Battle of Manassas Service, 21st July 2007
Old Calton Cemetery, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh, Scotland
The first service we held in 2007 at the Old Calton Cemetery, was a multiple celebration of events that were in part all inter linked.
The initial idea was to hold a service of remembrance at the Lincoln Memorial in the Old Calton Cemetery, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh to Celebrate the 200th. Anniversay of the Abolition of Slavery Act 1807. It was then decided that an ideal date to hold it was on July 21st. 2007, as July 21st. was the date of the first major Battle of the American Civil War. Sadly many people to this day still believe that this war was fought purely about slavery.
Research the Civil War and the reasons for the Confederate States breaking away from the Union and for the Appointment of Jefferson Davis as the President of the Confederate States of America (18th. February 1861 to 5th. May 1865.)
During the American Civil War several Christian Revivals occured, largely due to General Robert E. Lee, General "Stonewall" Jackson and Lieutenant General Leonidas Polk (Episcopal Bishop of Louisiana). Bishop Polk was also the third Cousin of President James K. Polk (11th. President of the United Sates of America 4th. March 1845 to 4th. March 1849). These Christian Generals were ALL Commanders in the Confederate Army.
Because of my own research into the war and my desire for more input I came in contact with The Lincoln Studies website. I then found a series of onfederate sites, but one in Particular had a Clergyman as a contact, from there I became a Chaplain and Honorary Member of the Col. Ben E. Caudill Camp # 1629.
Both websites are listed in our links section. Both sites cover the services that we do in Honour of the Scots who fought and died during the Civil War.
Other contacts were the Chicago Saint Andrew's Society, and one very helpul contact was Mr. Kenny MacAskill M.S.P., a member of the Scottish Parliament. Mr. MacAskill is himself both Scottish and descendant of Confederate Soldiers who fought during the Civil War.
So on July 21st. 2007 we remebered the end of Slavery (1807), the Scots who fought and died in the American Civil War, and because of the date, we also recalled the First Battle of Manassas. The Union Army refer to the Battle as Bull Run.
The First Battle of Manassas July 21, 1861 (Also known as the First Battle of Bull Run)
Location: Fairfax County and Prince William County (See the map on this page)
Campaign: Manassas Campaign (July 1861)
Principal Commanders:
- Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell (Union States)
- Brig. Gen. J. E. Johnston and Brig. Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard (Confederate States)
Forces Engaged on the field: 60,680 total (Union States 28,450; Confederate States 32,230)
Estimated Casualties: 4,700 total (Union States 2,950; Confederate States 1,750)
This was the first major land battle of the armies in Virginia. On July 16, 1861, the untried Union army under Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell marched from Washington against the Confederate army, which was drawn up behind Bull Run beyond Centreville. On the 21st, McDowell crossed at Sudley Ford and attacked the Confederate left flank on Matthews Hill. Fighting raged throughout the day as Confederate forces were driven back to Henry Hill. Late in the afternoon, Confederate reinforcements (one brigade arriving by rail from the Shenandoah Valley) extended and broke the Union right flank. The Federal retreat rapidly deteriorated into a rout. Although victorious, Confederate forces were too disorganized to pursue. Confederate Gen. Bee and Col. Bartow were killed. Thomas J. Jackson earned the nom de guerre “Stonewall.” By July 22, the shattered Union army reached the safety of Washington. This battle convinced the Lincoln administration that the war would be a long and costly affair. McDowell was relieved of command of the Union army and replaced by Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, who set about reorganizing and training the troops.
