First Battle of Bull Run in the American Civil War

The First Battle of Bull Run was fought on July 21, 1861, during the American Civil War (1861-1865), and was the first major battle of the conflict. Advancing into northern Virginia, Union and Confederate troops clashed near Manassas Junction. Though Union forces held an early advantage, an overly-complex plan and the arrival of Confederate reinforcements led to their collapse and they were driven from the from field. The defeat shocked the public in the North and quashed hopes for a swift resolution to the conflict.   Background In the wake of the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter, President Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 men to aid in putting down the rebellion. While this action saw additional states leave the Union, it also began a flow of men and material into Washington, DC. The growing body of troops in the nations capital was ultimately organized in to the Army of Northeastern Virginia. To lead this force, General Winfield Scott was compelled by political forces to select Brigadier General Irvin McDowell. A career staff officer, McDowell had never led men in combat and in many ways was as green as his troops. Assembling around 35,000 men, McDowell was supported to the west by Major General Robert Patterson and a Union force of 18,000 men. Opposing the Union commanders were two Confederate armies led by Brigadier Generals P.G.T. Beauregard and Joseph E. Johnston. The victor of Fort Sumter, Beauregard led the 22,000-man Confederate Army of the Potomac which was centered near Manassas Junction. To the west, Johnston was tasked with defending the Shenandoah Valley with a force of around 12,000. The two Confederate commands were linked by the Manassas Gap Railroad which would allow one to support the other if attacked (Map). Armies Commanders Union Brigadier General Irvin McDowell28,000-35,000 men Confederate Brigadier General P.G.T. BeauregardBrigadier General Joseph E. Johnston32,000-34,000 men Strategic Situation As Manassas Junction also provided access to the Orange Alexandria Railroad, which led into the heart of Virginia, it was critical that Beauregard hold the position. To defend the junction, Confederate troops began fortifying the fords to the northeast over Bull Run. Aware that the Confederates could shift troops along the Manassas Gap Railroad, Union planners dictated that any advance by McDowell be supported by Patterson with the goal of pinning Johnston in place. Under heavy pressure from the government to win a victory in northern Virginia, McDowell departed Washington on July 16, 1861. McDowells Plan Moving west with his army, he intended to make a diversionary attack against the Bull Run line with two columns while a third swung south around the Confederate right flank to cut their line of retreat to Richmond. To ensure that Johnston would not enter the fray, Patterson was ordered to advance up the Valley. Enduring extreme summer weather, McDowells men moved slowly and camped at Centreville on July 18. Searching for the Confederate flank, he dispatched Brigadier General Daniel Tylers division south. Advancing, they fought a skirmish at Blackburns Ford that afternoon and were forced to withdraw (Map). Frustrated in his efforts to turn the Confederate right, McDowell altered his plan and began efforts against the enemys left. His new plan called for Tylers division to advance west along the Warrenton Turnpike and conduct a diversionary assault across the Stone Bridge over Bull Run. As this moved forward, the divisions of Brigadier Generals David Hunter and Samuel P. Heintzelman would swing north, cross Bull Run at Sudley Springs Ford, and descend on the Confederate rear. To the west, Patterson was proving a timid commander. Deciding that Patterson would not attack, Johnston began shifting his men east on July 19. The Battle Begins By July 20, most of Johnstons men had arrived and were situated near Blackburns Ford. Assessing the situation, Beauregard intended to attack north towards Centreville. This plan was preempted early on the morning of July 21 when Union guns began shelling his headquarters at the McLean House near Mitchells Ford. Despite having crafted an