseback. Confederate cavalry men were armed with a vast array of weaponry, ranging from shotguns to handguns. Since the south didn’t have the resources of the industrial north, these soldiers had to take what they could get, and learn to use it well.
Field artillery played a major role in this battle. The Union army had access to the European market, making them fortunate owners of rifled cannons that fired exploding shells. On the other hand, Confederates were still armed with smooth bore cannons. These weapons were much less effective, still firing cannon balls, grape shot and case shot rounds. During the civil war, field artillery was broken down into four to six guns. At the head were battery commanders or captains, controlling the full scope of the artillery on the battlefield and lieutenants who commanded a two gun “section” each. Each gun was manned by a platoon consisting of eight personnel. There was a sergeant in charge of each gun, men who loaded and fired the weapon and also those who transported the weapon to its destination. Field artillery was transported via six horses by wooden wheels attached to mounting of the cannon. A second six horse carriage would follow the gun which carried two chests of ammo and additional supplies for the gun. At full strength, an artillery battery would consist of 100 men and around 100 to 150 horses. Each battery was expected to be able to fire within a minute’s time and fire two rounds per minute. Each sergeant placed the guns 14 yards apart, which meant that roughly 100 yards would be covered in a six gun front. There were six different types of artillery used during the war. Each cannon tube was made of either bronze or cast iron. There was a different variety of ammunition that could be shot out of the cannons (First Battle of Bull Run) (Ballard, 2004). Solid projectiles (aka cannon balls) ricochet across the battlefield , tearing limbs off of unsuspecting soldiers. Artillery shells exploded on contact, leveling a small area with a large concussive blast and shrapnel. Case shot are thin metal shells packed with shrapnel and sawdust that erupt into pieces as soon as they are fired. Like a veritable confetti gun from hell, these shells unleash a cascade of shrapnel upon the battlefield causing maximum damage in a wide cone. Weapons used during the civil war may seem primitive today, but soldiers of the time learned to use them exceedingly well. By looking at the death toll alone, we can understand that these weapons were used to maximum effect by the soldiers who wielded them.
Northern Leadership
The leader of the northern offensive in the offset of the civil war was Brigadier General Irvin McDowell. In his early life before the outset of the civil war, McDowell was a West Point graduate of 1838 commissioning into the 1st Artillery Regiment along the Canadian border. He promptly moved up the ranks throughout the U.S –Mexican War (1846-1848), gaining experience in logistics and supply protocol while serving as a staff officer. With his innate experience from military life, and his close friendship with General Winfield Scott and Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase, he was promoted to Major rank in March of 1856. By the outset of the American Civil War, McDowell was promoted three grades to brigadier general of the regular army on May 14, 1861, taking command of the Army of Northeastern Virginia. Having never led troops on the field before, McDowell was skeptical about his sudden promotion which may have attributed to his inevitable loss on the field of Manassas at the First Battle of Bull Run. Northern newspapers pressured President Lincoln to come up with strategy to end the war quickly after the attack at Fort Sumter set things into motion. Aware that the ninety day recruit enlistments were shortly becoming null and void, Lincoln set his trust in McDowell who by then had come up with a working strategy to take the capital of Richmond. To do that, he would first have to march his army south twenty miles to the railroad junction at Manassas Virginia which was a major supply route for southern forces. Capturing this junction would then offer a straight shot to Richmond further to the south. After three days of getting his recruits trained and ready to march, they set off toward Manassas. The troops took two days to march the twenty mile distance, each moment their inexperience being put on display for the rest of the troops. Men took their time to forage for berries and nap while the burning summer heat subsided. At the same time Confederate General P. G. T. Beauregard was given plenty of time to prepare for the upcoming battle, having scout reports of the slowly moving force moving to the junction. This gave him ample time to redeploy his forces and “dig in” to prepare their defense of the river.
McDowell in all accounts was ready to be the victor of this battle, having a strong plan and a larger military force of 37,000 recruits vs the confederate 20,000. The day however, was not McDowell’s. His army was too inexperienced and incapable of following the orders they were given. The Union forces crossed the stream and pushed the Confederates into defensive positions atop a hill and from then on, the current victor was unclear. Stonewall Jackson was able to rally his troops and break the Union right flank, resulting in a mass panic among the troops ,having them rout back to Washington D.C. in full retreat. After the battle, McDowell was relieved of command of his army, having it placed in the capable hands of Gen. George B. McClellan. McDowell was given command of I Corps in the New Army of the Potomac with the rank of Major General of volunteers. McDowell was later criticized for his role in the defeat of the Union forces at the second battle of Bull Run. He was then relieved of his command and his career at that point had been ruined.

