150th Anniversary of The Battle of Manassas

You may be more familiar with this battle as the "Battle of Bull Run". The reason for the different names is that during the war, the North generally named a battle after the closest river, stream or creek and the South tended to name battles after towns or railroad junctions. Hence the Confederate named this battle after Manassas Junction and the Union named this battle after the nearby stream of Bull Run.

Additionally, this battle was the famous moment when General Thomas J. Jackson's brigade arrived late in the afternoon and reinforced the Confederate flank just at the right instant. As the Third Brigade of the Confederates (led by South Carolinian General Bee) was falling back, General Bee famously shouted to his men:

Here is Jackson standing like a stone wall. Let us determine to die here, and we will conquer. Rally behind the Virginians!

The Confederate forces then regrouped, and routed the Union forces from the field. Thereafter, General Jackson was known by his famous nom de guerre of "Stonewall" Jackson.

One Hundred and Fifty years ago, today.