Opening Shots

Confederates under Col. Nathan "Shanks" Evans, eleven hundred men spread along this ridge, faced the opening exchange at first light when Federals east of Stone Bridge sent a cannon shell overhead and skirmishers on both sides began sporadic musket fire. After two hours, with no Federal attack developing, Evans grew suspicious until an officer flagged a message from the signal post near Manassas Junction warning, "Look out for your left! You are turned!" Leaving a small force to guard the bridge, Evans shifted his badly outnumbered troops a mile west toward Matthews Hill, where he hoped to blunt the Federal flank attack.

Sudley, Virginia · United States