Here at Groveton, at the intersection of the Groveton-Sudley Road and
Lee Highway, is located the Dogan House, one of the main landmarks of
the second battle. It was across this area, on August 29, that Hood’s
division drove back the Union division of Hatch before it retired to the
west of Groveton. The next day the area was involved in heavy artillery
and infantry fire.
The small, one-story house of weather-boarded logs originally served as
the overseer’s house of the Dogan farm. Later, it was occupied by the
Dogan family after their main house had burned. Like the Stone House, it
now stands as one of the two remaining original structures in the park.
[Illustration: The Dogan House.]
_The Park_
Manassas National Battlefield Park was designated a Federal area May 10,
1940. The 1,670.74 acres of federally owned land in the park comprise
portions of the two battlefields.
One of the initial steps in the memorialization of these fields was
taken in 1922 with the purchase of the Henry Farm, of approximately 128
acres, by the Manassas Battlefield Confederate Park, Inc., and the Sons
of Confederate Veterans. On March 19, 1938, the Henry Farm was conveyed
by deed to the United States Government as an “everlasting memorial to
the soldiers of the Blue and Gray.” Significant additions to park
holdings were made in 1949 with the acquisition of the historic Stone
House and Dogan House properties.
_How to Reach the Park_
The park is situated in Prince William County, Va., 26 miles southwest
of Washington, D. C. State Route 234 intersects United States Highways
Nos. 29 and 211 at the park boundary.
_Administration_
Manassas National Battlefield Park is administered by the National Park
Service of the United States Department of the Interior. Communications
should be addressed to the Superintendent, Manassas National Battlefield
Park, Manassas, Va.
_Related Areas_
Other Civil War battlefields in Virginia administered by the National
Park Service include: Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military
Park, Richmond National Battlefield Park, Petersburg National Military
Park, and Appomattox Court House National Monument.
_Visitor Facilities_
A modern museum and battlefield markers are features of the park’s
interpretive program. The museum, which is highlighted by a diorama and
an electric map, presents exhibits in such a way as to develop the story
of both battles in narrative sequence. Free literature, library
facilities, and interpretive services are also available at the museum.
Special tours can be arranged for organizations and groups if advance
notice is given to the superintendent. Museum hours are from 9 a. m. to
5 p. m. daily.
_Footnotes_
[1]For his failure to carry out Pope’s order of the 29th to attack
Jackson, Porter was court-martialed and dismissed from the army on
January 21, 1863. In 1879, a board of general officers who reviewed
the case held that Porter could not have attacked Jackson
successfully, as ordered, because Longstreet’s corps had moved up
into position on the right of Jackson and opposite Porter, and that
this was known to the latter. Thus, Pope’s order, which was written
without knowledge of this development, could not be carried out.
President Arthur, in 1882, remitted that part of the sentence which
disqualified Porter from holding any office of trust or profit under
the Government of the United States. On August 5, 1886, Porter was
reappointed colonel of infantry, and 2 days later placed on the
retirement list. To this day, despite his final vindication, the
controversy over Porter’s action on August 29, 1862, at Second
Manassas has not died down among military students.
[Illustration: MANASSAS NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD PARK]
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Historical Handbook Series
No. 1 Custer Battlefield
No. 2 Jamestown, Virginia
No. 3 The Lincoln Museum and the House Where Lincoln Died
No. 4 Saratoga
No. 5 Fort McHenry
No. 6 Lee Mansion
No. 7 Morristown, A Military Capital of the Revolution
No. 8 Hopewell Village
No. 9 Gettysburg
No. 10 Shiloh
No. 11 Statue of Liberty
No. 12 Fort Sumter
No. 13 Petersburg Battlefields
No. 14 Yorktown
No. 15 Manassas (Bull Run)
No. 16 Fort Raleigh
[Illustration: Light Artillery, Cavalry, Foot Artillery]