Confederate General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson’s statue, on the very ground where he gained that famous nickname. The stubborn stand of his Virginian troops in the face of overwhelming Union attacks saved the day for the Confederate forces, preventing their rebellion from being strangled in the cradle.
Picture of Bull Run Creek taken beneath the bridge which now exists atop Blackburn’s Ford. This view looks west from the bridge.
The First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) commenced in earnest when BG Ira Richardson’s brigade, ordered to probe across the Bull Run Creek, encountered stiff resistance by men under BG James Longstreet near Blackburn’s Ford. The Confederate fire turned back Union troops and Longstreet’s men even gave chase across the stream before being recalled. This sharp rebuff, however, convinced the McDowell to seek a flank to assail, sending a full corps on a sweeping march to the northwest, greatly affecting the shape of the battle to come. BG Tyler’s division would head for the stone bridge, while COL Hunter’s and COL Heintzleman’s divisions would swing wider, seeking to cross at Sudley Ford.
Bull Run creek taken from atop the bridge. The Confederates defended the left (southern) bank.
As Longstreet’s men held along Bull Run against attacks by successive Union formations, Tyler’s lead elements approached the creek near the stone bridge and were pinned there for some time by Confederate forces under BG Philip St. George Cocke across the creek. The two elements hammered away at each other while Tyler sought another way across the creek. Meanwhile, Hunter’s forward regiments crossed Sudley Ford and moved toward the now famous stone house, a short distance to the rear of Cocke’s position facing Tyler. Hunter’s brigades followed by those of Heintzleman, pressed hard but were initially halted by the initiative and bold attack of Confederate BG Nathan G. Evans protected Cocke’s now perilous position.
This photo, taken from Henry Hill near where the Henry House once stood and the position of Confederate cannon during this middle stage of the battle, looks north toward Matthew’s Hill from where the Union forces of Hunter and Heintzleman attacked. You can see the stone house mid-frame (it still stands today). The crossroads near the stone house shows the road to Sudley Ford heading north and the road to stone bridge passing in front of the house to the right.
Matthew’s Hill taken from the ridge line just north of the stone house. It was here that BG Evans rushed his men to prevent a Union envelopment of Cocke’s men and the entire Confederate line, earning precious time for Beauregard to move reinforcements to the threatened sector. Holding as long as he could Evans’s men eventually withdrew across the tributary creek and took position to the rear of Jackson’s men atop Henry Hill.
A cannonball remains embedded in the stout masonry of the stone house at Manassas Battlefield.
A view south from the Union side of the stone house. This would have been the view of Hunter’s regiments as the marched over the hill and got their first real sight of the Confederate troops arrayed against them. Behind stone house you can see Henry Hill where Jackson waited and the final climactic act of this battle would play out.
Taken from just north of the stone house, this view dramatically illustrates the final terrain the exhausted, thirsty Union troops were expected to traverse, all the while under fire by Jackson’s rested troops atop Henry Hill. The Lewis House is clearly visible atop the hill, marking the location of the final act of the Battle of First Bull Run.
Civil War cannons from the Confederate side of Henry Hill, where Jackson’s men made their stand.
Henry Hill witnessed the final stage of the first battle and is where Stonewall Jackson made his famous stand. The Union attack ultimately failed here, and the army turned in rout back toward the capital. Jackson himself was wounded in the battle, but he rapidly became the most well-known Confederate general on both sides of the great divide.
The Lewis House, on Henry Hill within easy sight of the Henry House, early in the battle served as Jackson’s headquarters.
