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The fighting^47
Jackson stands as one of the most arresting
military figures in United States history.
Thirty-eight years old in May 1862, he was a
devout Presbyterian of odd personal attitudes
and characteristics. A British traveler in the
Confederacy wrote in 1863, 'I heard many
anecdotes of the late "Stonewall Jackson".
When he left the US service he was under the
impression that one of his legs was shorter
than the other; and afterwards his idea was
that he only perspired on one side, and that
it was necessary to keep the arm and leg of
the other side in constant motion in order to
preserve circulation.' Secretive, stern and
unyielding, Jackson took a very hard view of
war. Above all, he fought aggressively, moved
rapidly (his infantry became known as 'foot
cavalry') and pressed his soldiers to the limit
in search of decisive victories.
The outline of Jackson's valley campaign
may be sketched quickly. He took part of his
force westwards from Staunton to strike the
advance element of Fremont's force under
Robert H. Milroy at McDowell on 8 May
- With these Federals retreating into the
wilds of the western Virginia Alleghenies after
a largely inconclusive engagement, Jackson
hastened back to the valley. He then moved
north towards New Market, while Ewell's
division paralleled his march to the east in
the Luray valley (the Massanutten Range
divides the Shenandoah valley into western
and eastern sections for 50 miles (80km)
between Harrisonburg on the south and
Strasburg on the north; the Luray or Page
valley constitutes the eastern portion of the
valley). Crossing to the Luray valley at New
Market Gap, Jackson joined Ewell and
captured a Federal garrison at Front Royal on
23 May, defeated Banks in the Battle of First
Winchester on 25 May, and pursued retreating
Federals all the way to the Potomac river.
Jackson had placed himself in an exposed
position in the extreme northern reaches
of the valley, and Federals planned a
three-pronged offensive designed to cut him
off north of Strasburg. Fremont would march
east out of the Alleghenies, a division under
James Shields would move west from Front
Royal, and Banks would pursue southwards
from near Harpers Ferry. Jackson responded
by driving his men to the limit. Aided by
incredibly lethargic movement on the part
of the Federals, he escaped the trap and
marched southwards to the southern end of
the Massanutten Range near Harrisonburg.
There he turned on his pursuers, defeating
Fremont at Cross Keys on 8 June and Shields
at Port Republic on 9 June.
In a whirlwind of action, Jackson's Army
of the Valley had marched more than
350 miles (560km), won a series of small
battles, immobilized 60,000 Union troops,
inflicted twice as many casualties as it
suffered, and captured a great quantity of
military supplies. After the twin victories on
8-9 June, the Federals retreated northwards
down the valley, and Jackson joined the
Confederate forces defending Richmond.
Perhaps most important, Jackson's
campaign inspirited a Confederate populace
starved for good news from the battlefield. A
North Carolina woman named Catherine
Ann Devereux Edmondston wrote a typical
reaction, in which she pointedly contrasted
Jackson's accomplishment with Joseph
Johnston's performance. 'Jackson has gained
another victory in the Valley of Va.,' she
wrote on 11 June. 'He has beaten Shields &
holds Fremont in check, who fears to attack
him singly. ... He is the only one of our
generals who gives the enemy no rest, no
time to entrench themselves. Matters before
Richmond look gloomy to us out siders.
McClellan advances, entrenching as he
comes. Why do we allow it?'
The situation at Richmond did look
serious for Confederates in early June.
Relatively inactive during much of Jackson's
valley campaign, the armies under McClellan
and Johnston had fought their first major
battle on 31 May and 1 June at Seven Pines
(also called Fair Oaks). Johnston had
retreated as far as he could without reaching
the defensive works of Richmond. Faced
with the prospect of a siege that would
inevitably favor McClellan, he attacked on
the 31st. Wretched coordination, a poor
grasp of local terrain and other factors
plagued the southern army in a battle that
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