Light and fast, and struck hard and deep.Ĭampaign would not show that "Valley Stonewall". His swift-marching infantry were describedĪs "Jackson's foot cavalry" by the Confederate press, because they moved South were charmed by the swift and decisive way Stonewall had run ringsĪround the Yankees in the Shenandoah Valley (against this sameĬommander, Banks, in fact). Spite of Jackson's disappointingly inert performance during the Sevenĭays Battles, great things were expected of him now. Lee saw an opportunity to bag one of his corps, 8,000 men, (under Nathaniel Banks) exposed south of Culpeper, Virginia. Intelligence had revealed that Pope's forces were overly strung out and Lee entrusted Jackson with nearly 20,000 men and sent him ahead to strike at Union General John Pope's newly created Army of Virginia which was massing northwest of Richmond. Lack of command and control, the local impulse of battle, the heroism of The same characteristics for that momentous battle five weeks later: In many ways, the nature of Cedar Mountain previewed
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Strategic campaign to try and end the war, crested a month later at theĬlimatic battle of Antietam (what my dad, the professional Confederate,Ĭalled Sharpsburg). Of these offensive operations in the summer of 1862, Lee's first Toward the great Union logistical base at Manassas. McClellan away from Richmond in the Seven Days Battles, next wished to Lee, having successfully chased the flumoxable Hot weather) on operations, the poor state of command and control inīoth armies, and the strategic use and abuse of cavalry during the Civil It also highlighted the importance of weather (particularly Is interesting in that it revealed some flaws and strengths of variousĬommanders on both sides, as well as the weaknesses and strengths of the
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The battle proper probably didn't take up a full hour. Berry Trust, all rights reservedīattle of Cedar Mountain was a quickly decided affair, once it got So, with that caveat taken care of, let's go have some fun.Ĭopyright 2013, Jeffery P. And since it's my blog and my opinion, and I'm doing it to There are aspects to this particular, smaller battle of Jackson's,Ĭedar Mountain, that reveal the feet-of-clay version of the Great When it comes to Confederate icons, I must confess I'm more of Longstreet fan. Him, was struck dead at that moment by a Minie bullet and couldn't laterĬomment on the use or misuse of his last words. Never know because Bee, fortunately for Jackson but unfortunately for
The tone of voice and context, that Jackson wasn't helping at all.
"There is Jackson, standing like a stone wall." Meaning, depending on Irritation behind him at the inert brigade hiding in the woods, snarled, Line, was asked by an aide where Jackson was and Bee, gesturing with Response to his repeated pleas to Jackson for support of his crumbling Rally behind the Virginians!" Smells a little like VictorianĪnother way to imagine the incident might have been this: Bee, frustrated at the lack of Let us determine to die here, and we willĬonquer. In trying to rally his shaken troops at First Bull Run (my dad, the inveterate Confederate, wouldĬall it Manassas), looked back at Jackson standing immovable with hisīrigade on the hill behind him and said to an aide, "There is Jackson, Skills were, at best, amateurish and exasperating.Įven the legend of how Jackson earned his nickname, "Stonewall," has an element of controversy. He antagonized nearly all of his would-beĪllies at one time or another by constantly bringing up court martialĬharges against colleagues and subordinates. Seemed to be infatuated with him, though. I think he didĪ few remarkable feats as a leader (in the Valley Campaign and atĬhancellorsville), but I also think he was pretty inconsistent. Have never, myself, been a big fan of Jackson. Said that the great general had all the symptoms of someone suffering Stonewall Jackson might have been diagnosed as a schizophrenic today. Orleans where one of the symposium topics was a debate on whether Memorial), as a clinical psychologist he once told me that he attended aĬonvention of the American Psychological Association (APA) in New In fact, while I was growing up, though myĭad, as a Texan, seemed to be a sympathetic Confederate (he used to getĪll choked up whenever we'd visit Gettysburg and stop at the Lee Miraculous victory may not put him in the most glowing light. PARENTAL WARNING: Possible Disrespect to a Revered Confederate IconĬaution to those of you who may be fans of Stonewall Jackson myĭiscussion of this lessor known battle in which he is credited with a Naval Observatory from location and date)