Manassas National Battlefield Park

On July 21, 1861, two armies clashed for the first time on the fields overlooking Bull Run. Heavy fighting swept away any notion of a quick war. In August 1862, Union and Confederate armies converged for a second time on the plains of Manassas. The Confederates won a solid victory bringing them to the height of their power.

Riding guide

Trails

No trails synced for this park yet.

Campgrounds

No campgrounds listed for this park.

Points of interest

• 14th Brooklyn Monument

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  This monument, located at Stop #9 on the park's self-guided driving tour, was dedicated in 1907 by veterans of the 14th Brooklyn Regiment. This unit saw action in both the First and Second Battles of Manassas.

• 1st US Sharpshooters at the Deep Cut

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• 33rd Virginia Position

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  Position held by the 33rd Virginia Infantry, marking the extreme left end of "Stonewall" Jackson's position on Henry Hill.

• 5th New York Monument

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• Andrew Redman Blacksmith Shop

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  Born enslaved in 1831, only months prior to Nat Turner’s revolt, Andrew J. "Jim" Redman learned the blacksmithing trade at an early age. By the outbreak of the Civil War, Redman worked as a blacksmith at this corner of the Groveton intersection. He witnessed the contending armies maneuver and battle during both Manassas campaigns in 1861 and 1862.

• Auto Tour Stop #10: Chinn Ridge

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  In 1860, Benjamin Chinn and his family lived here in a two-and-a-half story frame farmhouse. Known as "Hazel Plain," the modest plantation comprised several hundred acres. The property was typical of those in Prince William County, yielding wheat, corn, oats, and potatoes for cash and subsistence. Like roughly one-third of their immediate neighbors, the Chinn family owned slaves.

• Auto Tour Stop #11: Portici

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  The plantation house of Francis Lewis, known as Portici, stood atop the ridge to your east. Massive brick chimneys flanked the frame house. The house was destroyed by fire in 1862.

• Auto Tour Stop #12: Stone Bridge

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  Stone Bridge, destroyed by the Confederates before Second Manassas but still played a roll in the battle in August 1862

• Auto Tour Stop #2: Battery Heights

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  Battery Heights served as a key artillery position for both Union and Confederate Artillery during the Second Battle of Manassas. Today, this site is Stop #2 on the park's self-guided Second Manassas driving tour.

• Auto Tour Stop #3: The Stone House

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  In 1861 and again in 1862, this historic stone structure, was used as a makeshift hospital during and after the First and Second Battles of Manassas.

• Auto Tour Stop #4: Matthews Hill

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  The head of General Irvin McDowell's flanking column reached Matthews Hill shortly after 10 a.m.

• Auto Tour Stop #5: Sudley

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  Throughout August 29, 1862, Federal troops repeatedly attacked Jackson's left flank - Gen. Maxcy Gregg's South Carolina Brigade - on a knoll just west of here.

• Auto Tour Stop #6: Unfinished Railroad

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  The Unfinished Railroad Grade served as the focal point of "Stonewall" Jackson's Confederate line during the Battle of Second Manassas.

• Auto Tour Stop #7: Deep Cut

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  On the afternoon of 30 August, 1862, Union General John Pope ordered an attack on "Stonewall" Jackson's position here at the Deep Cut.

• Auto Tour Stop #8: Groveton

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  The Bull Run and Groveton Ladies' Memorial Association, established in 1867, launched a campaign to recover Confederate dead from the battlefield. The organization established this cemetery and orchestrated the re-interment of an estimated 500 soldiers.

• Auto Tour Stop #9: New York Monuments

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  In 1906 the State of New York authorized the erection of three monuments on the field of the Second Battle of Manassas, honoring the sacrifices of the Fifth New York Volunteers, the Tenth New York Volunteers, and the Fourteenth Brooklyn.

• Bartow Monument

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  The monument marks the spot where Colonel Francis S. Bartow was mortally wounded leading the 7th Georgia Infantry during the First Battle of Manassas (Bull Run), July 21, 1861.

