Below is a link to a news article about the First Battle of Bull Run
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/battle-bull-run.htm
Preview of the Article
"Alarmed by this show of unsuspected strength in the Nationals, Johnston, who had arrived and taken the chief command, looked anxiously towards the mountain gaps through which he expected more of his troops from the Shenandoah Valley. Without these he had small hopes of success. There had been a lull in the conflict; and at 2 P.M. it was announced they were not in sight. At that time the Confederates had 10,000 soldiers and twenty-two heavy guns in battle order on the plateau. The Nationals proceeded to attempt to drive them from this vantage ground. To accomplish this, five brigades—Porter's, Howard's, Franklin's, Wilcox's, and Sherman's—with the batteries of Ricketts, Griffin, and Arnold, and cavalry under Major Palmer, advanced to turn the Confederate left, while Keyes's brigade was sent to annoy
them on their right."
-"First Battle of Bull Run." The Civil War. Son of the South, n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2013.
< http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/battle-bull-run.htm>.
them on their right."
-"First Battle of Bull Run." The Civil War. Son of the South, n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2013.
< http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/battle-bull-run.htm>.
Letter From A Soldier To His Family
Dear Mom,
After my first battle I see myself changed, I used to see myself happy and full of life but now, I do not know who I am. I have been changed. Seeing my fellow fighters die made me realize what I had gotten myself into. People were sitting watching them die, watching people get shot, watching young boys like me learn what war really is. They were on their picnic blankets laughing and watching me fumble around with my gun, for I never had held one before. I fired my first shot, and I must have gone deaf for a minute. Everything was happening so fast. People were shot and moved of the field, or just stepped over. "Charge!" the generals shouted then what felt like a minute later they were screaming "retreat!" I am saddened by this war already and it is only the first battle. I hope what everyone says about the war being short is true because I could not stand a long war. I miss you, and dad, and little Milly. In the end my side won but I can not say anything is a win in war. If I do die in the next battle please forgive me for going off to battle in the first place. I was trying to do the right thing by helping out in the cause but now I am not sure.
After my first battle I see myself changed, I used to see myself happy and full of life but now, I do not know who I am. I have been changed. Seeing my fellow fighters die made me realize what I had gotten myself into. People were sitting watching them die, watching people get shot, watching young boys like me learn what war really is. They were on their picnic blankets laughing and watching me fumble around with my gun, for I never had held one before. I fired my first shot, and I must have gone deaf for a minute. Everything was happening so fast. People were shot and moved of the field, or just stepped over. "Charge!" the generals shouted then what felt like a minute later they were screaming "retreat!" I am saddened by this war already and it is only the first battle. I hope what everyone says about the war being short is true because I could not stand a long war. I miss you, and dad, and little Milly. In the end my side won but I can not say anything is a win in war. If I do die in the next battle please forgive me for going off to battle in the first place. I was trying to do the right thing by helping out in the cause but now I am not sure.
Information About the Article
Harper's Weekly described the battle in an exciting narrative, discussing the position and movements of troops under different generals, as well as how who seemed to be winning the battle changed throughout it. It also talked about reactions to the battle from both the Union and the Confederates. In the end of the article, it discussed how the Confederate victory in the battle was exaggerated to the Europeans, and said that this gave many people in Europe the opportunity to say how bad and unproductive a republic was. According the article, the significance of this battle was that it caused the Confederates to gain confidence and caused the Union to be scared and sad for a short period of time.