Citizens and congressmen from Washington with wine and picnic baskets followed the Union army – green recruits and 90-day volunteers from all over the country in bright new uniforms led by inexperienced officers -- into the field to watch what all expected would be a colorful show. But any thought of pageantry was suddenly lost in the smoke, din, dirt and death of battle. Soldiers on both sides were stunned by the violence and destruction they encountered. At day’s end, nearly 900 young men lay lifeless in the fields. Ten hours of heavy fighting swept away any notion the war’s outcome would be decided quickly. (Taken from the National Park Service guide)

Best to view in "Original" because other versions resized by Pbase are decidedly unsharp.

*****

We took a drive to Manassas National Battlefield Park, located in Virginia, about 25 miles southwest of Washington. The park was the scene of the First Battle of Bull Run – the first major battle of the American Civil War -- and the Second Battle of Bull Run, in 1861 and 1862, respectively. We spent most of our time at the site of First Bull Run, which was the largest and bloodiest battle in United States history up to that point. Union casualties were 460 killed, 1,124 wounded and 1,312 missing or captured; Confederate casualties were 387 killed, 1,582 wounded and 13 missing. The soldiers were largely a body of young, ill-trained recruits led by inexperienced officers. Second Bull Run left 3,300 dead.

Although we didn’t take a lot of pictures, the visit was well worth it and proved to be a sobering experience.

Henry House (rebuilt), posted earlier: