Battle of Bull Run

The Battles of Bull Run

Two battles in the U.S. Civil War were fought along Bull Run Creek near Manassas, in northern Virginia, southwest of Washington D.C. The first battle, often called “The Battle of 1st Manassas,” occurred on July 21, 1861 between the Union army of about thirty thousand men controlled by the brave and strong General Irvin McDowell, and the Confederate of about twenty-two thousand commanded by General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard. This battle was the first major battle of the Civil war, as well as for the junior officer, McDowell. A year later, the second battle was fought in the same place on August 29th and 30th. In that battle, General John Pope commanded thirty five thousand Union troops and faced the Confederate’s General Robert E. Lee and his fifty thousand troops. Once again, the Union was outnumbered, but they fought long and hard. However, in the end, the Confederates came out the victors of both battles (Davis 256). After the second battle, L...