John Wesly Culpepper Diary (Cont.)
Saturday morning June 16 {17th} -
We left camp at 8 o’clock. I felt quite well, perfectly able to travel. I thought
we would get to Winchester this evening; but we had not gone far when I heard that we
would likely have a fight before night. I was soon satisfied that we were going too far
westward for Winchester. We marched 20 miles, and camped at Bunkersville, about an hour
before sun set.
During the day we passed through several little towns, where the citizens had
provisions in considerable quantities prepared; and as we passed they would send baskets
full out, that we might take as we passed. We were not allowed to brake {sic} rank
consequently, I failed to get anything because I would not snatch like the rest.
During the day Noah came to our Company and marched with me 2 or 3 miles, when he
stopped for his regiment. At Bunkersville I faired sumptiously. A lady gave me some honey
which pleased me better than anything I have had since I left home. I was amused to see a
negro belonging to some regiment with one of John Brown’s spikes on his shoulder.
They were made by Yankees for negroes to use, and it seems they are very anxious to do so.
He was the best pleased negro I have seen since I left Georgia. It pleases negroes very
much to give them weapons of warfare.
Monday June 17th {18th}.
We spent the night very pleasantly except getting a little sprinkled {colloq.},
which was scarcely hard enough to awake us. We were up very early the next morning,
expecting to make a force march to Martinsburg to meet the enemy, as we had been told the
day before. It was rumored they had just crossed the river, (from Maryland) Some said
there were 5000, others 8000, 12000, 18000 & 30000 etc. About 9 o’clock a.m. we
were called into lines and the Col. told us that we might happen to meet the enemy today.
That they were but a short distance off, perhaps 3 miles, marching towards us, with a
force far superior to ours. That we must put every thing in the wagon we could possibly do
without, That when the enemy run we must not brake ranks to run after them etc.
We were to remain at our post, ready at a moments warning. The battle ground was
selected. The batteries (Ours) were planted, and a thousand such things, and we all
believed it. Several of the boys told what to do with their bodies, if they were killed. I
rested easy - thought it was time enough when I knew certainly there would be a battle. I
felt perfectly calm.
At about 12, we started for the battle field 3 miles off. Went but a short distance,
when we fell into the Winchester and Martinsburg road. We turned towards Winchester, and
continued on our march till about 4 o’clock p.m. when we struck camp in 3 miles of
Winchester. - But no fight yet.
Tuesday June 18th {19th}.
We are still where we stopped last night. It is thought we will remain here several
days. Maj. Malone got here today. brought 4 letters to me from Ga. Several others came
with him to join our company.. We are doing nothing but wallow about, sleep, eat and read.
Noah & John H., were here a few minutes ago. - all well. It seems impossible to get
the truth concerning battles, movements of armies etc. I don’t wonder that there are
so many falsehoods in newspapers; for there are more falsehoods right here in the camps,
about the strength of forces, the time, the place of battle etc., than I have ever seen in
newspapers. It was rumored 5 miles this side of Bunkersville yesterday, before we passed
there, that we had fought a battle at that place, had been badly whipped, were retrieving
to Winchester and the enemy close after us.
Thursday June 20th {21st}.
Nothing of interest transpired yesterday. We leave here today, to go nearer to town.
Friday 21st {22nd}.
Just before we left camp yesterday, I saw a crowd assembled near a tent in one of the
Alabama regiments, and I went up to see what was the matter. As I approached I was told
that one of their regiment was dying. He had congestion of the lungs. He was a very fine
stout looking man, about 25 years of age. Unmarried.
We got to this place (1/2 mile from Winchester) on Thursday evening I have seen nothing worth
attention since I came here. I have not been to town yet, - think I’ll go soon.
Noah and John Hopson took supper with us last evening. We are together, and the
probability, is we will remain so.
The water in this country is excellent. It is almost as cold as ice water. The climate
is as cold here as March and April in Ga, but the sun is very hot in the middle of the
day. The nights are very cool. I feel quite pleasant under from 2 to 4 blankets. -
Particularly from midnight till day. We had a considerable storm last night, but there WAS
Very little rain.
