page_title: Edward S. Bragg
section_title: Second Bull Run (August 1862)
hierarchical_section_title: Edward S. Bragg / Civil War service / Second Bull Run (August 1862)
caption_attribution_description: English: The Battle of Gainesville occurred on August 28, 1862, at the beginning of the Second Battle of Bull Run. The sketch was created by Major Rufus Dawes of the 6th Wisconsin Infantry.
context_page_description: Edward Stuyvesant Bragg was an American politician, lawyer, soldier, and diplomat. He was an accomplished Union Army officer in the American Civil War and served four terms in the United States House of Representatives representing Wisconsin. Later, he was United States Minister to Mexico during the presidency of Grover Cleveland and consul-general to the Republic of Cuba and British Hong Kong under President Theodore Roosevelt.
context_section_description: The Iron Brigade arrived at Cedar Mountain, Virginia, two days after the battle there.  They participated in burying the dead and engaged in skirmishing, directed by Colonel Bragg, associated with the First Battle of Rappahannock Station along the new defensive line at the Rappahannock River.
  After Stonewall Jackson successfully maneuvered around the flank of the Union army, the order was given to fall back to Centreville, Virginia, in an attempt to surround Jackson's Corps.  On the evening of August 28, while marching northeast with three other brigades on the Warrenton Turnkpike, the Iron Brigade encountered Jackson's Corps near Gainesville, Virginia.  General Irvin McDowell, who commanded their Division, was convinced that the Confederates represented an inconsequential force, and ordered the brigades to proceed on their march toward Centreville.  However, when the Confederates opened up cannon fire, General John Gibbon ordered the Iron Brigade to engage the enemy and attempt to capture the artillery.  A severe battle ensued as the Iron Brigade faced a combined assault from five brigades of Stonewall Jackson's Corps.  During the battle, Colonel Cutler was severely wounded.  Lt. Colonel Bragg took command of the 6th Wisconsin and would remain in command of the regiment for most of the next two years.  Bragg and the 6th Wisconsin held the right end of the line against the brigades of Isaac R. Trimble and Alexander Lawton.
  The fighting at Gainesville is often referred to in historical documents as the "Battle of Gainesville" and represented the first day of fighting in the Second Battle of Bull Run.  Despite being outnumbered by more than 3-to-1, the brigade held their ground and the fighting ended indecisively around midnight.  This is where the nickname "Iron Brigade" was first applied to their unit.
  Bragg and the Iron Brigade were resting and remained in reserve during the second day of battle, but rejoined the fighting on the third day, August 30, 1862, in support of Fitz John Porter's V Corps and their ill-fated frontal assault on Jackson's position.  As the attack faltered and the massive Confederate flanking attack began to materialize, Bragg held his regiment in line and deployed skirmishers to slow down the enemy attack.  As the Union army fell back, Bragg was ordered to organize the 6th Wisconsin to act as rearguard.  The 6th Wisconsin was the last to withdraw, marching on an orderly retreat for nearly a mile in full view of both opposing armies.
  As the Union army retreated from the field on the night of August 30, General Philip Kearny ordered the Iron Brigade to act as rearguard for the Army.  Bragg and Lt. Colonel Lucius Fairchild—who commanded the consolidated 2nd and 7th Wisconsin—would manage the action, setting pickets and false campfires to deceive the enemy.
caption: Sketch by Major Rufus Dawes of the location of forces at the Battle of Gainesville.
exif: {}