These incidents, happening on three successive days, and in distance forty miles apart, made a handsome showing for the young department commander when gathered into the single, short telegram in which he reported to Washington that Garnett was killed, his force routed, at least two hundred of the enemy killed, and seven guns and one thousand prisoners taken.  “Our success is complete, and secession is killed in this country,” concluded the despatch.  The result, indeed, largely overshadowed in importance the means which accomplished it.  The Union loss was only thirteen killed and forty wounded.  In subsequent effect, these two comparatively insignificant skirmishes permanently recovered the State of West Virginia to the Union.  The main credit was, of course, due to the steadfast loyalty of the people of that region.

This victory afforded welcome relief to the strained and impatient public opinion of the Northern States, and sharpened the eager expectation of the authorities at Washington of similar results from the projected Virginia campaign.  The organization and command of that column were intrusted to Brigadier-General McDowell, advanced to this grade from his previous rank of major.  He was forty-two years old, an accomplished West Point graduate, and had won distinction in the Mexican War, though since that time he had been mainly engaged in staff duty.  On the morning of July 16, he began his advance from the fortifications of Washington, with a marching column of about twenty-eight thousand men and a total of forty-nine guns, an additional division of about six thousand being left behind to guard his communications.  Owing to the rawness of his troops, the first few days’ march was necessarily cautious and cumbersome.

The enemy, under Beauregard, had collected about twenty-three thousand men and thirty-five guns, and was posted behind Bull Run.  A preliminary engagement occurred on Thursday, July 18, at Blackburn’s Ford on that stream, which served to develop the enemy’s strong position, but only delayed the advance until the whole of McDowell’s force reached Centreville Here McDowell halted, spent Friday and Saturday in reconnoitering, and on Sunday, July 21, began the battle by a circuitous march across Bull Run and attacking the enemy’s left flank.

It proved that the plan was correctly chosen, but, by a confusion in the march, the attack, intended for day-break, was delayed until nine o’clock.  Nevertheless, the first half of the battle, during the forenoon, was entirely successful, the Union lines steadily driving the enemy southward, and enabling additional Union brigades to join the attacking column by a direct march from Centreville.