The time between the First Battle of Manassas on July 21st and Ball’s Bluff on October 21st was a time for command changes in both Confederate and Union armies, maneuvering for position, and many small scale skirmishes predominantly in the areas of Pohick Church, Bailey’s Crossroads and Lewinsville. The Union would build a string of forts to protect Washington, D.C. and extend their lines out into Virginia to create a buffer zone between lines. Although the skirmishes were small in scale, they were covered extensively in newspapers as each side looked for heroes and scapegoats early in the war.

July 21- After First Manassas Joe Johnston was placed in command of the Department of the Potomac and the Confederate Army of the Potomac.

July 22- Confederate cavalry retake Fairfax Court House (Captain Whitehead’s Company E 30th VA Cavalry). The following day Colonel J.E.B. Stuart establishes headquarters for the Advance Brigade here.

July 27 and August 20- George McClellan arrived in Washington from Beverly, Virginia on Friday, July 26, five days after the rout at Bull Run and four days after he had received a telegram from the Army’s adjutant general: “Come hither without delay.” The next day he is appointed by Lincoln to command the Division of the Potomac. On August 20, several military units (the former Departments of Washington and Northeastern Virginia, the valley of the Shenandoah, and in the States of Maryland and Delaware) were consolidated into the Army of the Potomac, with McClellan as its first commander. He appoints Major John Baynard to build additional defensive forts to protect Washington.

Early August- Johnston was promoted to full General. Beauregard orders General Longstreet forward to Fairfax Court House from Centreville with Johnston’s approval. Longstreet’s advanced picket line will occupy Munson’s, Mason’s and Upton’s Hills by the end of the month.

August 18- A Scout to Capture 27 Cavalry at Pohick Church- described at the link.

August 17-25- Union and Confederate forces skirmish for control of Munson’s and Mason’s Hills.

August 27- Longstreet moves his advanced line forward (link). Colonel J.E.B. Stuart’s forces seize control of Mason’s and Munson’s Hills. A Confederate flag is raised on Munson’s Hill that can be seen from the White House.

August 28-September 2- Skirmishes at Bailey’s and Ball’s Crossroads (link).

September 3-4- Brigadier General William F. “Baldy” Smith crossed the Chain Bridge and established Camp Advance, Fort Marcy and Fort Ethan Allen. These two forts and the rifle trenches that connected them formed the Defenses of Chain Bridge (link).

September 11- Battle of Lewinsville (link).

September 15- Longstreet moves his headquarters forward from Fairfax Court House to the John Bartlett house (Home Hill) in Falls Church.

September 26- Commanding Confederate General Joseph Johnston was becoming increasingly concerned about the vulnerabilities of his position. His line stretched from Flint Hill, through Fairfax Court House and Fairfax Station to Sangster’s Crossroads. His advanced outposts were at Munson’s, Mason’s, and Upton’s Hills. Johnston wrote to Judah P. Benjamin, Confederate Secretary of War, on the 26th for guidance. He stated as follows:

SIR: The troops now under my command occupy a front of about 6 miles from Flint Hill, through Fairfax Court House and Fairfax Station to Sangster’s Cross-Roads. An advanced guard of eleven regiments of infantry and Colonel Stuart’s cavalry is stationed at Falls Church, Munson’s and Mason’s Hills, at Padgett’s (where the Columbia Turnpike enters that from Alexandria and Fairfax), at Springfield Station on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. Munson’s Hill is apparently little more than 3 miles from the enemy’s line of works on the heights extending from Georgetown to Alexandria. I assumed this advanced position as soon as the repair of the railroad enabled the Quartermaster’s and Commissary Departments to afford us supplies with a twofold object-to remove the troops from the unhealthy atmosphere of the valley of Bull Run and to be ready to turn the enemy’s position and advance into Maryland whenever the strength of this army would justify it. By ordering the troops forward, besides securing healthy aud comfortable locations, we could keep better watch over the enemy and maintain an attitude in accordance with our recent victory. Thus far the numbers and condition of this army have at no time justified our assuming the offensive. To do so would require more men and munitions. We are not now in a strong defensive position either to fight a battle or to hold the enemy in check. The position was occupied for a different purpose. It is now necessary to decide definitely whether we are to advance or fall back to a more defensible line. There are very grave and serious objections to the latter course, and the idea even should not be entertained until after it is finally determined to be impracticable to place this army in such condition as would justify its taking at an early day the active offensive. The difficulty of obtaining the means of establishing a battery near Evansport and length of time required for the collection of those means have given me the impression that you cannot at present put this army in condition to assume the offensive. If I am mistaken in this, and you can furnish those means, I think it important that either his excellency the President of the Confederate States, yourself, or some one representing you, should here upon the ground confer with me in regard to this all important question. I send this by an officer of my staff, who can give you detailed information in regard to the positions now occupied by the troops under my command. I beg you to write an answer by the officer who will deliver this as soon as may be convenient to you.

Most respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. E. Johnston, General.

General Longstreet informed Johnston that he had intelligence that the Yankees were planning a very strong attack within the next few days. Without waiting for an answer from Davis on the evening of the 27th Johnston ordered the Confederate Army to withdraw from Munson’s, Mason’s, and Upton’s Hills, and Falls Church to Fairfax Court House. The withdraw took place during the night. The next day Federal troops occupied the hills.

September 28- A Union friendly fire incident occurs near Munson’s Hill/Action at Vanderburg’s house (link).

September 30-October 3- Jefferson Davis, and Generals Johnston and Beauregard meet at Fairfax Court House. Davis cannot provide additional forces for an offensive action. He visits camps and outposts. On October 3rd a grand review is conducted of 15,000 troops. Davis leaves for Richmond by train at 5:00 PM.

The marker above states that the council of War between Davis, Beauregard and Johnston occurred at a tavern across the street from the Courthouse. When Davis arrived in town strangely no arrangements were made for his lodging. As a result, he stayed at the home of Thomas R. Love which Beauregard was also using as his headquarters (shown in the photograph below). An issue of the newsletter of the Fairfax Historical Society reported that the meeting occurred at Dunleith (link). Dunleith is no longer standing. It was located in the area of 10390 Willard Way where a strip mall now stands.

October (October 16-19)- Given that there were no plans for an attack Johnston decided to fall back to Centreville. He felt it was a better defensive position than Fairfax and was closer to the railroad at Manassas Junction. The Rebel line stretched from Centreville on the left to Union Mills on the right. The divisions of James Longstreet and Earl Van Dorn occupied the line. General Smith’s division was sent to the high ground above the Warrenton Turnpike near Centreville and Stonewall Jackson’s men were in reserve near the town. In separate posts I will cover what remains of Johnston’s Centreville Defensive Line (link), the establishment of Confederate Winter Camps in Northern Virginia 1861-1862 (link), the construction of The World’s First Railroad Built Exclusively For Military Purposes (link), and the First Confederate Soldiers Executed in the Civil War (link).

September 28- Union troops reoccupied the area of Falls Church. In the following months they built the advanced warning Forts Taylor, Buffalo, Munson and Ramsay on the highest points of land in the area. 

Sources

The Glories of War, Small Battles and Early Heroes of 1861

Ron Baumgarten’s excellent blog- All Not So Quiet Along the Potomac

Chronology of the Civil War in Fairfax County Part I by Edward T. Wenzel.

A Virginia Village Goes to War, Falls Church During the Civil War by Bradley E. Gernand

Civil War Northern Virginia 1861 by William S. Connery