Confederate General: Stonewall Jackson; We the People, by: Robin S. Doak, Compass Point Books, Mankato, MN, 2009.
This
is a brief history of Stonewall Jackson, and being so brief it is not
able to tell many things clearly. It starts with First Bull Run, where
Jackson picked up his nick name. However this created a confusion for
the story line, as the author came back and covered this again. It also
misses 2nd Bull Run entirely, which was where the Jackson
motto of “Always mystify, mislead, and surprise the enemy, if possible.
And when you strike and overcome him, never give up the pursuit as long
as your men have the strength to follow.”
This
book does point out the fact that Jackson was dead before Gettysburg.
Had he been alive, the battle very likely had had a different result.
It
is good to remember Jackson, but this book, in being brief misses much
of the highlight. It even skims over the Seven Days Battle, which was
not Jackson’s finest generalship. Other books are needed for a good
study of Jackson, but this is an introduction, and it is a book geared
to younger readers.
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