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The battle was fought in Manassas in Prince William County, Virginia. It was the second battle fought there, although it was a much larger battle than the first one.
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The battle took place on August 28 - August 30, 1862.
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The Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, led by General Robert E. Lee, defeated the Union's Major General John Pope and his Army of Virginia.
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Major General George McClellan had recently been demoted from command of all Union forces and given command of the Army of Potomac. Chief Henry Halleck was appointed to coordinate the armies led by McClellan and Pope.
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Stonewall Jackson ordered an attack on Pope's troops Brawner's Farm on August 28th. The fight was a draw but Pope believed that he had Jackson's troops trapped near an unfinished railroad grade and launched a series of attacks on August 29th.
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Jackson's troops repulsed the assaults ordered by Pope as 28,000 reinforcements arrived, led by Confederate General James Longstreet, arrived.
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When Pope resumed assaults on Jackson's army on August 30, a counterattack from Longstreet's men swarmed over the Union troops. Pope had expected reinforcements from McClellan's army, but they did not arrive in time.
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McClellan had resisted sending troops to help Pope because he believed that they were needed to defend Washington.
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The defeat was a serious blow to the morale of the Union and nearly cost McClellan his command. President Lincoln may have fired him had McClellan not had the strong support of the soldiers that served under him.
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Even though the Union lost, the presence of Union soldiers in Northern Virginia provided the opportunity for many slaves to escape to the North.
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Over 62,000 Union soldiers and 50,000 Confederate soldiers fought in this battle.
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Casualties were high on both sides. The Union had 14,000 dead or wounded and the Confederates had over 8,000 casualties.
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Key to the Union defeat was Pope's hesitation in making decisions on the battlefield. Other Union commanders were also slow to come to his aid, much to the frustration of President Lincoln.
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Pope was relieved of his command on September 5. He was sent to the West, where he helped battle the Sioux and later was put in charge of the Division of the Missouri.
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Lee and the Confederates felt very confident following their victory. This led to Lee's successful Maryland Campaign, in which his troops invaded Maryland and provoked battles at Harper's Ferry, Antietam, South Mountain, and Shepherdstown.
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