As Beauregard urged Johnston to move to his aid, McDowell, on the morning of the 20th laid out his plan of attack to his subordinates.
Tyler was ordered to move his divisons in a thrust across the soon to be famous Stone Bridge. Federals under Col. Issac Richardson were to again press against Blackburn's Ford. As this action was engaged, McDowell with the remainder of his force would move west, cross at Sudley Springs Ford and drive against the enemy left flank. Beauregard, aware of a iminate attack was planning a simular attack against the Federal left flank which would in effect keep the two armies circling one another as the battle developed. Hesitant to move until more solid confirmation of the arrival of Johnston's troops in support from the valley, Beauregard lost some time before seeing to his preprations for his planned attack and gave the Federals the advantage. To award this slight failure, McDowell's movements were slow and disjointed giving the Southerner's time to recover from their mistakes and move troops to where they were needed most.
With Hienzelman's main flanking force now pressing the Confederate left near Matthew's hill against the troops of Gen'ls Bernard Bee and Barrow. The Federal deployment went fairly smooth and the Federals seemed to gain a clear advantage from the start. Advancing against this force, the Federals were met with only a mild resisitance. As more Federals were coming up from the ford, to support this attack, Bee and Barrow found their shaken lines begining to disintigrate.
Confusion and disorder soon were the scene as the Confederates broke to the rear. Bee worked frantically to reform his scattered ranks
It seemed the Union plan of attack was working. As the Confederate flooded back across to the only notable high ground in the rear, The Henry House Hill, Bee noticed reeinfocements now forming there.
37 year old VMI proffessor, Thomas J. Jackson was moving his Virginian's into position behind a low stone wall that crowned the hill. Bee cried to his men, "There stands Jackson like a stone wall! Let us rally behind the Virginians." It has often been contested that this was indeed what Bee said. Other's claim it was a sarcasum against Jackson for not advancing to his aid. Others claim Bee was referring to the Stonewall of Jackson's position. Not the ardor of his deployment. Jackson in fact was following orders. The first of the troops to have taken the field from Johnston's command in the valley.
Barrow was dead and Bee was soon mortally wounded. Jackson's placement was vital however in marking a solid rally point for the broken confederates now retiriring from Matthew's Hill. A solid line of defence was fromed along the crest of Henry House Hill from the Manassas road to the Robinsin house. From their two respectrive positions, the two armies pounded eah other with small arms fire. Artillery soon joined the contest. Hundreds of men were down. the ranks growing ever thinner. Jackson, wounded with a broken finger from a stray shot paced behind the line beckoning the men to hold the line and continue their fire.
A ranging Federal Artillery round struck the already shot riddled Henry House and Killed it's matron, Judith Henry. the first civilian casualty of the war.
Moving two Federal artillery batteries forward to the hill, McDowell ordered them to enfilade Jackson's line with shot and shell. These two batteries were unsupported by Infantry. To answer this new threat, Beauregard ordered troops forward to counterattack the position. Mooving forward out of the cover of woods these Confederate troops were wearing blue uniforms. Confused, the Federal gunners held their fire. When the battery commander questioned about the blue troops in his front, he was told that they were his battery support and to pay them no mind. It was a costly mistake. Advancing to point blank range, the Blue clad Confederates massed a murderous volley into the position. Charging forward into the confused and shocked federals, the guns were won and lost three times as the Federals tried deserately to save them in hand to hand fighting. The position was finally taken by the Confederates and with it the upperhand in the battle.
With the capture of the Federal guns and the position, The Confederates rushed forward along the line to press the new advantage. After 14 hours of heavy fighting by green troops in the heat of summer they had nothing left. Regiments began to withdraw without orders. This withdrawel was noticed by more and more as the Confederates continued to press their front. Soon panic rose in the ranks and the withdrawel which at forst was with some measure of order soon lost order and became more and more confused.
The Confederate attackes gained momentum adding to the Union confussion. Fleeing in greater numbers twoards the Cub Run Bridge to escape. The Federal retreat soon was turned into a route as a ranging Confederate shell exploded on the bridge amidst the massed troops and supply wagons now jamming it to overflowing. In panic the retreat turned into a full headlong route. Dropping weapons and accoutermentes, the Northerners ran in blind headlong flight to to the rear and Washington. The confusuion was further enlarged by the hundreds of Civilians who had come out from Washington to see the great battle. With reports from fleeing Federals that the enemy was coming, they soon added their own disorder to the flight. A flight that for many would not stop until the outskirts of Washington were safely in their rear. A distance McDowell had taken three days to cover was recovered in record time.
