165 YEARS AGO: Federals advance on Munson’s Hill, a few miles southwest of Washington, and make an embarrassing discovery. Meanwhile, the Confederate commander faces criticism from his superiors.
Tag: Joseph E. Johnston
Insinuations Unfounded and Unbecoming
OTD 165 YEARS AGO: Joseph E. Johnston sends Jefferson Davis an angry letter protesting his ranking among the full Confederate generals. This causes a permanent rift between the two.
The Confederate Four-Star Generals
OTD 165 YEARS AGO: Jefferson Davis nominates five officers to become full generals in the Confederate Army. This ultimately causes controversy over seniority, leading to lasting discord with Davis.
Washington Could Have Been Taken
OTD 165 YEARS AGO: Jefferson Davis responds to allegations that he hindered the Confederate army’s ability to march on Washington after Bull Run.
Military Life in Its Most Depressing Form
165 YEARS AGO: News of the previous day’s Confederate victory at Bull Run prompts celebrations in the South and depression in the North. An influential New York publisher writes a desperate letter to President Lincoln asking him to consider seeking peace with the South.
The Battle of Bull Run
165 YEARS AGO: The battle that many hoped would end the war takes place in northern Virginia near a stream named Bull Run.