Manassas National Battlefield Park ⓘ

Cheers rang out in the streets of Washington on July 16, 1861 as Gen. Irvin McDowell’s Federal army, 35,000 strong, marched out to begin the long-awaited campaign to capture Richmond and end the war. It was an army of green recruits, few of whom had the faintest idea of the magnitude of the task facing them.

McDowell’s lumbering columns were headed for the vital railroad junction at Manassas. Here the Orange and Alexandria Railroad met the Manassas Gap Railroad, which led west to the Shenandoah Valley. If McDowell could seize this junction, he would stand astride the best overland approach to the Confederate capital.

On July 18, McDowell’s army reached Centreville. Five miles ahead a small meandering stream named Bull Run crossed the route of the Union advance. Guarding the fords from Union Mills to the Stone Bridge were 22,000 Southern troops under the command of Gen. Pierre G.T. Beauregard . McDowell first attempted to move toward the Confederate right flank, but his troops were checked at Blackburn’s Ford . He then spent the next two days scouting the Southern left flank. In the meantime, Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston 's army, stationed in the Shenandoah Valley with 10,000 Confederate troops, were ordered to support Beauregard. Johnston gave an opposing Union army the slip and, employing the Manassas Gap Railroad, started his brigades toward Manassas Junction, with most arriving July 20 and 21.

After the Union defeat at Manassas in July 1861, Gen. George B. McClellan took command of the Federal forces in and around Washington and organized them into a formidable fighting machine- the Army of the Potomac. In March 1862, leaving a strong force to cover the capital, McClellan shifted his army by water to Fort Monroe on the tip of the York-James peninsula, only 100 miles southeast of Richmond. Early in April he advanced toward the Confederate capital.

Anticipating such a move, the Southerners abandoned the Manassas area and marched to meet the Federals. By the end of May, McClellan's troops were within sight of Richmond. Here Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's Confederate army assailed the Federals in the bloody but inconclusive Battle of Seven Pines. Johnston was wounded, and President Davis placed Gen. Robert E. Lee in command. Seizing the offensive, Lee sent his force (now called the Army of Northern Virginia) across the Chickahominy River and, in a series of savage battles, known as the Seven Days' battles , pushed McClellan back from the edge of Richmond to a position on the James River.

At the same time, the scattered Federal forces in northern Virginia were organized into the Army of Virginia under the command of Gen. John Pope , who arrived with a reputation freshly won in the war's western theater. Gambling that McClellan would cause no further trouble around Richmond, Lee sent General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson's corps northward to "suppress" Pope. Jackson clashed indecisively with part of Pope's troops at Cedar Mountain on August 9. Meanwhile, learning that the Army of the Potomac was withdrawing by water to join Pope, Lee marched with Gen. James Longstreet's corps to bolster Jackson. On the Rapidan, Pope successfully blocked Lee's attempts to gain the tactical advantage, and then withdrew his men north of the Rappahannock River. Lee knew that if he was to defeat Pope he would have to strike before McClellan's army arrived in northern Virginia. On August 25 Lee boldly started Jackson's corps on a march of over 50 miles, around the Union right flank to strike at Pope's rear.

Two days later, Jackson's veterans seized Pope's supply depot at Manassas Junction. After a day of wild feasting, Jackson burned the Federal supplies and moved to a position in the woods at Groveton near the old Manassas battlefield.

Pope, stung by the attack on his supply base, abandoned the line of the Rappahannock and headed towards Manassas to "bag" Jackson. At the same time, Lee was moving northward with Longstreet's corps to reunite his army. On the afternoon of August 28, to prevent the Federal commander's efforts to concentrate at Centreville and bring Pope to battle, Jackson ordered his troops to attack a Union column as it marched past on the Warrenton Turnpike. This savage fight at Brawner Farm lasted until dark.

Convinced that Jackson was isolated, Pope ordered his columns to converge on Groveton. He was sure that he could destroy Jackson before Lee and Longstreet could intervene. On the 29 th Pope's army found Jackson's men posted along an unfinished railroad grade , north of the turnpike. All afternoon, in a series of uncoordinated attacks, Pope hurled his men against the Confederate position. In several places the northerners momentarily breached Jackson's line, but each time were forced back. During the afternoon, Longstreet's troops arrived on the battlefield and, unknown to Pope, deployed on Jackson's right, overlapping the exposed Union left. Lee urged Longstreet to attack, but "Old Pete" demurred. The time was just not right, he said.

