The Battle of Bull Run and The battle of Manassass 2

Today (Friday, April 19, 2013) we went to the National Park Service, Manassas Battlefield Park. Studying the Civil War, you might know the Battle of Bull Run. This was the battle in which everyone thought that after one battle, the other side will stop fighting altogether. The armies, by accident, met at Bull Run and fought it out there. Most of the Union troops had never seen a dead person until that awful day. The Union soldiers almost won but the Confederates got reinforcements and drove the Union soldiers back. General Jackson earned his nickname of “Stonewall Jackson” because he did not let the Union overcome his position.  He lead a Confederate charge that captured Union artillery and turned the battle into a Confederate Victory.  The Union soldiers retreated haphazardly in defeat across the Stone Bridge and back to Washington.  The retreat was chaotic because was complicated by obstructions and fleeing spectators.  What most people don’t know is that there was another Battle at Manassas, which was by far bloodier than the first: Second Manassas.  Union and Confederate soldiers, hardened by other battles, faced off here. Lee gambled and split his army, sending General “Stonewall” Jackson on a 54 mile march in 36 hours (UNBELIEVABLE) to captured the railroad that supplied the Unions.  The famished soldiers feasted on all the rations (and they were really hungry because they had such poor rations from the beginning and then marched) and then destroyed all that was left.  Then Stonewall Jackson brought his soldiers back to Manassas and hunkered down at an old sunken Railroad which gave him a great vantage point, the high ground and protection. He sat in wait for General Pope’s armies. Stonewall wanted to attack Pope’s armies but the were some pro and cons. In the end, he decided to attack. Stonewall Jackson sent forth cannon fire at the Union soldiers. After the first explosion, Pope’s army fell to the ground for shelter from the shells. One of Pope’s commander thought that it was some Calvary, which did hit and run attacks. He said that he would stop them and took his armies and marched up the hill were he thought they would be. But instead of Calvary, they were met by a view of Confederate soldiers marching out of the trees. The commander immediately sent for reinforcements.   In the meantime, the rest of the Confederate soldiers under General Longstreet came from the flank and essentially surprised the Union army squeezing them from both sides.  It was a rout and the Union army again retreated in chaotic disarray.  Sadly, there were almost 10 times more casualties. The Union soldiers were defeated on the same battlefield that they had lost at the Battlefield of Bull Run.