After Bull Run

Bull Run struck home, and the terrible realization of a mighty war was in sight. The northern moral was crushed. For days, northern soldiers straggled into Washington, and entire regiments dissolved. The casualties shocked both sides, and each buttoned down for a long and costly war.

Wandering through these streets was the promising General McClellan, who promised his distraught northern government success, and took a bulky and large army, and streamlined and fixed the Army of the Potomac. But after several months, it became apparent that McClellan was not planning on doing anything. After several months of nothing, Lincoln ordered McClellan to move on Richmond, but McClellan proposed to float in his army, and attack Richmond from the south.

McClellan's do-nothing approach and very apparent vanity grated on Lincoln, and the two became very bitter towards one another. Eight months after the battered northern army returned to Washington from Bull Run, McClellan moved toward Richmond, where Lee and his forces were waiting.

During this Time Ulysses S. Grant scored a few successes which boosted northern confidence with the capture of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson. The Tennessee and Cumberland rivers were now in Union hands.

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