• Bee Monument

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• Brownsville Picnic Area

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• Captain Charles Griffin's Howitzers

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• Captain James Ricketts' Artillery Position

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  Union Captain James Ricketts' Battery I, 1st US Artillery held this position on the afternoon of 21 July 1861. Fighting raged along this line throughout the afternoon, with the guns changing hands three times. During the fighting, James Ricketts was severely wounded.

• Carter Family Cemetery

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• Confederate Line on Henry Hill

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• Dahlgren Boat Howitzers

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• Driving Tour Stop 1: Brawner Farm

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  On August 28, 1862, Federal and Confederate soldiers clashed on the fields around the Brawner Farm.

• Fletcher Webster Monument

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• Groveton Monument

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• Henry House

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• Imboden's Confederate Artillery

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• Information Panel: Advancing Into the Woods

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  Originally expected to attack over open ground west of the Groveton-Sudley Road (Featherbed Lane today), Grover shifted his brigade to the right of his initially assigned position and into these woods to mask his movement and avoid Confederate artillery fire.

• Information Panel: Aftermath

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  Following the Union retreat, Lee remained determined to crush Pope. Again, he divided his army and sent Stonewall Jackson's troops on an encircling march to cut off the enemy's escape route to Washington.

• Information Panel: A Stand Up Fight

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  Union Brig. Gen. John Gibbon advanced through the woods with his men intent on driving off the Confederate artillery.

• Information Panel: Battling For The Rocky Knoll

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  Stonewall Jackson's defensive line extended nearly two miles- from Sudley Church to the Brawner Farm. Many of his 24,000 troops were posted behind the cuts and fills of the unfinished railroad grade before you.

• Information Panel: Broken By Artillery

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  In response to Stonewall Jackson's urgent request for support, General Robert E. Lee directed General James Longstreet to send reinforcements to bolster the Confederate line along the Unfinished Railroad, one-half mile ahead of you.

• Information Panel: Carter Cemetery

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  Over 70 members of the Carter family rest in this cemetery- spanning multiple generations and two centuries of continuous ownership.

• Information Panel: Charge Bayonets

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  General John Pope arrived on the battlefield at 1 p.m. on August 29, 1862, with every expectation of defeating Stonewall Jackson.

• Information Panel: Confederate Counterattack

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  Generals Robert E. Lee and James Longstreet both concluded the moment had arrived to launch a massive Confederate offensive at Second Manassas.

• Information Panel: Dahlgren Boat Howitzers

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  As one of the first regiments to arrive in the nation's capital at the outbreak of war, the 71st New York State Militia received immediate orders from Gen. Winfield Scott to guard the Washington Navy Yard.

• Information Panel: Death of Fletcher Webster

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  Colonel Fletcher Webster fell mortally wounded near here, leading his regiment in support of the canon of Chinn Ridge.

• Information Panel: Defending The Cannon

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  As the Ohioans strived to delay the Confederates, Federal reinforcements rushed to Chinn Ridge in support. With these troops came the 5th Battery, Maine Light Artillery, under the temporary command of Lt. William F. Twitchell.

• Information Panel: Farm Ford

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  Colonel William T. Sherman spent the morning searching for a location suitable for this brigade to cross Bull Run.

• Information Panel: Federal Breakthrough

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  Although the unfinished railroad grade provided a formidable defensive position, weakness existed in the Confederate line, putting some troops at risk. The low and marshy ground on which you stand was meant to be spanned by a railroad trestle.

• Information Panel: Fight At The Fence Line

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  Colonel Nathaniel McLean braced his men for the coming onslaught. The Union officer, a civilian attorney with no prewar military background, commanded 1,200 Ohioans on Chinn Ridge.

• Information Panel: First Contact

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  The head of General Irvin McDowell's flanking column reached Matthew's Hill shortly 10 a.m.

• Information Panel: Hazel Plain

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  In 1860, Benjamin Chinn and his family lived here in a two-and-a-half story frame farmhouse. Known as "Hazel Plain," the modest plantation comprised several hundred acres.

• Information Panel: Historic Landscape Restoration

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  In 1997 the National Park Service and the Smithsonian Institution began to develop a proposal at Manassas National Battlefield Park to mitigate the loss of wetlands resulting from construction of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, a National Air and Space Museum facility at Washington Dulles International Airport.

