The American Civil War - This Mighty Scourge of War

3 8 The American Civil War

that the northern people would demand an

immediate invasion of the Confederacy to

extinguish the rebellion, and his fears soon

proved to be well grounded. When the

Confederacy moved its capital to Richmond,

just 100 miles (160km) separated the two

seats of government. Ignorant of the

staggering task of equipping and training an

army, northerners clamoured for an

immediate campaign against Richmond. This

began a pattern that held for the remainder

of the war. Many in the North, both civilians

and political leaders, exhibited a

preoccupation with Richmond rooted in a

belief that its capture would destroy the

Confederacy. This preoccupation in turn

helped make northern and central Virginia

by far the bloodiest battleground of the war.

Battle of First Manassas

or Bull Run

At a meeting on 29 June 1861, Abraham
Lincoln listened to his military and political
advisers discuss strategy. Brigadier-General
Irvin McDowell, a 42-year-old West Pointer
who had served his entire career in staff
positions and enjoyed excellent political
connections, commanded Union troops near
Washington. He urged an attack against a
Confederate force known to be in position
25 miles (40km) south-west of Washington
near Manassas Junction. Scott opposed
McDowell, arguing for 'a war of large bodies'
rather than 'a little war by piece-meal.'
Lincoln and the cabinet supported
McDowell, approving an advance to begin
on 9 July. Meanwhile, northern newspapers
called for a quick movement into Virginia.
The New York Tribune trumpeted: 'Forward to
Richmond! Forward to Richmond! - The
Rebel Congress must not be allowed to meet
there on the 20th of July! By that date the
place must be held by the National Army!'
On 16 July, a week past the date originally
set, McDowell put his army in motion
towards Manassas Junction.

Four armies played roles in the campaign.
Near Winchester in the lower Shenandoah

valley (rivers flow south-west to north-east in

the valley, so the northern section is called

the lower valley), Joseph E. Johnston

commanded about 12,000 soldiers who

guarded the north-west flank of Confederate

forces in Virginia. Opposite Johnston, near

Harpers Ferry, Robert Patterson led nearly

18,000 Union troops. A veteran of the war

of 1812, the aged Patterson had orders to

watch Johnston and prevent his movement

out of the valley to link up with P. G. T.

Beauregard's 20,000 Confederates near

Manassas Junction. McDowell's 35,000 men,

the largest American field army to that point

in history, marched to strike Beauregard

before Johnston could reinforce him. The

Confederate forces enjoyed the strategic

advantage of the Manassas Gap Railroad,

which ran from Beauregard's position to a

point slightly south of Johnston's.

McDowell's green troops moved slowly

towards Manassas, exhibiting lax discipline

while consuming two and a half days in a

20-mile (32km) march to Centreville.

A native of Virginia who remained loyal to the

Union, Winfield Scott ranks among the most

accomplished soldiers in United States history. Scott's

brilliant march from Vera Cruz to Mexico City in 1847

impressed the Duke of Wellington. 'His campaign was

unsurpassed in military annals,' observed the Duke.

'He is the greatest living soldier' (Author's collection)