How Much Did Kernstown Matter?

[russ_aukerman]

ewc -

"...the stripes on this particular tiger were never going to change." I couldn't agree more. :-) His character had a certain stone-like quality to it.

[5fish]

Originally Posted by jackbluelight

At the Battle of Kernstown on March 23, 1862, Thomas Jackson attacked a force under James Shields that was three times the size of his own. Jackson lost the battle, but Federal Commanders were baffled by this action, and suspected that he was a part of a much larger army in the Shenandoah Valley. As a result, Ervin McDowell's 37,000 man corps, which was on its way to join McClellan in the Penninsular Campaign, was told to stay put in Northern Va. Jackson goes down as a hero for saving Richmond. Does anybody think that McDowell's Corps would have turned the tide in the Penninsular Campaign?

It would not have hurt but the battle of the Peninsula comes down to McClellan nerve. He had more then enough of troops to win with but not enough nerve,

[M E Wolf]

Dear List Members;

I love official reports! LOL

O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XII/1 [S# 15]
MARCH 23, 1862.--Battle of Kernstown, Va.
No. 1. -- Reports of Brig. Gen. James Shields, U. S. Army, commanding division Fifth Army Corps, with congratulations.
[excerpt]
Jackson, with his supposed invincible "Stonewall Brigade" and the accompanying brigades, much to their mortifiation and discomfiture, were compelled by this terrific fire to fall back in disorder upon their reserve. Here they took up a new position for a final stand, and made an attempt for a few minutes to retrieve the fortunes of the day. But again rained down upon them the same close and destructive fire. Again cheer upon cheer rang in their ears. A few minutes only did they stand up against it, when they turned dismayed and fled in disorder, leaving us in possession of the field, the killed and wounded, 300 prisoners, two guns, four caissons, and a thousand stand of small-arms. Night alone saved him from total destruction. The enemy retreated about 5 miles, and, judging from his camp-fires, took up a new position for the night. Our troops, wearied and exhausted with the fatigues of the day, threw themselves down to rest on the field.
Though the battle had been won, still I could not believe that Jackson would have hazarded a decisive engagement at such a distance from the main body without expecting re-enforcements. So, to be prepared for such a contingency, I set to work during the night to bring together all the troops within my reach. I sent an express after Williams' division, requesting the rear brigade, about 20 miles distant, to march all night and join me in the morning. I swept the posts and routes in my rear of almost all their guards, hurrying them forward by forced marches to be with me by daylight. I gave positive orders also to the forces in the field to open fire upon the enemy as soon as the light of day would enable them to point their guns, and to pursue him without respite, and compel him to abandon his guns and baggage or cut him to pieces. These orders were implicitly obeyed, as far as possible.
It now appears that I had rightly divined the intentions of our crafty antagonist. On the morning of the 23d a re-enforcement from Luray of 5,000 men reached Front Royal on their way to join Jackson. This re-enforcement was being followed by another body of 10,000 from Sperryville, but recent rains having rendered the Shenandoah River impossible, they found themselves compelled to fall back without being able to effect the proposed junction. At daylight on the morning of the 24th our artillery again opened upon the enemy. He entered upon his retreat in very good order, considering what he had suffered.
[end of excerpt]
[new excerpt]
