Lee And Jackson example essay topic

Thomas Stonewall Jackson was born in Clarksburg, Virginia, on January 21, 1824. After graduating 17th in his class at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He served in the Mexican War and won two brevets. While he was in Mexico, Jackson became a Presbyterian. A friend said that, 'He never smoked, he was a strict teetotaler and never touched a card.

' In 1851, Jackson was recruited to teach at the Virginia Military Institute. His students called him Deacon Jackson, while others compared him to Oliver Cromwell. On the outbreak of the Civil War, Jackson was commissioned as colonel and was given the job to organize volunteers for the new Confederate Army. He was promoted to the rank of brigadier general and he took part in the first battle at Bull Run (July 1861) against the Union Army, led by Irvin McDowell. The Confederate troops led by Joseph E. Johnson, Jeb Stuart, Jubal Early and Pierre T. Beauregard defeated the Union troops.

It was during this battle that Brigadier General Barnard E. Bee said Jackson stood against the Union forces 'like a stone wall'. After this, he was known as "Stonewall" Jackson. The summer of 1862 the main Union Army under George McClellan was ready to march on Richmond. McClellan and his 115,000 men met the Confederate Army at Williamsburg, in May. McClellan moved his troops into the Shenandoah Valley and surrounded Jackson and his 17,000-man army. Jackson was ordered by President Jefferson Davis to try and delay the attack on Richmond.

First he attacked John C. Fremont at Cross Keys before heading to Irvin McDowell at Port Republic. He then rushed his troops east to join up with Joseph E. Johnston and the Confederate forces fighting George McClellan. In 1862, Major General John Pope was given command of the new Army of Virginia. Pope was told to move east to Blue Ridge Mountains towards Charlottesville. They hoped that this move would help George McClellan by drawing Robert E. Lee away from defending Richmond.

Lee's 80,000 troops were now fighting two large armies: McClellan's 90,000 and Pope's 50,000. Joined by Jackson, the Confederate troops constantly attacked George McClellan and on June 27, they broke through at Gaines Mill. Outnumbered, McClellan retreated to James River. Abraham Lincoln, frustrated by McClellan's lack of success, sent in Major General John Pope, but he too was easily beaten back by Jackson. In July 1862, John Pope decided to capture Gordonsville, a railroad junction between Richmond and the Shenandoah Valley. Pope selected Nathaniel Banks to carry out the task.

Robert E. Lee considered Gordonsville to be strategically important and sent Jackson to protect the town. On August 9th, Jackson defeated Banks at Cedar Run. Pope now ordered George McClellan army at Harrison's Landing to join the campaign to take the railroad junction. When Lee heard this news, he brought together all the troops he had available to Gordonsville. On August 29, troops led by Jackson and James Longstreet attacked Pope's Union Army at Manassas.

Pope and his army was forced to retreat across Bull Run. The Confederate Army chased the Army of Virginia until they reached Chantilly on September 1st. The next month, George McClellan faced Jackson again at Antietam. On September 17th, McClellan and Major General Ambrose Burnside attacked with over 75,300 troops against 37,330 Confederate soldiers.

Lee held out until Ambrose Hill and reinforcements arrived. The Confederates, who were now have serious difficulty replacing losses, had 2,700 killed, 9,024 wounded and 2,000 missing. Jackson also led his men at Fredericksburg (November / December, 1862) and Chancellorsville (May 1863). However, after returning from the battlefield he was accidentally shot by one of his own men. Jackson's left arm was successfully amputated but he developed pneumonia and he died at Guinea Station on 10th May 1863. Lee wrote a letter saying, "Although you have lost your left arm, you are better off then me, for I have lost my right".

Lee and Jackson complemented each other on the battlefield. Lee came up with brilliant tactical maneuvers, while Jackson had the bravery to execute them during battle. He was one of the best leaders for the South. When he passed away, this was a major blow to the South's cause..