Second Manassas Battlefield Trail

The Henry Hill Visitor Center is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas day.

The main battle for Manassas centered around Henry Hill.

This is the starting point for the park road at Chinn Ridge.

Deers may be seen along the trail.

Turtles may be seen crossing the park road. This turtle was assisted crossing the road.

Trail path to the Hooe family cemetery.

The Hooe Family Cemetery contains the tomb stone of Captain Bernard Hooe, Senior. Captain Bernard Hooe was a Captain of Militia in Prince William Co., VA, Oct 17, 1776. On April 7, 1780, Bernard Hooe was deeded part of the "Buckhall" land by his parents, John and Anne. He died on April 8, 1810, as a result of a duel. He was prominent in local political affairs and represented Prince William County, Virginia in the state legislature. He had a political quarrel with a neighbor, James Kemp, in which he struck Kemp with a whip. The subsequent duel took place on the Maryland shore, across the Potomac River. He was mortally wounded and died at "Rippon Lodge", the home of Col. Thomas Blackburn. ("Descendants of Rice Hooe").

This is the Benjamin Chinn house site. After Sarah Fairfax's death in 1829 at age 56, Sarah's son, 22 year old Benjamin Tasker Chinn (1807-1886) inherited the 730 acres of the Bull Run property in 1830. Moving to Prince William County with his seven slaves, he cleared land, built a manor house, which later, after he married, was known as Ben Lomond. The house was finished in 1832, a Federal style of red sandstone from a local quarry laid in irregular courses covered with a yellowish gray stucco and scored to resemble large stones so popular in European architecture of the day. The house was 46' long by 23' deep and stood two stories over a full basement containing three rooms and a shallow fireplace. The ground floor walls were 2'6" thick with the first and second floor walls 2' thick with chimneys at each end built flush to the outside face of the wall The roof was a simple gable design covered with hand made wood shingles.

Across from Hazel Plain, General James Longstreet's massive counterattack during the 2nd battle took place here. A trail leads to a boulder for Union Colonel Fletcher Webster, the son of the famous orator Daniel Webster, who was killed leading a failed attempt at repulsing the Confederate Counterattack.

Trail leading to the New York monuments.

This is the entrance into the forest trail path.

The trail path in this forest section is a flat gravel path that is well maintained.

Trail sign pointing the direction to the Chinn house. There are 3 trail paths. Follow the middle path where the sign is posted.

This is the start of the middle path where the Chinn Ridge Loop trail sign is posted.

The trail path may collide with other trail paths that are used for horses. You may need to watch where you step.

The trail path crosses over Young's Branch over a bridge.

View of Young's Branch from the bridge.

Two monuments dedicated to the 5th and 10th NY Reg'ts. These mark where the 5th New York Zouaves lost 123 men in 5 minutes in the advance of Hood's men; off of Lee Highway, near Young's Branch on 5th New York Avenue and cross from the Confederate cemetery at Groveton.

Trail path leading to Lucinda Dogan's home.

Monument dedicated to the 14th Regiment New York State Militia (also called the 14th Brooklyn).

The only remaining structure of the crossroads community of Groveton.

Here is where Pope launched the bulk of his attacks against the Grade. Off of Featherbed Lane, before you reach the Railroad Grade.

This is a view of the battlefield at Deep Cut. The field during the Second Manassas Battlefield was filled with Union troops marching up the hill to fight.

Sign indicating the direction towards Deep Cut loop trail.

Sign reads, "The Wisconsin Company 1st Regiment of Berdan's U.S. Sharpshooters used many cartridges on this spot, August 30, 1862. Losing 1 man killed and wounded. Position marked be Geo. E. Albee, a private of the comapany".

Here is shown one of the Monuments erected in memory of the Union dead who fell at the battles of Bull Run and Groveton.

Sign indicating the direction to Brawner Farm and Second Manassas.

Yankees were pinned down on the far side of the embankment, only ten yards away. After twenty minutes of continuous shooting, Confederates here were running out of ammunition. Frantically, they searched their dead and wounded comrades for cartridges. Others pried stones from the railroad grade and hurled them down on the enemy. Already shell-shocked, some bewildered Federals threw the stones right back.

Stairs and boardwalk along the trail path.

Improvements to the trail may be seen on this trail path. A board walk is located on this section. The board walk is helpful when the trail is muddy.

Sign post indicating the Deep Cut Loop trail.

Sign indicating the direction to Brawner Farm and Second Manassas.

Trail to the Unfinished Railroad Grade.

This section of the trail path is also used for horses. You will need to watch your step.

This section of the trail path leads to the Matthew's Hill parking lot. You will need to cross a busy road. Caution is needed when crossing Sudley Road.

You can view the surrounding battlefield hills on this trail path.

Matthews Hill is the opening phase of the 1st battle.

Matthews Hill Loop trail.

Capt. William Reynolds' battery of Union artillery. From this vantage point, you can observe the landscape from Union artillery positions that overlook the historic Stone House and Confederate artillery positions on distant Henry Hill. Scenic vistas looking south and west give an excellent view of major portions of the battlefield.

This is the battlefield view from both military perceptions. You can look down at the enemy or up at the enemy. This position gives you an idea of what the troops saw during the battle.

The Stone House marker inscription reads:

This building links today's landscape to the battlefield scene. The roadbeds have not changed; thousands of soldiers noticed the Stone House as they marched through this strategic intersection.

During both battles Federals turned the former tavern into a field hospital. Bloody floorboards were hardly unique - most houses in the area became crowded with wounded men - yet in diary after diary soldiers mentioned this particular structure. The relatively unscarred walls may have provided an image of peacetime amid fields of terror.

(Photo Caption) Stone House in March 1862. The Park Service has restored and furnished the house to resemble its 1861 appearance. Much of the structure may be original: the stone walls, window frames, and some floorboards.

The building, which dates to the second quarter of the nineteenth century, served as an aide station during both battles of Manassas.

Fought July 21, 1861, between 40,000 Federals under General M'Dowell, and 30,000 Confederates under General Beauregard. The Confederates occupied a position extending for about nine miles along the southern bank of the Bull Run, and an attempt to turn and drive in their left was at first successful, but, being rallied by General Beauregard, they assumed the offensive, and totally routed the Northerners, with a loss of 1,492 killed and wounded, 1,600 prisoners, and 28 guns. The Confederates lost 1,752.

Caught in the middle was Henry house, home of Judith Carter Henry, an elderly widow, who refused to evacuate her home during the battle and was killed by cannon fire (she is buried nearby).

You can find Ricketts' Battery of Union artillery behind the visitor's center.