Return to Bull Run: The Campaign and Battle of Second Manassas

Hennessy crafts a good review of the campaign. He’s interesting and easy to read. He gives good detail without getting bogged down. Good book for anyone wanting an overview of one of several chances that Lee missed to do real damage to the Union war effort.

The battle of Second Manassas, August 28-30, 1862, often get's overshadowed simply because it's bookended between the Penusular Campaign, June 25-July 1, 1862, and Antietam Creek, September 17, 1862. Yet, it is diffucult to fully appreciate the Peninsular Campaign and Antietam without understanding they are connected by Second Manassas. John Hennessy does an excellent job making that connection for us.Mr. Hennessy's writing is clear, interesting and intimate. His transitions are seamless and well-formed. Using many sources, includiing the Official Reports, Hennessy writes clearly about the troop movements and lines of battle. That's all interesting, but Hennesy makes the soldier's battlefield experiences come alive by including narratives from the solider's themselves. This style of writing puts the reader on the battlefield with a personal stake in the outcome of the fight. You get to see both sides of the battlefield. Having visited the battlefield I found myself imagining the Union stand along Chinn Ridge. In my mind's eye I could see Union soldiers watchiong the Condfeerates standing aside the Chinn residence as the "gray cloud" massed behind them (Henessy can turn a phrase!).In one section of the book, along Chinn Ridge the Union forces were desperately outmanned and outgeneraled, Union forces were losing badly and doomed. The Union line was breaking apart when one artillery regiment along Chinn Ridge began to disolve. A Union cannoneer, in all the confusion, mounted a cassion and furiously lashed the horses in retreat across Chinn Branch.. The 18th Virginia began to fire on the man. And I'll let Hennesy take it from here; "Let the man alone and shoot at the horses. "You're shooting too high! Shoot at the horses!" Realizing his danger, the cannoneer lashned his horses faster, kicking up an ever-growing cloud of dust. Bullets spattered all aroind him, but he continued until he found a crossing. The horses, limber and driver bounded across the stream and up Bald Hill. "As far as we could see him", wrote a witness, "he held his team well in hand." Once out of range the Yankee gunner reined his rig to a stop, turned to the Confederates and wavedf his cap triumphantly. The Virginians who watched his every move with grudging admiration, cheered back.I found myself cheering too, for both sides. I was also deeply saddened by the needless and careless loss of life.Like most civil war books the maps are few and lacking. So, I do recommend you purchase the Troop Movement Maps (there are 16 in the group), available from the Manassas Battlefield gift shop. Although the Troop Movement maps are "busy" I was able to follow every movement Henessy discussed in the book and see where the troopps were on the battlefield, where they started and their objective. The maps gave surface context beyond the written word. The maps also enable the reader to imagine the distances - for example the great distance of Longstreet's advance toward Henry Hill on the 30th. It was an incredibly long way to fight along undulating terrain. And like all battles, terrain is a major factor in who wins, and who looses.This book doesn't go into the causes of the war - it focuses on Robert E. Lee's clear strategy and Pope's bungling response. It does this while honoring the bravery of the average civil war soldier.I highly recommend this book. It is an easy, informative and interesting read.

Hennessy has written an excellent account of one of the Civil War's bloodiest yet often overlooked battles. While 2nd Bull Run was easily one of the war's largest battles, the engagement is often seen as the prelude to Antietam and is forgotten when one reads of Gettysburg, Chickamauga, Petersburg, etc.While a Southerner, I respect and admire leaders of both sides South - Lee, Cleburne, Jackson, A.P. Hill, Longstreet, Johnston; North - Grant, Thomas, Sherman, Chamberlain, Sheridan). However, I can honestly say that the blundering John Pope of the Northern army got his just due. Pompous (bragged about his military "exploits" in the West), foul-mouthed (used the Lord's name in vain when referring to McDowell), and impatient (Phil Kearney, an able Northern general, tired of Pope's orders for impetuous and fruitless marches that only served to tire the troops).Hennessy is fair with leaders, both North and South and his narrative is excellent - while, he is obviously a learned man with a deep knowlege of the battle, the author does not bore the reader with tedious details and dry narrative.The only complaint I have with the book are the maps. While they are of good quality, there could have been more (the book contains about 15 maps and could have had at least 5 more). Additionally, some of the maps only went to the brigade level and in some cases made following troop dispositions difficult when describing specific regiments.Complaint aside, this book is one of the best Civil War titles I have read and is the definitive resource for the events of August 1862.Recommended.

There are a lot of books out that deal with specific Civil War battles but few can match Hennessy's Return to Bull Run for it's scholorship and fine writing.Of Lee's battles in the early Civil War, Second Bull Run likely gets the least amount of attention. Sandwiched between the Peninsula Campaign and Antietam it is simply overlooked. Hennessy however in Return to Bull Run shows not only why the battle may be one of Lee's finest but also how the battle severely hurt Lee's campaign into Maryland.One of the things I like about this book is Hennessy tackles some of the big myths surrounding the battle with solid research. He does a great job from going from the big picture with discussing the overall strategy down to the tactical with interesting stories of the experiences of individual soldiers.Also Hennessy really impressed me with his writing skills. I wish every Civil War author had Hennessy's talent for keeping the narrative going without getting bogged down once they get into the battle itself. To often authors get so stuck in describing the Xs and Os of the regimental movements that they forget the men involved but Hennessy keeps the story flowing nicely all the way through.This is a book that any Civil War buff will greatly enjoy reading and will be the definitive book on the battle for a long time to come.

Excellent quality for the price

ok

Book arrived on time and as described - very happy!

very thing makes sense after visiting Manassa last month and I`m planing to ride the area later this year

a good read