At last, I have returned to this beloved series after…4 months! Wow…that’s a long time…

Anyway, today I am doing a post on the Battle of Manassas Junction, Virginia! But Ryana Lynn, you might say, You’ve already done a post on Manassas Junction! And you would be quite right! Here’s a link to my first post! But today, we are looking at the SECOND battle that took place in that unfortunate area. Unfortunate because who really wants to have ONE battle fought in their backyard, let alone TWO? And hang around at the end of the post for a tiny excerpt from my book, Our Heritage to Save, to learn an additional fact about the Battle!

1. Lightning Strikes Twice. Yep, people often say it doesn’t but it has happened…anyway… Second Manassas (Or Second Bull Run, if you’re from the northern side of the Mason/Dixon 😉) was fought on the same ground as the first major battle of the War Between the States, almost a year later! And it lasted a little longer too, beginning on August 28th and ending on the 30th.

2. Stonewall was Here! But unlike the first battle, where his was one of the last on the field, Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson’s was the first command to arrive at Second Manassas…3 days early!

3. Same song, second verse. After the second battle I suppose the federal army decided it would be a bad idea to fight here again; they lost both battles fought at Manassas Junction to the Confederate Army.

4. Immortalized in Song. There is a hilarious song, written and sung by southerners, that goes through the laundry list of men who Lincoln put in charge of his Grand Army of the Potomac. (There were so many, it’s not even funny!) The commander for the Manassas Campaign was Gen. John Pope. The song is written as if it’s union soldiers singing it, making it even funnier to the Southern population. Pope and the Battle of Manassas were featured in the lyrics like this:
 
Then said Lincoln unto Pope, “You can make the trip I hope,
I will save the Universal Yankee Nation,
To make sure of no defeat, I’ll leave no lines of retreat,
And I’ll issue a famous proclamation.”
But the same dreaded Jackson, This fellow laid his whacks,
And made him by compulsion a seceder.
And Pope took rapid flight from Manassas’ Second fight,
‘Twas his very last appearance as a leader.
 
But to be fair, the southern author was kind to Pope in the chorus…
 
Then pull off your overcoat and roll up your sleeves,
For Stonewall is a hard road to travel;
Pope did his very best but was evidently sold,
For Richmond is a hard road to travel, I am told!
 
5. A New Commander. The federals weren’t the only ones with a different commanding general when Second Manassas rolled around. Instead of Joseph Johnston commanding Southern forces, General Lee was in charge. But the results were the same: Southern Victory!

6. Old Stomping Grounds. Stonewall’s first mission upon arriving at Manassas Junction was to destroy the Union supply depot there. After fulfilling this duty, Stonewall set about making camp…near to the very place where he had first earned the nickname Stonewall (though he always insisted the name belonged to the brigade who had fought with him that day).

7. Don’t Count your Eggs Until They Are Laid. During the fight, U.S. General Pope informed Lincoln that the victory was the Union. NEVER announce victory before you actually have it…you’ll have to eat your words…

8. Strike while the Iron is Hot! Stonewall believed in action. He was not one to sit around and wait for the enemy to attack him. Second Manassas showed that very well. Pope knew he was in the area, due to a previous fight with another command. But his men got within a few hundred yards of Stonewall and didn’t even see him until Jackson’s artillery opened fire on them.

9. It’s not the Size that counts. Jackson and his troops were outnumbered two to one during the battle. In fact, multiple times, the federals broke their lines. But in spite of being outmanned, Jackson’s men always counterattacked and plugged the holes. And it paid off; Longstreet reinforced them, giving them desperately needed man power to ultimately carry the battle.

10. According to the Numbers… There are a lot of similarities between the two Battles of Manassas Junction. But the numbers are not part of that. Around 63,000 federal and 55,000 Confederates were engaged in the second battle, almost but not quite double their forces from the first battle. At First Manassas, 2,896 federals were listed as casualties (mostly injured); at Second Manassas, their numbers were 13,826. The Confederates listed 1,982 casualties (again mostly injured) at the first battle. Those numbers jumped to 8,353 at the second battle. (Numbers taken from A Pocket History of the Civil War by Martin F. Graham, ©2011 by the author, All Rights Reserved)
 
And now…for the excerpt…which happens to spotlight one of my favorite facts about this battle!
 
From Chapter 22: He Fixed It, Our Heritage to Save
 
“Believe it, Joe. We’re out of ammo!” The young Southern soldier’s face was white with anxiety. “We just used our last two rounds. What are we gonna do?”
“Rocks!” someone yelled. “Use the rocks!” The boys looked down at the rocks on the ground.
“Can’t hurt trying,” Joe shouted, picking up a sizable one. He hurled the rock as hard as he could. The others standing around followed suit.
Meanwhile, a Union soldier was firing away as fast as he could. Suddenly, a hard object struck his rifle barrel. “What was that?” Another “thing” came flying, this time striking him in the shoulder. “Stones? Ahh!” A hail of the rock ‘bullets’ came raining down on him.
“Now I have seen everything!” his friend commented, picking a pebble from his hand. “Here we are, fighting our own countrymen in the middle of nowhere, and being battered by rocks!”
“Yeah, and they say Longstreet and Lee reinforced Jackson last night. This is insanity!”
 
