Christmas 1862 was bittersweet. The holiday season was certainly a welcome distraction from the ongoing war, yet endless families had an empty chair at the table that year. For the communities around Manassas Junction, that December was still a time of rebuilding from two major battles.

Join us to celebrate Victorian Christmas traditions with caroling, crafts, cider, cookies, and more. Visit a Union soldier encampment as we remember the soldiers who were away from home for Christmas 1862, and those who would never return.

"Christmas 1862" will be held at the historic Stone House at the intersection of Lee Highway and Sudley Road. Because it is an historic building, the house is not handicap accessible. This event is free and open to the public, but it is requested that you make a timed reservation so we can plan for parking and event materials.

Reserve your free ticket here: http://weblink.donorperfect.com/2024Christmas1862

Join park staff and friends for the 163rd Anniversary of the 1st Battle of Manassas and experience the history through a unique sensory focused event. Hear the sounds of combat with music demonstrations, firing demonstrations, and living history Drill. Get a taste of war and experience civil war camp cooking and taste some of the common rations of the day. See the sights of battle with living history displaying flags, uniforms, and the medical services. Touch and feel the history through archeology programs, stable call to groom horses, and interactive kids programming. Ranger led programs will be available throughout the weekend for real-time programming highlighting different parts of the battle, the soldiers' experiences and the aftermath of battle. 

This year, July 21st, the date of First Manassas falls on a Sunday, the same as it did in 1861! 

View the full schedule at www.nps.gov/mana/first-manassas-163rd-anniversary.htm

Join historian John Hennessy to follow the footsteps of the largest, most famous Union attack of the Second Battle of Manassas: Porter's attack on the afternoon of August 30, 1862. From the genesis of the attack to its formation in the Groveton Woods, we will track thousands of Union troops as they moved across deadly ground to what has become known as the Deep Cut in the Unfinished Railroad. We will look at the Confederate response and the human reality of a battle fought at incredibly close quarters--a battle that rendered nearly half of all Union attackers as casualties.

The tour will begin at the Groveton Cemetery parking lot (tour stop 8). This hike will cover apx. 2.75 miles of rolling terrain over uneven ground, with one rather significant uphill grade. Please dress for the weather, wear appropriate shoes for hiking, and bring water. Tick repellent is strongly encouraged.

Tickets

The price for this exclusive tour is:

• $30 for Members*

• $45 for Non-Members, including a discounted one-year Private level membership.

*If you are unsure of your current membership status please contact cforman@manassasbattlefied.org

Join the staff at Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park as they host the Manassas Battlefield Trust for a walking tour covering the role of the decorated New York Excelsior Brigade at the Battle of Kettle Run. Learn about the personal stories of the men of the Excelsior Brigade raised from the ranks of New York City firehouses and how their actions on the afternoon of August 27, 1862, played a pivotal part in pushing back Ewell’s Confederates at Bristoe Station.

This hike will cover 1.5 miles of trails and grass fields and last over two hours. Please dress for the weather, wear appropriate shoes for hiking, and bring water. Tick repellent is strongly encouraged.

Tickets are $20 for members and $35 for non-members (includes a discounted membership to the Manassas Battlefield Trust). Proceeds benefit the Manassas Battlefield Trust, allowing us to continue our support of Manassas National Battlefield Park.

Meet our Tour Guides:

Historian and author Kevin Pawlak is an Historic Site Manager for the Prince William County Historic Preservation Division and works as a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Antietam National Battlefield. Kevin also sits on the Board of Directors of the Shepherdstown Battlefield Preservation Association and the Save Historic Antietam Foundation.

Lance Russell is the site interpreter for Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park.

Christmas 1862 was bittersweet. The holiday season was certainly a welcome distraction from the ongoing war, yet endless families had an empty chair at the table that year. For the communities around Manassas Junction, that December was still a time of rebuilding from the second major battle in thirteen months.

The Manassas Battlefield Trust is pleased to present, with Manassas National Battlefield Park, "Christmas 1862" at the historic Stone House. Join us to celebrate Victorian Christmas traditions with caroling, crafts, cider, cookies, and more, as well as remember the soldiers who were away from home for Christmas 1862, and those who would never return.

