July 21, 1861Reputable sourceWell documented
The First Battle of Bull Run
On the timeline · around July 21, 1861 ·
What happened
In the first major battle of the war, near Manassas, Virginia, an untried Union army under Irvin McDowell attacked Confederate forces. A defensive stand by Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson turned the tide, and the Union army retreated in disorder toward Washington.
Why it matters
The Confederate victory shattered Northern hopes for a quick, easy war and signaled that the conflict would be long and bloody.