I have been perfectly carried away with the fine stock which I have seen since I landed
in V.{Virginia}, - such horses as would sell for $200. and anything above that in
Ga. can be bought here for $100. $150.00 in fact we get no such horses as sell here at
$150.00.
Near Winchester, Monday 2 o’clock, June 24th {25th}, 1861.
We arrived at this place 2 or 3 days ago. Nothing of interest transpired till Saturday
night {June 23rd}, when we received orders to prepare provisions for 3 days; as we
would leave at sun up the next morning , for Martinsburg, where we would meet the enemy.
It was then 9 or 10 o’clock; but there was no other alternative but to get out of bed
and go to cooking. The boys told me they cooked till about 2 o’clock.
The next morning {Sunday, June 24th}, all had their napsacks packed up and on
their backs. Sometime after the proposed time to march we were told that there had been a
false alarm given by some of our scouts who only saw 25 or 30 Northern scouts crossing the
river and supposed that Gen. Patterson29 , with his whole army, supposed to
number about 30 thousand, was crossing. The Capt. then told us, that we could all go to
Col. Gartrel’s regiment to preaching. I went, but the preacher was about closing when
I got there.
I took dinner with Noah & John Hopson, and remained till 3 o’clock in the
after noon. Noah & John then came down with me and spent the evening.
At night we had preaching in our Camp. The precher {sic} , a young man from
Floyd County, delivered a very good talk, but he forgot to read his text.
It is rumored here now, that a peace policy is on foot, - that the quarter masters are
instructed not to lay in any more provisions. But I pay very little attention to that, as
I do to other reports. I have been told, that Col. Barrow gave Gen. Johnston30
a strait out cursing, for sending such pressing orders to be ready to march at certain
times, and then after keeping us in suspense, to countermand his orders.
Tuesday June 25 {26th}, 1861. at noon.
It is now thought that we will leave here very soon, perhaps to day. But I hardly think
we will leave before next Sunday, as it seems that the Sabbath is a day set apart for
marching, preparing for battle etc.
At night, the 25th {26th}. I went to town this evening, and inspected it very
thoroughly, I drank water out of a well which George Washington had dug nearly a hundred
years ago. It is 120 feet deep, and is filled with water within 30 or 40 feet of the top,
making the water stand at the depth of 80 or 90 feet. It is walled with rock from bottom
to top, and the water is excellent and remarkably cold. Near this well, is a portion of
the remains, of a Fort built also by Washington.
At 4 o’clock I returned from Batallion drill. But instead of that, I was told to
fix up to receive Gen. Johnston, who was going to visit the Camp.
We was marched {colloq.} to the same place, and all lined together. The Gen.
with 6 or 8 other officers whose names I did not learn, rode around the whole brigade in a
gallop. After which, the brigade marched around the field in platoons; when all came to
the camp "Double Quick."
Wednesday June 26th {27th}, 9 o’clock a.m.
This morning we received orders to leave this place and go a mile or two beyond town. I
don’t know the object for moving, unless it is to procure a more pleasant place.
About 1/2
an hour ago I learned that one of Gartrel’s regiment, a member of Capt. Lee’s
company, had been accidentally shot, by a pistol which fell from his pocket. I immediately
went up to see him. When I got there I learned it was Andrew Camp, a nephew of G.W. Camp.
I have been well acquainted with him since 1854.
It filled my heart with sadness, as I beheld the familiar face and set form of one of Ga.
brave sons, who but an hour ago, was in good health, and now cold in death. He was putting
a trunk in a wagon when his pistol fell from his pocket and fired, the ball entering his
left breast and ranging upward. He died in about 10 minutes.
I suppose we will leave the camp in a short time.
Thursday June 27th {28th}.
We left camp beyond Winchester about 1 o’clock p.m. yesterday; and reached this
place at 3 o’clock. this is an excellent place for a camp, being a beautiful, shady
grove very conveniently situated to a spring of splendid water.
