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First Manassas LbNA #8840 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Jun 25, 2004
Location:
City:Manassas
County:Prince William
State:Virginia
Boxes:1
Found by: undrpaid
Last found:May 28, 2006
Status:FFFFF
Last edited:Jun 25, 2004
First Manassas Letterbox - RETIRED
Placed 6/25/04 by Woodsy

UPDATE 12/15/06: THIS LETTERBOX WAS CONFISCATED BY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AT MANASSAS BATTLEFIELD. IT IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE.

Manassas Battlefield Park can be reached via Interstate 66 West from Washington, DC to Exit 47B. Take Route 234 North to the Visitor Center entrance on the right.

Before you begin your search for this letterbox, I recommend you take the one-mile long Henry Hill tour, which will provide a good overview of the First Battle of Manassas, fought on July 21, 1861.

It was thought by the North that this early battle would also be one of the last in a very short war. In fact, the well-to-do from Washington drove to Manassas in their carriages in order to picnic near the battle. By day’s end, the carriages and their occupants had fled in horror, and 900 men (plus an 85 year old female home owner caught in the crossfire) lay dead. The “short” war would last another 4 years and cost 600,000 lives.

To begin your search, face the Visitor Center from the parking lot. Turn right and walk across a field, past the statue of General Thomas Jackson. This is the very spot where Jackson became “Stonewall”. After passing through a row of artillery, pick up the First Manassas Trail, marked by blue blazes.

Go downhill and into the woods. Fork right and continue on the blue-blazed trail. You will cross a yellow-blazed horse trail and continue downhill along the route used by Confederate troops (including Jackson’s brigade) to reach the fighting at Henry Hill. After crossing another yellow-blazed horse trail, turn left on Rock Road, also used by the Confederates. At Young’s Branch, you can either ford the stream straight ahead or detour slightly to the left which leads to a bridge and then back to Rock Road.

Take the slight left to the bridge. Just before crossing the bridge, turn due west and walk several paces to a large dead tree trunk. There you will find what you are looking for.

Go ahead and walk the remainder of this trail, a total of 5.3 miles, so you can see more landmarks, including the Stone Bridge and the Stone House.