The Battle of Bull Run is routinely cited as the first land battle of the Civil War. This battle between Union and Confederate forces took place near Manassas, Virginia, on July 21, 1861. But was this battle really the initial skirmish between the North and the South? Historians today concede that the first land battle actually took place on June 3, in the town of Philippi, in what is now known as West Virginia. Teachers and students often have no knowledge of this battle, and it is rarely cited in K-12 history textbooks. In a review by the author of four 2005 American history textbooks, grades one through twelve, including teachers' editions, there was no mention of the battle in Philippi, or the role that a young boy played in the events of that day. Yet this Civil War battle, a historical event once considered minor, had impact on the outcome of the war. This article presents an analysis of the battle that will engage students in historical inquiry and prepare them to judge the significance of little-known events in history. (Contains 3 figures, 1 table, and 35 notes.)