The spring is only a few paces from a stone walled house, built by Washington 101 years
ago. His forces were quartered at this camp at that time. Our field officers are boarding
at that house. They are Col. Bartow, Lieut. Col. Gardner31 , Maj. Cooper &
Adjutant Branch of our Regiment. I don’t know whether any of Gartrel’s regiment
board there or not.
I went to town this evening to see Lieut. Jones, who resigned his office yesterday, and
expected to leave on the coach for Strasburg at 2 o’clock this evening. I reached
town just in time to see him start. He was called home on account of the ill health of his
family. He was an officer, who was esteemed and respected for his kindness towards the
boys. All regretted exceedingly to see him leave; but knowing the cause for why he was
leaving no one could more than solicit him to return as soon as the health of his family
would permit. I sent some clover seed, a memorandum and some letters home by Liet. Jones.
While in town, I called at a house to buy something good to eat. The lady told me she
had no chickens, butter nor eggs for sale, but could let me have some honey. That pleased
me exceedingly, as I was particularly anxious to get a mess {colloq.} of honey. She
gave me a dinner, composed of light bread, butter honey and sweet milk. After eating, she
gave me a saucer full of some to bring to the camp, which was eated {sic} by Lieut
Mobley, Simeon and myself.
We and the boys in Gartrel’s regiment visited daily. Scarcely a day passed, but
that I see Noah, either here or at his quarters.
(PARTIAL LINE MISSING -- editor) spring where we get water which are 4 or 5 feet in
diameter. It is said one of them was topped by a soldier during the Revolution when
Washington’s army was stationed at this place.
Friday June 28th {29th}.
Mr. J.C. Morris has just arrived here from Newton County GA. He was a Lieut. of the
Newton rifles, but his company being put into the brigade at Big Shanty, he resigned and
came here to join the Atlanta Grays. He has a brother belonging to that company, Mr.
Morris says the 9th Georgia Regiment stayed in Strasburg last night. They will be here
soon.
I ate supper early, and went up to Noah’s Quarters. I remained till 9 o’clock
- had a pleasant time, Mr. Dunlap holds prayer every night.
Saturday June 29th {30th}. -
We were surprised, at an early hour this morning, to see Judge G.G. Howard and
Seargeant {sic} Trammel walk into our camp. The sight of them created considerable
excitement. All were rejoiced to see old Meriwether friends just from our native homes.
It almost seemed, when we saw Judge Howard, that we were in old Greenville. They left
Mr. Abrahams in town who came over this evening. They told us, it was reported in Ga, that
we had fought a great battle, and that, Col. Bartow had been killed and the regiment cut
to pieces.
The Judge told us that he had come off without letting even his family know where he
was going. It is impossible for me to describe the scene of our meeting.
The 9th Ga. Regiment got here this evening, and form a portion of our brigade. I was
delighted to meet up with Mr. Wm. M Whitlow, a young man who attended 3 or 4 grammar
schools under my instruction last year. He is a member of a company from Sumpter County
Ga. He resided in Fayette County last year; since Christmas in Sumpter.
Sunday June 30th {31st}. -
I ate breakfast this morning at a private house near our quarters. The proprietor did
not charge me anything. We were ordered to be ready for inspection of arms, napsacks etc.
at 9 o’clock a.m. As soon as we got to the appointed place it commenced {colloq.}
raining. We were then marched to our quarters to await further orders. It is still raining
very gently, and it seems likely to continue all day.
We received various orders yesterday evening. One was, that no one should carry pistols
except commissioned officers, that they should be given up to Capts. of companies, to be
disposed of as owners desired.
At 9 o’clock this morning we went to the parade ground for inspection of arms,
napsacks, etc. but as soon as {we} got to the ground, it commenced raining, and we
marched back to our quarters. In the afternoon, the Col & Adjt. came around to our
quarters to inspect our guns etc. It continued to rain till late in the evening. I took
supper with John Hopson. Noah is on guard tonight.
Sunday {Monday} July 1st, 1861 -
We were called into line this morning, and the sizes of our heads ascertained. I
suppose the object is to get us hats. We drill about 6 hours a day, two thirds of that
time "Double Quick."
