Download “SO IT BEGINS…..AGAIN” 155TH BULL RUN

“SO IT BEGINS…..AGAIN”
155TH BULL RUN-MANASSAS
July 22 – 24, 2016
Cedar Creek Battlefield
CONFEDERATE COMMANDER – MAJ. GEN. BRIAN GESUERO
FEDERAL COMMANDER – BRIG. GEN. DARRELL MARKIJOHN
During the past five years Reenactors recreated the battles that marked
the American Civil War. When we took the field, the bravery and the
stirring actions of Americans in blue and gray were captured and relived.
150th Appomattox was the end of a cycle -- not an end to our dedication
to celebrate and educate about our Civil War heritage…….
“The next cycle begins …. We continue our mission
Join us on the site of the successful 145th Bull Run-Manassas at Cedar
Creek.
We will be Reenacting three important Early War Engagements.
FRIDAY, JULY 22 -
Battle of Rich Mountain
Background
Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan assumed command of Union forces in
western Virginia in June 1861. On June 27, he moved his divisions
from Clarksburg south against Lt. Col. John Pegram's Confederates,
reaching the vicinity of Rich Mountain on July 9. Meanwhile, Brig. Gen.
Thomas A. Morris's Union brigade marched from
Philippi to confront Brig. Gen. Robert S. Garnett's command at Laurel Hill.
On July 10-11, Brig. Gen. William Rosecrans led a reinforced brigade by a
mountain path to seize the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike in Pegram's
rear.
Battle
A sharp two-hour fight ensued in which the Confederates were split in two.
Half escaped to Beverly and on over the Shawnee Trail, but Pegram and
the others (including the "Sydney Boys", a regiment formed from the
students of Hampden-Sydney College) surrendered on July 13.
Aftermath
Hearing of Pegram's defeat, Garnett abandoned Laurel Hill. The Federals
pursued, and, during fighting at Corrick's Ford on July 13, Garnett was
killed; he was the first general officer to be killed in the war. On July 22,
McClellan was ordered to Washington, and Rosecrans assumed command
of Union forces in western Virginia. The Union victory at Rich Mountain was
instrumental in propelling McClellan to command of the Army of the
Potomac.
SATURDAY, JULY 23 - Blackburn’s
Ford
Background
On July 16, 1861, the untried Union army under Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell,
35,000 strong, marched out of the Washington, D.C., defenses to give
battle to the Confederate Army of the Potomac, which was concentrated
around the vital railroad junction at Manassas. Moving slowly, the army
reached Fairfax Court House on July 17; the next day, McDowell ordered
division commander Brig. Gen. Daniel Tyler to look for a fording
point across Bull Run Creek and to "keep up the impression that we are
moving on Manassas".
The Confederates, about 22,000 men under the command of Brig.
Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, were concentrated near the Bull Run, with
detachments spread north of the creek to observe the Federals. When
McDowell started his advance from Washington, the Confederate
detachments slowly retreated and rejoined the main body. Beauregard
expected to be attacked either on the 18th or the 19th near Mitchell's Ford;
meanwhile, he continued to ask for reinforcements, especially from Joseph
E. Johnston's army in the Shenandoah Valley.
Situation July 18.
Battle
On July 18, Tyler advanced to Centerville and found that Centerville was
unoccupied by Confederate troops. He then marched southeast to
Mitchell's Ford and Blackburn's Ford, arriving at the latter about 11 a.m.
Looking south across the stream, Tyler believed that the road to Manassas
Junction was clear, but he failed to see the Confederate brigade of Brig.
Gen.James Longstreet concealed in the woods behind the ford. He ordered
two howitzers under Capt. Romney B. Ayres to bombard the Confederates
he could see, guns of the Alexandria Artillery and the Washington Artillery,
but the fire had no visible effect. He ordered Col. Israel B. Richardson and
part of his brigade forward.
Richardson's advance met initial resistance from the 1st, 11th, and 17th
Virginia Infantry regiments of Longstreet's brigade. Tyler ordered Ayres to
move his guns closer to the action, accompanied by cavalry, and he sent
the rest of Richardson's brigade toward the ford. Richardson's assault fell
apart as the 12th New York Infantry began to retreat under heavy fire,
causing a wave of panic to spread through the Union line.
Col. Jubal A. Early arrived with his Confederate brigade after marching 2
miles north from Beauregard's headquarters at Wilmer McLean's house.
The availability of this additional firepower completed the Confederate
victory, and a reinforced Washington Artillery kept the Union troops under
fire as they retreated. Colonel Patrick T. Moore of the 1st Virginia Infantry,
later a Confederate brigadier general, received a severe head wound in the
skirmish and was incapacitated for further field service.
Aftermath
The failed reconnaissance-in-force at Blackburn's Ford led McDowell to
decide against a frontal assault along Bull Run. He decided to attempt to
cross the stream beyond the Confederate left flank, the maneuver he
employed at the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21.
Both Longstreet and Early claimed later that the battle "went a long way
towards winning the victory of the 21st, for it gave our troops confidence in
themselves".
SUNDAY – Battle
of Bull Run/Manassas
The Union Flank Move against Matthews Hill
The Confederate Consolidation at Henry Hill
The Union Assault of Henry Hill
The Union Defeat and Retreat
To All Civil War REENACTORS:
The demise of our proud HOBBY after the sesquicentennial cycle has
been greatly exaggerated.
Start preparations for a great start to the next anniversary cycle.
We thank the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation and Belle Grove for
once again offering us their fine site and seasoned volunteers for this
historic Reenactment.
THIS WILL BE THE EVENT OF THE YEAR FOR 2016
For more information, check out the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation
Website…………………..