The Battle of Bull Run took place in 1861 in the territory of Viriginia and it was the first major armed battle of the American Civil War, in which both sides were still poorly organized and trained. It highlighted the deficiencies of the opponents and it ended up as a victory for the Confederates.
In Washington, president Lincoln was waiting for victorious news and he got the opposite, news about McDowell's army retreating. In July, Lincoln signed a bill that ensured the enlistment of 500,000 more men during the following three years.