The FReeper Foxhole Revisits The Battle of 1st Manassas (1st Bull Run) - Feb. 14th, 2004

see educational sources

[snippy_about_it]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.


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The Foxhole Revisits

First Manassas
The South's First Victory

The first major battle of the Civil War was fought in Virginia, near the Manassas, Virginia railway junction, after which the battle is called (or First Bull Run, named after the flowing stream on the battlefield, if of the Union persuasion).

The armies in this first battle were not very large by later Civil War standards. The Federal forces under Brigadier General Irvin McDowell were organized into four divisions (five, if one includes Runyan's division), of about 30,000 men. These divisions were commanded by Tyler, Hunter, Heintzelman, (Runyan), and Miles.

The Confederate command structure was somewhat more unwieldy, including two "armies", with no division structure and thirteen independent brigades under Bonham, Ewell, Jones, Longstreet, Cocke, Early, Holmes, Kershaw, Evans, Jackson, Bartow, Bee, Smith, and a cavalry brigade under Stuart. The Confederate Army of the Potomac was under the command of Brigadier General Pierre G. T. Beauregard, and the Army of the Shenandoah was commanded by Brigadier General Joseph E. Johnston. These two forces would equal McDowell's strength.



Interestingly enough, each commander had planned to initiate an attack on the other side with a feint attack on the enemy's right flank and a massed attack on the opposite flank. Had this been done simultaneously, and both been successful in their purpose, the two armies would have simply pivoted around each other and ended up in each other's rear, able to march unopposed to Washington or Richmond, as the case may be. As it turned out, the general least successful in initiating this movement was the winner.

McDowell had planned to use Tyler's division as the diversionary attack at the Stone Bridge, while Davies' brigade did the same at Blackburn's Ford. At the same time, Hunter's and Heintzelman's divisions would cross Bull Run at Sudley Springs and attack from the north.




McDowell's green troops involved in the flanking column, reached their jumping off positions two and a half hours behind schedule. Tyler's and Davies' attacks at the Stone Bridge and Blackburn's Ford were already well under way, and the Confederate high command was beginning to sense a ruse because the Union attacks were not pressed very hard.



When Beauregard was notified that Federal troops were massing on his left flank, he realized that this must be the main attack so began to shift his own troop dispositions.

The Federals had about 18,000 men in the main attack column and it was only thanks to the quick reactions of Colonel "Shank" Evans and his small brigade that Beauregard did not suffer a major disaster. He quickly moved his small force to Matthew's Hill to block the Federal move.



Sounds of the fighting drew other brigade commanders to Evans' aid on their own initiative. Brigadier General Barnard Bee and Colonel Bartow joined Evans' defensive line and deployed their men to his right to extend and strengthen it.



The Confederate position was still badly outnumbered however, and eventually the weight of those numbers began to be felt. With Tyler's division threatening the right flank and rear of the Confederate position after having forced a crossing at the Stone Bridge, and their left flank now being overlapped by Federal reinforcements, the three Confederate brigades broke to the rear, heading toward the cleared plateau of the Henry House Hill.



Unfortunately for the Federals, they were slow to follow-up their success and allowed the Southern brigade commanders to rally the remnants of their units behind Jackson's brigade which had just arrived and formed a line of battle on the reverse slope of Henry House Hill.



In the meantime, McDowell ordered two artillery batteries to advance to silence the defensive fire. Rickett's Battery and Griffin's Battery advanced to well within musket range of the Confederate positions near the crest of the hill. These batteries were counterattacked by Confederate infantry and overrun and although it is still somewhat an open question, most historians give credit to the 33rd Virginia Infantry, although the 6th North Carolina State Troops, and elements of the 2nd Mississippi Infantry also claim credit for silencing Ricketts.

This counterattack also routed the infantry supports to the guns -- a battalion of U. S. Marines and the 11th New York Infantry, the famed Fire Zouaves. The loss of the guns became a focal point for see-saw attacks and counterattacks by each side, with the possession of the guns changing hands several times.



