Reviews for Mighty Stonewall, Vol. 9

The average rating for Mighty Stonewall, Vol. 9 based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2013-07-31 00:00:00 Koko Jent I picked up this book at the visitors' center at the Chancellorsville Battlefield. One of the workers in the shop recommended it along with a short list of other titles. It took me a long time to get through because I was principally reading during my metro commutes each day (and not always then.) Considering it was written in the late 50s, the style was fairly easy going for a volume of history. Raised a Virginian, and a retired naval officer still working at the Pentagon, I brought my own sensibilities and proclivities to the piece. With that out of the way, this was a great read and I can't argue with others who say this is likely the best bio of Jackson as I haven't read others. I did find it quite enjoyable as it gives one a true picture of the man at a very human level, focusing not only on military aspects, but their interplay with what was going on in his personal life at the time, his interactions with friends and family, his religious fervor, and how he evolved as he aged. Although it was challenging to keep track of the battle scenes as the maps were not comprehensive enough, I chose to eschew geolocating the various forces in the field detailed in Vandiver's prose, and focus instead on Jackson's decision making and battlefield judgment as the war progressed. It was interesting to see how he delegated, communicated, and interacted with his staff, peers, and superiors. As a study of leadership, it validates the idea that tactical and strategic expertise alone do not create the type of esprit de corps which resonated throughout the Confederate troops around Chancellorsville in the time preceding Jackson's demise. Passion and vision, decisiveness and energy, even a theatrical flair mark the Mighty Stonewall's character. The book provided the background to understand why Jackson behaved the way he did in various situations up to his final days...to include the hubris that put him in a dangerous part of the battlefield which lead to his mortal wounding by edgy Confederate troops. I found myself on the edge of my seat for the battles as Vandiver delivered them in a way evocative of current action movies, building up to the point the first shots were fired, and then providing enough description to help one imagine the scene, the choas, the brutality, and the bravado that hung in the air. Whatever your approach to the study of the Civil War, understanding Stonewall Jackson seems a key piece of the puzzle of a vexing time in our nation's history when we turned upon one another in bloody, total war. Vandiver gets it done.

Review # 2 was written on 2012-10-31 00:00:00 Paul Dmura I planned to write a review but how do you review a classic? I mean really. The book is the biography of Thomas [Stonewall] Jackson. I wanted to read something about the man where his campaigns and battles were not the main focus. I wanted to know what made the man tic so-to-speak and even though I've read plenty on the Civil War I had not read a biography of one of major characters in the conflict. So, having visited Lexington, VA and Jackson's home just prior to the Civil War I decided to buy Vandiver's classic. I was not disappointed. So what stood out? What stood out was that Jackson was a Christian gentleman. He loved his wife and and he loved his country. He loved Jesus. He loved being an officer in the United States Army and the Confederate Army. He loved being a professor at VMI. He loved a challenge and had an extraordinary ability to exercise a discipline to accomplish whatever he set his mind to accomplish. But Jackson was also a warrior, a stern disciplinarian that lived by the rules. He was as tough on his soldiers as he was on himself.The troops he commanded grew to love him, because he was a winner but also because he did his best to feed and clothe the ragged scarecrows that were his Confederate soldiers. Jackson could also be petty as shown with his conflict A.P. Hill. (Hill could also be petty.) It seemed that pettiness was a characteristic of many a Civil War General. Jackson's unwavering Calvinistic faith permeates his life just as it permeated his correspondence. And for whatever faults he had (the pettiness and pride associated with it to name one) his faith was real. He could talk theology with the lowliest private or most learned clergyman. Jackson knew his Bible. By the time I reached the end I felt I kind of knew the man and frankly his death and the way he handled it touched me. Vandiver accomplished what a biographer should want to accomplish and that's coming away with the feeling that you've been an insider to the person you've just read about. It's a hefty volume with more than 400 pages but every one of those pages is interesting.