Thursday {Tuesday} July 2nd -
It rained most of the day yesterday and a portion of the time very hard. It was the
hardest rain I have seen fall since I left Ga.
The boys regretted to give up their pistols; but a majority sent them home by Judge
Howard. Mr. Abrahams bought a great many, to carry {colloq.} to Ga. for officers. I
saw Mr. John Thrasher this morning. He has a son in the 7th (Gartrel’s) regiment. He,
Abrahams, Judge & Pink Howard leave here today for old Ga. The latter two have just
bid us adieu.
J.P. Glass has been elected to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Lieut.
Jones. The following was the vote taken. Glass 35, J.H. Williams 8, Render 21 and Cobb 6.
We have just received orders to get ready to march from this place in a few minutes.
The Yankees have crossed the river and are advancing to Martinsburg. It is stated that
they are fighting near the river.
Wednesday July 3 -
We left camp yesterday evening about 4 o’clock. We left everything but what was
absolutely necessary for us to carry. There was a guard left to take charge of the tents
etc. till we return.
The below named were reported too sick to ravel., Craver, Edge, McDrary, Herndon,
Crouch, Kilpatrik, Martin, Cob, Stinson, Grimmet, Massingill, Nelson and Gamon.
We marched about 3 miles from Winchester, where we struck camp about dark. Were called
up at 3, and left camp at 4 o’clock in the morning. We marched very fast and arrived
at this place about 2 o’clock p.m. and struck camp in a wheat field near a little
village - Darksville.
Col. Jackson32 met the enemy with 2,000 men yesterday morning against a
force of 9 or 10 thousand. He killed and wounded 3 or 4 hundred, and took 60 prisoners. He
lost only 4 or 5 men in killed and wounded. There was but one man killed.
We passed 45 prisoners this morning. They were being carried to Winchester, thence to
Richmond. There are 10 more here, whom I have just been to see. One of them is reported to
be old John Brown’s brother. He is a very large stout man. I talked with one who
pretends to be deranged.
It is supposed we will meet them face to face tomorrow. Their forces are variously
estimated, at from 9 to 30 thousand. I do not know our strength, but I suppose we are
about equal to them in number.
I have just seen a man from Martinsburg. He says the Federal troops are there. I have
conversed with several who were in the fight yesterday. They fought but a short time, when
our boys were forced to retreat. They say they got within 150 yards of the enemy during
the fight.
Thursday July 4th 1861.
This is said to be the great day. We have received intelligence, that the enemy have
struck their tents; but it is not very {well} known what movement they intend
making. We are all ready, only awaiting marching orders. I don’t know whether we will
march against them today or not.
I was over to see Noah yesterday evening and this morning. He is all right. The boys
all seem willing and ready for the fight.
(Next Page)
Footnotes:
29
PATTERSON, Robert (1792-1881) Having served in various military capacities,
Robert Patterson’s career was ruined by the Civil War. His prewar service had
included the War of 1812 as a colonel of Pennsylvania militia and a regular army
commission as a captain, and the Mexican War as a major general of volunteers. During the
years of peace, he served in the state militia where for many years he was a major
general. At the beginning of the Civil War, the Irish-born mill and plantation owner was
tapped by his old friend General Winfield Scott to command the Department of Pennsylvania
including that state, Delaware, and part of Maryland, with the rank of major general of
Pennsylvania volunteers. His commission was dated April 15, 1861 and he assumed command a
few days later. At first he faced Confederates under Colonel Thomas J. Jackson at Harpers
Ferry, but Jackson was soon replaced by General J.E. Johnston(see related footnotes #
30 & #32) . Patterson, who had never before held an independent command, devised a
plan to capture the stronghold and move into Virginia. After initial success, Patterson
withdrew to the Maryland side of the Potomac when called on to send his regulars to
Washington. With the planned advance of McDowell on the rebels at Manassas, Patterson was
directed to occupy Johnston’s forces in the Shenandoah Valley to prevent their
joining Beauregard at Manassas. Patterson was totally duped by Johnston who moved most of
his command to take part in the victory at 1st Bull Run on July 21, 1861. On the 25th
Patterson was relieved of his command and was mustered out of service two days later. His
request for a court of inquiry was never acted upon and he returned to civilian life.
