Day One

In August of 1862, Union and 
Confederate Armies converged for 
a second time on the plains of 
Manassas, Virginia.  The naive 
enthusiasm that preceded the 
earlier encounter was gone.  The 
contending forces, now made up 
of seasoned veterans, knew well 
the reality of war. 

The Confederates, under the 
command of Robert E. Lee boldly 
launched "Stonewall" Jackson's 
corps on a march of over 50 
miles on August 25th.  Jackson 
marched around the newly created 
Union Army of Virginia, 
commanded by General John Pope, 
and captured their supply depot 
at Manassas Junction two days 
later.  Having secured their 
objective, Jackson moved to a 
position in the woods around
Groveton near the old Manassas 
battlefield.

General Pope, stung by the 
attack on his supply base, 
abandoned his line at the 
Rappahonnock River and headed 
toward Manassas to "bag" 
Jackson.  On August 28th, the 
Union troops searched for the 
Confederates.  General John 
Gibbon's brigade, marching along
the Warrenton Pike, crossed in 
front of the concealed 
Confederate forces.  The battle 
began at sunset near Brawner's 
Farm, and lasted only a few 
hours until nightfall.


Day 2

Convinced that Jackson was 
isolated, Pope ordered his 
columns to converge on Groveton.
Pope's army found Confederates 
posted along an unfinished 
railroad grade north of the 
Warrenton Pike.  All afternoon 
in a series of six uncoordinated
assaults, the Union sent attacks
against the Confederate line.  

As General Pope sent wave upon 
wave of attack, Confederate 
General Longstreet arrived with 
fresh troops, and deployed to 
Jackson's right.  The fresh 
Southern troops overlapped the 
exposed Union left.  General Lee 
urged Longstreet to attack the 
Union - but "Old Pete" refused, 
saying that the time was "just 
not right."


Day 3

The morning of August 30th 
passed quietly.  Just before 
noon, General Pope saw the 
Confederates pull back.  He 
pushed the Union army forward, 
assuming the Confederates were 
retreating; instead, he began 
the collapse of the Union 
forces.

Pope ordered an attack against 
Jackson's line, led by General 
Fitz-John Porter and General 
McDowell against the 
Confederates.  The South, led 
by Brigadier General W. E. 
Starke, held firm - decimating 
Porter's column.  Seeing the 
Union  lines in disarray, 
General Longstreet finally 
pushed his massive columns 
forward and staggered the Union 
left.  

Pope's army was faced with 
annihilation.  Only a heroic 
stand by the Union troops, first 
on Chinn Ridge, then again on 
Henry Hill, bought time for 
Pope's hard-pressed Union 
forces to retreat.  Under the 
cover of darkness, the defeated 
Union withdrew across Bull Run 
toward the defences surrounding 
Washington.  

Lee's bold and brilliant Second 
Battle of Manassas campaign 
opened the way for the South's 
first invasion of the North and 
a bid for foreign intervention.