The Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1862

Military Campaigns of the Civil War

by Gary W. Gallagher (Editor), Jonathan M. Berkey (Contributor), Keith S. Bohannon (Contributor)

This volume explores the Shenandoah Valley campaign, best known for its role in establishing Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's reputation as the Confederacy's greatest military idol. The authors address questions of military leadership, strategy and tactics, the campaign's political and social impact, and the ways in which participants' memories of events differed from what is revealed in the historical sources. In the process, they offer valuable insights into one of the Confederacy's most famous generals, those who fought with him and against him, the campaign's larger importance in the context of the war, and the complex relationship between history and memory.

The contributors are Jonathan M. Berkey, Keith S. Bohannon, Peter S. Carmichael, Gary W. Gallagher, A. Cash Koeniger, R. E. L. Krick, Robert K. Krick, and William J. Miller.

Genres: Civil War, American Civil War, History, Military History, Nonfiction, American History, Civil War Eastern Theater

288 pages, Hardcover

First published May 5, 2003

About the author

Gary W. Gallagher, the John L. Nau III Professor of History at the University of Virginia, is the author or editor of many books in the field of Civil War history, including The Confederate War; Causes Won, Lost, and Forgotten: How Hollywood and Popular Art Shape What We Know about the Civil War; and The Union War.

Reviews

[Gerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eight essays concerning Stonewall Jackson’s Shenandoah Campaign of 1862. Editor Gary Gallagher starts the ball with a short introduction describing the Shenandoah (moving “up” the Valley means going southwest toward Tennessee, and “down” is travelling northeast to Harper’s Ferry) and then summarizing Jackson’s marvelous campaign. Reading it would only be a spoiler to anyone completely unfamiliar with the Late Unpleasantness.

Gallagher’s essay, “You Must Either Attack Richmond or Give Up the Job and Come to the Defense of Washington,” presents a picture of Abraham Lincoln, President and Commander in Chief, that is one hundred eighty degrees from the frequent vision of him (and the Cabinet) being in a panic.

He wasn’t but, unfortunately for the North, Generals Shields, Banks, and Fremont aren’t the better for it. William J. Miller’s essay “Such Men as Shields, Banks, and Frémont” describes the obstacles these worthies faced. It is far easier to order a march in the Valley and lower Alleghanies than to execute it. While not apologizing for the Union command in the Valley, Miller describes their objectives and what went wrong (much of it attributable to T.J. Jackson).

In between, “The Metamorphosis in Stonewall Jackson’s Public Image” by Robert K. Krick (the senior of the two Kricks) tells us that Our Hero’s rise to national prominence (in two countries) really started after the small battle (shoot, they were all small) of McDowell. He had his detractors along the way.

Jonathan M. Berkey reminds us in “In the Very Midst of the War Track” that is was rarely fun to be a civilian in the midst of all this. It was open season on their crops and goods, and I’ll wager in The Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864,” William G. Thomas’ article on their troubles then won’t be any happier.

“Placed on the Pages of History in Letters of Blood” by Keith Bohannon is the story of the 12th Georgia Infantry in this campaign. They did well here (Jackson is happy) and not so well there (Jackson is not happy), but why spoil it for you? This was largely unexplored territory for me.
I knew that Turner Ashby was a romantic hero, frequently at odds with Jackson, and this article by Peter Carmichael fleshes out the details. Carmichael says Ashby had little of the romantic in him, but a real sense of the Valley, its people and what he could expect out of them.

Robert E.L. Krick (the junior Krick) writes about “Maryland’s Ablest Confederate,” General Charles S. Winder. He was the “good” Winder, an able battle commander; John Winder was the “bad” Winder, Richmond’s provost marshal (and maybe unfairly maligned); now I know who was who. Other books mention him favorably in his command of the Stonewall Brigade; this article gives the details.

Finally, “Prejudices and Partialities” by A. Cash Koeniger takes Jackson to task over his many (at least twelve) official disciplinary actions of his subordinates. Maybe one didn’t want a job under him….

Overall, this a good book covering aspects of that campaign not often found in works of a larger scope. I enjoyed the learning.

[L Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed the essays in this compilation! I did not agree with much on the essay on Turner Ashby, but thought all the authors had excellent research and communicated effectively. Highly recommended!

[Sandra Oldfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just didn't understand that this book is one that pulls together different parts of the 1862 Valley Campaign in the Shenandoah rather than book on the chronological progression of the campaign itself. Once I read a better overview book I will return to this one for more detail.

[Josh Liller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up after reading Peter Cozzens' excellent Shenandoah 1862: Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign several months earlier. This is another entry in Gallagher's long-running series of campaign/battle essay compilations, this one focusing on the Shenandoah Valley campaign of 1862 that made Stonewall Jackson and his "foot cavalry" famous.

Essay topics
-Lincoln's role
-Stonewall Jackson's changing image
-weaknesses of Federal command
-the effect of the campaign on the local civilians
-12th Georgia
-Turner Ashby, Jackson's cavalry commander
-Charles Winder, who took over the Stonewall Brigade from Garnett
-Garnett's Court Martial & Jackson's stormy relations with his subordinates

I thought this was one of the better entries in the series.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another good book in the series of essays about a particular battle or campaign edited by Gary Gallagher. This book contains essays on Lincoln's role managing multiple Union forces in the valley; the change in Stonewall Jackson's public image; an analysis of Union commanders Banks, Fremont & Shields; civilians in the valley; the 12th Georgia regiment; Turner Ashby; Charles S. Winder (commander of the Stonewall Brigade); and Stonewall Jackson's lengthy history of filing charges against his subordinates (and one of his commanders in the pre-war army). The analysis of Turner Ashby strips away the mythology that arose during the war and analyzes why he had such an appeal to his troops and to civilians. The analysis of the Union commanders is balanced and needed since most histories of the Valley Campaign focus primarily on the Confederates.

[Jimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good collection of essays, re-examining aspects of the campaign (such as Turner Ashby's command style and effectiveness, and Cash Koeniger's essay on the Garnett controversy, concerning Jackson's relationship with his subordinates). The exception, in my opinion, is the essay on Charles S. Windor, which seems like a straightforward biography.

[Avis Black]

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