Battles of Manassas • Tour the Battlefield • Monuments • Facts • The Armies
The “Very Vortex of Hell” wayside marker is at Stop 9 of the Manassas Battlefield Driving Tour at the side of the parking area. It is alongside the parking area between the monuments for the 5th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment and the10th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
In 2012 this marker replaced the “One Sided Slaughter – Fate of the 5th New York” wayside marker in the same location. (see below)
Text from the wayside marker:
The Very Vortex of Hell
From their position atop this ridge, the soldiers of the 5th New York Infantry listened to the crash of battle. It appeared the regiment had escaped combat that day. Most of the fighting raged one mile to the north near Deep Cut. Around 4 p.m. an ominous silence took hold. Much of the distant firing had stopped. Suddenly a violent burst of musketry pierced the stillness. Terrified Union skirmishers came running out of the woods, followed by a tremendous crashing of brush and leaves – the sound of a large army approaching.
The 5th New York hurried to form a battle line along the crest of this slope. By then, thousands of Confederates were at the edge of the trees firing volley after volley. The New Yorkers were overrun in less than ten minutes. The unit sustained 123 men killed or mortally wounded – the greatest loss of life in any Union infantry regiment in any single action of the war. Remembering the one-sided slaughter, a veteran compared it to “the very vortex of Hell.”
Caption on the bottom of the marker:
The grassy slope behind you, covered with the colorful red and blue uniforms of fallen Zouaves, reminded one Southerner of a field of Texas wildflowers.
The wayside marker, facing toward the parking area at center, is at the end of New York Avenue.
“One Sided Slaughter – Fate of the 5th New York” wayside marker
This marker was replaced by the “Very Vortex of Hell” wayside marker (above). It stood in the same location.
Looking west toward the woods out of which Hood’s Texas attacked
Text from the monument:
One Sided Slaughter
Fate of the 5th New York
The 5th N.Y. Infantry thought they had gotten off easy that day. The trees screened them from Confederate artillery fire, and most of the fighting was a mile off to the right near Deep Cut.
Suddenly they heard heavy musket fire up ahead. Terrified Union skirmishers came running out of the woods, followed by a tremendous crashing of brush and leaves – the sound of a large army approaching.
Unable to see what was coming, but knowing it was going to be very bad, the 5th New York hurried to form a battle line along the crest of this slope. Panicked skirmishers kept getting in the way. By then, thousands of Confederates were at the edge of the trees firing volley after volley.
Second
Battle of Manassas
Day Three
August 30, 1862
Caption below the painting:
In five minutes, the 5th New York lost nearly 300 killed and wounded out of about 500 men. From a distance, the scene was deceptive: the grassy slope, covered with the bright red and blue uniforms of fallen Zouaves, reminded one Southerner of a field of Texas wildflowers.
Location of the wayside marker
The marker is on the east side of the parking area at Stop Nine, between the monuments to the Fifth New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment and the
Tenth New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment. (38°48’36.4″N 77°32’38.6″W)