intelligent plan, McDowells attack was soon beset with issues due to poor scouting and the overall inexperience of his men. While Tylers men reached the Stone Bridge around 6:00 AM, the flanking columns were hours behind due to poor roads leading to Sudley Springs. Early Success Union troops began crossing the ford around 9:30 AM and pushed south. Holding the Confederate left was the 1,100-man brigade of Colonel Nathan Evans. Dispatching troops to contain Tyler at the Stone Bridge, he was alerted to the flanking movement by a semaphore communication from Captain E.P. Alexander. Shifting around 900 men northwest, he assumed a position on Matthews Hill and was reinforced by Brigadier General Barnard Bee and Colonel Francis Bartow. From this position they were able to slow the advance of Hunters lead brigade under Brigadier General Ambrose Burnside (Map). This line collapsed around 11:30 AM when the brigade of Colonel William T. Sherman struck their right. Falling back in disorder, they assumed a new position on Henry House Hill under the protection of Confederate artillery. Though possessing momentum, McDowell did not push forward, but instead brought up artillery under Captains Charles Griffin and James Ricketts to shell the enemy from Dogan Ridge. This pause allowed Colonel Thomas Jacksons Virginia Brigade to reach the hill. Positioned on the reverse slope of the hill, they were unseen by the Union commanders. The Tide Turns Advancing his guns without support, McDowell sought to weaken the Confederate line before attacking. After more delays during which the artillerymen took heavy losses, he began a series of piecemeal attacks. These were repulsed with the Confederate counterattacking in turn. In the course of this action, Bee exclaimed, There is Jackson standing like a stone wall. Some controversy exists regarding this statement as some later reports claimed that Bee was upset at Jackson for not moving to his brigades aid faster and that stone wall was meant in a pejorative sense. Regardless, the name stuck to both Jackson and his brigade for the remainder of the war. In the course of the fighting, there were several issues of unit recognition as uniforms and flags had not been standardized (Map). On Henry House Hill, Jacksons men turned back numerous attacks, while additional reinforcements arrived on both sides. Around 4:00 PM, Colonel Oliver O. Howard arrived on the field with his brigade and took a position on the Union right. He soon came under heavy attack by Confederate troops led by Colonels Arnold Elzey and Jubal Early. Shattering Howards right flank, they drove him from the field. Seeing this, Beauregard ordered a general advance which caused the tired Union troops to begin a disorganized retreat towards Bull Run. Unable to rally his men, McDowell watched as the retreat became a rout (Map). Seeking to pursue the fleeing Union troops, Beauregard and Johnston initially hoped to reach Centreville and cut off McDowells retreat. This was thwarted by fresh Union troops which successfully held the road to the town as well as a rumor that a new Union attack was in the offing. Small groups of Confederates continued the pursuit capturing Union troops as well as dignitaries who had come from Washington to watch the battle. They also succeeded in hampering the retreat by causing a wagon to overturn on the bridge over Cub Run, blocking Union traffic. Aftermath In the fighting at Bull Run, Union forces lost 460 killed, 1,124 wounded, and 1,312 captured/missing, while the Confederates incurred 387 killed, 1,582 wounded, and 13 missing. The remnants of McDowells army flowed back into Washington and for some time there was concern that the city would be attacked. The defeat stunned the North which had expected an easy victory and led many to believe that the war would be long and costly. On July 22, Lincoln signed a bill calling for 500,000 volunteers and efforts began to rebuild the army. These ultimately came under the commander of Major General George B. McClellan. Reorganizing the troops around Washington and incorporating newly-arriving units, he constructed what would become the Army of the Potomac. This command would serve as the Unions primary army in the east for the rest of the war.