The morning of August 30 passed quietly. Just before noon, erroneously concluding the Confederates were retreating, Pope ordered his army forward in "pursuit". The pursuit, however, was short-lived. Pope found that Lee had gone nowhere. Amazingly, Pope ordered yet another attack against Jackson's line. General Fitz-John Porter's corps, along with part of General Irvin McDowell's corps, struck Confederates under General Starke division at the "Deep Cut" along the Unfinished Railroad. Confederates holding the position held firm and hurled back Porter's Federals in a bloody repulse.

Seeing the Union lines in disarray, Longstreet pushed his massive columns forward and staggered the Union left. Pope's army was faced with annihilation. Only a heroic stand by northern troops south of the turnpike bought time for Pope's hard-pressed Union forces. The heaviest fighting took place by New York regiments near the Groveton crossroads, along Chinn Ridge , and along the cuts and fills of the Sudley Road and Henry Hill. Under cover of darkness the defeated Union army withdrew across Bull Run towards the defenses of Washington. Lee's bold and brilliant Second Manassas campaign opened the way for the south's first invasion of the north , and a bid for foreign intervention.

Morning, 18 July 1861 Acting under orders to “Observe well the roads to Bull Run and to Warrenton; Do not bring on an engagement, but keep up the impression that we are moving on Manassas,” US General Daniel Tyler, commanding the lead elements of Irvin McDowell's army, proceeded through Centreville to make a reconnaissance towards Blackburn’s Ford. Colonel Israel Richardson’s brigade, consisting of the 1 st Massachusetts, 12 th New York, 2 nd Michigan and 3 rd Michigan, led the advance.

By late morning Tyler was in a position overlooking the Ford. Although he observed a Confederate battery across the run, rebel troops could not be detected in any strength. “Desiring to ascertain the extent of [the Confederate] force,” Tyler called forward his artillery. Opposite Tyler was a brigade of Virginians commanded by General James Longstreet , along with cannons belonging to the Washington Artillery of New Orleans.

Receiving no response to his artillery fire, Tyler directed Richardson to advance a line of skirmishers toward the Ford, drawing scattered fire from the 1 st Virginia Infantry. Despite calls to the contrary, Tyler and Richardson escalated the combat by directng the 12 th New York and 1 st Massachusetts forward. The entire stream bottom erupted with heavy volleys of musketry and artillery fire as additional troops entered the fray.

Satisfied that the enemy was present in strong force, Tyler ordered Richardson’s battered infantry to disengage and withdraw. Union and Confederate artillery kept up a steady but ineffective artillery exchange with Confederate batteries until 4pm when Tyler began withdrawing toward Centreville.

General Tyler reported 83 casualties while the Confederate commanders noted a total of 68 killed and wounded. Two soldiers in Company K, 12 th New York (Cpl. James E. Cross and Pvt. Charles F. Rand) would later be awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions at Blackburn’s Ford. Although General McDowell severely criticized Tyler for aggressively exceeding his orders, the engagement at Blackburn’s Ford yielded valuable information to the Union commander: The Confederate position along this stretch of Bull Run was formidably defended. McDowell made use of this vital intelligence in focusing his attention elsewhere along the Confederate line three days later...

While Manassas National Battlefield Park preserves the sites of the First and Second Battles of Manassas , it also protects over 4,000 acres of natural habitat. Nearly half the park is grassland that provides crucial habitat for grassland birds and pollinators including monarch butterflies. The other half is forests from early-successional Virginia pine stands to relatively mature oak-hickory forests.

Oak hickory woodlands and native warm season grasslands are the primary habitats in the park, but the park has quite a variety!

Manassas National Battlefield Park Natural Resource Condition Assessment (2011) (9.0 Mb .pdf)

Manassas is a natural oasis for visitors and for scientific researchers because of its protected natural landscape. The research done here provides the accurate and current natural resource information we need to provide to best care for the park. Scientists look at what key resources are present in the park, if they are stable or changing, how ecosystems are changing over time, and how much change is normal.

Like a physician monitoring a patient's heartbeat and blood pressure, National Park Service ecologists with the National Capital Region Inventory & Monitoring Network collect long-term data on forest vegetation, bird and amphibian communities, water quality, and other key resources at Manassas, analyze the monitoring results, and share them with the park. Read more in the articles below about researchers studying nature at Manassas and nearby national parks.

Located along the eastern flyway with a mix of grassland, forest, and riparian habitats, 168 species have been documented within the park. Historically, the rolling fields in Manassas National Battlefield Park were used for agricultural purposes. Since many grassland birds in Virginia are on the decline, one of the park's goals is to promote better quality habitat for grassland birds, while still maintaining the agricultural heritage of the park. To this end, we are maintaining grass and shrub lands using a combination of agricultural (hay) leases and mowing by our maintenance staff. Declining grassland species known to occur in the park include: the eastern meadowlark ( Sturnella magma ), barn owl ( Tyto alba ), northern harrier ( Circus cyaneus ), savannah sparrow ( Passerculus sandwichensis ), and the grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) . The barn owl is endangered in seven states and is listed as a species of "special concern" in two states. Ten species of special concern occur within the park.