The killed and wounded in this engagement cannot even yet be accurately ascertained. Indeed, my command has been so overworked that it has had but little time to ascertain anything. The killed, as reported, are 103, and amongst them we have to deplore the loss of the brave Colonel Murray, of the Eighty-fourth Pennsylvania Volunteers, who fell at the head of his regiment while gallantly leading it in the face of the enemy. The, wounded are 441, many of them slightly, and the missing 24.(*) The enemy's loss is more difficult to ascertain than our own. Two hundred and seventy were found dead on the battle-field; 40 were buried by the inhabitants of the adjacent village, and, by a calculation made from the number of graves found on both sides of the Valley road between here and Strasburg, their loss in killed must have been about 500 and in wounded 1,000. The proportion between the killed and wounded of the enemy shows the closeness and terrible destructiveness of our fire--nearly half the wounds being fatal. The enemy admit a loss of between 1,000 and 1,500 in killed and wounded.
Our force in infantry, cavalry, and artillery did not exceed 7,000. That of the enemy must have exceeded 11,000. Jackson, who commanded on the field, had, in addition to his own "Stonewall" Brigade, Smith's, Garnett's, and Loring's brigades. Generals Smith and Garnett were here in person. The following regiments are known to have been present, and some from each of them were made prisoners on the field: The Second, Fourth, Fifth, Twenty-first, Twenty-third, Twenty-seventh, Twenty-eighth, Thirty-third, Thirty-seventh, and Forty-second Virginia, First Regiment Provisional Army, and an Irish battalion. None from the reserve were made prisoners. Their force in infantry must have been 9,000. The cavalry of their united brigades amounted to 1,500. Their artillery consisted of thirty-six pieces. We had 6,000 infantry, a cavalry force of 750, and twenty-four pieces of artillery.
[end of excerpt]
--------------------------------------------------------------
O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XII/1 [S# 15]
MARCH 23, 1862.--Battle of Kernstown, Va.
No. 23.--Reports of Maj. Gen. Thomas J. Jackson, C. S. Army, commanding the Valley District, with resolution of the Confederate Congress.
DQRS. DEPARTMENT OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
Rapidan, Va., March 25, 1862.
His Excellency the PRESIDENT:
SIR: I have just received the inclosed letter from General Jackson. He evidently attacked the enemy under a misapprehension as to his force. He had previously reported it reduced from about 28,000 to 10,000 men. He now represents the Federal force in the valley as too strong to be driven back by a mere detachment of this army. In such an operation our communications would be completely exposed to McClellan.
It is reported that a bridge over the Shenandoah has been made on the Snickersville road.
Most respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. E. JOHNSTON.
[INCLOSURE.]
HEADQUARTERS VALLEY DISTRICT,
Near Newtown, Va., March 24, 1862.
GENERAL: As the enemy had been sending off troops from the district and from what I could learn were still doing so, and knowing your great desire to prevent it, and having a prospect of success, I engaged him yesterday about 3 p.m. near Winchester and fought until dusk, but his forces were so superior to mine that he repulsed me with the loss of valuable officers and men killed and wounded; but from the obstinacy with which our troops fought and from their advantageous position I am of the opinion that his loss was greater than mine in troops, but I lost one piece of artillery and three caissons.
On Saturday two brigades went down to Berryville with their baggage. The supposition is that they have crossed at Castleman's Ferry. From a prisoner whom we took I learn that more troops had marching orders at Winchester. This fight will probably delay, if not prevent, their leaving and I hope will retain others. From what I hear there are 15,000 troops at Berryville, Charlestown, and Harper's Ferry. Shields yesterday appears to have had seventeen regiments of infantry. I heard he had much less when I made the attack. To drive him back if he advances I ought to have 5,000 infantry. I have enough artillery. The heavy guns were sent to Gordonsville. I will try and remain on this side of Strasburg. My wagons have gone to the rear and my forces are waiting to see whether the enemy will advance. Ashby is about 5 miles from Winchester.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
T. J. JACKSON,
Major-General
General JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON,
Comdg. Dist. of Northern Va.
-----

