Opening Manassas

In the fading light of August 28, 1862, an untested Union brigade of Wisconsin and Indiana men fought an unexpected 90-minute stand-up clash with the Confederate veterans of Stonewall Jackson on the Virginia farm fields of John Brawner. The Rebels recalled one Wisconsin man was “yelling like demons” that day in “a roaring hell of fire.” None of them knew the immediate prelude to the far bloodier Battle of Second Manassas (Bull Run) had begun. Despite its fascinating origins and far-reaching consequences, surprisingly little has been penned about this remarkable engagement. Opening Manassas: The Iron Brigade, Stonewall Jackson, and the Battle on Brawner’s Farm, August 28, 1862 rectifies this oversight in the first full-length balanced study of the affair ever published. In August 1862, Robert E. Lee struck north to carry the war away from Richmond. His opponent, Maj. Gen. John Pope at the head of the Army of Virgina, was new to the theater and had just suffered a bloody awakening at Cedar Mountain on August 9. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson’s wing marched first, swinging behind Pope and destroying the massive Union supply depot at Manassas Junction. The stunning move shocked Pope, who withdrew from his defensive line along the Rappahannock determined to hunt and eradicate the Confederates. But first he had to find them. Unbeknownst to Pope, Jackson had deployed his men in a strong wooded defensive position along an abandoned railroad cut. All he needed was a reason to sally forth and strike an unsuspecting piece of Pope’s scattered army. That opportunity presented itself on the afternoon of August 28 when the men of the Iron Brigade marched along the Warrenton Pike, unaware that danger was just yards away off their right flank. One battle, two authors. This unique study utilizes a “fog of war” approach to unfold the battle as the soldiers of both sides would have experienced it, and how the various officers reacted with only the information they had at the time. Award-winning author Lance J. Herdegen handles the Union side of the equation, while preservation historian and veteran of the National Park Service, Bill Backus, chronicles the Confederate perspective. Together, chapter by chapter, they march their respective forces to the point of destiny in an original methodology that uncovered unexpected insights into the engagement and the leadership decisions of both sides. The affair was a rude baptism of blood for Western Union men, while the bold thrust by Jackson revealed his location and put his entire command in serious peril. Opening Manassas is based on primary source material and complete understanding of the terrain. Its unique dual-author fog of war approach, together with its original maps and explanatory notes, makes it a must-have book for students of the Civil War.