Special programs and events to commemorate Second Battle of Manassas

Manassas National Battlefield Park will commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Second Battle of Manassas with a series of special programs and events, beginning on Saturday, Aug. 25 and extending through Sunday, Sept. 2. Programs will include special tours highlighting significant events of the campaign and battle of Second Manassas, lectures covering topics related to the battle and the Civil War in 1862, and living history and historic weapons demonstrations. The public is invited to participate in these events and programs, which will be held at various locations throughout the park as well as beyond the park boundaries in the local community, They will show the historical ties between the battlefield and related sites in the Manassas area.

The park will be offering living history demonstrations at the Brawner Farm this weekend Aug. 25-26 and next weekend, Sept. 1-2. Visitors can learn about the experiences of the soldiers who fought at Second Manassas.  Beginning at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., artillery demonstrations will be offered, with cavalry demonstrations offered at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., and infantry at noon. and 2 p.m.

On Saturday, Aug. 25, Doug Jimerson and Civil War Comrades will offer a performance of Civil War period music in the Visitor Center auditorium at 1 p.m.

Special off-site programs will be conducted on Sunday, Aug. 26.  At 3 p.m., park historian Jim Burgess will offer a special 90-minute walking tour on the Thoroughfare Gap battlefield, at Chapman (Beverley) Mill.  The 90-minute program is being offered in partnership with the Turn the Mill Around Campaign.  Chapman Mill is located approximately 11 miles west of the park at 17504 Beverley Mill Road in Broad Run.

On Sunday evening at 7 p.m., park historian John Reid will offer a lecture on the grounds of the Manassas Museum in downtown Manassas, highlighting the importance of Manassas Junction in the Second Manassas campaign.  This program is being offered jointly with the Manassas Museum.  The museum is located approximately six miles south of the park at 9101 Prince William Street.

Park historians will offer guided tours covering key phases of the Second Battle of Manassas.  The series of tours will begin at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 28, with a tour of the Brawner Farm, the site of the opening engagement of the battle.  The tour schedule resumes on Aug. 29, with guided walks highlighting the defense of Jackson’s Left at 10 a.m., Grover’s assault on the Unfinished Railroad at 2 p.m., the Union attack at Sudley Church at 4 p.m., and the evening fighting at the Groveton crossroads at 7 p.m.  The final day of tours on Aug. 30 will cover the impact of the battle on the Robinson Farm at 11 a.m., the attack at the Deep Cut at 2 p.m., Longstreet’s Counterattack at 4 p.m., and the final struggle for Henry Hill at 7 p.m.

On Friday evening, Aug. 31, John Hennessy, Chief Historian of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, will be offering a walking tour along the Unfinished Railroad to key sites of the battle near Sudley United Methodist Church.  The tour departs the church grounds at 6 p.m.  Following the tour, the church will be offering a special vespers service at 8 p.m., in recognition of the anniversary of Second Manassas.

During the weekend of Sept. 1-2, the park will offer a lecture series at the Visitor Center, to be followed by book signings adjacent to the park bookstore.  On Saturday, featured speakers include Alan Gaff, Stephen Potter, John Hennessy, and James I. Robertson, Jr.  The featured speakers on Sunday include John Matsui and Scott C. Patchan.

The park entrance fee of $3 per adult, age 16 and older will cover admission to the battlefield for three days.  There are no additional fees for anniversary events.  For more information, contact the Visitor Center at 703-361-1339, or visit the park website at: http://www.nps.gov/mana and the park Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/manassasbattlefield .