Not as long as most of my excerpts, but if I put anymore…well, you know, spoilers…
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this post!
Have a Blessed Day!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Okay…I know…it’s Fall. But I really need to review this before I forget what it was about 😉 So, without further ado, let’s get into the review!

Summer of Suspense
By C.R. Hedgcock
(2015)
3 Stars

From the Back Cover: When Phil, Abby, Andy, and Tom Baker hear that their cousin Millie will visit their farm for the summer, little do they imagine what a dreary time they will have with the snobbish girl. But when Millie disappears, life quickly becomes anything but dreary. What starts out as a summer of chores and horse-riding on the farm turns into a cross-country adventure, as the Bakers find themselves matching wits with a notorious jewelry thief who pulls them into her web. Aided by a seasoned detective, the Bakers confront numerous dangers in their search for Millie, all while attempting to foil the plot of a major crime ring -- making it a summer they will never forget.
Filled with mystery and intrigue, ''Summer of Suspense'' contains important lessons of Christian courage, humility, submission to authority, and repentance before God and man.
 
My Review: This isn’t a widely known fact about me, but I love horses. When I was little, I dreamed of the day I would own my very own horse. While I still adore horses and they tend to grab my attention in books, I got over my desire to own one. I’ll just watch them run and maybe go to a farm someday if I really get the itch to ride 😉 So when I saw the cover of this book and found that it was a Christian mystery set on a farm with horses…oh, yes, I was interested!

The mystery was a bit predictable, but the author clearly has an extensive knowledge of Horses, which I found quite interesting. And I greatly appreciated that there was no profanity. Even some Christian books I read don’t always satisfy me in that category.

My main hang up with the story was the fact that the scriptures were not King James and in one scene they mentioned something they called Righteous Deception, which is not Biblical. As I’ve said before, I understand that sometimes fear takes over and people lie to protect their loved ones, etc. but that doesn’t make it okay. Yes, God will forgive, but it’s never right to do wrong to do right.

Also, I am personally dresses only and I thought this story was suggesting the same, but then it told that the girls were wearing pants when they were in a riding competition. I didn’t like the vibe that was given of “wear dresses unless it’s not practical.” I would suggest wearing a fuller, loose-fitting skirt with leggings (if needed).

There was also an almost futuristic type building where illegal operations were going on and to me, it just popped into the story out of nowhere.

This was the author’s first work I believe, and I am curious to see how their writing skills grow. Overall, the book was very clean and an interesting read, but not a favorite. As far as reading level, I would say 12+ but I would recommend a parent or spiritually mature, older sibling read it first to mark scriptures, etc.

Have a great day!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

I love America. I’m sure you never would have guessed that, lol! But yes, I am a proud American citizen and I thank God for allowing me to be born in the Greatest Nation in the world. (Shouldn’t everyone be able to feel that way about their home?) Today, I want to share a book list of 5 books for Patriotic Americans!

1. Let’s Roll by Lisa Beamer
I promise I won’t fangirl over it here. If you haven’t read my review, you can do so by clicking here. This book helps you put modern American patriotism back into focus. It reminds us of why we are at war in the first place and what we as individuals need to do to keep our country great.
 
2. & 3. Battle Heroes: Voices from Afghanistan/War Heroes: Voices from Iraq by Allan Zullo
Want your eyes opened to “boots on the ground” operations in the Middle East by the best fighting force on earth? I don’t care if you are a mature adult, this middle grade book needs to be read by you! The youngest I would suggest read it would be 12, since it is a war book. While sensitive, it’s still intense. This book puts a story with the random things we hear about the war. Ever wondered what goes in to defusing an IED? What exactly are native translators capable of, besides translating? Who are the guys serving our country? What are they like? Do they really have a life besides the military? Just read it, please. (Needs minor editing, nothing major.)
 
4. O To Be Like Thee by Kassie Angle
I know, I know, I talk about this book all the time. But it’s because it is so good! Please, just pick up the book and allow yourself to dive in to this fictional but true to life story. I mean, Kassie has grown up in the Army, so I’m pretty sure she knows what she’s talking about 😉
 
5. Behind Enemy Lines: Under Fire in the Middle East by Bill Doyle
Okay, so if you’ve ever wanted to read/watch Lone Survivor but wouldn’t because of the language (like me!), you need this book. (I mean, I would probably read it if someone else had edited it, just because I still have a few questions, but that’s just me. But I seriously doubt I could endure the movie, even if the language was edited out. Some things are better read than watched 😉) Among the 8 stories of valor in the Middle East is one titled Operation Redwing…and this was my introduction to Marcus Letrell and the Navy SEALs that served with him. Well, I had read an article about his buddy Danny, but I’d never heard the story of how exactly he died or what happened to his friend that made it through the ambush. Well, now I know! This was written on preteen level, so it’s comprehensive, clean and still quite jarring. Don’t read it right before bed, just saying. But, if you want to gain a deeper understanding to the conditions our boys are going through over there, pick up this quick read and let the story pull you in!
 