The event is free and open to the public, but a reservation is required and donations will be accepted.

**Please note: As an historic building, the Stone House is not handicap accessible. Dress for the weather. Restrooms are available at the Manassas National Battlefield Park Visitor Center, but not at the Stone House.

Hike with an Historian:

Join Historian John Hennessy to track the dramatic events of the morning of July 21, 1861, from the first shots across Bull Run to the tumultuous fighting on Matthews Hill, beginning at the Stone Bridge parking area. We will alternately follow the footsteps of Union soldiers, as they cross Bull Run at Farm Ford, and Confederates, as they rush troops from the Stone Bridge to meet the Union onslaught on Matthews Hill. The hike will take us to the Stone Bridge, Farm Ford, Pittsylvania, the Matthews House site, and the landscape of Matthews Hill. On the return, we will stop at the Van Pelt house site. 

This is a hike of moderate difficulty, about four miles--most of it rolling, but with a significant climb out of the valley of Bull Run in the first mile. 

Reserve your ticket HERE.

Join us for The Tempest at Ox Hill: September 1862's Battle of Chantilly, a walking tour of the Ox Hill Battlefield, just a few days after the 160th anniversary of the fight. We’re excited to join historian David Welker, author of the book by the same name, as he leads us through the events of September 1, 1862.

You know that Second Manassas' days of intense combat led to the small fight at Chantilly (or Ox Hill), a battle famous mostly for taking place amidst a tremendous lightning storm that marked the end of Lee's 1862 Virginia Campaign. But there's much more than unusual weather to this short, sharp struggle that proved pivotal in the lives of Chantilly's veterans. Join historian and author David A. Welker on September 3rd 2022 at Ox Hill Battlefield Park from 10-12 to explore the Battle of Chantilly's events, personalities, and implications which echoed throughout the Civil War.

SOLD OUT. We may arrange a second bus if there’s enough interest. Please contact cforman@manassasbattlefield.org if you’d like to be placed on the waiting list.

“In the Steps of ‘Stonewall’ Jackson: Prelude to Second Manassas”

Join a National Park Service historian for a full-day bus tour following the route of Stonewall Jackson's flank march around John Pope's Union Army that preceded the Second Battle of Manassas. The tour will be offered on the 160th anniversary of the march. Bus tour begins and ends at the Henry Hill Visitor Center, departing at 9:00 a.m. and returning by 5:00 p.m. Box lunch included.

This tour is presented by the National Park Service and the Manassas Battlefield Trust, the official philanthropic partner of Manassas National Battlefield Park.

Tickets are $60 per person, for a limited time. Purchase your tickets here.

Join historian John Hennessy for a deep dive into the unusual combat at Brawner’s and Dogan Farms, which marked the opening of the Second Battle of Manassas. We'll hike the entire Union and Confederate lines (apx. 2 mi) , taking a personal look at the experience of battle as the sun went down that August 28 day. We'll also look at the battle from the perspective of leaders--Gibbon, Jackson, Pope, and even Abner Doubleday.  

Click Here to Reserve Your Ticket

Thousands of Union soldiers received their baptism of fire on July 21, 1861. Among them was a young Rhode Islander named Charles E. Douglas. He first saw action at Bull Run fighting with the First Rhode Island Detached Militia. Douglas later reenlisted in the Fifth Rhode Island Regiment and spent three years serving and fighting in North Carolina. Described as "modest and unassuming" by his peers, Douglas was one of the men who learned about the horrors of war on the plains of Manassas. Join award winning Civil War historian Robert Grandchamp for this engaging look at one Union soldier. Featured will be some of the relics Douglas took to war.

Click Here to Register

Join the Manassas Battlefield Trust and the National Parks Conservation Association for a hike and discussion about nearby development threats that pose a significant risk to the battlefield.

Meet at the Brawner Farm parking area and we'll walk to the Brawner house for an overview of the significant historical actions in the area. Afterwards, we'll take a short hike to the park boundary to view the target development area and discuss the current status of the conflict and the impact that rezoning and development would have on the park.

Please RSVP HERE so we can plan for parking.

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Visit us at the annual Historic Manassas Inc. Fall Jubilee! We’re excited to share our passion for history with the community of Manassas.