[M E Wolf]

O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XII/1 [S# 15]
MARCH 23, 1862.--Battle of Kernstown, Va.
No. 23.--Reports of Maj. Gen. Thomas J. Jackson, C. S. Army, commanding the Valley District, with resolution of the Confederate Congress.
HEADQUARTERS VALLEY DISTRICT,
Near Mount Jackson, Va., April 9, 1862.
MAJOR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the battle near Kernstown, Va., on Sunday, March 23:
[excerpt]
excerpt of General Jackson's official report...
The three brigades were ordered to march at dawn of the following morning. All the regiments, except the Forty-eighth (Col. John A. Campbell's), which was the rear guard, arrived within a mile or two of Kernstown by 2 p.m. on the 23d, and directions were given for bivouacking.
During the march information had reached me from a reliable source that the Federals were sending off their stores and troops from Winchester, and after arriving near Kernstown I learned from a source which had been remarkable for its reliability that the enemy's infantry force at Winchester did not exceed four regiments. A large Federal force was leaving the valley, and had already reached Castleman's Ferry on the Shenandoah. Though it was very desirable to prevent the enemy from leaving the valley, yet I deemed it best not to attack until morning. But subsequently ascertaining that the Federals had a position from which our threes could be seen, I concluded that it would be dangerous to postpone it until the next day, as re-enforcements might be brought up during the night.
After ascertaining that the troops, part of which had marched over 14 miles since dawn, and Garnett's and Burks' brigades, which had made a forced march of near 25 miles the day previous, were in good spirits at the prospect of meeting the enemy, I determined to advance at once.
Leaving Colonel Ashby, with his command, on the Valley turnpike, with Colonel Burks' brigade as a support to the batteries, and also to act as reserve, I moved with one piece of Carpenter's battery and Colonel Fulkerson's brigade, supported by General Garnett's, to our left, for the purpose of securing a commanding position on the enemy's right, and thus, turning him by that flank, force him back from his strong position in front, which prevented a direct advance.
Soon after, Captain Carpenter brought up his other pieces, also McLaughlin's and Waters' batteries came forward, the eminence was reached, and the three batteries, under their respective captains, commenced playing on the enemy, whose position was now commanded. We continued to advance our artillery, keeping up a continuous fire upon the Federals on our right, while Col. John Echols, with his regiment (the Twenty-seventh), with its skirmishers thrown forward, kept in advance and opened the infantry engagement, in which it was supported by the Twenty-first, under Lieut. Col. J. M. Patton, jr., as no other regiment of General Garnett had yet come up. Well did these two regiments do their duty, driving back the enemy twice in quick succession.
Soon a severe wound compelled the noble leader of the Twenty-seventh to leave the field, and the command devolved upon its lieutenant colonel, the dauntless Grigsby. Great praise is due to the officers and men of both regiments.
Colonel Fulkerson having advanced his brigade, consisting of the Twenty-third and Thirty-seventh, which were, respectively, commanded by Lieut. Cols. A. O. Taliaferro and R. P. Carson, to the left of Colonel Echols, judiciously posted it behind a stone wall toward which the enemy was rapidly advancing, and opened a destructive fire, which drove back the Northern forces in great disorder after sustaining a heavy loss and leaving the colors of one of their regiments upon the field. This part of the enemy's routed troops having to some extent rallied in another position was also driven from this by Colonel Fulker-son. The officers and men of this brigade merit special mention.
Soon after the Twenty-seventh had become engaged General Garnett, with the Second, Fourth, and Thirty-third Regiments, commanded, respectively, by Col. J. W. Allen, Lieut. Col. C. A. Ronald, and Col. A. C. Cu-mmingss, moved forward and joined in the battle, which now became general. The First Virginia Battalion, Provisional Army Confederate States, under Capt. D. B. Bridgford, though it unfortunately became separated in advancing, was in the engagement, and from near 5 to 6.30 p.m. there was almost a continuous roar of musketry. The enemy's repulsed regiments were replaced by fresh ones from his large reserve. As the ammunition of some of our men became exhausted noble instances were seen of their borrowing from comrades, by whose sides they continued to fight, as though resolved to die rather than give way.
Lieutenant-Colonel Ronald, commanding the Fourth, having been injured during the early part of the engagement by being thrown from his horse, the command of the regiment devolved upon Maj. A. G. Pendleton.
Though our troops were fighting under great disadvantages, I regret that General Garnett should have given the order to fall back, as otherwise the enemy's advance would at least have been retarded, and the remaining part of my infantry reserve have had a better opportunity for coming up and taking part in the engagement if the enemy continued to press forward. As General Garnett fell back he was pursued by the enemy, who, thus turning Colonel Fulkerson's right, forced him to fall back.
