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Lincoln calls for Volunteers
Following the attack on Fort Sumter, President Lincoln issued a proclamation on April 15, calling for 75,000 volunteers to serve for three months -
Union Offensive and McDowell's Orders
Public and political pressure mounted to launch an offensive against the Confederates, leading President Lincoln to order Brigadier General Irvin McDowell to attack Confederate forces near Manassas Junction, Virginia -
Confederate Forces at Manassas
Confederate forces, commanded by General P.G.T. Beauregard, were camped near Manassas Junction, a vital railroad hub, to defend the area -
Confederate Reinforcements:
General Joseph E. Johnston's army, stationed in the Shenandoah Valley, was ordered to support Beauregard, with his troops arriving at Manassas Junction on July 20 and 21. -
Union Advance and Skirmishes
On July 18, McDowell's army reached Centreville, and on July 17, skirmishes occurred at Blackburn's Ford near the center of Beauregard's line -
The Battle of Bull Run
On July 21, 1861, the First Battle of Bull Run, also known as the First Battle of Manassas, took place near Bull Run creek, resulting in a Confederate victory and a chaotic retreat by Union forces -
Secession and Fort Sumner
In December 1860, South Carolina seceded from the Union, followed by other Southern states, forming the Confederate States of America. On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces bombarded Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, marking the beginning of open warfare