We have installed nest boxes throughout the park. Presently, the park has barn owl, kestrel, and bluebird boxes. Many birds live in the park year-round, but many others are only seen in the winter or summer, while still others only pass through in the spring and fall. Because of the diverse habitats in Manassas National Battlefield Park, you can spot a great diversity of birds. For tips on birdwatching, see Birding for Beginners , a helpful guide for getting started finding and identifying birds in your neighborhood.

Several different types of plant communities occupy the 5,000 acres of land at Manassas National Battlefield Park. Hundreds of acres of the park are maintained as the historic agrarian landscape that existed in 1861. Agricultural hay leases preserve an authentic cultural perspective for the enjoyment of the public. The native, warm season grasses also provide an excellent habitat for wildlife. Open fields are covered in native grasses, wildflowers, and shrubs.

The woodlands are made up of basic oak-hickory forests, acidic oak-hickory forests, mesic forests, mountain bottomland forests, mountain swamp forests, upland depression swamp forests, eastern white pine hardwood forests, and Virginia pine- Easter red cedar successional forests.

The park hosts over 700 kinds of vascular plants; 186 monocot angiosperms, 500 dicot angiosperms, 16 pteridophytes, and 4 gymnosperms carpet the premises . The abundance of multiple plant communities within the park represents a healthy ecosystem that is capable of supporting a diverse range of wildlife.

These invasive shrubby trees can be found in semi-dry to dry forests, woodlands, old fields, fencerows, and roadsides. They are most abundant in open habitats but are shade-tolerant and now frequent the understory of forests and woodlands.

Autumn olive was originally planted as a landscaping and wildlife resource, but it is now abundantly invasive in both disturbed and natural habitats. They are widespread throughout the park and there are ongoing efforts taking place to manage the population.

Leaves are oval shaped with smooth edges and distinct silver undersides. Autumn olive is one of the first to grow leaves and last to drop them in the fall, making it easily distinguishable in autumn.

Fruits are small red berries dotted with silver to brown scales, maturing from August to September. They are edible and are used in a variety of recipes.

Autumn olive is able to persist in poor sites partly because it is able to create its own absorbable form of nitrogen. It is tolerant of salinity, extreme pH, and heavy metals.

With diverse terrain and underlying geology that affects the soil , Manassas National Battlefield Park is home to several distinct forest types. Some forests such as pine and cedar successional forests are relatively new, moving into areas that were farm fields decades ago. Other forests dominated by oak and hickory are common. During the battles at Manassas in 1861-2, the forests in the area played a key role in shaping the events: concealing troops and providing cover, and creating obstacles to maneuver through and around.

Similar to the basic oak-hickory forest, this community is drier and less diverse, with white oak dominating the canopy. Other trees are far less common, including black oak, northern red oak, mockernut hickory, red hickory, pignut hickory, and scarlet oak. Flowering dogwood, downy serviceberry, and deerberry are common shrubs. This forest type is common throughout the southeastern United States from Georgia to Maryland. Two excellent places to see acidic oak-hickory forest are Battery Heights and the ridge just south of the Henry Hill Visitor Center.

For scientific names and more thorough species in each forest type, see more technical information about forest communities at Manassas National Battlefield Park.

NPS Photo Manassas National Battlefield Park encompasses nearly 5,100 acres of land and includes more than 40 miles of hiking trails. The park has developed a series of loop trails that traverse key areas of the First and Second Manassas Battlefields. Many of these recommended routes include trailside interpretive markers describing the battle action that occurred in that area and highlight the experiences of soldiers and civilians alike. Opportunities exist for both short and extended hikes. Before setting out on your hike, stop by the park visitor center to obtain a trail map, or download the park's Hiking Trail Map . Learn more about the recommended First Manassas Trails . Learn more about the recommended Second Manassas Trails . Tips and Safety Should you see an object of potential historic significance, please leave it in place and notify the park staff at 703-361-1339 x0.

In the event of an emergency, please call 911. Follow trail blazes and use a map. Blue blazes indicate a hiking trail and yellow blazes indicate horse trails. Please be certain to wear sturdy shoes. Bring plenty of water. Beware of ticks! Insect repellent is recommended. Pets Pets are permitted on all park trails but must be restrained on a leash no longer than 6 feet.

Should you see an object of potential historic significance, please leave it in place and notify the park staff at 703-361-1339 x0. In the event of an emergency, please call 911.