So that’s it for today! Now, hurry along to your library and find these books. Except for Kassie’s. Just order a copy. That’s what you really need to spend your money on! 😉 And no, she didn’t tell me to say that. She knows nothing about this post.

Have a blessed week!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

This is the last review in my 9/11 book series. This book was a large picture book that I borrowed from our local library. It was a bit different than I expected…but still an interesting book.

America’s Heroes
No author listed; compilation
(2011)
3 Stars

My Review: I thought when I picked up this book that it was going to be a compilation of stories about and by service members, focusing on the War on Terror. Instead, this book was a basic history of 9/11, the War on Terror and humanitarian efforts of the military. Few personal stories and profiles were included; most of the soldier submissions were just talking about their humanitarian assignments and not their actual stories. The book was very informative, but not written in an engaging style.

It was easy to see that the project was more focused on humanitarian efforts and “happy Muslim and American relationships” than on telling the truth about terrorism and our efforts to squash it. A few parts even suggested that the terrorist regime has nothing to do with true Islam/Muslim faith, when in fact it is rooted in the teachings of Muhammad. That bothered me.  It wasn’t on every page, but the mature reader will definitely find it hiding in the corners and flavoring the text.

For that reason, I wouldn’t recommend this book, unless you are a mature reader and well grounded in the truth. (Check out Fortress of Faith for many helpful resources on Islam vs. Christianity)

Today, 18 years ago, 19 men committed one of the most infamous crimes in American history. They murdered 2,977 innocent American and foreign people, who were simply going about their daily lives. They all went out into eternity…some to heaven, some to hell, having never received God’s gift of Salvation. But…have we forgotten?

Those who don’t learn from History are apt to repeat it.

I used to work on a bus route at my church before we went on the road full time for FBN. All of my riders were born after 9/11…and none of them had ever heard of it. They were old enough. There is no reason for their ignorance. It’s not their fault. Their parents and their teachers have let them down.

The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center was the death place of 2,605 people, not including the victims onboard the planes. 411 of those were first responders. Have we forgotten them?

The Pentagon was the death place of 125 people, 55 of those being military personnel. Have we forgotten them?

Flight 93 and the other three planes involved were the death places of 246 passengers, flown to their deaths because of 19 wicked men bent on destruction and death, for a god that doesn’t even exist. Have we forgotten those victims and their murderers?

At least 4,424 of our troops gave their lives in Iraq to protect our nation and put down terrorist organizations. Have we forgotten their sacrifice?

As of 2018, 2,372 of our brave servicemen have died in Afghanistan to the same end. There have been 20,32o wounded in the war. Have we forgotten their valor, their blood shed for our freedom, their families mourning loss of life, limb and mental stability?

I would dare to say that we have. I have spoken with people who thought Afghanistan was just a military base, not a war zone. I have spoken with many who have no idea when we went to war or why. I myself can name only two places where fighting has taken place over there. I am ashamed of my lack of knowledge on this subject. After all, this is the war of my generation. I was five when 9/11 happened. I watched the towers fall live on my Grandmother’s television. I have never forgotten that. It is seared into my memory forever.

Did you know that the 18-year-old recruit in Basic Training today was only a baby when 9/11 happened? Did you know that the 17-year-old recruit wasn’t even born? Three of my siblings have only known a country at war. A couple of them remember when Osama bin Laden died, taken out by conscientious Navy SEALs. None of the three remember Saddam Hussein. I do. I lived in fear, as a child, that they would come to America and murder my family, even though I prayed they would come to know the Lord. It was a result of this fear of dying that God softened my heart and I accepted Him as my personal Savior.

I believe though, that as a nation, We Have Forgotten.

But that’s not all…

Jesus Christ came to earth, born of a virgin, suffering the scoffing and criticism by His own people. Have we forgotten the reason He came?

He selected 12 men to be his disciples. One betrayed Him to His enemies for money. One denied that he even knew Jesus. And 11 of them ran when Jesus was arrested. Have we forgotten His agony in the garden, for us? His prayers while His disciples slept?

He was falsely accused, beaten, spit on and mocked before the people. Have we forgotten His humility and acceptance of what should have been our punishment? He Who knew no sin? Have we forgotten?

Jesus died, gave His Life for us on the cross, so that we could go to Heaven when we die. He accepted the rejection of God, His Father, so we could be accepted. He willingly allowed Himself to die and be buried in a borrowed tomb, for you! For me! For the victims of 9/11. For the hijackers who took over the planes. For Osama bin Laden, Saddam Hussein. For every “good” person that has ever lived or ever will live. For every bad person who ever has lived or ever will live. For everyone. He loves us that much. He doesn’t owe us anything, but Jesus did it anyway. Have we forgotten the Love of Jesus?

And the most important part…

He rose again from the grave! Three days after giving His life for us, Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, rose of His own power, victorious over death, hell and the grave.

How could we have forgotten? Do we as a nation even care? If not, it will be to the eternal doom of every individual who has rejected His free gift of Salvation. All Jesus asks is that we repent of our sins. That is all! Small thing to ask, right?

I haven’t forgotten. What about you?

I have accepted His gift. What about you?

Have you forgotten?