Second Battle of Manassas

After the Second Battle of Manassas, fought about six miles west of here on 28-30 Aug. 1862, Union Maj. Gen. John Pope and his defeated Army of Virginia withdrew to Centreville. From here Pope sent troops to block an attempt by Confederate Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson to get between Centreville and Washington. The resulting battle at Chantilly (Ox Hill), four miles north of here, stopped Jackson's advance on 1 Sept. Pope led his army back toward Washington but was relieved of his command several days later. Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee seized the initiative and moved his army into Maryland, where the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg) took place on 17 Sept.