Download First Battle of Bull Run

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1 When the Civil War first started, both sides thought that it
would end quickly. The first major battle took place at Bull Run
in Virginia. This battle showed both sides that the war would
be long and bloody.
2 In 1861, the Confederate capital was in Richmond,
Virginia. It was only about one hundred miles away from
Washington, D.C. Newspapers in the North called for the army
to attack the Southern capital.
3 The Union general, Irvin McDowell, did not agree. He did
not feel that his army was ready for any major battles. Lincoln did not listen to his general. He ordered the
army to march for Manassas. This town had a railroad that was important to the North.
4 The leader of the Southern army was P.G.T. Beauregard. He was the officer who had captured Fort
Sumter. The battle at Fort Sumter had started the Civil War. Beauregard's army was camping near a
stream named Bull Run. The stream was about four miles north of Manassas.
5 The march south took the Northern soldiers almost four days. Manassas was only about twenty-five
miles away. The slow pace showed how badly prepared the army was. Soldiers were said to have stopped
to pick blackberries instead of marching.
6 The march south was treated like a party. The Union army was sure that it would win any battle.
People rode in on buggies or on horses to watch the battle. It was July 21, 1861.
7 The slow pace of the Union army gave Beauregard plenty of time to get ready. More soldiers came in
to strengthen the army. Trains brought many of them in. It marked the first time that soldiers were moved
by train. When McDowell finally attacked, both armies were about the same size.
8 Hours after the battle started, the people who had come to watch the battle were running back to
Washington as fast as they could. The battle was much different from what anybody had thought it would
be. It was loud and bloody.
9 At first, it seemed like the Union army was winning. Slowly the army was pushing the Southern army
back. If the Union won, the road to Richmond would be open.
10 The Confederates were ready to break when some men rallied behind General Thomas J. Jackson.
He was fighting to protect a piece of land that was important in the battle. Jackson earned his nickname of
"Stonewall" here because he stood as strong as a stone wall.
11 More Confederate troops started to come from the South. The Union army was becoming tired and
discouraged. They had been fighting all day and had not been able to win the battle. Union officers were
losing control of their men. Some soldiers simply stopped fighting and started walking back toward
Washington. Others ran north as the Southern army pushed the attack toward them.
12 The road to the North was choked with people. Soldiers were trying to make their way north. Also on
the road were the people who had come to watch the battle. They all now ran north. Most of them had
never seen a war. They were now terrified by what the country faced.
13 The Confederates had a great opportunity. The road to Washington was open. They could have gone
north
and
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had a chance to attack the Union capital. But the men in the Southern armySep
were
and did MDT
21, tired
2014 09:33:40AM
file:/Users/Teacher/Downloads/Fist%20Battle%20of%20Bull%20Run%20text%202
north and had a chance to attack the Union capital. But the men in the Southern army were tired and did
not have the energy to chase the Union army. The war may have ended very differently if they had.
14 Compared to what was coming, the number of killed and wounded was not large. The Union army
had about 2900 casualties. A casualty is a man who was killed, injured, captured, or missing in action. The
Confederate casualties were less than two thousand.
15 This sounds like a lot of people. But these numbers would prove to be small as the war continued.
This early battle showed both sides that the war would not be easy to win. Both sides began to prepare
much larger armies for the battles ahead.
Copyright © 2014 edHelper
First Battle of Bull Run
Which side won the Battle of Bull Run?
1. The South
The North
Where was the capital of the
Confederates?
3. Manassas, Virginia
Washington, D.C.
Richmond, Virginia
What is a casualty?
5. Who was the leader of the Southern army?
Irvin McDowell
2. Abraham Lincoln
P.G.T. Beauregard
This battle marked the first time soldiers were transported
by:
4. Train
Car
Plane
How did people treat the battle at first?
6. Page 2 of 2
Sep 21, 2014 09:33:40AM MDT