Route of Jackson's Valley Campaign

[JohnTaylor]

I was looking at the Official Military Atlas of the Civil War, plate LXXXV, map #1, which is a map drawn by Jed Hotschkiss of the route followed by Jackson's troops in the Valley Campaign of 1862. One thing struck me as strange. If you look closely at the map betwen New Market and Columbia Bridge/Luray, as Jackson's troops crossed Massanutten Mountain, you will see that the route does not follow the existing road over the mountain pass (modern US Highway 211), but crosses Massanutten a couple of miles south of that road. I have looked a modern USGS maps of that area and there is no road there, although there is a slight saddle along the ridgeline.
Normally Hotschkiss maps are extremely accurate. Is he accurate in this case? Do you believe that Jackson would cross Massanutten two miles from a good road, instead relying on what must have been virgin forest, or at best a rude mountain path, and if so, why?
I spoke to Dr. Bud Robertson and he was unaware of the deviation in the map.

[ole]

John:
Without looking at the map, I will speculate on possibilities. Presuming today's road was then at least a wagon-wide road, Jackson wouldn't have taken it because it would have been expected.

The difficulty of struggling over wooded, rough, high ground meant little to Jackson who's motto seemed to be: "Whatever it takes."

Regards,
Ole

[JohnTaylor]

Originally Posted by ole

John:
Without looking at the map, I will speculate on possibilities. Presuming today's road was then at least a wagon-wide road, Jackson wouldn't have taken it because it would have been expected.

The difficulty of struggling over wooded, rough, high ground meant little to Jackson who's motto seemed to be: "Whatever it takes."

Regards,
Ole

Ole,
Thanks for the response.
Have you ever seen Massanutten Mountain up close and personal? If there was no road, getting over that mountain would have been a bear, it's pretty rough and steep.
At least when he crossed the Blue Ridge on May 3rd, he did so at Brown's Gap, where there was (and still is) a single-lane track to follow.
Hiding his movements was a constant concern of Jackson's but crossing a mountain where there is no road, when there was a good road two miles away defies even Jackson's logic.
Of course, maybe there was a road there at the time...
Hence my query.
Respectfully,
JT

[TVP45]

I realize this is an old post, but perhaps you'll still receive it.

The question of whether Taylor’s Brigade actually crossed the Massanutten Mountains several miles south of New Market Gap has come up several times. I am familiar with that area and believe I know the best available answer. I have 80-85% confidence in my answer and would welcome any criticism that might improve the accuracy.
1. I have examined several dozen Hotchkiss maps and have found no mistakes in areas where I am familiar with the terrain. He has sometimes omitted features and names that I might have included but has not, to the best of my ability to discern, placed anything in the wrong place or added anything. My high opinion of Hotchkiss is shared by all others whom I’ve read or heard with regard to such accuracy.
2. Hotchkiss was intimately familiar with the area of the Massanutten in question. He worked for the Forrers at Catherine Furnace, Newport, Page County for many years prior to the war (though he moved to their operations in Augusta County sometime in the 1850s). He surveyed and mapped ore deposits, timber stands, limestone quarries, and haulage roads. It would be quite reasonable to believe he had travelled through that part of the Massanutten at least a hundred times.
3. Although Jackson was at New Market on the evening of May 20, Jackson’s army was spread out. The Virginia Regimental Histories Series volume on the 33rd VA Infantry says the regiment was camped near Tenth Legion where they were joined by Taylor’s brigade and, on the next morning, the enlarged force set out for the Luray Valley through the New Market Gap. Though Richard Taylor may have proceeded to Jackson’s HQ, it appears his men stayed near Tenth Legion (My guess from the description is that they may have been south of Tenth Legion, but that is a minor issue; the important point is that they were near the place where the Keezletown Road entered the Valley Pike).
4. The Key to Jackson’s quick movement through the Luray Valley was the White House Bridge on what is now US 211 between Salem and Hamburg, Page County. There were no good fords nearby and a force of perhaps a hundred Federals with a few artillery pieces could have bottled up Jackson in the Massanutten Plain for a day; there are “pinch points” north and south of the White House that would have hampered flanking movements.
5. Just slightly south of east of Tenth Legion was a fairly good foot and horse path into the interior of the Massanutten – Fridley’s Gap. The Keezletown Road gave good access to Fridley’s Gap and the path led into the interior of the Massanutten and then along Cub Run to Catherine Furnace and then out into the Luray Valley. Hotchkiss does not show this path on his maps since it was not a good wagon road; earlier Rockingham County land tax records reveal this as a suitable bridle path but no more. Though colliers might have improved it somewhat, present day conditions suggest that it remained narrow and difficult for wagons. A force of men emerging into the Luray Valley at Newport would have had relatively unimpeded transit down the Luray Valley. Even if the Columbia Bridge had been destroyed or blocked, they could have crossed at the excellent ford at East Liberty and bypassed Columbia. It would have been fairly easy for such a force to move quickly to the east side of the White House and secure the vital crossing. A number of men in the 33rd had worked at Catherine Furnace and would have been available to guide such a force.
I thus suggest that at least some portion of Taylor’s Brigade, perhaps a hundred men or more with perhaps some horse artillery, moved along that Fridley Gap/ Cub Run path, emerging into the Luray Valley and then moving along the Shenandoah to cover the White House crossing.