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

The Battle of Bull Run

...1 History 1301 Central Texas College Selwyn Johnson The Battle of Bull Run Mr. Etheridge 2 The American Civil War (1861-1865) was a major war between the states of the United States, “The Union”, led by President Abraham Lincoln, who opposed the expansion of slavery and rejected any right to secession and the eleven Southern slave states that declared their secession and formed the Confederate States of America, led by President Jefferson Davis. (Carnes, Garraty, pg. 392) The First Battle of Bull Run (named after the closest body of water), also known as the First Battle of Manassas (named after the closest town), took place on July 21, 1861, and was the first major land battle of the American Civil War. Unseasoned Union Army troops under Brigadier General Irvin McDowell advanced against the Confederate Army under Brigadier General Joseph E. Johnston and P.G.T Beauregard at Manassas, Virginia, and despite early successes, were routed and forced to retreat back to Washington, D.C. (R.M Johnston) On the morning of July 21, divisions under David Hunter and Samuel P. Heintzelman crossed Sudley Springs and swept back the Confederate left flank. All that stood in the path of the 6,000 Union soldiers were Confederate Colonel Nathan Evans and his reduced brigade of 900 men. Evans had been informed of the Union flanking movement and had hastily led most of his men from their position fronting the Stone Brigade to a new location on the slopes of Matthews Hill, a...

Words: 843 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

First Battle Of Bull Run Essay

...The First Battle of Bull Run, or the First Battle of Manassas, started on July 21, 1861. It only took one day, but there was a lot to be learned about the battle. The battle took place in Manassas Virginia, and was the first major battle during the Civil War. It was the bloodiest battle at the time it took place. The fighting caused the deaths of 2,700 Union soldiers and 2,000 Confederate soldiers. This battle has two different names, because like a lot of other Civil War battles, the Union and the Confederates named it two different things. The Union named the battles after the natural recourses that are surrounding the area like bodies of water and landmarks. The Confederates got their battle names from the nearest railroad stations, towns, and cities. The Confederate army was...

Words: 819 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

First Battle Bull Run Research Paper

...Hoffman Dr. Jack 5 Alexis Hoffman Dr. Jack English 2B 30 November 2014 “The Impact of Civil Wars’ First Battle: Bull Run” A couple months before 1861, Confederate troops had attacked Fort Sumter and as a result began the series of battles known as the Civil War. Inspired by earlier winnings made by Union troops in western Virginia, the famous president Lincoln commanded General Irvin McDowell to make an army that would attack quickly and efficiently toward the south and create a route to Richmond. That would result in ending the war extremely fast. The battle would begin with an attack on more than 20,000 Confederate soldiers. Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard (P.G.T) had set up camp near Manassas Junction, Virginia (25 miles from Washington, D.C.) along a river known as Bull Run....

Words: 575 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Second Battle Of Bull Run Compare And Contrast

...The second battle of Bull Run (The second battle of Manassas) was fought in August 28-30 in 1862 at Bull Run near Manassas in Prince William County, Virginia. This was the second time the union and confederate forces had met at Bull Run. This was a much larger scale battle than the First battle of Bull Run, which was fought in July 1861 on much of the same ground during the American Civil War. This war alone was one bloodiest war during the civil war that out of 62,000 engaged Union soldiers only 14,000 survived and out of 50,000 engaged Confederate soldiers only 8,000 survived but the outcome was a confederate victory. John Pope was appointed to a newly formed Virginia army by Abraham Lincoln and was instructed to defend Washington and the...

