Live Blogging Second Manassas (or Bull Run, if you prefer)

Wherein you can live the worst decision of my blogging career

.....................................................................................................................

Good people, for the past month and a half I have been involved in an all-consuming project of creating hourly updates for the entirety of the second battle fought at the intersection of Route 29 and Sudley Road. Having carried out a similar exercise for the first, I thought this would be no big deal and there'd be plenty of time on the side to build the story lines through northern Virginia on this blog. I was wrong. This battle was much more complex, and amounted to 45,000 words to tell the story when all was said and done. Over the next few days, I submit it to you, hour-by-hour.

Some resources to guide you through:

For your key media needs, including maps, I recommend the Civil War Trust's website:
http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/second-manassas.html

For a strategic overview, Wikipedia serves you well:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_Bull_Run

Wikipedia is again useful for both orders of battle:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Bull_Run_Union_order_of_battle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Bull_Run_Confederate_order_of_battle

In addition to the wonderful sources listed in the books section, many of which were used, invaluable assistance was provided by:

• John Hennessy's Second Manassas Battlefield Map Study, available at the Manassas National Battlefield Park visitor's center, that comes with 16 nifty maps and served as my framework
• Peter Cozzen's John Pope: A Life for the Nation, which like Cozzen's other books provides a remarkably fair look at someone history has justly written off. Just because history is right, doesn't mean the guy doesn't deserve a book. You can (and should) purchase it here, or at other fine book-selling establishments.

Make sure to read about the Battle of Kettle Run that acts as a prelude to this fight, and did a lot to influence how deployments were made on the first day, and occurred 150 years ago at the very moment I am posting this.

Lastly, due to important life events I am unable to provide the full linkage, cross referencing, and photo posting that a blogger should. I consider those events a lot more important and fun, plus I know everyone can use Google, so you're not Gouverneur Warren sitting along above Groveton.

I hope you enjoy.