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Manassas in Prince William County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Battling for the Rocky Knoll

Second Battle of Manassas

— Day Two - August 29, 1862 —

 
 
Battling for the Rocky Knoll Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By J. Makali Bruton, September 4, 2015
1. Battling for the Rocky Knoll Marker
Inscription.
Stonewall Jackson's defensive line extended nearly two miles - from Sudley Church to the Brawner Farm. Many of his 24,000 troops were posted behind the cuts and fills of the unfinished railroad grade before you. The formidable position enabled Jackson to confront an enemy twice the size of his own command until Longstreet's troops could reach the battlefield.

Throughout the day, the heaviest attacks fell on General Maxcy Gregg's South Carolina brigade, which anchored the left end of the Confederate line. Crowded atop a rocky knoll behind the railroad grade, Gregg's 1,200 men withstood six separate assaults. With his brigade on the brink of collapse, Gregg brandished his grandfather's Revolutionary War sword, waved it around his head, and exhorted, "Let us die here, my men, let us die here!" His words rallied the troops. Although outnumbered, exhausted, and nearly out of ammunition, Gregg's line held.

Captions:
Brig. Gen. Maxcy Gregg

The largest threat of the day came at 5 p.m., when General Philip Kearny's Union division assailed Jackson's left flank.

The grave of Lt. Col. Daniel Ledbetter of the 1st (Orr's) South Carolina Rifles, located in Sudley Church cemetery.
 
Erected by National Park Service.
 
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topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is August 29, 1862.
 
Location. 38° 50.327′ N, 77° 32.252′ W. Marker is in Manassas, Virginia, in Prince William County. The marker is in a small turnoff on the left on Sudley Road about 20 yards before Sudley Methodist Church to the north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5400 Sudley Rd, Manassas VA 20109, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. “The Unfinished Railroad” (a few steps from this marker); Sudley (a few steps from this marker); Sudley Church (a few steps from this marker); Sudley Methodist Church (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); A Debt Repaid (about 500 feet away); Sudley Springs (approx. 0.2 miles away); Field Hospital (approx. 0.2 miles away); Thornberry House (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manassas.
 
Battling for the Rocky Knoll Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 20, 2023
2. Battling for the Rocky Knoll Marker
Battling for the Rocky Knoll Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By J. Makali Bruton, September 4, 2015
3. Battling for the Rocky Knoll Marker
The unfinished railroad grade can be seen in the background, roughly along the line of trees.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on May 10, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 11, 2015, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana. This page has been viewed 941 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos:   1. submitted on September 11, 2015, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana.   2. submitted on April 29, 2023, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.   3. submitted on September 11, 2015, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana.

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Mar. 29, 2024