Words: 481 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Case 9-1: Disney’s America Theme Park: the Third Battle of Bull Run

...What are the key issues that Eisner must consider in this situation from a government relations perspective? The key issues include the location of Eisner’s envisioned historical theme park. The state of Virginia is deeply filled with many events marked in American history such as the homes of four of the first five U.S. presidents, in addition to being the site of more than two-dozen civil war battlefields. Another key issue was the commotion and traffic that this theme park would create. As visitors will travel from many places to visit Disney America, Disney would have to predict when the highway will be most at traffic while putting in mind that many residents of Virginia use this highway, knowing it is already very crowded most of the time. Another major side effect of this traffic would be the heavily increased air pollution. When Disney confirmed that they would build the park in Prince William County, the biggest key issue of all arose: opposition. Many people were alarmed and concerned that this project would destroy many of America’s national marks of history and would be replaced by a theme park full of amusement. Many people did not have faith that Disney would be able to portray a full and clear, understandable image of American History, seeing as their other parks specialize in amusement and entertainment. Another economic key issue that many anti-Disney groups were doubting, was the number of jobs Disney promised to give. One campaign that took place in hope...

Words: 316 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Battle At Bull Run Analysis

...Federal law in the Southern states. The Battle at Bull Run was the first major land battle of the Civil War with the intent to take control of Richmond, which was the capital of Virginia and of the Confederacy. Leaders thought by controlling Richmond they would cause an early end to the uprising. Immediately after taking command, Brigadier General Irvin McDowell came under pressure from President Lincoln to launch a decisive military operation against the Confederate Army. Unfortunately, McDowell ineffectively used many of the mission command variables in his attempt to defeat the Confederate rebellion resulting in numerous casualties and Union retreat back to Washington. Some keys points of mission command discussed in this paper include whether or not McDowell understood the operational environment, did he visualize the results of the operation along with successfully describing the end state to his staff to gain a shared understanding. Additionally, to discuss McDowell’s effectiveness directing all aspects of the operation, continually assessing the situation to make...

Words: 2322 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

3rd Battle of Bull Run

...ead Case 4-1 (“JetBlue Airways: Regaining Attitude”) in Corporate Communication and respond to the following:  Jose Elizondo Discussion Question #3-JetBlue Saint Leo University Dr. Rose November 5, 2014 February 14, 2007 marked a turning point for Jet Blue and their commitment to one of their core values and building blocks: guest experience. Since their inception in 1999, Jet Blue experienced a level of success unprecedented in the airline industry. Build on the foundation of “bringing humanity back to air travel. Its founder David Neeleman focused on exceptional customer service, extended leg room and free satellite TV feeds in every seat. By 2005, JetBlue ranked highest among all airlines. The customer experience in turn resulted in profits for an impressive 16 consecutive quarters. On February 14, 2007, JetBlue made the executive decision to stay true to their values of a customer experience by keep flights schedules on time even though weather conditions were not conducive to flying. Unfortunately, this strategy did not go as intended and resulted in extremely irate customers and a potential loss of $45 million between cancelled flights and flight vouchers to impacted customers. So what went wrong? JetBlue was not experienced and prepared in multiple crisis management strategies to deal with the influx of customer questions and concerns. This lead to minimal communication to their customers as they would not be able to reach any of the reservation agents due...

Words: 558 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Beauregard First Battle Of Bull Run Analysis

...Beauregard. Beauregard. Beauregard. The chant, as his men marched back South from the The First Battle of Bull Run. The Confederacy wouldn't have won The First Battle of Bull Run if it wasn't for P.G.T. Beauregard going to U.S. military academy at West Point. In St. Bernard Parish on May 28, 1818, Beauregards mom gave birth to one of the best commanders of the Confederacy. Beauregard was an important person in The First Battle of Bull Run which started on a hot sunny day on July 21, 1861. The first shots of the Civil War were shot when Beauregard ordered his men to shoot. Commander Beauregard was a very smart man because he assumed that the Union Army would strike at Manassas to take the railroad junction, so he stationed most of his men between...

