Wow, civil war history 20 miles outside the nation’s capital. How convenient for the 21st century traveler. Bull Run, a creek in Virginia was the site of the first major battle in the civil war. It was supposed to be the first and last battle of the war. They both thought they could win the war in one battle. As it turned out it took four years and 600,000 dead Americans to decide the victor. The rebels called it the battle of Manassas for the town nearby.
Turns out the Union Army got its butt kicked by leaving its 2 cannons unprotected on a flank. The citizens of Washington that had followed the soldiers out of DC to Centerville near the battlefield to watch the fight were quickly horrified and turned to return home only to be run over by the rapidly retreating Union army. The same Army that took three days to march from Washington took 12 hours to return, with their tails between their legs.
The rebs won another battle at the same site later in the war, the second battle of bull run.
Our volunteer guide, Joe, was amazing. His civil war knowledge went far beyond Manassas and couldn’t trip him up with my questions about links between Gettysburg and Bull Run. He even knew of distant cousin Gen Reynolds of Gettysburg fame.
Our next visit to Civil War sites will be at Lexington, VA on our way to Durham. Stay tuned.
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