The Battlefield |
McHenry's House |
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Cannons at Bull Run 
A scene from the battle of Bull Run
By: Chris Keller, Elizabeth Simpson, and Chad
Powell
| On July 21, 1861 the first battle
started. This battle started because of the bombardment of Fort Sumter.
In the air there was holiday spirit. The Union army had 30,000 soldiers
under the command of Irvin McDowell. The Confederacy Army had 22,000
soldiers under the command of Gen. Pierre Gustave Toutant Bouregard. People
stood around the battle. The public had a picnic and watched
the battle at the same time. Everyone thought the Union were going
to win. The battle began in the backyard of a man named Mr. McLean.
After the battle was over Mr. McLean moved to Appomattix.
The commanders of the Union were Gen. Ivrin McDowell and Gen. McClellan
. The Confederate commanders were Gen. Jackson. The troops, before
the battle, were trained for five hours. In the beginning the Confederates
retreated to Henry House Hill. The Confederates held the Union back until
9,000 reinforcements arrived. Gen. Jackson got his nickname, Stonewall
Jackson, at this battle. He stood like a "stonewall" people said.
When the reinforcements came the Union troops retreated in defeat.
The Union troops ran to the nearest cover dropping supplies as they went.
The Confederates did not chase the Union troops, but picked up all the
supplies the Union troops discarded. After the battle, both sides
realized that their troops needed more training. The Union army lost 2,900
men killed, wounded, captured, or missing. The Confederates lost
2,000 the same ways as the Union. The battle changed conflict from a rebellion
to a civil war.
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