Thomas Vineyard - Battles of the Civil War

Stuart's raid proved a serious misfortune for Pope's army. But Lee had far greater things in store. He resolved to send Jackson to Pope's rear with a large force, Jackson led his army westward, which was shielded by woods and low hills of the Blue Ridge. He passed through a quiet rural community. The majority of the country folk had never seen an army before, though it is true that for many days they had heard the roar of the cannon from the valley of the Rapidan.

General Lee, in the meantime, had kept Longstreet in front of Pope's army to make daily demonstrations, to divert Pope's attention from Jackson's movements and lead him to believe that he was to be attacked in front.

Jackson suddenly, on August 26th, emerged from the Bull Run Mountains and marshaled his clans on the plains of Manassas.

Pope was astonished to find Jackson in his rear, and hastened with all speed with his forces toward Manassas Junction, where he had vast stores of provisions and munitions of war, but he was too late to save them. They had been taken by General Stuart in advance of Jackson's army. This was a serious loss to Pope. The spoils of the capture were great, including 300 prisoners, 125 horses, ten locomotives, seven long trains of provisions, and vast stores and munitions of war. Pope was moving against Jackson with a far larger army, and was expecting to be reënforced from the Army of the Potomac, while on the other hand, Longstreet was hastening to reënforce Jackson, but had not arrived.

Pope, hoping to crush Jackson's army before he could be reënforced by Longstreet, sent a force to interpose Longstreet at Thoughfare Gap. Jackson was not to be caught in a trap. He moved from Manassas Junction to the old battlefield of Bull Run.

Late in the afternoon of the 29th he encountered King's division of McDowell's corps, near the village of Groveton, and a sharp fight was opened and kept up until after dark.

On the following day, August 29th, the first day's battle was fought. Pope was still hopeful of crushing Jackson's army before the arrival of Longstreet, and ordered a general advance across Bull Run.

Ere long a loud shout arose from Jackson's men that told too well of the arrival of Longstreet. Far away on the hills could be seen the marching columns of Longstreet, who had passed through the gap in safety and was now rushing upon the field. Pope had lost the opportunity of fighting the army of his opponent in sections.

The field was almost the same that the opposing armies had occupied the year before, when the first great battle of the war was fought, and many of them were the same men.

The two armies faced each other in a line five miles long. Late in the afternoon, the regiments, under Kearny and Hooker, charged the Confederate left, which was swept back and rolled upon the center. But presently General Hood, with his famous Texan brigade, rushed forward in a wild, irresistible dash, pressed the Federals back and captured several prisoners.

Darkness closed over the scene and the two armies rested on their arms until morning.

Over the gory field lay multitudes of men who would dream of battlefields no more.

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