Visited: Sept 2019
Nearby city: Washington DC
"Today will be known as Black Monday. We are utterly and disgracefully routed, beaten, whipped by secessionists."
July 22, 1861 journal entry by lawyer and Union diarist George Templeton Strong
On a plain in northern Virginia, lies the site of the first major battle of the US Civil War. The Union referred to the battle as Bull Run (named after the river), while the Confederacy referenced the battle as Manassas (named after the small, nearby village).
The outbreak of the US Civil War was caused by decades-long tensions between the States that centered around slavery, and also involved the conflict between the powers of the centralized federal government and the rights of the states, interpretations of the nature of democracy, socio-economic factors, class struggle, and a host of other complex issues. The election of President Abraham Lincoln in 1860 was a breaking point. Lincoln had run on a platform against the extension of slavery to the country's newly-acquired territories. White Southerners branded Lincoln and the new Republican Party as a dangerous abolitionist party that was intent on destroying the Southern "way of life." Before Lincoln took office in March 1861, seven states had seceded from the Union (South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas). Virginia would soon follow, and seceded in April 1861. Ultimately, a total of eleven states would secede, and they formed the Confederate States of America. When Confederate troops fired cannon on a federal fort off the coast of South Carolina (Ft. Sumter) and the fort surrendered on April 12, 1861, the hostilies officially began. On May 8, 1861, the Confederacy moved its capital to Richmond, Virginia; only 100 miles away from the Union capital of Washington DC.
Union leaders believed a swift, frontal attack on the new capital of Richmond would lead to a quick end to the war. The show of strength and a victory would convince the South of the futility and error of their rebellion and the Union would be preserved. Union General Winfield Scott was a battle-tested veteran, but was 75 years old, and physically unable to lead the force. Lincoln needed to select a new commander, and had a short time to do so. Lincoln eventually selected Irvin McDowell of Ohio. McDowell had long served as an Adjutant General, but had little experience in command on the field of battle. McDowell was given little time to train the volunteer troops for the planned assault on Richmond, and was very concerned of both his own and his troops inexperience. Lincoln responded "You are green, it is true. But they [the Confederates] are green also; you are all green alike."
On July 16, 1861, McDowell departed Washington DC with an army of approximately 35,000. About twenty-five miles down the road, McDowell and the Union Army met a Confederate force of 20,000, lead by Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, at the Bull Run River near the small town of Manassas. Beauregard's makeshift headquarters was in a home owned by Wilmer McLean. A wholesale grocer, McLean later moved his family further south in order to avoid the bloodshed...he moved to the small town of Appomattox ... (*more about his story in a later blog post*).
As the battle began on the morning of July 21, 1861, the Union appeared to have the upper hand...but then Confederate reinforcements under Brig. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston arrived by railroad and boosted the Confederate numbers to about 32,000 - roughly the same number of troops as the North. The rejuvenated Confederates put up a stalwart defense against the Union's initial assault.
A Confederate Brigadier General and professor at the Virginia Military Institute named Thomas J. Jackson waged a particularly famous defense at an area of high ground known as Henry Hill. Confederate Brig. Gen. Barnard Bee was in danger of being pushed from the field by the Union advance, and told Jackson (who had been sent to reinforce his troops) that the Enemy was driving them. Jackson replied "Then, Sir, we will give them the bayonet." Jackson stood strong against the Union assault, leading Bee to exclaim to his troops: "There is Jackson standing like a stone wall. Let us determine to die here, and we will conquer. Rally behind the Virginians!" Bee's description inspired the Confederate troops and the moniker would stick, Jackson would be widely known as "Stonewall" Jackson. Jackson later died from friendly fire at the Battle of Chancellorville a few years later, in May 1863. There is a statue of Jackson on the battlefield grounds.
Lincoln and the Union leaders were shocked and dismayed by the rout. It was a swift and brutal realization that this would not a be a short war, and that the Confederacy was not going to quickly give up its cause and submit back into the Union. The Confederate celebration was also somewhat muted, they as well realized this would be a long, costly war, and that the North would not relent in their goal to preserve the Union.
Manassas National Battlefield Park was established in 1936. Unfortunately, we did not have a lot of time here, we made a quick visit to the Henry Hill Visitor Center - which has great exhibits, lots of information about the origin of the Civil War, the battlefield, and very good interactive maps. Its a great museum. There is also a 45-minute orientation video about the battle. We then walked the grounds at Henry Hill.
Henry Hill Visitor Center
During the battle, the Henry family home stood at this spot. The house was destroyed during the war, and the house seen here was rebuilt by the Henry family in the 1880s. The home served as the site's original visitor center when the Park was established in 1936.
burial grounds of Judith Henry. Judith was living in the home at the time of battle. She was 85 years old, bed-ridden, and unable to leave the home as the battle commenced. Judith was mortally wounded when Union artillery crashed through the bedroom wall and tore one of her feet off.
These grounds were also the site of the Second Battle of Bull Run/Second Battle of Manassas a little over a year later in August 29-30, 1862. It was another Confederate victory and emboldened Gen. Robert E. Lee to conduct the ensuing Maryland Campaign (that ended with the incredibly bloody Battle of Antietam ... more on that battle in an upcoming blog post). There are some more areas of the Park devoted to the Second battle, but we did not have enough time to visit.
If in Washington DC area, make sure to take some time and drive out here to learn about the beginnings of the Civil War.
For more info: https://www.nps.gov/mana/index.htm
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