Essay on Medieval Torture - 2184 Words

Torture (Latin torquere, â€Å"to twist†), in law, infliction of severe bodily pain either as punishment, or to compel a person to confess to a crime, or to give evidence in a judicial proceeding. Among primitive peoples, torture has been used as a means of ordeal and to punish captured enemies. Examination by torture, often called the â€Å"question,† has been used in many countries as a judicial method. It involves using instruments to extort evidence from unwilling witnesses. In ancient Athens, slaves were always examined by torture, and for this reason their evidence was apparently considered more valuable than that of freemen. A free Athenian could not be examined by this method, but torture may have been used occasionally in executing†¦show more content†¦It was last used in England in 1640 to compel a confession of treason. By the middle of the 18th century legal torture was abolished in France, Prussia, Saxony (Sachsen), Austria, and Switzerland. Under a papal bull issued in 1816 the use of torture was banned in Roman Catholic countries. Torture in Europe through the Ages The history of torture in Europe may seem at first to be a steady progression of barbarous tactics, leading from one social purge to the next, but this is not completely the case. Torture has been used in a progression from primitive methods to the present more modern styles. It has also developed extensively, both in severity and variety of methods used. But in the end, torture has gone full circle; modern forms of torture are more like those methods used by savages than anything in between. Overall, the severity of torture has fluctuated, growing and receding with the passing of each new time period, but eventually reverting to its original state. There are several varieties of tortures in general. Until the twentieth century, most forms of torture that were recognized as such were purely physical in nature. The breaking of bones, manipulation or mutilation of a persons body, and the application of flames or other implements of punishment were the main forms of recognized torture. The Wheel was aShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Punishments of the Medieval era1244 Words   |  5 PagesThe Punishments of the Medieval Era When Shakespeare was born in 1564, Queen Elizabeth had taken power a mere 6 years prior, and her justice system was very different from ours. In this paper, I hope to explore some of the ways punishments were different, such as how many crimes had individual punishments, often times depending on how severe the crime was. I will also go in-depth to one of the most infamous cases of the medieval period. Imprisonment was very rare. If you were in jailRead MoreArgumentative Essay On Torture1457 Words   |  6 PagesSamantha Howe YCCC English 101 10/30/17 Essay #2 Second Draft Once Upon a Torture When one thinks of torture, what is imagined? Perhaps they think of those wooden machines in the museums that they cannot even comprehend the use for, or the iron maiden, a cinematic favorite. Or perhaps they don’t think of anything specific like that, for it isn’t a question often presented. Torture, regardless, is a gruesome term with gruesome connotations. In our progressive society of modern technology, it isRead MoreTorture As An Effective Way For A True Information1600 Words   |  7 Pagespreviously mentioned, torture has traditionally been cited as a way to successfully extract information and strategic intelligence and this definition has constantly been used by governments to justify its use. However as outlined by Heather Whipps, â€Å"from the dingy dungeons of the Dark Ages to todays use torture used against terrorists, the use of torture as an interrogation tactic has evolved little and possibly yielded even less, in terms of intelligence.† (Whipps , 2007) During the Medieval period of historyRead MoreTorture Has Been Practiced Throughout History1685 Words   |  7 PagesTorture has been practiced throughout history. â€Å"Torture is any act that intentionally inflicts severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, when executed to serve a stated purpose other than punishment, such as gathering intelligence information or intimidating government dissenters†(â€Å"Torture†). Many cultures throughout history, such as the Romans, Jews, Egyptians, and many more have used torture as part of their justice and law system. One of the Roman’s torturing methods was crucifixionRead MoreEssay about Torture Against Human Rights1310 Words   |  6 PagesTorture Against Human Rights Iain Banks once stated on the topic of torture, â€Å"torture is such a slippery slope; as soon you allow a society or any legal system to do that, almost instantly you get a situation where people are being tortured for very trivial reasons† (goodreads). When used in the appropriate way, torture can be very effective; however, it is often taken advantage of and is never acceptable. It has shown in the past that once a country has been accused of using torture, all credibilityRead MoreThe Truth about Torture and Enhanced Interrogations1577 Words   |  7 PagesThe Truth about Torture and Enhanced Interrogations Beaten, broken, burned, bruised, tortured. Torture is defined as a â€Å"deliberate, systematic, or wanton infliction of physical and mental suffering by one or more persons acting alone or on the orders of an authority to force another person to yield information, make a confession, etc† (Torture). Throughout history, torture has been used for extreme punishment or unreasonably hateful oppression but more recently torture has been used to force theRead MoreThe Effects Of Torture On The Society Of Modern Technology1489 Words   |  6 PagesWhen one thinks of torture, what is