Manassas National Battlefield Park
One of the places on my deployment must-visit list was Manassas National Battlefield Park. Being a big history buff, I love a good battlefield. And who wouldn’t want to see the location of not one, but two Civil War battles? As I mentioned yesterday, our visit to Manassas preceded the afternoon wine tour. In order to fill our day right to the brim, we also planned to stop at Uno’s Pizza for lunch.
Address and Location
The address for Manassas National Battlefield Park is 6511 Sudley Road, Manassas, Virginia. Take the Sudley Road exit from Interstate 66, and the battlefield is just past the Cracker Barrel.
Cost
Admission to the Manassas battlefields is free. Donations are welcome.
What to do
The day dawned a bit gray and misty, but we grabbed our ponchos and hoped for the best. It started raining when we turned off the interstate and started pouring as we pulled into the park. Once inside the visitors’ center, the park ranger suggested we watch the movie in the hope that the rain would let up. She was right, so we grabbed a park map and headed outside after the half hour film. We opted to explore the Henry Hill Loop Trail.
Our first stop was the Judith Carter Henry house. She has the unique distinction of being the only civilian killed during the battles at Manassas. Mrs. Henry was an elderly widow who lived on a farm near the town of Manassas, and her son came to collect her when the battle lines shifted to her property. They literally carried her out of her house on a mattress. The artillery fire surrounding them scared her, so she begged her son to take her home. Confederate snipers set up positions using her house as cover, so the Union artillery dropped a cannon round on her house, killing her and destroying the house.
From there, we walked down to the Stone House. It wasn’t overly significant to the battle, but soldiers on both sides vividly remembered the house as a peaceful reminder of home amidst the raging battle. The house wasn’t open when we went, but you can go inside if you take the ranger-led tour.
We headed back to the Visitor’s Center because not much else was easily reached on this walking trail. We checked out the monument to Stonewall Jackson, too.
The Manassas National Battlefield Park is a fascinating place to visit, and a must for any history buff. While we didn’t tour all of both battlefields, there is plenty to see. You can hop on a ranger-led tour or even take a driving tour of the park. Leave yourself lots of time and pack a good pair of shoes!