• Information Panel: Jackson Opens Fire

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  Observing a column of tired, unsuspecting Federal troops marching eastward on the Western Pike (U.S. Rte. 29 today), General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson chose to reveal his position and draw the Union Army of Virginia into battle on ground favoring the Confederates.

• Information Panel: Lost Opportunity

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  You are standing in the wartime Sudley Road. Twentieth-century Road realignments severed this short section and coincidentally preserved the historic trace.

• Information Panel: On The Skirmish Line

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  Thirty minutes before the main assault, Colonel Hiram Berdan's 1st U.S. Sharpshooters clambered over the fence along the Groveton-Sudley Road and dashed into the open pasture.

• Information Panel: Opening Shots

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  From this ridge, Colonel Nathan G. Evans stood watch over the Stone Bridge, prepared to contest Union efforts to cross Bull Run.

• Information Panel: Pittsylvania

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  The foundation stones in front of you are all that remain of a once grand estate known as Pittsylvania.

• Information Panel: Retreat From Chinn Ridge

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  Colonel Oliver O. Howard's brigade brought up the rear of the Federal flanking column. After crossing Bull Run, the New Englanders hastened toward the sounds of battle. In the mid-afternoon heat, dozens of men straggled on the march or collapsed by the roadside. By the time they reached the front, Union hopes for victory were fading. 

• Information Panel: Shooting Gallery

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  On the morning of August 30, 1862, Confederate Col. Stephen D. Lee deployed 18 guns from his artillery battalion along this commanding ridge.

• Information Panel: Short Of Total Victory

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  In the gathering dusk, the Confederate attack stalled due to exhaustion, heavy losses, and lack of needed reserves to exploit the momentary breakthrough.

• Information Panel: Stone Bridge

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  As the scene of the opening shots of the First Battle of Manassas and the retreat of Federals from the Second Battle of Manassas, the Stone Bridge witnessed the ebb and flow of Union fortune and misfortune in the two battles.

• Information Panel: Sudley

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  On the morning of July 21, 1861, Union troops crossed Bull Run at Sudley Ford.

• Information Panel: The Battle Begins

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  Late on the afternoon of August 28, Brig. Gen. Rufus King's division proceeded east toward Centreville.

• Information Panel: The Battlefield of Manassas

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  Manassas National Battlefield Park preserves and protects the land and resources associated with the First and Second Battles of Manassas and fosters understanding and appreciation of the significance of these battles by providing opportunities for public education, use, and inspiration. 

• Information Panel: The Fight for Matthews Hill

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  Fighting opened here on Matthews Hill as Colonel Ambrose Burnside's brigade, leading the Union flanking column, collided with Confederates.

• Information Panel: The Matthew Farm

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  In 1860, Martin Matthew owned a modest frame house on 123 acres.

• Information Panel: The Stovall Marker

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  This stone is dedicated to the memory of Private George T. Stovall of the Rome Light Guards, 8th Georgia Infantry.

• Information Panel: The Tide Crests

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  Robert Milroy's Union brigade occupied the washed-out bed of Sudley Road before you. Behind them, artillery occupied the crest of Henry Hill, in position to fire safely over the infantry.

• Information Panel: The Van Pelt House

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  A native of New Jersey, Abraham Van Pelt arrived in Prince William County in the 1850s.

• Information Panel: The Very Vortex of Hell

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  From their position atop this ridge, the soldiers of the 5th New York Infantry listened to the crash of battle.

• Information Panel: Twilight Clash

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  With his army reunited, Confederate General Robert E. Lee looked for an opportunity to strike the enemy. Lee proposed attacking the Federal left flank, which lay south of the Warrenton Turnpike.

• Information Panel: Unfinished Railroad

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  During the 1850s, two local railroads- the Orange & Alexandria and the Manassas Gap- met at Manassas Junction.

• Information Panel: Union Retreat-Strategic Crossing

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  First Battle of Manassas, July 21, 1861, 6 a.m. Second Battle of Manassas, Day Three, August 30, 1862, 9 p.m.

