The Shenandoah

Valley Campaign I

182 XVI VALLEY CAMPAIGN I If I can deceive my friends I can be sure of deceiving the enemy. –t. j. jackson ON THE NIGHT AFTER KERNSTOWN, General Jackson, wrapped in his long coat, stood in the slow chill rain turning the embers of a campfire with the toe of his boot. His men had that day marched fourteen miles and fought a battle. The general himself had eaten nothing since “earliest dawn,” and his aide went off to borrow bread and meat for him from the soldiers, and to make a bed of rails. One of Ashby’s youngest and brashest troopers dared to disturb his reflections. “General, the Yankees don’t seem to want to leave Winchester.” “Winchester is a very pleasant place to stay in, sir.” “It was reported they are retreating, but it looks like they are retreating after us.” “I think I may say I am satisfied, sir.” The course of the war immediately after Kernstown showed that from a military point of view General Jackson had reason for his satisfaction . General Shields was convinced that Jackson would not have ventured so boldly if he had not had a large force ready to reinforce him. President Lincoln fell a prey to new fears for the safety of Washington . Banks hastily reversed his eastward march, and returned to the Valley. Thus McClellan, on the eve of attacking Richmond, found his valley campaign i 183 army reduced by 50,000 men and his operations suspended. All this Stonewall Jackson had accomplished with an effective force of about 3,500, of whom he had lost a fourth. The Confederate Congress passed a resolution thanking him.Jackson court-martialed Garnett for ordering a retreat without instructions and relieved him of command. Although his men had been out of ammunition they still had their bayonets, and there was no place in Jackson’s army for generals who thought themselves defeated. General Banks dashed back to Winchester, and began writing dispatches. March 24: Jackson’s 15,000 have been cut up and demoralized. March 25: Reported by Rebel Jackson’s aide (a prisoner), that they were assured of reinforcements to the number of 30,000, but don’t credit it. March 26: The enemy is broken, but will rally. March 27: No reinforcements yet. We will press them further and quickly. By the twenty-ninth, McClellan grew weary of dispatches, and ordered Banks to drive Jackson from the Valley. “Deficiency in ammunition detains us here,” Banks replied. “Expect it hourly, when we shall push Jackson sharply.” On April 2nd he actually moved as far as Woodstock, where he again came to rest. His troops were charmed with the scenery, the gently swelling fields, the budding trees, the high blue wall of mountains, the quiet flowing of the silver river. Early April was warm and sunny. The peach trees blossomed. General Jackson, cut off from his “war home” by a wall of Yankees , rested on Rude’s Hill, read the Bible, sucked at his favorite fruit, the lemon, and reorganized his army. The soldiers who had thought him crazy when he marched out of Winchester and then marched back to attack with a reduced force, began to revise their opinion. General Winder replaced General Garnett in command of the Stonewall Bri- 184 the shenandoah gade. The men had liked Garnett and did not like Winder, who introduced bucking and gagging, stringing up by the thumbs, and other unpopular punishments. The Brigade sulked, and for as much as three weeks Jackson was allowed to ride past it without a cheer. Nevertheless, recruits poured in, and the army increased to 6,000. The militia, that curse of early American wars, were mustered into the regular forces, at which some of them ran away, thinking it certain death to belong to the Stonewall Brigade. In the midst of great activity, General Jackson found time to write to Deacon Jackson’s wife. You appear greatly concerned at my attacking on Sunday. I am greatly concerned too; but I felt it my duty to do it, in consideration of the ruinous effects that might result from postponing the battle until the morning. . . . Arms is a profession that, if its principles are adhered to, requires an officer to do what he fears may be wrong, and the fact of its being necessary to success suggests that it must be right. The General spoke hopefully of a...