The Confederates in pursuit were at this point just as exhasuted as the Federals fleeing before them. Unmindful of the significance of their great victory, they too lost order and one by one the chasing Southern forces stopped thier pursuit.
It is argued that Beauregard lost a grand opportunity to press Washington and finnish the destructionaready started by his men. In theory this sounds reasonable but in truth was impossible. The pursuit of the Federals had removed all organization and order from his now much scattered forces. Even had they been readily reasembled, they were in no shape to carry the fight further.
As the smoke began to settle on the plains of Manassas, there was now the realization that this newly undetaken war was not that which either side had envisioned. Thousands lay in twisted agony on the field. death and destruction was everywhere. Men of both sides wandered aimlessly in bewilderment across the field of conflict shocked at what their eyes had seen this day. Violent death was the ruller here. not the grand glory so many sought to find here. And so ended the first major conflict of the war. A trial of fire that would leave an endellable mark on a nation as had no other before it. Though the first, it would not be the last. A nation sighed as that which would was yet to come was no reaslized.
I retrospect, I think we can argue that the troops on botyh sides were not ready for what happened at Bull Run however, regardless, I think that where ever or when ever that first majjor battle was to take place, it would be something either side would have been ready for.
McDowell did not exzibit the best in the overall but the plans made were sound enough. Only the logistical excecution and the unexperiance of his troops were responsible for his downfall at Manassas. He would be ridiculed for it for years to come but I feel wrongly so but then war has a way of making scapegoats. Someone has to bear the blame.
The South had won a most significant victory but that vicory was overshadowed by the cost and the inability to maximise on the outcome. This is something Beauregard would bear for the remainder of the war. Never to be noted so much for what he had accomplished but more in what he had not. Ironic in that what he did not do was never truely a possibility anyway.
The battle was also a launching platform for some very notable careers on bothsides. The battle had been a test whch had proved who and who not was able to command.
Cap'n
Tyler was ordered to move his divisons in a thrust across the soon to be famous Stone Bridge. Federals under Col. Issac Richardson were to again press against Blackburn's Ford. As this action was engaged, McDowell with the remainder of his force would move west, cross at Sudley Springs Ford and drive against the enemy left flank. Beauregard, aware of a iminate attack was planning a simular attack against the Federal left flank which would in effect keep the two armies circling one another as the battle developed. Hesitant to move until more solid confirmation of the arrival of Johnston's troops in support from the valley, Beauregard lost some time before seeing to his preprations for his planned attack and gave the Federals the advantage. To award this slight failure, McDowell's movements were slow and disjointed giving the Southerner's time to recover from their mistakes and move troops to where they were needed most.
With Hienzelman's main flanking force now pressing the Confederate left near Matthew's hill against the troops of Gen'ls Bernard Bee and Barrow. The Federal deployment went fairly smooth and the Federals seemed to gain a clear advantage from the start. Advancing against this force, the Federals were met with only a mild resisitance. As more Federals were coming up from the ford, to support this attack, Bee and Barrow found their shaken lines begining to disintigrate.
Confusion and disorder soon were the scene as the Confederates broke to the rear. Bee worked frantically to reform his scattered ranks
It seemed the Union plan of attack was working. As the Confederate flooded back across to the only notable high ground in the rear, The Henry House Hill, Bee noticed reeinfocements now forming there.
37 year old VMI proffessor, Thomas J. Jackson was moving his Virginian's into position behind a low stone wall that crowned the hill. Bee cried to his men, "There stands Jackson like a stone wall! Let us rally behind the Virginians." It has often been contested that this was indeed what Bee said. Other's claim it was a sarcasum against Jackson for not advancing to his aid. Others claim Bee was referring to the Stonewall of Jackson's position. Not the ardor of his deployment. Jackson in fact was following orders. The first of the troops to have taken the field from Johnston's command in the valley.
