The First Battle of Manassas is a brief (209 page) but well-written book that ascribes Union defeat to the fact that Irvin McDowell, the Union commander, “did not know what victory would look like on July 21, 1861, and neither did most men on the field....” The time between noon and 2 pm, when Northern troops failed to advance against the improvised Confederate defense on Henry Hill, were not a lull, but rather a “revelation — the first real recognition that the war would require more than bluster and posturing.” The Confederates, meanwhile, exploited their opportunity, “consistently [converting] time gained into more men and stronger positions.”

The book starts out too quickly, essentially beginning with Union troops setting out from Washington in search of the Confederate army. Other than that, it has no major faults. I read the “revised edition”, a paperback published in 2015. It remedied a major flaw in the first, hardback edition, a lack of maps. In this edition, the maps are numerous and clear, with only one minor error (on p.87, the regiments labelled as “3rd ME” and “2nd CT” should be the 3rd Connecticut and the 2nd Maine). ( )

An outstanding account of the American Civil War's first major battle. I could find little wrong with this book. The maps are well done and while I would have liked one or two more, the book does not suffer for their lack. Recommended. ( )

Published in 1989, Hennessy’s account of First Manassas or First Bull Run is an excellent description of the first--and critical--battle in the US Civil War.

Written in standard format, the book is divided into 10 chapters covering the battle in fairly logical chunks of time that correspond to specific aspects (approach, the fight for Matthews Hill, the extended struggle for Henry Hill). Each chapter has a map of troop movements.

There is a wealth of detail in Hennessy’s book, that not only includes military descriptions but selections from the orders, letters and memoirs of participants. First manassas was a much more complicated battle than is usually described in general histories, and while nowhere near so bloody an engagement as later battles (“merely” 3000+ casualties of all kinds), it really was the first in what could be termed modern warfare. It also pointed up the weaknesses (particularly of the Union command) and strengths of both sides. For the first time, we meet some of those who would go on to be major players: Stonewall Jackson, Sherman, Burnsides, Joe Johnston, James Longstreet, and others. There is an excellent summary and analysis of the battle and its consequences in the last chapter.

While it is an excellent book and well worth reading, it has the same failing that just about every other standard format book does: a lack of maps. In fact, the single map of the turning point of the battle--the see-saw fight for Henry Hill--has a totally inadequate map for understanding the struggle over the Union artillery on the hill. In addition there are some errors in troop movements in the opening phases of hte battle that are confusing; the text does not correspond with the maps.

I read this book after reading Gottfried’s The maps of First Bull Run, which is excellent for those who wish to truly understand the troop movements. While Hennessy’s book has more detail, its single map of the Henry Hill segment of the battle really cripples understanding. Ideally, one would read The Maps of First Bull Run and then Hennessy’s book. However, The First Battle of Manassas is worthwhile enough to stand on its own.

Recommended for those who want a more detailed understanding of an important battle. ( )