Soon after this the Fifth Regiment, under Col. W. H. Harman, came up, and I directed it to advance and support our infantry; but before it met the enemy General Garnett ordered it back, and thus the enemy were permitted unresisted to continue the pursuit. So soon as I saw Colonel Harman filing his regiment to the rear I took steps to remedy, as far as practicable, this ill-timed movement by directing him to occupy and hold the woods immediately in his rear; and calling General Garnett's attention to the importance of rallying his troops, he turned and assigned the Fifth a position, which it held until the arrival of Colonel Burks with the Forty-second, under Lieut. Col. D. A. Langhorne. Colonel Barks and the officers and men of the Forty-second proved themselves worthy of the cause they were defending by the spirit with which this regiment took and held its position until its left was turned by the Federals, pressing upon the Fifth as it fell back.
Col. John A. Campbell was rapidly advancing with his regiment to take part in the struggle, but night and an indisposition on the part of the enemy to press f-urther had terminated the battle, which had commenced near 4 p.m.
Leaving Ashby in front, the remainder of my command fell back to its wagons and bivouacked for the night. Our artillery had played its part well, though we lost two pieces, one belonging to Waters and the other to McLaughlin, the former from having upset when hard pressed by the enemy and the latter from having its horses killed when it was on the eve of leaving the field, which it had so well swept with canister as to have driven back the enemy from a part of it over which he was pressing near the close of the battle.
During the engagement Colonel Ashby, with a portion of his command, including Chew's battery, which rendered valuable service, remained on our right, and not only protected our rear in the vicinity of the Valley turnpike, but also served to threaten the enemy's front and left. Colonel Ashby fully sustained his deservedly high reputation by the able manner in which he discharged the important trust confided to him.
Owing to the most of our infantry having marched between 35 and 40 miles since the morning of the previous day many were left behind. Our number present on the evening of the battle was, of infantry 3,087, of which 2,742 were engaged; twenty-seven pieces of artillery, of which eighteen were engaged. Owing to recent heavy cavalry duty and the extent of country to be picketed only 290 of this arm were present to take part in the engagement.
There is reason to believe that the Federal infantry on the field numbered over 11,000, of which probably over 8,000 were engaged. It may be that our artillery engaged equaled that of the enemy, and that their cavalry exceeded ours in number.
Our loss was, killed, 6 officers, 12 non-commissioned officers, and 62 privates; wounded, 27 officers, 53 non-commissioned officers, and 262 privates, of which number some 70 were left on the field; missing, 13 officers, 21 non-commissioned officers, and 235 privates. Nearly all the missing were captured.
A few days after the battle a Federal officer stated that their loss in killed was 418. Their wounded, upon the supposition that it bears the same relation to their killed as ours, must be such as to make their total loss more than three times that of ours.
Our wounded received that care and attention from the patriotic ladies of Winchester which they know so well how to give, and our killed were buried by the loyal citizens of that town. The hospitality of Baltimoreans relieved the wants of the captured. For these acts of kindness, on both sides of the Potomac, I am under lasting obligations.
The officers and men of the various regiments and batteries deserve great praise.
n consequence of Maj. F. B. Jones, Second Regiment Virginia Volunteers, being familiar with the locality, he was detached from his regiment and acted as a staff officer during the engagement, and from his familiarity with the country, added to his zeal and daring, rendered very valuable service.
Dr. Hunter McGuire, medical director, discharged his duties in a manner which proved him admirably qualified for his position. Maj. J. A. Harman, chief quartermaster, ably discharged his duties. Maj. W. J. Hawks, chief commissary, with his usual foresight, had the wants of his department well supplied.
First Lieut. G.G. Junkin, aide-de-camp and acting assistant adjutant-general, faithfully and efficiently devoted himself to his duties until near the close of the engagement, when, I regret to say, he was captured by the enemy.
First Lieut. A. S. Pendleton, aide-de-camp, who is an officer eminently qualified for his duties, discharged them in a highly satisfactory manner.
First Lieut. J. K. Boswell, chief engineer, rendered valuable service. Though Winchester was not recovered, yet the more important object for the present, that of calling back troops that were leaving the valley, and thus preventing a junction of Banks' command with other forces, was accomplished, in addition to his heavy loss in killed and wounded. Under these circumstances I feel justified in saying that, though the field is in possession of the enemy, yet the most essential fruits of the battle are ours.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
T. J. JACKSON,
Major-General.
Maj. THOMAS G. RHETT,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Interesting that General Garnett's error was not within the report. If there was any charges leveled, I would think as others have done; added such to the official reports to their superior officers, e.g. General Johnston.

Word editied due to spelling and naughty word catcher

Just some thoughts.

Respectfully submitted for consideration,
M. E. Wolf

[Dred]

Although McLellan lamented not having those 37,000 men, they did serve as more of the scapegoat for why he lost the Penninsular campaign. The biggest thing that would have happened if Li'l Mac DID have those 37,000 troops, would be that he would had to have found another scapegoat when he eventually retreated from Richmond anyways.

[Blockaderunner]

An interesting aside of the Battle of Kernstown. Kimball became the only Union commander to defeat both Lee and Jackson, having earlier defeated Lee at Cheat Mountain.