The First Battle of Bull Run/Manassas

July 21, 1861

From Photographic History of the Civil War - Volume 1

ARB Rare Books/Reference E468.7 .M64 v.1

Young Southerners at Richmond Making Light of War Just before Bull Run, southern soldiers posed for this photograph, looking more like fraternity boys than fighting men.	Eye of the Conflict Stone Church, Centerville, Virginia. Federal troops marched past this church on the night of July 20, 1861 on their journey to the battle.	Prelude to the Combat - Blackburn's Ford The Federal Army tested the strength and readiness of the enemy at this ford crossing Bull Run on July 18.
Bull Run - Battlefield of the Morning, July 21, 1861 A Union division under the command of General Robert O. Tyler attacked Confederates on the western bank of the Creek.	Here "Stonewall" Jackson Won his Name At the Robinson House at Bull Run, General Thomas J. Jackson held the Confederate position firmly, to which General Barnard Bee observed "Look at Jackson standing there like a stone wall," giving Jackson his nickname.	The Lost Chance. Confederate Fortifications at Manassas Rather than pursue the fleeing Federal troops, the Confederates chose to stay at Manassas to defend their hard-won position. Some deemed it a lost chance, believing the South could have taken Washington DC.

From Harper's Weekly, August 1861

ARB Rare Books AP2 .H32 1861

Newspapers brought the first reports and images of battle to many civilians on both sides of the conflict. Harper's Weekly reported religiously on war news, including some wonderful illustrations like the ones shown here.

Map of the Battle of Bull Run	Commencement of the battle at Bull's Run	Gallant charge of the Sixty-sixth Regiment, New York State Militia, upon a rebel battery at the Battle of Bull Run
Retreat of our troops from Bull Run, by moonlight. Colonel Blenker's brigade covering	Carrying in the wounded at the Battle of Bull Run	Map of the Seat of War in Virginia

From Private and Official Correspondence of Gen. Benjamin F. Butler During the Period of the Civil War

ARB Rare Books E467.1 .B87 B8 v.1

General Butler became a controversial figure early in the war with his occupation of New Orleans in 1862, especially over his order that any Confederate lady showing disdain for Union military personnel would be treated as "a woman of the town plying her avocation" - in other words a common prostitute. In this correspondence between Butler and Postmaster General Montgomery Blair, the two men discuss their regret over the loss at Manassas but also their belief that the effects of the battle could only bring a positive charge to their cause.

Title Page	Letter from Butler to Postmaster General "We have heard the sad news from Manassas..."	Letter from Postmaster General to Butler "I don't think the Manassas affair will hurt us seriously."

From Abraham Lincoln: The War Years by Carl Sandburg

ARB Rare Books E457.4 .S36 1939

Lincoln's response to the northern defeat at Bull Run was much like other Union military commanders - it was bad, but here's how we make sure it doesn't happen again. As Commander-in-Chief he set to work early, listing the immediate steps it would take to see that the next battle would be won by the North. A dissenting voice in the North belonged to Horace Greeley who wrote an editorial and sent a personal letter to Lincoln urging him to shake up the administration.

Title Page	Lincoln's Post-Bull Run To-do List Lincoln used the lessons learned at Bull Run to tighten his ship. This list, penned by Lincoln the day after the battle, shows his plans for the Union army's future.	Harper's Weekly Cartoon After the defeat at Bull Run, New York Tribune Editor Horace Greeley wrote that the current administration was incapable of beating the Rebels and that the Cabinet should be replaced. A Harper's Weekly cartoonist responded with this caricature of Greeley cleaning house.