BULL RUN - JULY 21, 1861

The first months after the loss of Fort Sumter have been remarkably 
quiet.  Fighting did take place but was largely a matter of skirmishes 
and little combats, involving three or four regiments.  With few 
exceptions, most people, most soldiers and most politicians, both 
North and South believe that the war will be decided in one glorious, 
smashing decisive battle.

I’ve been reluctant to push forward for this but my cabinet yielding 
to the demand of the country outcry for fighting and considering that 
the three month enlistment of troops was about to run out, I feel the 
need to make a move.  

I appointed General Irvin McDowell to head our troops and a battle plan 
was laid for Bull Run.  I should note that we in the North name our 
battles after the nearest stream or river and the South name theirs by 
the nearest town.  In this case, we refer our battle plan as Bull Run 
and the South will call it Manassas.

General McDowell asked for more time to drill and discipline his troops, 
but I told him that "you are green, it is true, but they are green also".  
So on the morning of July 21, 1861, our 30,000 men fought the first battle 
of the war....  

I’ve been reading telegrams from the battlefield every ten or fifteen 
minutes and the reports I’m reading are favorable.  I’m hopeful that the 
battle and the war could be over by nightfall.

I went for a carriage just a short time ago around six o’clock and I 
returned to find out distressing news.  My personal assistants Mr. Nicolay 
and Mr. Hay met me with news that the "battle is lost".  I don’t want to 
believe it....  I sent for my Cabinet and General Scott (my Chief of Staff), 
they have confirmed for me that the worst has happened!  General McDowell’s 
army has gone to pieces, our line has broken and the army is a confused mob 
running for their lives.

I’m discouraged and bewildered with the events of this day -- it is late 
and the first of our beaten army have started to trickle back into 
Washington.  By morning there will be thousands returning and we will need 
to sort out what needs to be done.  Its evident to me that "green troops" 
along with a slow inexperienced leader like McDowell are not the answer.  

Bull Run convinced everyone that the war was not going to be over in sixty 
days.  Military preparations already at fever pitch, were pushed with new 
vigor.  This battle was a demonstration of the will of both sides to fight.  
My thoughts are that we have undertaken to make war without really knowing 
how -- it is time to learn.  Bull Run has proven that the volunteers and 
militia men who made up the new armies (both North and South) would fight, 
but it has also shown us that they are not yet soldiers.  

So as this summer of 1861 turns to autumn and the autum into winter, there 
will be relatively little fighting but much marching and drilling of the 
troops will be done to acquire the skills of war.