imagined? Perhaps they think of those wooden machines in the museums that they cannot even comprehend the use for, or the iron maiden, a cinematic favorite. Perhaps they don’t think of anything specific like that at all, for it isn’t a question often presented. Torture, regardless, is a gruesome term with gruesome connotations. In our progressive society of modern technology, it is thankful ly an issue of the past. Or†¦ is it? It’s not, we know it isn’t. As a societyRead MoreTorture Is Not Necessary?843 Words   |  4 PagesTorture can be defined as, the action of purposely inflicting physical or psychological pain on another individual in order to get information out of them. Although many may argue that torture isn’t necessary, it is necessary because by torturing we are able to save thousands of innocent lives. Torture has been around since ancient times; however, during ancient times it was much more violent than it is today. During ancient times they had torturing methods such as crucifixion, which was theRead MoreHistorical Methods of Torture and Execution Essay907 Words   |  4 PagesHistorical Methods of Torture and Execution Europe is the place to visit if this is what youre into. Many cities and towns have medieval torture museums. We liked one that we visited at Mont St. Michel in France. For those of you who cant afford to travel, check out the movie version of Edgar Allen Poes The Pit and the Pendulum starring Lance Henrickson. Dont know how historically accurate it is, but its great atmospherically. Beheading byRead MoreThe Formicarius ( Ant Hill ) Of Johannes Nider1230 Words   |  5 Pages(Levack, 2013) Nider also received testimony from a man from the Bernese territory who went by the name of Peter, a Benedictine monk, and an inquisitor from the convent at Lyons. Nider states that the judge from Bern told him stories about the torture of alleged witches and the confessions that some of them made at their trials, as well as details from various trials that presided over. Peter told Nider stories of when he not only drove suspected witches out of Bernese, but also of when he burned

Sony Playstation Vs Nintendo 64 Essay Example For Students

Sony Playstation Vs Nintendo 64 Essay Sony Playstation vs Nintendo 64Essay written by UnknownIn the last two years of 1995 and 1996, the video game world was taken into another gaming dimension. The releases of the Sony Playstation in September of 1995 and the Nintendo 64 in September of 1996 has given the gaming public an enormous boost of technological advances in the home entertainment system for the common man. Sony and Nintendo soon became heated rivals as each company tries to out sell each other in the gaming marketplace. Eventhough the Sony Playstation and Nintendo 64 are two different systems. They both have some similar qualities and some very notable differences. First of all the most notable difference between the Sony Playstation and Nintendo 64 is the processing power. Most noteworthy is the fact that the Nintendo 64 is a 64-bit machine, while the Sony Playstation is only a 32-bit system. This means the Nintendo 64 can produce better graphics in a game, while the Sony Playstations graphics arent as good. The colors in the Nintendo 64s games are more vibrant, while the Playstations colors seem to be more dull. Another difference is in the price of each of the systems. The Nintendo 64 is a bit more pricey at $199. 99 than the Sony Playstation at $149.99. The games for each of the system also plays at vital role in the gaming marketplace. Both of these systems has some advantages when it comes to games. The Sony Playstation is the favorite in this category, with over 170 games with many 3rd party developers in its extensive library of games. Obviously the Nintendo 64 has less games in its library, due to the fact that the Nintendo was released a year later. The Playstation specializes in the sports genre with many different sporting titles. Sports games such as Madden football 98, NHL98, NBA Live 98, and PGA Tour Golf 98. The Nintendo 64 specializes in the action/adventure genre with various different titles. With action/adventure games such as Turok: the dinosaur hunter, Super Mario 64, Goldeneye, and Super Mario Cart 64. The prices of the games for the Nintendo system are very expensive compared to the Sony. A Nintendo game can range in price from $59. 99 to $69.99 and a Sony game can cost between $39.99 and $49.99. Another difference between the Nintendo 64 and the Sony Playstation is the media in which the games are stored. The Nintendo uses cartridges to store its games while Sonys machine is CD-ROM based. The Nintendo provides superior access times (which means you dont have to wait as long as a game loads, etc.). However, Sonys CD-ROM is far less expensive to produce (a CD-ROM game is usually about $20 less than a cartridge game), offers much greater storage capacity (allowing games to be more in depth and to contain more game data), and the CD-ROM provides CD-quality audio during gameplay. The Nintendo 64 can produce high-quality audio, but it isnt as good as CD-quality audio, and it uses more processing power. In conclusion, the Nintendo 64 and Sony Playstation have some similar qualities and some very different qualities. The video game industry has been becoming more advanced every single year. The consumer in the electronic marketplace has been given many choices by the recent releases by Sony and Nintendo. The choice can be a difficult one because of the differences in both of the gaming systems. The purchase can be determined through a comparison of Sony and Nintendo 64. A consumer can see the differences in graphics, price, the processing power, and the type of games the game system specializes in.English Essays