Battles of Manassas • Tour the Battlefield • Monuments • Facts • The Armies
The “Confederates Rally” wayside marker is on the Henry Hill walking tour.
Note: The marker has been updated. The text of both versions is shown for historical reference.
The marker faces north toward the direction of the Federal attack. On the right the Henry Hill loop tour heads toward the site of the Robinson House.
Text from the wayside marker:
Confederates Rally
Many Confederates felt they had lost the battle – perhaps the war. At that moment Generals Johnston and P.G.T Beauregard arrived on Henry Hill and began to rally the scattered regiments. The fugitives started to reform behind fresh reinforcements that deployed along the edge of the woods. Men and horses muscled thirteen cannon to the front.
After stabilizing the Confederate position, Johnston established his headquarters at Portico, home of the Frank Lewis family, one-half mile to the southeast. There he coordinated a steady stream of reinforcements to the front. Second-in-command Beauregard remained on Henry Hill to manage the battle.
Caption to the background illustration
The sight of General Johnston – wounded three times in previous wars – gave the battered soldiers new courage. Learning the 4th Alabama had lost most of its field officers, Johnston personally led those troops forward, keeping the regimental flag at his side. The Robinson farm is pictured in the background.
First Battle of Manassas
July 21, 1861 12:30 p.m.
Text from the original wayside marker:
Confederates Rally
This field was a scene of confusion. Shells were exploding all around. Hot, tired, shot-up during the retreat from Matthews Hill, Confederate units had fallen out of line and were milling about. They felt they’d lost the battle and maybe the war.
At that moment Generals Johnston and Beauregard arrived on the field to rally the scattered regiments, and the Confederate line began to re-form. Out of the woods behind you filed fresh reinforcements – Thomas J. Jackson’s Virginia infantry. There at that line of cannon Jackson stood firm.
First
Battle of Manassas
Caption under the drawing on the right:
The sight of Gen. Joe Johnston – wounded three times in previous wars – gave the battered soldiers new courage. Learning that the 4th Alabama had lost most of its field officers, Johnston personally lead those troops forward, keeping the regimental flag at his side. The Robinson house and farm are pictured in the background.
Captions under the two portraits at center:
Gen. Pierre G.T. Beauregard
Gen. Joseph E. Johnston
Location of the marker
The marker is along the Henry Hill Loop Tour about 0.3 miles from the Visitor Center going counter clockwise and about 0.6 miles going clockwise.