Gunnery Sgt. Thomas E. Williams (Ret.) shows Marines of Marine Corps Recruiting Command the exact path the Marine battalion walked during the First Battle of Manassas as part of historic walking tour at Manassas National Battlefield Park, Manassas, Virginia, July 30, 2019. This year marked the 158th anniversary of the battle, which was the first major action of the Civil War. While Manassas was a defeat for US forces, a battalion of more than 330 Marines participated in the battle and was one of the only units to penetrate the Confederate line. Williams, the director of the Marine Corps Historical Company, gave Marines from Marine Corps Recruiting Command a historic walking tour of the battlefield, showing them the exact locations the Marine battalion fought 158 years ago. This demonstration was part of a battle study that was designed to instill in the Marines an appreciation for the discipline, confidence and dedication that the Marine battalion embodied during the battle and is a hallmark of today’s Marine Corps. The USMC Historical Company provides historical educational programming focused on telling the story of the Marine Corps and its people.