About this episode:
His journey had been nothing short of remarkable. From an orphan from western Virginia to matriculation to West Point where, there, along the banks of the Hudson, he had been an Immortal - placed in the weakest academic section. And yet, he willed himself to graduate 17th out of 59 in the talented Class of 1846 - a class that produced twenty generals. From there, he found confidence and promotion in Mexico, but thanks to a contentious relationship with a post commander in Tampa, he resigned his military commission as an officer and accepted an opportunity to teach at VMI. Eccentric and demanding, his single-mindedness made him an unpopular professor. However, that same trait propelled him to successful command in the coming civil war.
At Manassas, his brigade helped to turn the tide of battle and earned him a nickname, perhaps, the most famous in American military history, but his eccentric behavior and aggressiveness concerned some in Richmond. Not enough, however, to keep him from independent command when the CSA capital was threatened in the spring of 1862. It was then, all those traits - single-mindedness, aggressiveness, a propensity for secrecy - came together, and he successfully designed and carried out one of the most masterful campaigns in military history. By late spring, his Shenandoah Valley Campaign - despite his oddities, his demand for discipline and dour personality - elevated him to such stature that he may well have been the most well-known CSA general and, for the North, the most feared. Indeed, his journey thus far had been quite amazing. And now, we continue the story of the man known as "Stonewall."
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Some Characters Mentioned In This Episode:
Battle of Fredericksburg
Battle of Chancellorsville
Great Resources To Check Out:
James I. Robertson, Jr.'s Stonewall Jackson: The Man, The Soldier, The Legend.
S.C. Gwynne's Rebel Yell: The Violence, Passion, and Redemption of Stonewall Jackson
Want to learn more about the Civil War? A great place to start is Fred's guide, The Civil War: A History of the War between the States from Workman Publishing. The guide is in its 9th printing.
*Title Image by Nathaniel Routzahn
Producer: Dan Irving
034 - Nathan Bedford Forrest - Part 1
May We Suggest - Bullets And Bandages: The Aid Stations and Field Hospitals at Gettysburg
33 - "The Union Is Dissolved!" - South Carolina Secedes
32 - The Election of 1860
31 - Mr. Lincoln's Pilgrimage to the Banks of Antietam Creek
30 - "No Quarter!" - The Border War Between Kansas and Missouri
29 - The New York City Draft Riots
28 - "Useless! Useless!" - The Flight of John Wilkes Booth
27 - April 14th, 1865
26 - Clash In The Ozarks - Pea Ridge
25 - Assassination from the Bottom of the Sea - The Hunley
24 - Misery at Murfreesboro - the Battle of Stones River
23 - Chattanooga - Part 2
22 - Chattanooga - Part 1
21 - "I Wish I Could Forget Myself" - Mary Ann Todd Lincoln
20 - In The Shadows: Spies, Raiders, and Intelligence Gathering
19 - "Mighty Events Are On The Wing" - Second Manassas
18 - "Hell Has Busted" - The Battle Of The Crater
17 - "His Name Might Be Audacity" - The Seven Days Campaign
16 - Hell On Earth: The Battle Of The Wilderness
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