Liberty and freedom: First Battle of Manassas / Bull Run

Fifteen decades ago, a young country had serious differences within its civic dialog to resolve - about what kind of nation they were building. With the secession of the southern states and the formation of the confederacy, they decided to sort it out violently in war. The first battle took place on gently sloping grasslands near Manassas, Virginia about 30 miles west of Washington DC. The two sides did not even agree on what the battle would be called. The Union named their battles after the nearest river or stream, the Confederates named their battles after the nearest town. This battle therefore was called the First Battle of Manassas by the Confederacy and the First Battle of Bull Run by the Union, Bull Run being a small tributary of the Potomac. This was the first battle because just a few months later they would fight again on the same battlefield.

Virginia, where I live was home to 3 out of 5 Civil War battles. As they drive around the Metropolitan DC area, most Americans zip by signs advertising different battlefields, part of a war where almost 600,000 Americans laid down their lives. Though it was south of the Mason-Dixon line, the citizens of Virginia were split, some siding with the union and a majority fighting with the Confederacy.

As a historian and military buff, on July 23rd 2011 it was my privilege and honor to be a spectator watching the reenactment of the First Battle of Manassas on its 150th anniversary. The reenactment was staged on grass lands adjacent to the actual battlefield and inside the national park that now envelopes that field of war. The battle was staged by 8000 reenactors, historians all dressed in authentic clothing, firing actual civil war muskets and supported by replicas of civil war cannons. We the spectators played an authentic part of the reenactment too, for in the original battle about 1000 spectators rode out to the battlefield from Washington DC to watch the might of the Union army smash the confederates and quickly end the secession. They rode out on horses and carriages, sporting picnic hampers and glasses to watch the battle much as we did sitting in the bleachers and on the edges of the battlefield.

This first battle was fought by two very green and amateur armies. The soldiers were citizens who were farmers, stable hands, blacksmiths and tradesmen taking up arms for their cause. Most of the officers had never seen battle before. They say the battlefield is smoke, noise and confusion and the amateur soldiers added their own confusion to the melee. The confederates initially lost ground to the Union advance but were rallied on the lee slope of Henry Hill and stood firm around General Jackson's brigade (where he earned the moniker "Stonewall"). They then advanced and pushed the Union into retreat all the way back to DC. This was just the beginning of four years of war, death, destruction and the final victory for emancipation, liberty and freedom.

Here are some photos of the re-enactment which was staged in the middle of a heat wave. We the spectators baked and sweated in 100 degrees plus heat and humidity. Hats off to the reenactors who did the real work in full uniforms, regalia and amidst the smoke, bugle calls, clamor and cannon fire.

If you would like to see all the 100+ photos I took of the reenactment click here