Final answer:
The correct answer is A) Bull Run, where General McDowell sent phony Union forces towards the Confederate line at the waterway named after it during the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861.
Step-by-step explanation:
General McDowell employed a deceptive tactic by sending phony Union forces towards the Confederate forces by way of the waterway, which was named Bull Run after the nearby small river.
During the American Civil War, the First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas, took place near Manassas, Virginia, along Bull Run Creek. It was the first major land battle of the war, occurring on July 21, 1861. The Union forces, under the command of Brigadier General McDowell, engaged the Confederate forces commanded by Brigadier General Beauregard.
The battle is infamous not only for its military significance but also because many civilians, including Washington socialites and politicians, arrived to watch the battle unfold, expecting a quick and decisive Union victory. Instead, the battle resulted in a chaotic retreat by Union forces and a Confederate victory, signalling a longer and more brutal conflict than initially anticipated by the North.