Bull Run, Second Battle of

The Second Battle of Bull Run or Battle of Second Manassas is fought August 28–30, 1862 in Prince William County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War.

It is the culmination of the Northern Virginia Campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen. John Pope's Army of Virginia, and a battle of much larger scale and numbers than the First Battle of Bull Run (or First Manassas) fought on July 21, 1861 on the same ground.

Following a wide-ranging flanking march, Confederate Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson captures the Union supply depot at Manassas Junction, threatening Pope's line of communications with Washington, D.C.

Withdrawing a few miles to the northwest, Jackson takes up strong concealed defensive positions on Stony Ridge and awaits the arrival of the wing of Lee's army commanded by Maj. Gen. James Longstreet.

On August 28, 1862, Jackson attacks a Union column just east of Gainesville, at Brawner's Farm, resulting in a stalemate but successfully getting Pope's attention.

On this same day, Longstreet breaks through light Union resistance in the Battle of Thoroughfare Gap and approaches the battlefield.

Pope becomes convinced that he has trapped Jackson and concentrates the bulk of his army against him.

On August 29, Pope launches a series of assaults against Jackson's position along an unfinished railroad grade.

The attacks are repulsed with heavy casualties on both sides.

At noon, Longstreet arrives on the field from Thoroughfare Gap and takes position on Jackson's right flank.

On August 30, Pope renews his attacks, seemingly unaware that Longstreet is on the field.

When massed Confederate artillery devastates a Union assault by Maj. Gen. Fitz John Porter's V Corps, Longstreet's wing of twenty-five thousand men in five divisions counterattacks in the largest simultaneous mass assault of the war.

The Union left flank is crushed and the army is driven back to Bull Run.

Only an effective Union rear guard action preventa a replay of the First Manassas defeat.

Pope's retreat to Centreville is nonetheless precipitous.

Success in this battle emboldens Lee to initiate the ensuing Maryland Campaign.

No related events match the current filters.