Barrow was dead and Bee was soon mortally wounded. Jackson's placement was vital however in marking a solid rally point for the broken confederates now retiriring from Matthew's Hill. A solid line of defence was fromed along the crest of Henry House Hill from the Manassas road to the Robinsin house. From their two respectrive positions, the two armies pounded eah other with small arms fire. Artillery soon joined the contest. Hundreds of men were down. the ranks growing ever thinner. Jackson, wounded with a broken finger from a stray shot paced behind the line beckoning the men to hold the line and continue their fire.
A ranging Federal Artillery round struck the already shot riddled Henry House and Killed it's matron, Judith Henry. the first civilian casualty of the war.
Moving two Federal artillery batteries forward to the hill, McDowell ordered them to enfilade Jackson's line with shot and shell. These two batteries were unsupported by Infantry. To answer this new threat, Beauregard ordered troops forward to counterattack the position. Mooving forward out of the cover of woods these Confederate troops were wearing blue uniforms. Confused, the Federal gunners held their fire. When the battery commander questioned about the blue troops in his front, he was told that they were his battery support and to pay them no mind. It was a costly mistake. Advancing to point blank range, the Blue clad Confederates massed a murderous volley into the position. Charging forward into the confused and shocked federals, the guns were won and lost three times as the Federals tried deserately to save them in hand to hand fighting. The position was finally taken by the Confederates and with it the upperhand in the battle.
With the capture of the Federal guns and the position, The Confederates rushed forward along the line to press the new advantage. After 14 hours of heavy fighting by green troops in the heat of summer they had nothing left. Regiments began to withdraw without orders. This withdrawel was noticed by more and more as the Confederates continued to press their front. Soon panic rose in the ranks and the withdrawel which at forst was with some measure of order soon lost order and became more and more confused.
The Confederate attackes gained momentum adding to the Union confussion. Fleeing in greater numbers twoards the Cub Run Bridge to escape. The Federal retreat soon was turned into a route as a ranging Confederate shell exploded on the bridge amidst the massed troops and supply wagons now jamming it to overflowing. In panic the retreat turned into a full headlong route. Dropping weapons and accoutermentes, the Northerners ran in blind headlong flight to to the rear and Washington. The confusuion was further enlarged by the hundreds of Civilians who had come out from Washington to see the great battle. With reports from fleeing Federals that the enemy was coming, they soon added their own disorder to the flight. A flight that for many would not stop until the outskirts of Washington were safely in their rear. A distance McDowell had taken three days to cover was recovered in record time.
The Confederates in pursuit were at this point just as exhasuted as the Federals fleeing before them. Unmindful of the significance of their great victory, they too lost order and one by one the chasing Southern forces stopped thier pursuit.
It is argued that Beauregard lost a grand opportunity to press Washington and finnish the destructionaready started by his men. In theory this sounds reasonable but in truth was impossible. The pursuit of the Federals had removed all organization and order from his now much scattered forces. Even had they been readily reasembled, they were in no shape to carry the fight further.
As the smoke began to settle on the plains of Manassas, there was now the realization that this newly undetaken war was not that which either side had envisioned. Thousands lay in twisted agony on the field. death and destruction was everywhere. Men of both sides wandered aimlessly in bewilderment across the field of conflict shocked at what their eyes had seen this day. Violent death was the ruller here. not the grand glory so many sought to find here. And so ended the first major conflict of the war. A trial of fire that would leave an endellable mark on a nation as had no other before it. Though the first, it would not be the last. A nation sighed as that which would was yet to come was no reaslized.
I retrospect, I think we can argue that the troops on botyh sides were not ready for what happened at Bull Run however, regardless, I think that where ever or when ever that first majjor battle was to take place, it would be something either side would have been ready for.
McDowell did not exzibit the best in the overall but the plans made were sound enough. Only the logistical excecution and the unexperiance of his troops were responsible for his downfall at Manassas. He would be ridiculed for it for years to come but I feel wrongly so but then war has a way of making scapegoats. Someone has to bear the blame.
The South had won a most significant victory but that vicory was overshadowed by the cost and the inability to maximise on the outcome. This is something Beauregard would bear for the remainder of the war. Never to be noted so much for what he had accomplished but more in what he had not. Ironic in that what he did not do was never truely a possibility anyway.
The battle was also a launching platform for some very notable careers on bothsides. The battle had been a test whch had proved who and who not was able to command.
Cap'n
