Manassas National Battlefield Memorial

 

In search of some fresh air today we drove to Manassas - just half an hour from here to visit the site of two major battles of the American Civil War - the first in the summer of 1861 and the second in 1862.

 

We started in the Visitor Centre with a view over a main part of Henry Hill, one of the battle sites.  We watched an interpretative film and visited the museum.

 

Outside it was sunny but with a very cold wind.

 

During the course of the two battles - known as the first and second battles of Manassas or Bull Run -  close to 30,000 men - some of them very young and inexperienced volunteer soldiers - were lost either on the field or of injuries sustained and subsequent infection. 

 This monument, erected in 1865 at the end of the Civil War remembers those who died on the Union side.

 

On Henry Hill there was a single house at the time of the battle.  It was destroyed and the occupant - an 85 year old woman -  was killed.  Her name was Judith Henry and her grave and those of her son and daughter (who died many years later) are close to the site of the original wooden house.

 

 

There is a huge statue on the battlefield of General 'Stonewall' Jackson, the leader of the southern, Confederate, soldiers who were fighting the northern, Unionist, troops.

 

 

The inscription reads 'There stands Jackson, like a stone wall', said to be the words of another general, encouraging his scattered troops to rally behind General Jackson and the Virginian soldiers, hence giving him his famous nickname.