Posted on 05/02/2017 1:53:27 PM PDT by Bull Snipe
Jackson would have carried out the orders given to him by General Lee. Longstreet argued long and hard before the Gettysburg campaign began, that Lee’s strategic vision for the campaign was dangerous to the army. Lee would have none of Longstreet’s rational for fighting a defensive campaign once in Pennsylvania. He intended to attack the AOP wherever he could. Doubt Jackson would have had any more success in changing Lee’s mind than Longstreet did.
There few equals to Jackson in any army in North America. Who could replace him!
can you cite a source who rescripted his performance at 1st Manassas. Do you have any source that you can cite that supports the contention that the 18th NC intentionally fired on their Corp Commander.
"Glory Road," the second volume in Bruce Catton's trilogy of the Army of the Potomac. With the other two, "Mr Lincoln's Army" and "A Stillness at Appomattox", they cover the War in the East, from start to finish.
You will find them at the local library. High school and college history courses skip over the whole distasteful affair.
>> He [Lee] intended to attack the AOP wherever he could. Doubt Jackson would have had any more success in changing Lee’s mind than Longstreet did. <<
I tend to agree. Although Lee valued Jackson’s counsel more than Longstreet’s, all these generals, both Yankee and Rebel, were not squeamish about sending enlisted men to attack against long odds.
Nonetheless, the loss of Jackson was a blow. Maneuvering large infantry brigades had become Jackson’s special talent and might have allowed the Pennsylvania campaign to have proceeded quite a bit longer. Although, without good luck and a fortuitous blunder or two by the Yankees, the outcome would likely have been the same in the end.
The death of Jackson is sometimes cited as the death knell of the CSA...I’ve never been much of a Civil War buff, my primary interest being in Indian Wars up to the War of 1812. But I’ve often wondered, Jackson or no Jackson, what circumstances could ever possibly have led to the Union accepting any end to the war besides total victory.
Thanks. I just didn’t want Bull Snipe to get in trouble with the moderators.
“There is some controversy over Bee’s statement and intent, which could not be clarified because he was killed almost immediately after speaking and none of his subordinate officers wrote reports of the battle. Major Burnett Rhett, chief of staff to General Joseph E. Johnston, claimed that Bee was angry at Jackson’s failure to come immediately to the relief of Bee’s and Bartow’s brigades while they were under heavy pressure. Those who subscribe to this opinion believe that Bee’s statement was meant to be pejorative: “Look at Jackson standing there like a stone wall!”[35]
[35]See, for instance, Goldfield, David, et al., The American Journey: A History of the United States, Prentice Hall, 1999, ISBN 0-13-088243-7. There are additional controversies about what Bee said and whether he said anything at all. See Freeman, Lee’s Lieutenants, vol. 1, pp. 733–34.
Do I have any sources where his troops admit they fragged the guy? No, and it’s inconceivable that anyone wrote a memoir about how they committed a death penalty offense.
Gen. Longstreet (IMHO a better general overall) argued vociferously against it, to no avail. I doubt Jackson would have done so. Longstreet was a modern general in much the same sense Grant was. He understood the changes in warfare brought on by modern weapons and logistics, Jackson didn't. At the beginning of the war Jackson wanted to arm his troops with pikes instead of muskets because he was convinced the bayonet was the key to victory. In fact bayonets weren't used much in the civil war. Jackson could drive men and was tactically brilliant, but not a great strategist. His men didn't love him, but he brought them victory and they loved that. The troops loved Ol' Pete because not only did he win, but they knew he wouldn't waste their lives needlessly.
How about a nice game of chess?
Avalon Hill? Been there played that.
“Jackson has lost his left arm. I have lost my right.” - Robert E. Lee.
The movie GODS AND GENERALS hinted at the creepiness of his “attraction” to the little girl.
Jackson was plain eccentric to put nicely, well border line crazy. He was hell on the troops and marched them to death. But rest assured when the fighting started you could be pretty sure he had a good handle on the situation and didn’t plan on wasting his troops needlessly. He said the troops in his brigade had two jobs, praying and fighting.
Being from eastern NC I argued that it had to be troops from western NC. The reason was that if he had been shot by troops from eastern NC he would have been killed outright and not just fatally wounded.
"Ceterum censeo Islam esse delendam."
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
North Carolina troops fired the shots.
Indeed, Lee reorganized the entire Army after Jackson’s death. Imagine Jackson at Gettysburg. Maybe God’s master plan understood He could not allow Jackson to take part in that battle because the outcome almost certainly would have been different. Jackson was a forerunner of George Patton.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.