Words: 517 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

The Battle Of Bull Run And Soldier's Heart Comparison

...In the Civil War, there were several battles such as the Battle of Bull Run. The passage, “The Battle of Bull Run,” and the novel, Soldier’s Heart, have several similarities which include the fact that Abraham Lincoln wanted to attack the Rebels, and that there were spectators watching the gruesome and horrifying battle. In both the passage and the novel, they mentioned how President Abraham Lincoln wanted to attack the rebels to win the Civil War. Charley states in Soldier’s Heart that a rumor was going around about Lincoln wanting to attack the rebels harder and with more grit. Charley states, “But the rumors said that Lincoln...was very dissatisfied with McClellan’s ‘lack of bite’ and wanted some attack made on the Rebels, somewhere, at some time soon,” (59). This shows how Lincoln wanted to attack the Rebels sometime soon....

Words: 825 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Nike vs Adidad Comparison

...The First Battle of Bull Run The First Battle of Bull Run is also known as the Battle of Manassas. This important Battle was fought on July 21st 1861, near the city of Manassas located in Prince William County in the state of Virginia; at an important railroad junction located twenty five miles west of Washington DC. The conflict was between the Union which were the northern states and the Confederates which were the southern states. It was the first major battle of the Civil war and it lasted 4 years, from 1861 to 1865. Two months after the confederate fired up Fort Sumter, the north press and public was very anxious for the Union army to march towards Richmond as planned in order to meet the Confederate Congress on July 20. President Abraham Lincoln ordered General McDowell to prepare an offensive army that would attack decisively the Confederate forces in order to end the war quickly. Lincoln thought that this could be his last chance to the massive military force before he lost it. The main reason why all this conflict started was because of General Beauregard and his army attacked Fort Sumter battle in Charleston Harbor, North Carolina. It was very devastating, so the Union began to plan. The north commanded by General McDowell and the south commanded by General Beauregard and General Johnston began preparing for war by marching their armies around Manassas Junction. Their main plan was to stop General Beauregard and his army from continuing their attacks on the north...

Words: 943 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Warefare

...organized effort by a government or other large organization to stop or defeat something that is viewed as dangerous or bad (War, 2016).” War consists of a lot of violence, and unfortunately we as a society, think that is the best way to get our point across and the best way to solve problems. It is a situation that affects so many people. Not just those involved in the actual fighting in the war, but their families, their friends, and each country included in the war. When we send soldiers in to fight a battle, a lot of them will not make it back home to see their loved ones again. They may not even understand or agree with the reason behind the war. They just know they were called to serve their country and that’s what they will do. Based on the history of the United States of America, we have been at war for about 90% of the time since 1776. Some of the wars that have been instrumental within our history and that I will be discussing are World War 1, Battle of the Bull Run and Crusade. The process of warfare throughout the ages of time has evolved substantially; and these changes that have been implemented have drastically changed the way that we as a society view war and all that it entails. Let me say that since I have been a part of two wars I can say there are changes that have and will effect...

Words: 3306 - Pages: 14

Free Essay

Mr. Lincoln's Army Points

... Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard. It fought under this name at the First Battle of Manassas, then merged with Joseph E. Johnston's Confederate Army of the Shenandoah and the entire force was called the Army of the Potomac. This army was composed of two wings, or commands; the first commanded by Beauregard, and the second commanded by Maj. Gen. Gustavus W. Smith, with Johnston in overall command. On June1, 1862, Robert E. Lee took command of the Army of the Potomac following Johnston's wounding during Battle of Seven Pines, and shortly afterwards this army would be known as the Army of Northern Virginia.[1] Lee re-organized the army as two "wings" (corps were not legally allowed by the Confederate Congress until September 18),[2] with Longstreet in charge of the first wing and Lt. Gen.Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson in charge of the second. This arrangement would continue until the mortal wounding of Jackson at Chancellorsville and Lee splitting the Second Corps. A Third Corps was created from about half of the Second combined with a division from the First. Longstreet would be in charge of First Corps up to the Overland Campaign in May 1864, when he was severely wounded in The Wilderness. Maj. Gen. Richard H. Anderson took the First Corps until Longstreet's return in October 1864, and he would then command it for the rest of its campaigns. * Bull run- Fought on July 21, 1861, near Manassas, Virginia, the First Battle...

