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Stonewall Jackson

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Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson was born on January 21, 1824 in Clarksburg, Virginia. His father and younger sibling had died of typhoid fever when Jackson was very young. This left himself, his mother and a younger sister. His mother remarried and fell into debt with her more current husband. Because of the immense financial struggles distressing the family, Jackson was forced to go live with an uncle. Jackson’s uncle paid little to no attention to him, even when young Jackson showed an interest in learning. As stated in the Stonewall Jackson: The Man, The Soldier, The Legend, a childhood friend said that Jackson was “by no means… brilliant, but was one of those untiring, plain, matter-of-fact-persons who would never give up… until he …show more content…

There is Jackson standing like a stone wall! Let us determine to die here, and we will conquer!’ (Published in the Charleston Mercury on July 25, 1861). Some thought that by the Union taking over Richmond, the head of the Confederacy, that it would end the Civil War (MacDonald 12). The Confederate army was committed to protecting all routs to Richmond.

One year later, in 1862 Jackson blindsided the Union and defeated two Union forces. The blindside defeat of the Union proved that Jackson was a relentless and determined military mind. Jackson did this during the Shenandoah Valley campaign. George McClellan, commander of the Union Army, came up with a plan to capture Richmond, the Confederate capital. McClellan was not known as the most efficient of commanders, always seeming hesitant to commit his troops to battle. When McClellan’s troops were preparing to start their campaign, Stonewall Jackson’s Confederate Army charged through the Shenandoah Valley, making it seem as if they were going to attack Washington, the Union’s capital. This campaign that Jackson raged upon lasted from May 4th until June 9th, 1862. This is where Jackson defeated the two Union forces.
Jackson’s Shenandoah Valley campaign included battles such as Fort Royal, Winchester, Cross keys, and Port Republic (Virginia Military Institute Archives). He defeated Union soldiers at all of these battles. Due to Jackson’s success with his Shenandoah Valley

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