First Manassas: Animated Battle Map

[Music] on April 12 1861 Confederate forces opened fire on Fort Sumter the Civil War had begun President Lincoln called for 75,000 troops to repress the rebellion more than that number enlisted many of these men gathered in and around Washington DC and sprawling camps some brought their families with them American soldiers had not bought a real war in more than a decade and for many this conflict would be the adventure of their lives passions ran strong on both sides army ranks swelled by July calls for action reached a fever pitch with the Union rallying cry on to Richmond in July 1861 four armies were positioned in the vicinity General Erwin McDowell's army defended the Union Capital General Robert Patterson's force was 60 miles to the northwest opposing Patterson in the Shenandoah Valley was General Joseph Lee Johnston but the largest Confederate force under general PGT Beauregard stood poised to march on Washington DC in mid July 1861 general McDowell pushed his army westward to confront the Confederate force Beauregard fell back to a position where he could defend the vital railroad junction at Manassas while protecting the roads to Richmond covering a six mile front Beauregard defended the crossings of a meandering stream called Bull Run McDowell sent Union division commander Daniel Tyler on a reconnaissance mission toward Blackburn's Ford Israel Richardson's Brigade advanced upon and encountered stiff resistance from Confederate troops under James Longstreet Tyler's repulse convinced McDowell he should cross elsewhere meanwhile in the Shenandoah Valley General Joseph Johnston slipped away from Union General Robert Patterson Johnston's troops marched to the Manassas Gap railroad where they boarded trains for Manassas it was the first time that troops were rushed to a battle field by rail this movement placed the Confederates on equal numerical terms with the Union Army on the morning of July 21st 1861 McDowell again advanced Tyler's division toward Bull Run this time to occupy the southerners in this front while 13,000 Union soldiers in two divisions conducted a circuitous flanking maneuver this column of inexperienced and exhausted soldiers crossed Bull Run and Kant harpin Run and emerged it's settling Springs on the flank and rear of the Confederate Army as the head of the Union column approached Matthews Hill Confederates under Colonel shanks Evans moved to stop the Union advance South Carolinians and Louisianians engaged Rhode Island troops the Confederates though outnumbered actually attacked the Union position both sides bring more troops into the fight Confederates under general Bernard B arrive and extend the Confederate flanks ultimately Union troops are able to bring more infantry and more cannons to the fight and the southerners are forced to fall back to Henry Hill as disorganized Confederate soldiers were formed on the backside of Henry Hill fresh troops arrived General Thomas Jackson's Brigade of Virginians formed the heart to the Confederate position Jackson bolstered his line with 13 short-range cannons after hours of delay the Union Army finally moves toward Henry Hill 11 cannons under captain's Charles Griffin and James Ricketts take position on both sides of the Henry house this will be the focal point of the battle the Confederate artillery is well positioned for the short-range fight and they disseminate the Union artillery man and their battery horses Union infantry support arrives only to be pushed back by the Confederates with Jeb Stuart's horsemen riding into their mist Charles Griffin moves to cannons over to M fillet the Confederate line but before he can open fire the Confederates attack and capture the cannons the Union counter-attacks and recaptures the guns henceforth this will be an infantry man's fight with both sides buying for possession of the Union cannons the Union launches several bloody assaults and gets weaker as the day goes on the Confederates are only getting stronger they bring fresh troops to the field extend their lives beyond the Union flank by the time the last Union reinforcements arrive they move on to chin Ridge and finally are already outflanked the southerners are able to easily push these troops off the battlefield and they retreat along with the rest of the Union Army Union forces retired across Sedley Ford and Stonebridge disorganized Confederates pursued and helped turn the Union retreat into a rout it was the bloodiest battle in American history up to that time [Music] you [Music]

Channel: American Battlefield Trust

Views: 364,100

Keywords: American Battlefield Trust, Civil War Trust, Battle of First Manassas, Battle of First Bull Run, Northern Virginia Civil War, Civil War, Stonewall Jackson, Winfield Scott, Irvin McDowell, Civil War Trust Animated Map

Id: SuSO1DHqPk4

Length: 5min 35sec (335 seconds)

Published: Thu Jun 13 2019