Two great, untested armies were readying for the first—and what many believed would be the last—major conflict between North and South. On the eve of July 21, 1861, one Northerner wrote: “The sky is perfectly clear, the moon is full and bright, and the air was still as if it were not within a few hours to be disturbed by the roar of cannon and the shouts of contending men.” So optimistic were the people in Washington that a crowd of civilians came from the city with picnic hampers to witness the crushing defeat of the upstart “rebels.” It was, says William C. Davis, “the twilight of America’s innocence,” and the following day the mood would shatter in a battle that confounded the expectations of both sides—the first Battle at Bull Run. William C. Davis has written a compelling and complete account of this landmark conflict. The Battle at Bull Run (or Manassas) is notable for many reasons. It was a surprise victory for the Confederacy, a humiliating defeat for the Union, and the first ominous indication that a long and bloody war was inevitable. It marked the first strategic use of railroads in history, and the first time the horrors of the battle were photographed for the folks back home. It was also a training ground for some of America’s most colorful military figures: P.G.T. Beauregard, Joe Johnston, Irvin McDowell and “Stonewall” Jackson. Drawing from a wealth of material—old letters, journals, memoirs and military records—Davis brings to life a vivid and vital chapter in American history.
" --American Civil War Magazine "This is history as it should be written."--The Seattle Times David Detzer is Professor Emeritus of history with Connecticut State University.
The story of the first major battle of the American Civil War, presented in graphic novel format.
Few subordinate commanders of the war held their commanding officer in greater disdain than did Daniel Tyler. ... Milledge Bonham's brigade of South Carolinians, the larger force, had retreated southwestward toward Mitchell's and ...
The Greatest Civil War Battles: The Battle of First Bull Run (First Manassas) comprehensively covers the campaign and the events that led up to the battle, the fighting itself, and the aftermath of the battle.
Battle of First Bull Run
This book explores various perspectives surrounding the first Battle of Bull Run in the Civil War. Readers are immersed in the action as their choices guide the narrative.
Describes the events of the first Battle of Bull Run at Manassas, Virginia, where residents of Washington, D.C. went out to watch the war and the North had their first major loss of the Civil War.
The 38th New York of Orlando Willcox's brigade had been hovering north of Henry Hill for some time. ... Looking behind them, the New Yorkers cheered when a section of Reynolds' battery under Lieutenant J. Albert Monroe, rumbled up, ...
*Includes pictures of important people, places, and events. *Includes maps of the battle. *Analyzes the generalship of the battle's most important leaders, including Robert E. Lee, James Longstreet, and John Pope. *Includes descriptions of ...
Discusses the causes, events, and far-reaching consequences of the first battle of the Civil War.