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Rebel Yell: The Violence, Passion, And Redemption Of Stonewall Jackson (2014)

by S.C. Gwynne(Favorite Author)

4.37 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

1451673280 (ISBN13: 9781451673289)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Scribner

review 1: An excellent biography of Stonewall Jackson focusing almost entirely on his Civil War career. While it touches briefly on his childhood, struggles at West Point, service in the Mexican American War, army career after Mexico and his life as a professor at VMI, this book mainly deals with his meteoric rise from eccentric artillery professor to Confederate legend and Robert E Lee’s most trusted commander. It takes you step by step thru the Civil War battles he engaged in: First Manassas, the Shenandoah campaign he wages against Nathaniel Banks, the taking of Harper’s Ferry, Antietam, Fredericksburg and lastly Chancellorsville where he was mortally wounded by Confederate Troops. Excellent read
review 2: This is an very readable account of the life of Stone... morewall Jackson. I have read mostly books from the viewpoint of the north and about northern generals, such as Ulysses S. Grant, so I went into this endeavor a little unsure as to how I would take it. However, it was very enlightening. Each side felt it was on the moral high ground. Jackson was very religious and attributed his victories to God. Perhaps God did raise this man up for the very purpose he served. He was instrumental in leading the south to believe it had a chance - in fact, he seemed unbeatable. Without him, the southern war effort may have faltered before it got going, and the emancipation proclamation may have never come to be. Slavery may have continued until a time when it would result in even greater upheaval in this nation.Although some of Jackson's victories seemed to be by good chance and could have been disastrous had things gone a little different, Jackson brought about his own success by his willingness to bring the battle to the enemy. I particularly liked the part on the battle of Chancellorsville where Lee sent Jackson to the front to coordinate the coming battle against a force in good position that significantly outnumbered his own. They were digging trenches to prepare a defense against the expected union attack. Jackson told them to throw down their shovels - they weren't going to need them. And he lined them up for an attack that resulted in the union being put at great peril. This was before his incredible encirclement of the union army around its flank. The beginning of the south's decline in the war at least in the east can probably be traced to Jackson's being wounded in the battle of Chancellorsville (by his own men). As Lee said of Gettysburg - Jackson would never have given up the high ground and if the high ground was held, the battle could have turned out much differently. This was a very good and entertaining read and I highly recommend it. less

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