Battle of Blackburn's Ford

Battle of Blackburn's Ford
Part of the American Civil War
Blackburn's Ford
Date July 18, 1861 (1861-07-18) Location Blackburn's Ford along Bull Run Creek in Virginia Result Confederate victory
Belligerents
United States (Army of Northeastern Virginia)	CSA (Confederacy) (Army of the Potomac)
Commanders and leaders
Irvin McDowell Daniel Tyler Israel B. Richardson	P.G.T. Beauregard James Longstreet Jubal Early
Strength
3,000[1]	5,100[1]
Casualties and losses
83	68

The Battle of Blackburn's Ford (also known as the Skirmish at Blackburn's Ford)^[2] took place on July 18, 1861, in the Confederate state of Virginia, as part of the Manassas campaign of the American Civil War. Union general Irvin McDowell's Army of Northeastern Virginia was marching south towards the Confederate capital of Richmond, and encountered the Confederate Army of the Potomac under the command of P. G. T. Beauregard. McDowell sent troops from Daniel Tyler's division to probe the Confederate defenses along Bull Run Creek to locate the Confederate left flank. At Blackburn's Ford, the Union troops attempted to cross but Confederate fire broke up the attack. The repulse at Blackburn's Ford led McDowell to seek to attack the Confederates at a different point along their line, leading to the First Battle of Bull Run three days later.