Slight demonstration

The Battle of Ball's Bluff was the result of a slight demonstration. Three months after the Battle of Bull Run, Confederate and Confederate armies occupied a relatively stagnant front along the Potomac River. On the Virginia side of the river, Colonel Nathan "Shanks" Evans, commanding less than 3,000 men, grew increasingly concerned about being surrounded by the growing number of Confederate troops gathered across the river. A small skirmish in the direction of Harper's Ferry on October 16, 1861, only increased Evans' fears and caused the Confederacy to abandon his position at Leesburg.

For this slight demonstration, the opposite of Evans is Brig. General Charles P. Stone's Observation Corps, whose main task was to monitor Confederate activities. When Stone's men reported Evans' retreat, Major General George B. McClellan gave orders to the Brig division. General George McCall headed for the Edwards Ferry, but the cautious McClellan quickly rescinded the order. At the same time, McClellan ordered Stone to perform a "slight demonstration" —to ascertain Confederate intentions — along the Potomac on October 20. Meanwhile, at the behest of General PGT Beauregard, Evans was returned to Leesburg, setting the stage for the ensuing battle. Therefore, the Battle of Ball's Bluff as a result of a slight demonstration is one of the facts about the Battle of Ball's Bluff that brings many surprises to those who are learning about this battle.