Civil War: The First Battle Of Bull Run

The First Battle of Bull Run was not only a prelude to the way the Civil War would unfold but it highlighted the importance of intelligence and sound judgment. Bull Run, also known as the First Manassas, was the deadliest ground battle the United States had seen in any war up to that point (McDonald, 1999). The battle came after eleven southern states seceded from the union and pushed out union troops from Fort Sumter, South Carolina. The key mistakes made by the Federalist, Union Army, led to a devastating loss and allowed the Confederates to extend the war for another four years. By looking into the intelligence, or lack thereof, we can redirect the Union Army and by sheer numbers and power show how the battle could have been turned. Once the Union Army overpowered the Confederates, the Union could have marched straight to Richmond, the Confederate capital, and closed out the war within months instead of years. …show more content…
This started a chain reaction that saw six southern states secede from the Union including; South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana. Although President Elect Lincoln promised not to push reform onto the southern states that would interfere with their economic progress, to include the abolishment of slavery, the states determined it necessary for their own benefit to leave the Union. The Confederates voted to build their capital in Montgomery, Alabama and elected Jefferson Davis as their new President. This new “Country” would allow the states to control themselves rather than have a central government that controlled the states. (Davis,