Students learned about battle, preservation of history at national battlefield

Students in Adjunct Professor of Political Science and Military History Mary Hall’s Civil War Era history class stepped out of the classroom and onto a battlefield during a recent trip to Manassas National Battlefield Park. Located in Northern Virginia, Manassas National Battlefield Park preserves and protects the site where two separate Civil War battles occurred - the first and second Battle of Manassas or Bull Run. “The best way to understand a battle is to put your boots on the ground where it took place,” Hall said. “The visit prompted some great discussion on the impact of terrain on tactics, the role of artillery, and how we preserve history.” The first battle of Bull Run took place in July of 1861 and was the first full-scale battle of the Civil War. The second battle began in August of 1862. Luke Miller ’25 said experiencing the site of a battlefield had benefits beyond what is learned in a classroom setting. “You can talk all you want in a classroom about terrain and battlefield tactics, but it never really clicks until you experience that space physically,” he said. Miller, who had been to the park before, said he really enjoyed visiting it with his classmates and Professor Hall as he was able to do a deeper dive into Civil War history.