Debate: A Detailed Look at First Bull Run, "Shock and Awe"

[@GT_Racer347]

I had my own shock and awe moments as I walked those fields... So humbled and thankful to be able to be there and see where all of this took place. Very thankful to all of you that care for the battlefields and preserve history!

And now mobs are tearing down monuments.

[@GT_Racer347]

@ It's awful.

[@dadsongs]

Really one of the best videos I've seen that covers Civil War combat. The use of superimposed graphics at the beginning with a concise description of the battle was super effective. Nice job all around!

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

Thanks Bruce. Be sure to check out our other War Department discussions: kzbin.info/aero/PLZrhqv_T1O1tayKPCs9twUkXnwCRCDxDt

[@rosscook5847]

Nice presentation! I liked the group discussion between various historians. It moved and and all the elements hit their mark for purpose. The videos keep getting better. And the presenters always have an enthusiasm that shows they enjoy history. Great work!

[@jimpederson1328]

Great video- thanks! I'm a Westerner who is recently working in the Manassas area. I thought I learned about the Civil War previously---- but am finding I have a lot more to learn. Thanks for a great video, helping me learn a lot more about how things really happened in a very important part of our Nation's history. thanks!

[@BirdsAlwaysWin]

The overlay graphics REALLY helped a lot. This should be a staple of civil war historical videos

[@chesterstevenson]

I really like this format. You should do videos this way more often!

[@aerofpv2109]

The reenactments are so real I feel as if someone there had an iphone to record it. Great stuff.

[@kingfish4031]

Thank you , for these excellent videos.

[@bennyk3799]

I really enjoy these documentaries and commentaries. Thank you.

[@beyondthepale9071]

Great graphic - colors over real ground!

[@mregensb1sgt]

Y'all don't talk about the Western Theaters enough. More Tennessee and Kentucky please.

[@WarReport.]

You southern boys are right. I am further north than them Yankees

[@DarthVaderReturns1]

mark who do you like more stonewall Jackson of the east or Patrick Cleburne the stonewall Jackson of the west

[@michaelvaughn8864]

@@DarthVaderReturns1 I can't by any means speak for Mark R; but for myself it's Conf. Gen. Pat Cleburne as he's 1 of the unsung heroes of the Civil War in the western theater. I read an excerpt on him years ago. He was an important figure in the Army of Tennessee. A very brave and capable officer from Ireland, he was an intricate part of quite a few victories as a brigade and division commander. He tragically died leading a charge in Franklin, Tenn in the autumn of 1864 under Gen. Hood; who replaced Gen. Johnston as commanding general of the army there. Big mistake by Pres. Davis.....in my opinion

[@DarthVaderReturns1]

@@michaelvaughn8864 i wish the southern generals didnt get alot of haye people still hate them till this day i posted a pocture of my 4 faorite commanders in the eastern theater they were from the south on my faceook and someody who was a new friend of mine locked and called all 4 of them traitors i dont see the southern generals as traitors in one documentary they were refered as americans

[@DarthVaderReturns1]

@@michaelvaughn8864 my two favorite commanders who served under lee both died first jacckson at chancellorsville and je stuart at the battle of yellow tevern o respect both north and south commanders/generals as americans i dont see or look as traitors i see both sides as americans ill never call the southerns who fought in the american civil war as traitors

[@hvymettle]

A key issue for the Union army is that the artillery they employed in the assault on Henry Hill were rifled pieces, good at long-distance shelling but not effective at shorter ranges. The Union would have been better off with smoothbore Napoleans. Jackson had assembled 13 smoothbores on Henry Hill and had the advantage as he could hurl canister against infantry or round shot in counterbattery fire. Rifled pieces did not fire canister (except in emergencies) as it destroyed the rifling in the cannon.

[@hvymettle]

McDowell's plan was to march two divisions north along Bull Run to a point beyond the Confederate left flank and then cross Bull Run. Hunter was to cross at Sudley Ford and Heintzelman at Poplar Ford. This would have enabled the two divisions to deploy from column into battle line in open farmland and then advance on a broad front. Tyler's division was supposed to demonstrate in front of the Stone Bridge to fix the defenders in place. Sherman's Brigade of Tyler's Division was supposed to cross Bull Run at Farm Ford and turn south to flank and dislodge the defenders at the Stone Bridge allowing Tyler to cross and join the line formed by Hunter and Heintzelman. Heintzelman missed the turnoff for Poplar Ford and instead followed Hunter across Sudley Ford, stacking up behind him instead of deploying beside him. Porter Alexander spotted the turning movement and signaled Evans that his left was turned and the Confederates rushed reinforcements to Matthews Hill and delayed the Union advance. Sherman's failure to flank the Stone Bridge kept Tyler from advancing across the bridge and bringing up his artillery. Eventually, the Union weight in numbers prevailed and the Confederates were forced to retreat to Henry Hill. Jackson had 13 smoothbore cannon deployed on Henry Hill, good for close-in defense. McDowell couldn't assault this line without first neutralizing these Confederate guns. McDowell ordered Rickett's and Griffin's batteries forward who had new 10 lb. Parrott rifles which were effective at long range but unsuitable for the close-in work required and inflicted little damage on Jackson's line. Inexperience with the new guns and ammunition rendered them ineffective. McDowell's infantry was unable to advance from the base of Henry Hill in the face of Jackson's guns. Griffin had taken an exposed position on the right and was flanked by newly arriving Confederate reinforcements. The Confederates advanced and flanked the Union right, forcing the Union to retreat. The Confederates were almost as disordered by victory as the Union was by defeat. Had the Confederates pursued they might have captured a few stragglers but there was no chance they could have advanced on Washington, they would have come up against the Washington defenses and lacked the siege train for an attack.