Words: 697 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Nursing

...immediately, Lee was in a tougher situation: he had to choose between the country he had served for thirty-two years or his home and family in the South. After pondering his decision, Lee decided to resign from the United States Army, stating that he could not raise his hand against those he loved. Lee assumed command of the Army of Northern Virginia on June 1, 1862. This was the main army of the Confederacy. It was not until three years later that he officially assumed command of all Confederate troops. However, this was a mere formality as he had been the main leader throughout the course of the war. In his first major battle of the Civil War, Lee’s army demolished the troops of John Pope at the Second Battle of Bull Run (Manassas). However, at Antietam, Lee lost one-third of his troops to George McClellan, who wielded a paper that contained Lee’s battle plans. Lee then proceeded to avenge his loss by winning at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. The victory at Chancellorsville was a bittersweet one; Stonewall Jackson, Lee’s right-hand man, was killed. These victories emboldened Lee and gave him the idea to begin an offensive. In July of 1863, Lee again lost a third of his troops at...

Words: 487 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

3 Civil Battles

...spotted flying the United States flag, but the hopes that were raised by this were false: the ships were in The battle died away after nightfall, but picked up again the following morning. Again, the barracks caught fire, and the flagstaff was shot away in early afternoon, the flag having to be raised instead on a hastily put together staff on the ramparts. At this point, Louis Wigfall, a former U.S. senator and one of Beauregard’s aides, traveled to the fort, without his commander’s knowledge, to find out whether the fall of the flag was in fact a sign of surrender. Even though this was not Anderson’s idea initially, negotiations between the two men did result in a surrender, and the flag was lowered and replaced with a white sheet. The Battle of Bull Run-This was the first major land battle of the Civil War. General McDowell conceived a fairly elaborate plan to attack the Confederate army commanded by his former West Point classmate, General P.G.T. Beauregard. For his part, Beauregard also had a complex plan. In the end, the plans of both generals fell apart, and actions by individual commanders and small units of soldiers determined the outcome. In the early phase of the battle the Union Army seemed to be beating the disorganized Confederates, but the rebel army managed to rally. General Thomas J. Jackson’s brigade of Virginians helped turn the tide of the battle, and Jackson that day received the everlasting nickname “Stonewall” Jackson. Counterattacks...

Words: 551 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Disney

...Case 9-1: Disney’s America Theme Park: the Third Battle of Bull Run What are the key issues that Eisner must consider in this situation from a government relations perspective? The key issues include the location of Eisner’s envisioned historical theme park. The state of Virginia is deeply filled with many events marked in American history such as the homes of four of the first five U.S. presidents, in addition to being the site of more than two-dozen civil war battlefields. Another key issue was the commotion and traffic that this theme park would create. As visitors will travel from many places to visit Disney America, Disney would have to predict when the highway will be most at traffic while putting in mind that many residents of Virginia use this highway, knowing it is already very crowded most of the time. Another major side effect of this traffic would be the heavily increased air pollution. When Disney confirmed that they would build the park in Prince William County, the biggest key issue of all arose: opposition. Many people were alarmed and concerned that this project would destroy many of America’s national marks of history and would be replaced by a theme park full of amusement. Many people did not have faith that Disney would be able to portray a full and clear, understandable image of American History, seeing as their other parks specialize in amusement and entertainment. Another economic key issue that many anti-Disney groups were doubting, was the number...

Words: 338 - Pages: 2