Majo Major Phases Of The Battle Of Ball's Bluff

The day of the battle took place in the fall of 1861 in Eastern Theater territory. The men were outfitted in era appropriate uniforms and congregated along the banks of the Potomac waiting for further orders. Confusion permeated amongst the troops, as there was rumor as to the exact location and movement of Confederate troops.

On the day of the battle, both the Union and Confederates each had approximately 1,700 men. This 1:1 ratio does not adhere to present day doctrine, which prefers a 3:1 fighting ratio. The Confederate troops were on the Virginia side of the Potomac River, while the Union troops were on the Maryland side. There were shortages of boats to cross the river, only made apparent in the midst of the battle, and morale was low since the loss of Wilson’s Creek in August. In the end, overall Union casualties to include killed, wounded, and missing, were 900, while the numbers for the Confederate Army was approximately 200. Troop organization for both the Confederate and Union Armies were congruent with the organization at the time. Fighting tactics included ground forces who moved in a linear fashion and fought with small arms, hand to hand combat when necessary, and typical Civil War field artillery.

However, the battle can be broken down into two phases to include 1) pre-battle and 2) day of battle. The pre-battle phase includes all significant actions up to October 21, 1861, the day of the actual battle. The day of battle phase includes the day of October