Finally having accumulated enough units to not only stabilize the Confederate lines, but also overlap the right flank of the Federal lines, the order was given for a general advance by Beauregard. This attack caved-in the Federal right and what began as a fairly orderly retreat turned into a disorganized rout. The equally tired and inexperienced Confederates however, were in no shape to conduct an effective pursuit, so the battle ended. The Federals lost about 3,000 casualties (killed, wounded, and captured or missing), and the Confederates suffered about 2,000.

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FReeper Foxhole Armed Services Links

[stand watie]

dixie LIBERTY bump!

free dixie,sw

[snippy_about_it]

Happy Valentine's Day

free Dixie bump!

[SAMWolf]

Good Morning Snippy

[SAMWolf]

Morning Aeronaut.

[SAMWolf]

Morning facedown.

Excellent site for WBTS photographs, thanks

[snippy_about_it]

Good Morning, thanks for the valentine, straight through the heart, you got me!

[SAMWolf]

Morning E.G.C. Chocolates for the guys?

[SAMWolf]

A Soldier's Valentine



This day you may be far away
But you are always near
See you when I turn around
Your heart forever here

Miss you and the days are long
Still I feel your glow
Proud of what your doing now
I wanted you to know

Forever you're my Valentine
With you I have been blest
Wait and pray for your return
My love for you professed



Morning noon and evening too
I look up to the sky
Ask our Lord to keep you safe
Within His watchful eye

I love you so with all my heart
I know I always will
You've given me a precious gift
The love that you instill

Be safe my love come back to me
My arms are opened wide
Miles may take you far away
Your love my constant guide.

~ Francine Pucillo

[snippy_about_it]

[SAMWolf]

Morning Radu. Happy Valentines Day.

[Aeronaut]

Hi Sam. Here's a WF I was involved with. It's now in a museum nearby.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Aomagrat

"Big Mamie," as she was affectionately known, was saved from the scrap pile when she was transferred to the Massachusetts Memorial Committee 8 June 1965.

Nice to hear she wasn't scrapped.

[snippy_about_it]

Awwww. That's a beautiful poem and the pictures are perfect.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Feather.

[billbears]

1st Manassas ping

[Valin]

So far it is, but I remain...wary.

[SAMWolf]

1859 Oregon admitted as 33rd state

We're 33! We're 33!

The Oregon State Flag The Oregon State Flag is the only flag that displays a different design on each side.

Adopted in 1925, the flag is colored navy blue with gold lettering and symbols. Certain occasions demand a more formal version of the flag and so a "dress" or "parade" version of the flag is fringed in gold.

The flag face displays the words "STATE OF OREGON" above a gold shield surrounded by thirty-three stars. The stars represent Oregon as the thirty-third state to be admitted to the union. Below the shield, part of the state seal, is the date "1859" in gold numerals. This is the year that Oregon was admitted to the union.

Depicted on the shield, is a blazing sun setting over the Pacific Ocean, mountains, forests and a conestoga wagon all representing the natural resources and splendor of Oregon and the early settlers to the territory. A plow, a sheaf of wheat and a pickax represent the early industry of the state; agriculture and mining. Two ships are shown; a British Man-of-War and an American trade vessel. The departing British ship and arriving American ship are said to represent that claim to the land was laid by both Great Britain and The United States at the same time. It is also said that the tack of the two ships represents the ascendence of American power in the western hemisphere. Another interpretation has the departure and arrival as representative of trade or commerce. This explanation would seem to ignore that the British vessel is a Man-of-War.

The crest of the shield is the American eagle. Also displayed is a banner with the words "The Union." The eagle and the banner express support for "The Union" that Oregon joined in 1859.

Remember that the Oregon State Flag is the only state flag with a different design on each side. With a nickname of "The Beaver State" one might easily guess the depiction on the obverse side of the flag. Indeed, the Oregon State Animal makes a strong showing on the Oregon State Flag.

[snippy_about_it]

as always. :-)

[SAMWolf]

Morning stand watie

[Valin]

Remember that the Oregon State Flag is the only state flag with a different design on each side.

What, couldn't make up their minds? :-)