The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Tomorrow Marks the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Bull Run

Or do you call it the Battle of Manassas as do so many of my SCV friends? Union forces named battles usually after a nearby body of water and Confederates named battles after towns.

This was the first really big battle of the war and ended up as a Confederate victory. But, both sides realized the other was ready to fight and go the distance as a result of it.

There is some fear that the heat wave gripping the country might have an adverse effect on the commemoration.

In honor of the event, Stonewall Jaclson's belt buckle and a rifle belonging to Col. John Mosby will be on special display at the Manassas National Battlefield Park. A West Virginia couple bought them at auction two years ago and they have lent the artifacts to the museum.

Of course, Confederate General Thomas Jackson earned his Stonewall name at the battle. A Mexican officer originally owned the belt buckle which has the symbol of Mexico, an eagle devouring a snake. It was Jackson's trophy from the Mexican War.

Col. John Singleton Mosby's shotgun is labeled "My first cavalry gun" and he went on to earn the nickname "Gray Ghost of the Confederacy.

The Conflict Now Begins in Earnest. --Old B-Runner

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