Discuss the campaign of First Bull Run. What were the goals of the two armies, and how did they seek to achieve them? Why did the Confederates win? Why did the Union lose?

The First Battle of Bull Run, also known as the First Battle of Manassas, took place on July 21, 1861 and was the first major ground combat of the American Civil War.

Explanation:

Twin-fledged federal troops, under the command of Brigadier General Irvin McDowell, advanced against the Confederate Army, commanded by Brigadier Generals Joseph E. Johnston and PGT Beauregard, in Manassas, Virginia, and despite their preliminary success, were eventually forced to retreat to Washington DC.

The Potomac Confederate Army (21,883 troops), under Beauregard's command, had camped near the Manassas Link, some 40 km from the capital of the United States. McDowell planned to fall on this numerically inferior army, while Major General Robert Patterson, of the Union Army, with 18,000 men faced the Johnston force (Shenandoah's army of 8,884 troops plus Holmes's brigade of 1,465 men) in the Shenandoah Valley, to prevent him from reinforcing Beauregard's army.

After two days of marching in stifling heat, the Union Army was able to rest. At the time, McDowell was looking for a way to surround Beauregard, who had spread his lines throughout Bull Run. On July 18, the Union command sent a division under the command of Brigadier General Daniel Tyler to position himself on the right of the Confederates, that is, the southeast flank. Unfortunately, Tyler was forced into combat at Blackburn's Ford (near Bull Run) without being able to break through.

With great frustration, McDowell resolved to attack the Confederates from his left wing rather than previously planned. He planned to leave a division on the stone bridge over the Warrenton Turnpike and sent two divisions over Sudley Springs Ford from here. This division should march on the Confederate rear. Although the plan was good, it had been delayed long enough to allow Johnston's forces to board the trains at the Piedmont station and head to Manassas to reinforce Beauregard's men.

On July 19 and 20, major reinforcements joined the Confederate lines near Bull Run. However, they were not yet sufficient to contain the flow of federal soldiers. General McDowell, meanwhile, realizing that he was receiving conflicting information from his intelligence agents, decided to use the Enterprise hot air balloon for reconnaissance.