(Sifakis, Stewart, Who Was Who in the Civil War pp. 71-72 [Patterson, Robert, A
Narrative of the Campaign in the Valley of the Shenandoah, in 1861]).
30
JOHNSTON, Joseph Eggleston (1807-1891) Petty considerations over rank and
military etiquette and wounds cost the Confederacy, for lengthy periods, the service of
one of its most effective, top commanders, Joseph E. Johnston. The native Virginain and
West Pointer (1829), rated by many as more capable than Lee, was the highest-ranking
regular army officer to resign and join the Confederacy. With the staff rank of brigadier
general, he had been the national army’s quartermaster general for almost a year when
he quit on April 22, 1861. His earlier career had included eight years in the artillery
before he was transferred to the topographical engineers in 1838, when he rejoined the
army a year after his resignation. During the Mexican War he won two brevets and was
wounded at both Cerro Gordo and Chapultepec. He had also been brevetted for earlier
service against the Seminoles in Florida. Having been appointed quartermaster general on
June 28, 1860 he remained in the service until after the secession of his native state.
His Virginia and Confederate assignments included: major general, Virginia Volunteers
(April 1861); brigadier general;. CSA (May 14, 1861); commanding Army of the Shenandoah
(June 30-July 20, 1861); commanding Army of the Potomac (July 20-October 22, 1861);
general, CSA (August 31, 1861 to rank from July 21); commanding Department of Northern
Virginia (October 22, 1861-May 31, 1862); commanding Department of the West (December 4,
1862-December 1863); commanding Army of Tennessee (December 27, 1863-July 18, 1864);
commanding Army of Tennessee and Department of Tennessee and Georgia (February 25-April
25, 1865) commanding Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida (February 25-April
26, 1865); and also commanding Department of North Carolina (March 16-April 26, 1865).
Initially commissioned in the Virginia forces, he relieved Thomas J. — later
"Stonewall" — Jackson of command at Harpers Ferry and continued the
organization of the Army of the Shenandoah. When the Virginia forces were absorbed into
the Confederate army he was reduced to a brigadier generalship. When the Union army under
Irvin McDowell moved out of Washington and Alexandria to attack Pierre G.T. Beauregard at
Manassas, Johnston managed to totally fool Pennsylvania General Robert Patterson with a
small force in the Shenandoah Valley and move the bulk of his forces to Beauregard’s
support(see related footnotes # 20, #29 & #32) . During the battle of 1st Bull
Run, Johnston, although senior to Beauregard, left the general direction of the battle to
the junior officer due to a lack of familiarity with the terrain. Johnston was basically
engaged in forwarding freshly arrived troops to the threatened sectors. The two generals
shared the glory and were critical of supply problems which they felt prevented a march on
Washington. The next month Johnston became of one of five men advanced to the grade of
full general — all Confederate generals wore the same insignia of rank, three stars
in a wreath — but was not pleased with the relative ranking of the five. He felt that
since he was the senior officer to leave the "Old" service and join the
Confederacy he should not be ranked behind Samuel Cooper, Albert Sidney Johnston, and
Robert E. Lee. Only Beauregard was placed behind Johnston on the list. This led to much
bad blood between Johnston and Jefferson Davis. There would be more. With his increased
rank, Johnston was given command of the Department of Northern Virginia and became engaged
in what was virtually a phony war with the Washington-based army of George B. McClellan.
