On August 28th, Jackson sent cavalry units in every direction, trying to pin point the enemys position. About 8 am, he received word that the federals were in a state of confusion as General Pope tried to put his army together. As author James Robertson puts it, The union general, wrong again in his deductions, believed that Jackson had taken refuge in the Manassas defenses and would do battle there. Thus, in an order that may very well have cost Pope the entire campaign, the union general changed direction of march from north toward Gainesville to the east toward Manassas. Pope began moving his army towards Manassas on various routs. McDowell and Sigel moved via the Warrenton Turnpike, and Banks and Porter via the O&A railroad. Jackson was elated. Jackson, upon being engaged at Manassas Junction and burning the stores there had designated Groveton, along the Warrenton turnpike, as the regrouping point for his troops. Groveton was the location of the intersection of the Warrenton Turnpike and Sudley Springs road, and its proximity to the route Lee would be taking through Thoroughfare Gap, made Jackson determine to make a stand there. Also, Jackson, from prior knowledge of the area, knew that a long, wooded ridge line ran roughly parallel to the Turnpike. This good defensive position stuck out to Jacksons trained eye. Jackson would not stay on the defensive, however, and upon hearing about the Union march north on the Warrenton Turnpike, he sent word to AP Hill to press towards the Bull Run fords and cut of those troops of Popes. Jackson had the advantage here. Popes army was separated, and the position he had chosen would be on the flank of and body of troops utilizing the Warrenton Turnpike. Little Powell Hill, who had started a round-about march from Manassas Junction to the north across Bull Run at Blackburns Ford and then to Centreville at midnight reached Centreville before dawn and fell out for a few hours of sleep. At dawn, Hills men started west towards the designated rendezvous point. At about 10 am, Hill received orders from Jackson to hurry to the Bull Run fords and block the enemys advance. He was in between Centreville and the Bull Run Bridge. Robertson describes Hills options: From dispatches captured at Centreville, Hill knew that Pope was not retreating. He was in fact concentrating at Manassas for a showdown with Jackson. Hill could have blindly followed Jacksons directive, giving the strict obedience Jackson did not think he always displayed. Instead, Hill ignored the order to attack at the fords and kept moving toward Jacksons position three miles farther at Groveton. Jackson had been receiving numerous reports of the enemys position; Popes destination was still unclear to Jackson. Jackson entertained the idea that Pope was concentrating at Manassas, as was clear to AP Hill, and decided not to advance.
Noon quickly rolled around, and Jackson received a note that electrified him. General Taliaferro said that the dispatch aroused Jackson like an electric shock. The message informed Jackson that a separate body of Union Troops was marching towards Centreville via the Warrenton Pike. The federals had played right into Jacksons trap. Jackson, in his typical way, conferred with no one, and glanced at Taliaferro and said, Move your division and attack the enemy. Jackson then turned to Ewell and said, Support the attack. The two bodies of Confederate troops hasten two and a half miles towards the Warrenton Turnpike, when Jackson halted them. The enemy had abandoned the Warrenton Turnpike and was now marching for Manassas Junction, just as the dispatches AP Hill had captured indicated. Jackson was disappointed. With the enemy moving away from him towards their burning supply base, Jackson rode alone for much of the afternoon restless. Jackson was described by an aid as a cross bear. The aid went on to say that the expression on his face was one of suppressed energy and reminded you of an explosive missile, an unlucky spark applied to which would blow you sky high. Jacksons mood was soon given a boost though, when a message arrived stating that General Lee was approaching the western edge of the Thoroughfare Gap and would be on the other side in the morning. This gave Jackson great pleasure. As time passed, a column of Federal Infantry came into view on the Warrenton Turnpike again. This force, under General Rufus King, was a full division, some 10,000 men, and they were strung out for a mile on the turnpike. It was after 5 pm. Taliaferro sent his division forward, and Ewell added two of his brigades, one of which was Isaac Trimbles, to the attack. These troops had the support of three batteries of artillery. These guns opened about 6:30 pm and the fight was on. Jacksons troops caught the federals smack in the flank, completely surprising them. One union brigade ahd already passed before the confederates struck, and the weight of the attack fell on Union General John Gibbons brigade. Jackson said that the his troops moved in gallant style until they reached an orchard on the right of our lines & were less than were less than a hundred yards from a large force of the enemy. The conflict here was fierce and sanguinary. Although largely reinforced the federals did not attempt to advance but maintained their ground with obstinate determination. The fighting continued for two and a half hours, raging fiercely all along the front. Volley after volley ripped into both union and confederate lines at point blank range. There was very little cover, an orchard, a house, and a fence, and General Taliaferro said, it was stand up combat, clogged and unflinching, in a field almost bare. In the dying daylight.they stood, and although they could not advance, they would not retire. There was some discipline in this, but there was much more of true valor. Fittingly, the Federal Iron Brigade, the pride of its army, fought ferociously with the Confederate Stonewall Brigade, the pride of its army. Each side began to tire, but would not budge. Kyd Douglas testifies to the determined, but tiring fight, Each attack was weaker, each repulse more difficult the Federals dispirited, the Confederates worn out. It was a fearful long day. Night fall eventually ended all actions. Final casualties amounted to 1100 of 2800 Union engaged killed, wounded, or missing, and 1200 of 4500 Confederate engaged killed, wounded, or missing.
