What was the strategy for the 2nd Battle of Bull Run?

Answer 1

In late June Robert E. Lee's army was driving the Union Army of the Potomac under McClellan away from the outskirts of Richmond. Meanwhile the Union collected enough men to make another army, in the vicinity of Washington DC, and started this new Army south, under John Pope. After McClellan was driven away from Richmond he was still in the area, in a camp on the bank of the James River, under the protection of the big guns of US Navy vessels on the James. Lee had to watch McClellan but also needed to send a force to oppose Pope, coming south. Lee sent the Second Corps of his army, under Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson. Jackson marched rapidly north and destroyed a Yankee supply depot. Alerted that Jackson was in the area Yankees milled around looking for him. Jackson ambushed a Yankee division marching down a road in front of a hillside whre his command was hidden. After dark that evening Jackson moved and took up a position on part of the battleground of the previous year near Manassas, by Bull Run.

Meanwhile, Lincoln had given up any hope that McClellan would do anything further near Richmond, and had his army loaded on ships and brought back to Washington. This freed Lee to march north with the rest of his army to join Jackson.

Jackson had been found in his new position on the old battlefield and the Yankees had attacked him heavily. Jackson remained on the defensive and repulsed all attacks. After a hard days fighting, Lee arrived that night with the rest of the Army. The Yankees were unaware that Lee had arrived with such powerful reinforcement. The next day the Yankees set out to finish off Jackson. As they charged at Jackson's position, the rest of Lee's army, which the Yankees still did not suspect was anywhere near, also charged and hit the Yankees in the flank. The Yankee attack collapsed and the Rebels rolled up their entire line. The Yankees then retreated back to Washington.