On July 21, 1861, near a Virginia railroad junction twenty-five miles from Washington, DC, the Union and Confederate armies clashed in the first major battle of the Civil War. Combines narrative, analysis, and interpretation into a clear, easy-to-follow account of the battle's unfolding. Features commanders who would later become legendary, such as William T. Sherman and Thomas J. Jackson, who earned his "Stonewall" nickname at First Manassas

The certainty of triumph -- First blood -- Planning a "Waterloo" -- "You are turned" -- Matthews Hill -- Chasing victory -- To Henry Hill -- Maelstrom -- Denouement -- The war watchers' surprise -- Wreckage -- Tallying failure and virtue -- Awakening.