• Lucinda Dogan House

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  The small frame house stands as the only surviving original structure of the crossroad village of Groveton. The house was repeatedly caught in the crossfire of opposing Union and Confederate armies during the Second Battle of Manassas.

• Matthew Farm Site

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• Patriots Monument

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• Pittsylvania House Site

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• Robinson House Site

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• Stonewall Jackson Monument

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• Texas Monument

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• The Fight at the Fenceline

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• The Stovall Marker

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  This marble marks the spot where fell George T. Stovall of the Rome Light Guards, 8th Regt. Georgia Volunteers in the battle of July 21, 1861. Born at Augusta, GA, April 25, 1835.

• Thornberry House

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  The Thornberry House survives as one of three Civil War-era structures in the park. Built in the 1840s it was home to John and Martha Thornberry and their five children.

Things to do

• Brawner Farm Loop Trail

  This trial traces the opposing lines of battle during the opening fighting of the Battle of Second Manassas on August 28, 1862.

  Duration: 45-75 Minutes

• Chinn Ridge Trail

  Explore the grounds of Chinn Ridge that saw fighting at both First and Second Manassas. A paved path includes signage that explores the fighting in both battles. One way trail, must return along path to get back to parking lot.

  Duration: 45-70 Minutes

• First Manassas Trail

  A 5.4 mile circuit hike where you can explore the First Manassas battlefield in detail.

  Duration: 2-4 Hours

• Henry Hill Loop Trail

  The Henry Hill Loop is a easy 1.1 mile trail that encompasses the area of the most intense fighting during the First Battle of Manassas. Rickett's Battery, Jackson's Line, the Robinson Farm, and more are all part of this interpretive trail.

  Duration: 30-90 Minutes

• Matthews Hill Loop Trail

  The Matthews Hill Loop is a .9 mile trail that explores the ground over which the opening shots of the Battle of First Manassas occurred.

  Duration: 30-90 Minutes

• Ranger's Choice Battlefield Walks

  These programs examine unique portions of the battlefield landscape and story ranging from battle actions, civilian stories, and the memorialization of the park landscape. Programs may cross rough/uneven terrain. It is strongly recommended that visitors bring plenty of water, appropriate seasonal clothing, and sturdy hiking shoes.

  Duration: 45-60 Minutes

• Second Manassas Trail

  This 6.6 mile loop trail explores key locations on the Second Manassas battlefield.

  Duration: 3-4 Hours

• Stone Bridge Loop Trail

  The Stone Bridge Loop is a moderate 1.3 mile trail that follows along the Bull Run and explores the area where the first shots of the First Battle of Manassas were fired. Picturesque displays can be had along the trail of wildflowers in the spring and colorful foliage in the fall.

  Duration: 45-60 Minutes

• Sudley Loop Trail

  The Sudley Road Loop is a .6 mile trail that takes visitors to one the few pre-war structures in the park, and the spot where 13,000 US troops crossed Bull Run on their way to the First Battle of Manassas.

  Duration: 15-60 Minutes

• Unfinished Railroad Loop Trail

  Walk along a section of Jackson's line on the Unfinished Railroad where Federal soldiers momentarily breached the Confederate line on August 29, 1862.

  Duration: 60-75 Minutes

Visitor centers

• Brawner Farm Interpretive Center

  Begin your exploration of the Second Battle of Manassas at the Brawner Farm Interpretive Center. Here you will find an electronic map which provides the story and troop movements of Second Manassas. Three rooms of exhibits provide information on the campaign and some of the personalities of Second Manassas, the civilian experience and the current Brawner farmhouse. This building is open seasonally from late spring through early fall. Check our calendar and guided tours webpage for tour information.

  Get directions

• Henry Hill Visitor Center

  Begin your visit to the park at the Henry Hill Visitor Center. Here, you can pick up a park brochure, trail guide, or learn about the daily schedule of interpretive programs. A museum features artifacts related to the First and Second Battles of Manassas as well as a 6-minute electronic map showing the troop movements during the first battle. Walking tours of the fighting on Henry Hill are offered weekly. Check our calendar or guided tours webpage for current scheduled programs.

  Get directions

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Located right off Interstate 66, just 26 miles west of Washington, DC.