[@ryanowchacha9045]

You guys are awesome

[@majcorbin]

a hill too far brilliant analogy

[@sasha642]

Nice video and Historical comment by the various historians.

[@martindriver6026]

Awesome narrative, my hat to Sam Smith. Would love to have him as a tour guide. Great group discussion, all of them are knowledgeable. Thanks for sharing.

[@MSGROSE1]

Fantastic job with the live-time graphics supporting the narrative. Having been to Manassas, this really adds to the understanding.

[@JRose713]

Great Video

[@sloanchampion85]

how about just giving credit to the southern boys for being hard fighters...both sides were equally inexperienced at the lower command level

[@kylemoody7759]

ACE Champion I do think the south had better soldiers and growing up in the north we were taught that the south had better soldiers and generals but it came down to numbers and supplies and that's where they were lacking. I've always believed that if the south had the resources the north did, that they would've won the war in less than two years. I grew up in the north but currently live in the south and I'm proud of both sides because I think they both showed how strong we as Americans have always been and how proud we are of our states and local communities and that's where I think most of the desire to fight came from. Soldiers back then wouldn't say they were an American, they would say they we're a Virginian or a Pennsylvanian

[@SarisTX]

Did yall film the reenactments yourself or got it from somebody else?

[@JRose713]

You from Texas

[@totallynotalpharius2283]

If this was the Shock and Awe , Shiloh was the “oh god what have we started”

[@tkwasiisaac1777]

What I took from this is that the south took the high ground and was decisive to gaining the advantage.

[@luislaplume8261]

If there had been a combined naval and army command, well equipped and trained the Union Army would have taken Richmond VA. in 1 week.

[@eeljn]

The Minnesota 1st held its ground till the order to retreat, they then left the field in order.

[@Gamemaster-lp3yn]

I thought the confederates couldn’t push to Washington because the were tired and poorly trained

[@sloanchampion85]

no let's don't play history revisionist....it was a mad retreat...you need to read actual diaries....even the roads were jammed in complete panic

[@peternolan1028]

yes that's what the commentator meant by saying a ' rout'

[@sloanchampion85]

@Howie Felterbush we get it you hate Southern people......look at yourself in the mirror and you'll find ignorant

[@model-man7802]

Wow talk about Monotone.

[@WarReport.]

The snipers could not have told her or helped her away from her home?

[@polignac]

she was completely bed ridden

[@edwardkim8972]

I get this feeling that the Union army was never trained to properly retreat, fall back and reform. So, they face a few setbacks and then the Union army shattered. It was barely trained.

[@kurtsherrick2066]

Lincoln told McDowell when McDowell told Lincoln that his troops were green. Lincoln told him that the Southerners were just as Green. It took Mcdowell's Army 3 days to March to Manassas/ Bull Run and 12 hours to get back.

[@edwardkim8972]

@@kurtsherrick2066 well, both armies are green, but you don't ask a green army to attack. Its alot easier to defend if you're a green army. That day the Union army was mostly on the attack. Bad idea.

[@kurtsherrick2066]

@@edwardkim8972 You have to remember that the Union thought the Southerners would easily be beaten and one battle would stop the so called Rebellion. They underestimated the determination of the Southern Soldier's. Maybe it would have been a good thing if it was settled in the first battle. Four years of death and Destruction followed with hard feelings to this day. God bless you and yours.

[@JamesJohnson-ow6io]

Love father Roberson®®

[@billkeane528]

the great skedaddle

[@TheNextGoogification]

Actually you told the story wrong, this was the first battle of the civil war. It is best described as workers versus workers

[@aterseraph]

5 Northerners watched this video.

[@kingofmphs]

😂

[@logangallagher9117]

Five winners

[@outdoorlife5396]

You know if the Federals had took care of the train before the battle, the Confederates would not have been able to reinforce themselves.

[@jacksonguillory8114]

Dude narrating looks Slightly like a bearded Robert irwin.

[@kentuckylady2990]

First Manassas

[@MaskOfAgamemnon]

You only really need to say "a" chaos if chaos had a plural but there's none, so just "became chaos"

[@DarthVaderReturns1]

why do they not mention james longstreet in the first battle of bull run he was present at both battles of bull run

[@DarthVaderReturns1]

@Howie Felterbush whatever he was doing there I do not know [;is lomgstreet was also present at he battle of Gettysburg and I also heard Longstreet was at Chancellorsville but he did not anything there worth mentioning

[@duncantriggs509]

delivery , nil points .

[@llv5531]

The South had better officers and soldiers at that moment. If they advanced further, they could take Washington and the war is finished that day.

[@antares4s]

Nice animation but you can clearly see that he is reading from a script in front of him in the opening few minutes.

[@Panz82]

so?

[@mustlovedogs272]

More smothing over the fact that the southern man proved himself to be the better soldier. These tirds usually point to the Union army's "inexperience". Okay, yeah. The southern army had just returned from overseas fighting the Turks and Germans. Ok.

[@graemesydney38]

signed; salty southern Rebel.

[@GottliebGoltz]

GRIM.

[@LoveBagpipes]

Great video