Last updated: February 8, 2024
Place
Information Panel: Sudley
Photo: NPS / Claire Hassler
Quick Facts
Amenities
1 listed
Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits
Strategic Roads and Fords
On the morning of July 21, 1861, Union troops crossed Bull Run at Sudley Ford. They then forded Catharpin Run at Sudley Springs Ford and passed Sudley Methodist Church on their march to the First Battle of Manassas. Eight hours later many of these men retraced their route in retreat from the battlefield.
On August 29, 1862, Confederate forces under Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson took up positions along an unfinished railroad and repulsed a series of bloody attacks during the Second Battle of Manassas. The left of Jackson's line, held by troops from Maj. Gen. A.P. Hill's division, occupied rising ground immediately west of the church. These Confederate guarded the vital network of roads and fords leading north, offering a potential route of escape should disaster strike.
Across the road a loop trail to Sudley Springs Ford passes the Thornberry House, which became filled with Union wounded during First Manassas. Please exercise caution when crossing the busy highway to explore this site. The trail to your left traces Jackson's front along the Unfinished Railroad during Second Manassas.
Manassas National Battlefield Park preserves nearly 5,000 acres of historic land. History and nature converge here to create an absorbing visitor experience. In addition to historic structures, archeological sites, and cultural landscapes, the park provides habitat for a wide variety of plants, birds, and other wildlife. Please enjoy your visit and help us protect the park for future generations.
Welcome to Manassas National Battlefield Park. In two fierce battles fought thirteen months apart, Union and Confederate armies clashed here over the same ground.
Many of the key features of the battlefields survive today, including the Stone House, the Unfinished Railroad, and the historic road network.
Begin your tour at the Henry Hill Visitor Center, which provides orientation to the battlefields and their many points of interest.