Historical Report on the Troop Movements for the Second Battle of Manassas, August 28 through August 30, 1862

Hennessy, John

These maps follow the guidelines and standards established in 1981 with the publication of NPS Chief Historian Edwin Bearss's troop movement maps covering the First Battle of Manassas. There are a total of 16 maps to cover the three days of Second Manassas: two maps cover the fighting on the evening of August 28, 1862, six cover August 29, 1862, and eight cover the climactic fighting of August 30, 1862. Time intervals for the maps, rather than being standard, were geared to the intensity of the action. Thus, while only two maps were needed for the period from midnight to 3:00 PM, August 30, six maps were used to cover the action from 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The base map employed here is a slightly modified version of the one used by Chief Historian Bearss in the First Manassas study. Some minor alterations in vegetative cover have been made, as well as the slight relocation of a few of the historic features. Contour lines have also been added. The narrative portion of the volume has been compiled from the examination of official reports, letters, diaries, memoirs, and newspaper accounts written by participants, both officers and enlisted men. The structure of the narrative generally follows the tables of organization published in the Official Records (and reproduced here at the end of the text). I varied from this structure only when I felt it would make use of the finished product easier. For example, the Union cavalry brigades, though nominally assigned to various corps organizations, are grouped together as the last section of each Union segment. Too, many of the Union batteries, though nominally assigned to a particular brigade, have been grouped together for each division under the heading "Division Artillery." As in the Official Records, the Union side of the story is always presented first. Wherever possible the narrative section consists of the words of the participants. I have done little interpreting of the evidence presented. Only in circumstances where the evidence is conflicting, controversial, or not conclusive have I ventured to offer explanations for the action portrayed on the map.

Historical Report on the Troop Movements for the Second Battle of Manassas, August 28 through August 30, 1862

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