Noon quickly rolled around, and Jackson received a note that electrified him. General Taliaferro said that the dispatch aroused Jackson like an electric shock. The message informed Jackson that a separate body of Union Troops was marching towards Centreville via the Warrenton Pike. The federals had played right into Jacksons trap. Jackson, in his typical way, conferred with no one, and glanced at Taliaferro and said, Move your division and attack the enemy. Jackson then turned to Ewell and said, Support the attack. The two bodies of Confederate troops hasten two and a half miles towards the Warrenton Turnpike, when Jackson halted them. The enemy had abandoned the Warrenton Turnpike and was now marching for Manassas Junction, just as the dispatches AP Hill had captured indicated. Jackson was disappointed. With the enemy moving away from him towards their burning supply base, Jackson rode alone for much of the afternoon restless. Jackson was described by an aid as a cross bear. The aid went on to say that the expression on his face was one of suppressed energy and reminded you of an explosive missile, an unlucky spark applied to which would blow you sky high. Jacksons mood was soon given a boost though, when a message arrived stating that General Lee was approaching the western edge of the Thoroughfare Gap and would be on the other side in the morning. This gave Jackson great pleasure. As time passed, a column of Federal Infantry came into view on the Warrenton Turnpike again. This force, under General Rufus King, was a full division, some 10,000 men, and they were strung out for a mile on the turnpike. It was after 5 pm. Taliaferro sent his division forward, and Ewell added two of his brigades, one of which was Isaac Trimbles, to the attack. These troops had the support of three batteries of artillery. These guns opened about 6:30 pm and the fight was on. Jacksons troops caught the federals smack in the flank, completely surprising them. One union brigade ahd already passed before the confederates struck, and the weight of the attack fell on Union General John Gibbons brigade. Jackson said that the his troops moved in gallant style until they reached an orchard on the right of our lines & were less than were less than a hundred yards from a large force of the enemy. The conflict here was fierce and sanguinary. Although largely reinforced the federals did not attempt to advance but maintained their ground with obstinate determination. The fighting continued for two and a half hours, raging fiercely all along the front. Volley after volley ripped into both union and confederate lines at point blank range. There was very little cover, an orchard, a house, and a fence, and General Taliaferro said, it was stand up combat, clogged and unflinching, in a field almost bare. In the dying daylight.they stood, and although they could not advance, they would not retire. There was some discipline in this, but there was much more of true valor. Fittingly, the Federal Iron Brigade, the pride of its army, fought ferociously with the Confederate Stonewall Brigade, the pride of its army. Each side began to tire, but would not budge. Kyd Douglas testifies to the determined, but tiring fight, Each attack was weaker, each repulse more difficult the Federals dispirited, the Confederates worn out. It was a fearful long day. Night fall eventually ended all actions. Final casualties amounted to 1100 of 2800 Union engaged killed, wounded, or missing, and 1200 of 4500 Confederate engaged killed, wounded, or missing.
