Battle of Brawner's Farm

An interesting battle. General Gibbon's green midwestern brigade crashed into elements Jackson's Corps and pushed back the suprised rebs. Reinforcements arrived for the confeds and they pressed thier attack. Every attack was thrown back by these green troops, who held thier ground. Finally, all of Jackon's men were on the feild and they launched a massive attack and they still couldn't drive back this single brigade. When night fell, Jackson, hoping to finally destroy the union troops, surrounded it and next day found out that this brigade slipped out. This is how the Iron Brigade was born.

These guys must have been tough to beat when the Confederates would meet them again

They were hard. The only reason why they pulled out was the fact that General Gibbon's knew that Jackson was going to surround them and he knew he was going to lose if they stayed.

That's the real tragedy in a Civil War: You know who you fight and sometimes it happens to be friends of yours.

Ya, it would split familys apart because they had different views.

There was a story of when two friends at Petersburg on opposing decided to play poker for the two presidents. The South won it and said "Lincoln's going to Richmond on the Petersburg express!"

is that a true story?

Of course it's a true story. Them made cardboard versions of both presidents too.

OK. Just making sure.

It is amazing what the Iron Brigade did, considering they were green troops, but maybe that's why they succeeded; most veterans, when hearing they were facing Jackson's men, turned and ran after the first volley. But the Iron Brigade didn't know enough to fear for their lives, and it helped them. It also helped, of course, that Jackson lost alot of his best officers right at the beginning, including division commanders Ewell and Taliafaro. But, maybe it's just because they came from the west and were tougher than most men! lol

I agree. Go West!
The IB just didn't know. Good observation. Also, same thing is said about LOTR, TTT. Merry and Piipin didn't know what was really going on when captured by the Uruk-Hai.

ya, but they didn't have to fight the uruk-hai lol.

Their baptism of fire was today at 5:45 at Brawner's Farm, commencing the Battle of Second Mannassass.

Second Bull Run, Lee's first great masterpiece. The Iron Brigade did do an outstanding job of holding off Jackson's attacks, and touched off a maginificent battlefield record, which would run up to Gettysburg.

I agree, Lee was brilliant in that battle. It also helped that Pope was an arrogant fool and didn't try to keep his flanks hardly protected.