Henry Hill

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The First Battle of Manassas/ Bull Run

Manassas/ Bull Run is about 40 minutes to Reagan National Airport so I couldn’t resist the urge to visit the site of the first major land battle of the Civil War.

When I arrived from Winchester, it was still raining.

The focal point of the first battle was Henry Hill, named after the widow Judith Henry, who lived on a farmstead during the battle. She refused to leave and was killed in the battle when her house was hit by artillery fire.

On the crown of Henry Hill is the grave of Judith Henry, perhaps the first civilian killed during the Civil War.
The stone house is one the few structures that still stands from the two battles at Manassas. It was used as a field hospital during both battles and upstairs solider carved their names into the wood.
The Union cannon position on Henry Hill looking towards the woods where the Rebels charged their position. It was the first time the northerners heard the bone-chilling Rebel Yell.

One Confederate commander made his name at the first Battle of Manassas on Henry Hill and his name was Thomas J. Jackson. Jackson held his Virginian troops at the brow of Henry Hill and General Barnard Bee of South Carolina, in a attempt to rally his own troops, supposedly said, “There is Jackson standing like a stone wall! Rally behind the Virginians!” or it could have also been, “Look at Jackson standing there like a damned stone wall!” Whatever Bee really said is lost in history because a Union bullet silenced him forever soon after his remarks. And the Commander is forever known as Stone wall Jackson.

A quick field sketch of the Stonewall Jackson Monument at Manassas.