News Reports Two Days before First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas)

Ever since the Confederacy won the first clash of the Civil War, the attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861, Northern politicians, the public and the press had been demanding that the Union army invade Virginia and make a move on Richmond, the Confederate capital. Finally, on July 16, 1861, General Irvin McDowell moved the Union army out of Washington and began the long-awaited march south. The first major land battle of the war, the First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas), lay just five days ahead—but it would not be the great victory the Northerners were expecting. Instead, the Confederates under Generals Beauregard and Johnston gained a smashing victory, turning the Union retreat into a full rout all the way back to Washington.

The two armies first came into contact with some skirmishing on July 18. Although the Union army prevailed at these initial encounters, the Confederates having retreated to Manassas Junction and their entrenchments south of Bull Run creek while the Federals occupied Fairfax Court House and Centreville, McDowell was not entirely pleased. His raw troops had plundered and pillaged the local inhabitants, and the general was irked at their undisciplined behavior. That lack of discipline would soon be on full display during their defeat.

Everyone knew these initial engagements signaled that the two armies were about to come into open conflict, and the war’s first great battle lay immediately ahead. On July 19, both the Northern and the Southern press ran stories predicting a big battle at Manassas, and confidently asserting that their side would prevail. The following three articles, two from Northern newspapers and one from a Southern paper, are good examples.

This article was printed by the Hartford Daily Courant (Hartford, Connecticut) on July 19, 1861:

The Latest News
By Telegraph

The Grand Army!

Centerville Occupied without a Struggle!

Marching for Manassas!

An officer from the seat of war reached Washington Thursday night, and brings the information that the troops which marched from Fairfax Court House appeared before Centerville about 10 o’clock, Thursday morning. They halted within half a mile of the enemy’s entrenchment, and formed a line of battle, expecting a conflict.

The scene is represented as grand and imposing. Instead of the smoke of battle for which they were earnestly looking, they suddenly saw the National flag hoisted over the town, and a solitary man running down the line, announcing that the enemy had fled. Soon the bands commenced playing the “Star-Spangled Banner” amid the cheering of the troops. It is said there were seven or eight thousand troops at Centerville, but the number is probably much exaggerated. They took their cannon with them in their flight. It is stated on the authority of several officers that the news of McClellan’s victories had just become generally known at Manassas Junction. The army was to march on Manassas Thursday afternoon.

This article was printed by the Jamestown Journal (Jamestown, New York) on July 19, 1861:

The Latest News—The Rebels in Retreat!

A dispatch dated at Fairfax C. H., 17th inst. was received at Washington same day, from Gen. McDowell, saying that he had occupied that point and driven the enemy towards Manassas. They were in such hot haste to run, that they left flour, fresh beef, horse feed, baggage, tools, &c. It was too hot to make a forced march in pursuit that day. Beauregard’s army at and in the vicinity of Manassas Junction is estimated at 60,000, and they will be apt to make a stand somewhere soon. Then there will be something more than a skirmish, or a dashing regimental encounter. It will be the whirlwind sweep of war, guided by the brag captains of the age. We hope to see the boasted science of Beauregard, and the endlessly shouted pluck of the Chivalry, once thoroughly tried on. Forward!

This article was printed by the Macon Daily Telegraph (Macon, Georgia) on the front page of its July 19, 1861, issue:

The Crisis at Hand

It will be seen by our telegrams that last Wednesday was signalized by the advance of probably the whole Federal army. We shall have no reason hereafter to complain of a lack of fighting, if they stick to their promise to march straight upon Richmond.

…Four columns of the Hessians under McDowell were moving upon Manassas Junction, and had reached Fairfax Court House at noon Wednesday. Fairfax Court House is only nine miles from Beauregard’s battle ground at the Junction. Centreville, to which the Confederate advance guard retreated, is six miles northwest of Fairfax Court House, and about the same distance northeast of the Junction. The three points, Manassas Junction, Centreville and Fairfax Court House, would nearly represent the three intersecting points of an equilateral triangle. We do not understand the movement to Centreville, but have not the smallest doubt that if such a movement has been made, Gen. Beauregard knows all about it.

Of the relative force of the parties we know little. It was stated by the telegrams and newspaper correspondents that there were 75,000 men in and about Washington last week. Allowing sufficient accumulation since that time to leave the necessary reserve force behind, we suppose McDowell’s force now advancing upon Manassas to number in the whole four columns, about seventy-five thousand men. We may be sure, in a grand cast of the dice like this, old Scott [Commanding General Winfield Scott, head of all Union armies] will not leave out a single man or mean to ensure success.

What, on the other hand, is the force of Beauregard at Manassas? We have no information, but from what we can learn and what conjecture, we hope his force is sixty thousand men, exclusive of the Virginia militia regiments, which have within a few days been ordered to report to him. If we are right then, there will be no such disparity of force between the belligerents at Manassas Junction as should counterbalance the advantage of fighting in an entrenched camp or chosen ground—to say nothing about the superior firmness of the Southern army. We cannot but hope for a signal victory in this encounter. We believe our men at Manassas are fired with one determination to conquer or die, and have full faith that they will make an illustrious exhibition of a gallant and warlike people, fighting for their liberties, their homes and their altars, against a truthless invader. May God help them in the mortal struggle. In His sovereign hands alone rest the fate of nations and of men…we hope and believe the enemy will be repulsed in a signal and decisive manner, and [in] the work of a week lay the foundation for a speedy recognition of our independence abroad, and of a peace party in the North, which shall, at no distant day, succeed in terminating the war.

For more information, visit the Manassas Web site provided by the National Park Service.

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