First Battle of Bull Run: Difference between revisions

[[File:First Bull Run (Manassas) July 21 1000.png|thumb|upright=1.35|Situation morning, July 21]]

On the morning of July 21, McDowell sent the divisions of Hunter and Heintzelman (about 12,000 men) from Centreville at 2:30&nbsp;a.m., marching southwest on the Warrenton Turnpike and then turning northwest toward [[Sudley Springs, Virginia|Sudley Springs]] to get around the Confederates' left. Tyler's division (about 8,000) marched directly toward the Stone Bridge. The inexperienced units immediately developed logistical problems. Tyler's division blocked the advance of the main flanking column on the turnpike. The later units found the approach roads to Sudley Springs were inadequate, little more than a cart path in some places, and did not begin fording Bull Run until 9:30&nbsp;a.m. Tyler's men reached the Stone Bridge around 6 a.m.<ref>Beatie, pp. 285–88; Esposito, text for Map 21; Rafuse, "First Battle of Bull Run", p. 312.</ref>

At 5:15&nbsp;a.m., Richardson's brigade fired a few artillery rounds across Mitchell's Ford on the Confederate right, some of which hit Beauregard's headquarters in the [[Wilmer McLean]] house as he was eating breakfast, alerting him to the fact that his offensive battle plan had been preempted. Nevertheless, he ordered [[demonstration (military)|demonstration attacks]] north toward the Union left at Centreville. Bungled orders and poor communications prevented their execution. Although he intended for Brig. Gen. [[Richard S. Ewell]] to lead the attack, Ewell, at Union Mills Ford, was simply ordered to "hold ... in readiness to advance at a moment's notice". Brig. Gen. [[David Rumph Jones|D.R. Jones]] was supposed to attack in support of Ewell, but found himself moving forward alone. Holmes was also supposed to support, but received no orders at all.<ref>Eicher, p. 94; Esposito, Map 22.</ref>