Confederates Win!
BATTLE OF BULL RUN
JULY 21, 1861
This was the first major land battle of the armies in Virginia, as well as where both sides were engaged. The battle began when around 35,000 Union troops marched down from Washington D.C, the federal capital to face head on a Confederate force of 20,000 men lead by Beauregard along a small river knowns as Bull Run. These military generals were both from the prestige military school of West Point, and although had the advantage of a higher educational foundation they both received the same training and battle plans which caused a disadvantage in battle tactics. Our Confederate forces were fighting a mainly defensive fight all day, and just when the rebels looked like they were about to lose, Thomas J. Jackson reinforcements launched a strong counterattack. This battle is where “stonewall” Jackson derived from as his men lined up to the left and right as they battled against the Union who left in a frantic retreat back to washington D.C. This shocked both sides, as they realized that this war was going to be bloodier and longer than expected as the Confederate attack was fiercer than expected. Confederate wins yet again!
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