[ole]

TVP45:

Thanks for resurrecting the thread with such interesting information.

ole

[larry_cockerham]

I've spent a little time studying Jackson because of the presence of my ancestor with the 48th Virginia. This description is quite consistent with the better known actions taken by Jackson. He moved with speed and often just on the other side of the ridge from the enemy. His services and brains were sorely lacking after Chancellorsville.

[larry_cockerham]

Am I on the right day here? From Henderson's 'Stonewall Jackson':
May 21, 1862

" The next day, marching in the grey of the morning, the force moved north, the Louisianians in advance. Suddenly after covering a short distance, the head of the column was turned to the right; and the troops, who had confidently expected that Strasburg would be the scene of their next engagement, found themselves moving eastward and crossing the Massanuttons. The men were utterly at sea as to the intentions of their commander. Taylor's brigade had been encamped near Conrad's Store, onaly a few miles distant, not many days before, and they had now to solve the problem why they should have made three long marches in order to return to their former position. No word came from Jackson to enlighten them. From time to time a courier would gallop up, report, and return to Luray, but the general, absorbed in thought, rode silently across the mountain, perfectly oblivious of inquiring glances."

[TVP45]

Yes, that is the day in question. The description of moving north, followed by the sudden turn to the east, suggests they had just entered present day New Market Town from the direction of Tenth Legion. The purpose of the somewhat strange movement might have been a Jackson whim or a screening movement since the west side of the Massanutten was quite Confederate while many on the eastern side were Federal sympathizers (and you could clearly see a movement through Grove Hill and Newport from atop the nearby Blue Ridge.)

It is always worth remembering that one of his generals (Taylor, I believe, but I'm forgetful) said that Jackson couldn't find the outhouse without a map; Jackson might have made such a disposition without thinking, or knowing, the distances.

[Dred]

Is it possible that he found himself in between 2 union armies? I know that happened once or twice and he either would turn and strike at one then the other, or avoid them all together. I'd like to see the faces on the 2 union generals when they meet on that road...

"Where is Jackson?"
"He was headed that way..."
"We just came from that way, he wasn't there"
"****!"

[larry_cockerham]

Originally Posted by Dred

Is it possible that he found himself in between 2 union armies? I know that happened once or twice and he either would turn and strike at one then the other, or avoid them all together. I'd like to see the faces on the 2 union generals when they meet on that road...

"Where is Jackson?"
"He was headed that way..."
"We just came from that way, he wasn't there"
"****!"

Hence the legend of Thomas Stonewall Jackson. I'd like to think my ancestor pvt. John Calvin Rouse was there that day in May 1862. He rode with the 48th Virginia when he wasn't walking.