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The Second Battle of Bull Run (Know as the Second Manassas by the rebels) was fought in August of 1862, a little over a year after the first Battle of Bull Run. The first Battle of Bull Run was the first major land battle of the American Civil War, and was an attempt by the inexperienced Union army to cause an early end to the war by marching against the equally inexperienced rebel army to the rebel capital of Richmond, Virginia. Thomas J. Jackson and his brigade heroically stood their ground, earning Jackson his famous nickname: "Stonewall" Jackson. After a strong counterattack, the Union army was routed. Both sides were shocked by the violence, and realized the war could last much longer than they had anticipated. During the battle a year later, the Union army under the command of Maj. Gen. John Pope, fighting Gen. Robert E. Lee's forces failed to notice rebel Maj. Gen. James Longstreet's wing of the army. The Union left flank was destroyed, and the army was again routed. Only a strong Union rearguard prevented the disaster from a year earlier from happening again.