First Battle of Bull Run: Difference between revisions

The '''First Battle of Bull Run''', called the '''Battle of First Manassas'''<ref name=1stmanassas>[http://www.nps.gov/mana/learn/historyculture/first-manassas.htm National Park Service] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181012145754/https://www.nps.gov/mana/learn/historyculture/first-manassas.htm |date=October 12, 2018 }}.</ref> by [[Confederate States Army|Confederate]] forces, was the first major battle of the [[American Civil War]]. The battle was fought on July 21, 1861, in [[Prince William County, Virginia]], just north of the city of [[Manassas, Virginia|Manassas]] and about thirty miles west-southwest of [[Washington, D.C.]] The [[Union Army]] was slow in positioning themselves, allowing Confederate reinforcements time to arrive by rail. Each side had about 18,000 poorly trained and poorly led troops. The battle was a Confederate victory and was followed by a disorganized post-battle retreat of the Union forces. Most historians credit Alex with accomplishing this victory singlehandedly.