Throughout the winter of 1861-62 he maintained his position at Manassas Junction and then
withdrew just as McClellan’s superior force advanced. In the meantime he had engaged
in a dispute with the president over a policy of brigading troops from the same state
together. Johnston argued that a reorganization could not with propriety be carried out in
the face of an active enemy. When he withdrew his army from the line of Bull Run he
reinforced John B. Magruder on the Peninsula east of Richmond and took command there. With
McClellan again facing him, he held Yorktown for a month before pulling back just before
his opponent again advanced. His forces fought a rearguard action at Williamsburg and were
then encamped on the very outskirts of the new nation’s capital. In an effort to
drive McClellan off, Johnston launched an attack south of the Chickahominy River at the
end of May 1862. The battle of Seven Pines, or Fair Oaks, turned out to be a confusion of
errors in the confusing terrain. For years afterwards there was acrimonious debate among
various Confederate generals over who was to blame for the limited success. On the first
day of the battle Johnston reexhibited his tendency to attract enemy bullets and was
succeeded the next day by Robert E. Lee who was to lead the Army of Northern Virginia for
the balance of the war. Upon his recovery he was given charge of a largely supervisory
command entitled the Department of the West. He was in charge of Braxton Bragg’s Army
of Tennessee and John C.. Pemberton’s Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana.
With few troops under his immediate command he proved powerless in attempting to relieve
the besieged garrison of Vicksburg under Pemberton. Following the river city’s fall,
he made a feeble attempt to hold Jackson, Mississippi, against the advance of William T.
Sherman. Following Bragg’s disastrous defeat at Chattanooga, Johnston was given
immediate command of his army the next spring and summer directed a masterful delaying
campaign against Sherman during his advance on Atlanta. However, his continued withdrawals
raised the ire of Jefferson Davis , and he was relieved in front of the city. His
successor, John B. Hood, then began his destruction of the Army of Tennessee with reckless
tactics with Sherman having marched clear through Georgia and begun his drive through the
Carolinas, a clamor arose in the Confederate Congress for Johnston’s resumption of
command. Davis finally relented in early 1865 and the general took eventual command of
three departments. Unfortunately for the Confederacy his forces were heavy on generals but
weak on men. He could do little but hope for a linkup with Lee’s army so that they
could turn on either Grant or Sherman and then the other. It never came off and he
surrendered his forces following some difficulties over terms bordering on the political,
on April 26, 1865, at the Bennett House near Durham Station, North Carolina. He had been
one of the most effective Confederate commanders when he was not hampered by directives
from the president. Following the war he sat in Congress and was a federal railroad
commissioner. Engaged in much debate over the causes of the Confederate defeat, he wrote
his Narrative of Military Operations which was highly critical of Davis and many of
his fellow generals. In an example of the civil relationships between former wartime
opponents, Johnston died of a cold caught while attending the funereal of his
arch-opponent, Sherman. (Sifakis, Stewart, Who Was Who in the Civil War pp.
346-347[Govan, Gilbert E. and Livingood, James W., A Different Valor: The Story of
General Joseph E. Johnston]).
31
GARDNER, William Montgomery (1824-1901) Resigning his regular army commission
on the date of his native Georgia’s secession, William M. Gardner rose to the rank of
brigadier general in the Confederate service. The West Pointer (1846) had been posted to
the infantry with which he was wounded on two consecutive days in Mexico. For this he was
brevetted. The interwar years were spent mostly on the frontier and by the time of his
resignation on January 19, 1861 as a captain in the 2nd Infantry. His Confederate
assignments included: major, Infantry (March 16, 1861); lieutenant colonel, 8th Georgia
(ca. June 1861); colonel, 8th Georgia (August 21, 1861) to rank from July 21); brigadier
general, CSA (November 14, 1861): commanding District of Middle Florida of South Carolina,
Georgia and Florida (November 11, 1863-February 23, 1864) commanding Post of Richmond,
Department of Richmond (January- April 2, 1865). Badly wounded at 1st Bull Run, he was
promoted to colonel and brigadier general during his lengthy recovery. Late in 1863 he
finally returned to duty as a district commander in Florida. Although most sources state
that he fought a t Olustree there is no evidence of this in the Official Records.
Shortly thereafter he was placed in charge of all prisoners of war camps east of the
Mississippi River except in Alabama and Georgia. During the final months of the conflict
he commanded the post at Richmond. After Appomattox he returned quietly to his home.
