The Confederate States of America was formed between December 1860 and May 1861, when 11 Southern states seceded from the United States. The division came about as a result of decades of sectional tension between the North and the South. After the election of Abraham Lincoln to the presidency in November 1860 and the attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861, the nation seemed inevitably headed for war. Most Northerners and Southerners believed the coming conflict would consist of one climactic, winner-take-all battle. Federal troops were enlisted for only 90 days, more than enough time, Northern leaders believed, to The Union's first goal was Richmond, Virginia, the newly designated capital of the Confederacy and only 100 miles from Washington, D.C. To reach Richmond, the army first had to capture Manassas Junction, an important railway junction 30 miles southwest of Washington. Troops set out for Manassas on July 16, 1861. So naive was the nation about the coming horrors that 200 or so private citizens from Washington, D.C., accompanied federal troops on the march. They hoped to witness and be entertained by this once-in-a-lifetime event. The two armies met in battle on the morning of July 21, 1861, along the banks of a small stream known as Bull Run. In a ten-hour contest, the green, inexperienced troops of both sides bravely fought and held their ground. By late afternoon, however, the federal troops, driven from the battlefield along with many of the sightseers, were in retreat. Hope of a quick and easy victory was a casualty of the day, along with almost 5,000 members from both armies and bystanders. Daylight faded from the once peaceful fields, bringing to an end not only the first major confrontation of the Civil War, but also the romantic way in which the majority of Americans had viewed the coming conflict. |
![]() Battle at Bull Run: A History of the First Major Campaign of the Civil War The battle, was unique in the Civil War in that no general on either side had ever exercised high command in combat. July 21, 1861 would demonstrate that careers devoted to theoretical studies of warfare provided poor indicators of success in combat. |
![]() First Manassas The soilders story of the battle in their own words rather then hearing the historians perspective of battle we read the privates letter home or the Colonels battle report this book examines Bull Run, the battle for West Virginia, and the battle of Big Bethel ![]() Manassas 1861 DVD |
Battles of the Campaign |
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Campaigns of the Civil War Civil War Exhibits Timeline of the War State Battle Maps Civil War Navy Ships Civil War Summary Civil War Picture Album Women of the Civil War Civil War Submarines Civil War Store |
![]() Civil War Journal - The Conflict Begins These four programs from the History Channel series Civil War Journal cover critical aspects of the early days of the war. |
![]() Burnside Ambrose Burnside, the Union general, was a major player on the Civil War stage from the first clash at Bull Run until the final summer of the war. He led a corps or army during most of this time and played important roles in various theaters of the war. |
![]() The Illustrated Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era 1988 Pulitzer Prize for History and a New York Times Bestseller. Rare contemporary photographs, period cartoons, etchings, woodcuts, and paintings, carefully choosing those that best illuminate the narrative |
![]() The Civil War a Narrative Trilogy of books on the American Civil War is not only a piece of first-rate history, but also a marvelous work of literature. Foote brings a skilled novelist's narrative power to this great epic. Many know him for his role as a commentator on the PBS series about the Civil War |
![]() Generals in Bronze: Interviewing the Commanders of the Civil War Revealing interviews with the commanders of the Civil War. In the decades that followed the American Civil War, Artist James E. Kelly (1855-1933) conducted in-depth interviews with over forty Union Generals |
![]() Second Manassas Expedition Guide A multimedia CD-ROM with six informative modules. Animated battle maps bring the fighting to life. A 35 minute movie explains the entire campaign and battle. Animated movies describe the opposing armies and provide a wealth of biographical information. |
![]() Return to Bull Run: The Campaign and Battle of Second Manassas Expertly researched and well written. This was one of the most interesting campaigns in the eastern theater. High drama prevailed from the very start. Jackson's performance is well documented |
![]() Rocks and War: Geology and the Civil War Campaign of Second Manassas The first study of the Battle of Second Manassas to show the importance of the landscape through which the generals maneuvered. Knowledge of landforms was vital to officers as they planned strategy and movements |
![]() Second Manassas 1862: Robert E Lee's greatest victory Robert E Lee came as close as he ever would to exterminating his Northern enemies. In so doing, Lee established himself as the South's pre-eminent military commander and the Army of Northern Virginia as it's most powerful weapon |
![]() Brother Against Brother: The American Civil War Fort Sumter, to the Confederate surrender at Appomattox, Features battle reconstructions and depictions of army life, eyewitness accounts, period photographs and engravings, plus commentary and analyses. |
![]() History's Mysteries: Family Feud: The Hatfields And McCoys Millions of dollars worth of timber and coal rich land were at stake, the courts were involved and once the national press got wind of what was happening, the backwoods folk found that their fight was being followed nationwide |
![]() The Civil War - A Film by Ken Burns Here is the saga of celebrated generals and ordinary soldiers, a heroic and transcendent president and a country that had to divide itself in two in order to become one |
![]() Civil War: A Concise History The best collection of Civil War visuals ever assembled in one 75-minute program. A breathtaking and first-hand account of the war. Great DVD Bonuses |
![]() The Last Confederate: The Story of Robert Adams Great historically correct movie of a noble confederate and his undying love of a Yankee girl. |
![]() The Blue and the Gray The Complete Miniseries The Civil War proved a backdrop for this 1982 miniseries. Complete and uncut three disc set. Two families divided by the War Between the States. A Southerner caught when he becomes a war correspondent for the Northern newspaper. He finds himself where history's in the making from the Battle of Bull Run to Abraham Lincoln's assassination |
![]() Civil War Journal Collector's Edition 4-DVD Set Made exclusively for Books Are Fun. Discs include: · Stonewall Jackson · Sherman and the March to the Sea · West Point Classmates-Civil War Enemies · Robert E. Lee · Battle of 1st Bull Run · The 54th Massachusetts · John Brown s War · Destiny at Fort Sumter |
![]() Civil War Combat: America's Bloodiest Battles The violent mayhem of the hornet's nest at Shiloh, the valiant charge on the sunken road at Antietam, the carnage in the wheat field at Gettysburg, and the brutal fighting at Cold Harbor |
Buy This Bonnie Blue Flag![]() Bonnie Blue The Confederate government did not adopt this flag but the people did and the lone star flags were adopted in some form in five of the southern States that adopted new flags in 1861. |
Civil War chess set Painted civil war chess set. Dimensions: Chess set pieces: 3-1/4" King's; 1-1/8" bases |
![]() Civil War Historic 1000-piece Puzzle The famous faces and fearsome facts of the Civil War are captured in this 1,000-piece cardboard puzzle for Civil War buffs and serious puzzle fans. |
![]() 22 Piece Civil War Gettysburg General Robert E Lee Headquarters Plastic Army Men Playset with 54mm 1/32nd Union and Confederate Soldier Figures, Building, Cannon |
![]() American Civil War Poker Playing Cards Playing Cards commenmorating the AMERICAN CIVIL WAR, featuring great portraits of statesmen, generals and fighting men, as well as graphics scenes of battle in color. Evocative images from the Library of Congress are featured on all 54 cards |
![]() 20 piece Civil War Artillery Playset Civil War Artillery Set: 20 piece set includes 12 Artillery Crew Figures in Blue and Gray that stand up to 58mm tall, 4 Parrott Rifle Gun Cannon about 4 inches long, and 4 Cannonball stacks |
![]() Civil War Pup Tent
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![]() House Divided Board Game
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Sources:
United States Military Academy
Library of Congress
National Park Service
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