Why didn't the Confederates take Washington after the first battle of Manassas?

Answer 1

There are several reasons for this failure that might make sense on the battlefield: # While the Yankee's had bolted from the field it could be a trap trying to pull the Confederates forward. # The Yankee's surely had superior forces in the rear defending their Capital. # The Confederates may not have had as easy a job of it and needed to resupply and reorganize before pressing forward. # The Confederates may have believed that an early victory here might strengthen their cause and negotianing position and determined that it was their best option to stand down and see what happened next. # The Confederate Military Leadership may have lacked good judgement. # The Confederate Military Leadership may have been timid and concerned because of the carnage they had seen in this first battle of the Civil War. # The Confederates may not have had good leadership. The consensus is that Lee would have attacked. Beauregard and Joe Johnston were not cut from the same mold as Robert E. Lee. # As in many operations it may have been political leadership that blunted the sword.