How true is the story that Northern folks went to the early Civil War Battle of Bull Run (a.k.a. Manassas) expecting a quick rout of the rebels, and actually picnicked while they enjoyed the carnage? (Their picnics, if they happened, ended early, alas).
I’m not denying that war has a certain entertainment value. But picknicking ? Maybe. Any evidence one way or another?
I’ll post to find out. I believe there are photos of folks watching battles from rooftops.
Well, on the practical side, if you’re going out to watch a battle, who knows how long you’ll be there? Better bring lunch.
If the story is true, I don’t see it so much as indifference to human suffering or being entertained by it as much as simple ignorance. These people had never seen war on television as we do. Sure, they had heard accounts of battles and maybe even knew a Mexican War vet or two, but the full horror of war was probably obscured by romanticized mental images. They probably expected to see men clutch their chests and fall over after a glowing speech about love for one’s country, not see a boy blown in half by cannon fire.
Civil War reenactments are still extremely popular and people sit and eat and watch those while soldiers pretend to be shot and stabbed and blown up. The only thing better would be the original production right?
I have no proof that it happened but I can easily believe it. The only issue would be how safe the bystanders felt themselves. If we still had battles of that style, I would fully expect that they would be a popular spectator sport today.
Okay, it’s wikipedia, but it’s a start
The wealthy elite of nearby Washington, expecting an easy Union victory, had come to picnic and watch the battle. When the Union army was driven back in a running disorder, the roads back to Washington were blocked by panicked civilians attempting to flee in their carriages.
The story is well attested (there were plenty of witnesses!), and the scene is described in any general history of the Civil War. As one example, from Bruce Catton’s Never Call Retreat:
I know it is also mentioned in the PBS Civil War mini-series as having happened.
Thanks, folks. It seems somewhat more plausible to me now… but a cite from a contemporaneous personal letter or perhaps newspaper would be great, don’t you think? Even Bruce Catton may not have done strict primary-source historical research for every detail in his book.
There was a parallel situation during the First Gulf War (Iraq invading Kuwait, Iraq throwing rockets at Israel.) CNN had a news crew shooting video out an open window, with a newsguy standing next to the window. The rest of the city was sealed up, expecting a Scud rocket loaded with poison gas. Benjamin Netanyahu (in the Israeli army at the time) called CNN to scold them for having an open window and not putting a gas mask on the announcer. He told them they wouldn’t have time to button up the room if a missile came in.
Now that I’ve typed that, I have the feeling I have made a significant historical error. Someone will be kind enough to tell me where I jumped the track, probably.
I lived in Manassas for a year or so, just about 2 miles from the battlefield. The story of the sightseers watching the battle is quite well publicized on the tourist info signs in the area.
Happy to oblige - Bibi wasn’t in the army, he was Israel’s ambassador to the UN.
And I suspect he had more than the CNN crew’s safety at heart. Footage of exact locations of Scud landings could have been used by the Iraqis for targeting purposes.