The Build Up Before the Battle of First Manassas

A complete and authentic issue of ‘The Weekly Herald’, NYC, July 6, 1861, 8pp., disbound. Front page map, 10” x 9”, “The Theater of War in Virginia. The Field of Operation in of Washington ... Recent Skirmishes at Vienna, Edward’s Ferry ... Between Potoamc and Manassas Gap Junction.” Reports include Evacuation of Hapers Ferry by the Rebels; Death of Captain Ward Commander of the Chesapeake Flotilla. Under “Reward for the Heads of Rebels” we find, For Jeff Davis twenty-five thousand. For Beauregard fifteen thousand. For Senator Mason ten dollars. For Pryor five cents. ... The First Battle of Bull Run, called the Battle of First Manassas by Confederate forces, was the first major battle of the American Civil War. The battle was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, just north of what is now the city of Manassas and about thirty miles west-southwest of Washington, D.C. The Union army was slow in positioning themselves, allowing Confederate reinforcements time to arrive by rail. Each side had about 18,000 poorly trained and poorly led troops. The battle was a Confederate victory and was followed by a disorganized post-battle retreat of the Union forces.