Looking up at Henry Hill, where the critical fighting at First Manassas (First Bull Run) took place. In view is the farmhouse of Judith Carter Henry, who was mortally wounded by mortar fire from Union troops and the only civilian killed during the first battle.

Much of the landscape retains its wartime character and is little changed since the battles of July 1861 and August 1862.

I should mention (in case it’s confusing) that the Confederates called the two battles First Manassas and Second Manassas, whereas the Union army called them First Bull Run and Second Bull Run.

Best to view in "Original" because other versions resized by Pbase are decidedly unsharp.

*****

We took a drive to Manassas National Battlefield Park, located in Virginia, about 25 miles southwest of Washington. The park was the scene of the First Battle of Bull Run – the first major battle of the American Civil War -- and the Second Battle of Bull Run, in 1861 and 1862, respectively. We spent most of our time at the site of First Bull Run, which was the largest and bloodiest battle in United States history up to that point. Union casualties were 460 killed, 1,124 wounded and 1,312 missing or captured; Confederate casualties were 387 killed, 1,582 wounded and 13 missing. The soldiers were largely a body of young, ill-trained recruits led by inexperienced officers. Second Bull Run left 3,300 dead.

Although we didn’t take a lot of pictures, the visit was well worth it and proved to be a sobering experience.

Stone House, posted earlier: