Taking Richmond promised to hit the Confederate capital and an important industrial and economic center by the shortest apparent route from Washington. On a flat map, the two cities look close enough for a direct march. That simplicity made the plan attractive and apparently decisive. The rest of the episode tests it against troop use, terrain, and army readiness.
Chapter · 1:51-3:36
The direct route to Richmond
First Bull Run begins with the tempting idea of marching directly from Washington to Richmond, then tests that map-based logic against the realities of campaigning.