Did you know the first battle in the Civil war

[FeatheredCock]

Was fault in front of a bunch of politicians and their wives and many many of the rich also where on hand sitting in horse & buggies, laying on blankets eating and drinking wine as the battle raged on.  Then the Yankees where getting there butts kicked turn and ran back in golfing the onlookers who then picked up and had to run with the retreating Yankees. All thought that one battle would end the war, just the start of 5 years of bloodshed. People from yesterday today fail to realize that war is not glory it is gore and more.  Have you been their if so you know what I mean. The nightmares last forever. 

 

[dreammachine]

Was fault in front of a bunch of politicians and their wives and many many of the rich also where on hand sitting in horse & buggies, laying on blankets eating and drinking wine as the battle raged on.  Then the Yankees where getting there butts kicked turn and ran back in golfing the onlookers who then picked up and had to run with the retreating Yankees. All thought that one battle would end the war, just the start of 5 years of bloodshed. People from yesterday today fail to realize that war is not glory it is gore and more. Have you been their if so you know what I mean. The nightmares last forever. 

Very good point.  The Battle Of First Manassas as the Confederates like to call it (Union Army called it Bull Run), was a very surprising victory for the Confederate Army as they met the Union Army at a main railroad junction in that part of Virginia.  Both sides thought it would be over it one quick battle and the Yankees thought that they would "teach these rebels a thing or two in short order" and the Rebel Army thought that any one Southerner could whup 10 Yankees all by himself.  These sectional and romantic ideas flew out the window in a hurry when the bullets and cannon balls started flying and killing men.

Yes, many a politician and many a "Fine & Proper Lady" had to pick up their hoop skirts and skedaddle back towards Washington City as it was called back then.  As it was so early in the war and nobody really knew how to "re-organize and regroup their battle lines properly" - the Confederate Army might have been able to march right into Washington City and capture it that day, but confusion and fatigue had set in by then and both sides were just glad to get away from each other and re-think this "winning the war quickly thing"?

The Confederate Army would always call a battle by the name of the closest town to it or name of whatever they were fighting close to - like Manassas Junction where there was a very important railroad junction.  The Union Army would call it by a name of a river or creek at times - such as Bull Run or Antietam - while the Confederates would have call the Battle of Antietam - The Battle of Sharpsburg as that was the name of the closest town. This can be confusing to a new reader of the history of the War Between The States - when it comes to reading and trying to understand why a battle has two names attached to it?

 

[TKE226]

Not the first battle of the Civil War. Maybe first "major" battle. 

 

[dreammachine]

Not the first battle of the Civil War. Maybe first "major" battle. 

I think that is what FeatheredCock meant.