Army of the Potomac
Also called the First Battle of Manassas, fought on July 21, 1861 it was the first large battle of the American Civil War. McDowell started marching part of his army around the left end of the Confederate army attempting a flanking maneuver. The two armies started shooting at each other about 6 a.m. near Matthews Hill. The Confederates did not expect the Union army to attack but they moved brigades to their left flank. The Union army pushed the Confederates back from Matthews Hill about 11 a.m. The Confederates retreated back to another hill called Henry House Hill. On the hill was Thomas J. Jackson's brigade. Another Confederate general was trying to regroup his men. When Jackson rushed forward to fill a gap in the Confederate line the general said, "Look men, there is Jackson standing like a stone wall!" After the battle Jackson would be called "Stonewall Jackson". All the Union attacks on the Confederate lines failed. In the afternoon the Confederates made an attack of their own. This drove the Union army back towards Washington, D.C. The Confederates were too tired to chase after them.