Battles of Manassas • Tour the Battlefield • Facts • The Armies


The Second (Tower’s) Brigade trailside marker is on the Second Bull Run battlefield outsde Manassas, Virgnia. It is along the Chinn Ridge trail, which starts at Stop Ten on the Manassas Battlefield Driving Tour.

Trailside marker for the Second (Tower's) Brigade on the Manassas battlefield

From the monument:

August 30, 1862
5:15 p.m.

Second Division (Ricketts)
Third Corps (McDowell)
Army of Virginia, USA

Second Brigade
Brig. Gen. Zealous B. Tower

26th New York – 88th Pennsylvania
94th New York – 90th Pennsylvania

“The regiment rushed up on the double quick and the companies deployed as best they could, facing the enemy’s line near the Chinn House. Very soon the Confederates advanced in many lines of battle. We at once opened fire on them, checking their advance. But the infantry fire was so very destructive that our men were at a loss how to return it effectively. It was just impossible to get the companies in order to successfully resist the Rebel advance.”

-John Vautier
88th Pennsylvania Infantry

Trailside marker for the Second (Tower's) Brigade on the Manassas battlefield

Location and Directions

The marker is on Chinn Ridge along a walking trail about one third of a mile north of the parking area on the Chinn Ridge Loop. (38° 48.516′ N, 77° 32.026′ W)