Battles & Campaigns · 1861
Battle of Big Bethel
Big Bethel, Hampton, Virginia, USA
What happened
Early in the Civil War, Union troops planned a night march to surprise Confederate outposts on the Virginia Peninsula. The plan went wrong: not every unit knew the password, and Union regiments fired on each other in the dark. When they reached the Confederate earthworks at Big Bethel, they could not break through and withdrew.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was a Confederate victory that boosted Southern morale. Along with First Bull Run six weeks later, it led many Southerners to expect a quick war.
What came next
The Union made no major advance on the Peninsula until McClellan's Peninsula Campaign of 1862.
Did you know?
Butler expected a large Confederate force at Little Bethel, but only about 50 cavalrymen were there.
Timeline
- 10 June 1861Battle of Big Bethel.
- 21 July 1861First Battle of Bull Run.
- 7 August 1861Confederates burn Hampton.
- 1862 CEPeninsula Campaign.