(Sifakis, Stewart, Who Was Who in the Civil War pp. 235-236)
32
JACKSON, Thomas Jonathan (1824-1863) Next to Robert E. Lee himself, Thomas J.
Jackson is the most revered of all Confederate commanders. A graduate of West Point
(1846), he had served in the artillery in the Mexican War, earning two brevets, before
resigning to accept a professorship at the Virginia Military Institute. Thought strange by
the cadets, he eared "Tom Fool Jackson" and "Old Blue Light" as
nicknames. Upon the outbreak of the Civil War he was commissioned a colonel in the
Virginia forces and dispatched to Harpers Ferry where he was active in organizing the raw
recruits until relieved by Joe Johnston(see related footnote # 30) . His later
assignments included: commanding 1st Brigade, Army of the Shenandoah (May-July 20, 1861);
brigadier general, CSA (June 17, 1861); commanding 1st Brigade, 2nd Corps Army of the
Potomac (July 20 - October 1861); major general, CSA (October 7, 1861); commanding Valley
District, Department of Northern Virginia (November 4, 1861-June 26, 862); commanding 2nd
Corps of Northern Virginia (June 26, 1862-May 2, 1863); and lieutenant general, CSA
(October 10, 1862). Leaving Harpers Ferry, his brigade moved with Johnston to join
Beauregard at Manassas. In the fight at Bull Run they were so distinguished that both the
brigade and its commander were dubbed "Stonewall" by General Barnard Bee.
(However, Bee may have been complaining that Jackson wasn’t coming to his support).
The 1st Brigade was the only Confederate brigade to have its nickname become its official
designation. That fall Jackson was given command of the Valley with a promotion to major
general. That winter he launched a dismal campaign into the western part of the state that
resulted in a long feud with William Loring and caused Jackson to submit his resignation,
which he was talked out of. In March he launched an attack on what he thought was a Union
rear guard at Kernstown. Faulty intelligence from his cavalry chief, Turner Ashby, led to
a defeat. A religious man, Jackson always regretted having fought on a Sunday. But the
defeat had the desired result, halting reinforcements being sent to McClellan’s army
from the Valley. In May, Jackson defeated Frèmont’s advance at McDowell and later
that month launched a brilliant campaign that kept several Union commanders in the area
off balance. He won victories at Front Royal, 1st Winchester, Cross Keys, and Port
Republic. He then joined Lee in the defense of Richmond but displayed a lack of vigor
during the Seven Days. Detached from Lee, he swung off to the north to face John
Pope’s army and after a slipshod battle at Cedar Mountain, slipped behind Pope and
captured his Manassas Junction supply base. He then hid along an incomplete branch
railroad and awaited Lee and Longstreet. Attacked before they arrived, he held on until
Longstreet could launch a devastating attack which brought a second Bull Run victory. In
the invasion of Maryland, Jackson was detached to capture Harpers Ferry and was afterwards
distinguished at Antietam with Lee. He was promoted after this and given command of the
now-official 2nd Corps. It had been know n as a wing or command before this. He was
disappointed with the victory at Fredericksburg because it could not be followed up. In
his greatest day he led his corps around the Union right flank at Chancellorsville and
routed the 11th Corps. Reconnoitering that night, he was returning to his own lines when
he was mortally wounded by some of this own men. Following the amputation of his arm, he
died eight days later. A superb commander, he had several faults. Personnel problems
haunted him, as in the feuds with Loring and with Garnett after Kernstown. His choices for
promotion were often not first rate. He did no t give his subordinates enough latitude
which denied them the training for higher positions under Lee’s loose command style.
This was especially devastating in the case of his immediate successor, Richard Ewell.
Although he was sometimes balky when in a subordinate position, Jackson was supreme on his
own hook. (Sifakis, Stewart, Who Was Who in the Civil War pp. 337-338 [Henderson,
G.F.R., Stonewall Jackson and the American Civil War; Vandiver, Frank E., Mighty
Stonewall; and Chambers, Lenoir, Stonewall Jackson]).
Copyright 1997, Capos Conley Culpepper II. All Rights
Reserved.
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