Stonewall Rebel Yell?

18thmississippi

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Mar 22, 2013
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confederacy
Has anyone else read Rebel Yell by s.c. gwynne ? im in the process of reading it and so far I haven't been impressed. Anyone else feel the same or differently ?
 
I bought it, and read it pretty quick for my standards.

I enjoyed the first half better than the last half. Jackson's life after 1861 is extremely well documented, so I wasn't blown away by the last half. The first half showed me a few things I had never heard or read about before. For example, the details of the death of Jackson's first wife's death. How she and their infant were buried together, the position of which sounded exactly like they way my wife used to sleep with my newborn son. The way Jackson stood next to the grave after the funeral and the burial, silently standing there in the cold rain with his head bowed and a blank look on his face. I had never read those things, and they almost brought me to tears.

I liked it. Good book.
 
I bought it, and read it pretty quick for my standards.

I enjoyed the first half better than the last half. Jackson's life after 1861 is extremely well documented, so I wasn't blown away by the last half. The first half showed me a few things I had never heard or read about before. For example, the details of the death of Jackson's first wife's death. How she and their infant were buried together, the position of which sounded exactly like they way my wife used to sleep with my newborn son. The way Jackson stood next to the grave after the funeral and the burial, silently standing there in the cold rain with his head bowed and a blank look on his face. I had never read those things, and they almost brought me to tears.

I liked it. Good book.
Bud Robertsons version is extremely well documented from day one of his life to his death as Wel as his ancestors. What I don't like about rebel yell is how there's a lot information left out. Just little key details left out. Also how it jumps around in the beginning.
 
Bud Robertsons version is extremely well documented from day one of his life to his death as Wel as his ancestors. What I don't like about rebel yell is how there's a lot information left out. Just little key details left out. Also how it jumps around in the beginning.
Sounds like I need to read his then. What is the title?
 
Rebel Yell is a good book but not great. I'm towards the end of the book and feel the description of Second Manassas so far is more about Little Mac than what Old Jack was thinking and doing.
 
I checked it out from our local library, and it was a slow read but did learn a few things I didn't know before I read it, so anytime I can do that I'm HAPPY. The title brought me back to why it was named that.

 
I bought it, and read it pretty quick for my standards.

I enjoyed the first half better than the last half. Jackson's life after 1861 is extremely well documented, so I wasn't blown away by the last half. The first half showed me a few things I had never heard or read about before. For example, the details of the death of Jackson's first wife's death. How she and their infant were buried together, the position of which sounded exactly like they way my wife used to sleep with my newborn son. The way Jackson stood next to the grave after the funeral and the burial, silently standing there in the cold rain with his head bowed and a blank look on his face. I had never read those things, and they almost brought me to tears.

I liked it. Good book.
I listened to the audio,I would like to know if his death was as the author suggest may have been the HIGH WATER mark .After his death Lee had no other officer of Jackson's ability to rely on.The trust between the two was what united these generals. I did feel like large parts of Lee's success was due to Jackson's ability to interpert Lee's orders and to carry then out in whatever manner he say when he arrived on the scene.Destiney denied him to carry out what would been his greatest victory at Chanslorville.Question: Would Lee took Jackson's advice at Gettesburg and not fight there as some say that Longstreet advice or would he have taken his corp and moved on the flank Lees' plans they were typical LEE,the only thing was there was no unification by the army in the final actions.Then no recon.of the ground did not help,something Jackson would have done.If Jackson had survied his wounds, would his continue presence prolonged the war.?Could Grant ,Sheridan,and Sherman handle both Lee and Jackson?The South loss in this battle of nuttrition,no due to military inaction.There was no way to mantain a force without supplyies,and Jackson or no Jackson would not have changed the outcome.
 
I listened to the audio,I would like to know if his death was as the author suggest may have been the HIGH WATER mark .After his death Lee had no other officer of Jackson's ability to rely on.The trust between the two was what united these generals. I did feel like large parts of Lee's success was due to Jackson's ability to interpert Lee's orders and to carry then out in whatever manner he say when he arrived on the scene.Destiney denied him to carry out what would been his greatest victory at Chanslorville.Question: Would Lee took Jackson's advice at Gettesburg and not fight there as some say that Longstreet advice or would he have taken his corp and moved on the flank Lees' plans they were typical LEE,the only thing was there was no unification by the army in the final actions.Then no recon.of the ground did not help,something Jackson would have done.If Jackson had survied his wounds, would his continue presence prolonged the war.?Could Grant ,Sheridan,and Sherman handle both Lee and Jackson?The South loss in this battle of nuttrition,no due to military inaction.There was no way to mantain a force without supplyies,and Jackson or no Jackson would not have changed the outcome.


Maybe, maybe not. But it probably would have beaten Ewell and Early.
 
Rebel Yell is a good book but not great. I'm towards the end of the book and feel the description of Second Manassas so far is more about Little Mac than what Old Jack was thinking and doing.
The most interstest part of the book is that conditions and terrain that Jackson traveled thought affected the timing of the battle,no wonder he was either late or lost at times.The ovelooked but informative part is the codition of Southern troops even from the beginning of the war.Even if for no other reason one has to wonder how Lee managed to maintain the level f forces he had esp. as the war progessed.Jackson was a humble man, prehaps even more so than Lee.His refushel to take credit for victory but given it all to the Lord was not seen by any other general .Prehabs this aroggence that the South shown towards their victories is the same aroggence that brought the South to their demise ,which Jackson warned them of.Question ;Lee and JACKSON,AT GETTESBURG; Would Jackson have tried to change Lee's battle plans on the third day or would he as Longstreet try to turn the flank?How would Lee and Jackson stood against Grant,Sherman,,and Sheridan? I do think that he is right that the High Water mark was the death of Jackson.After Jackson there was no other staff officer in whom could rely upon to carry his plans out as Jackson did in his own ways.Take Sherman from Grant and no other one else could have made the South Yell.ONE MORE: Lack of reconnaissance by Lee lead to the failure on the third day,and that Stuwart had a engagment with Custer.
 
I thought it was pretty good. I read it last year followed by Dabney's book. Out of the two I Preferred Gwynne's. Dabney tends to get side tracked by religion and the cause you forget your reading a stonewall biography.
 
I thought it was pretty good. I read it last year followed by Dabney's book. Out of the two I Preferred Gwynne's. Dabney tends to get side tracked by religion and the cause you forget your reading a stonewall biography.
There are those who say that if one studies the method that Jackson used his troops, is very similar to the way in which Joshua and David operated against supperior forces.What made Jackson's religion was that he never accepted victory as his but did give it to the Highter power,thereby he did not make himself to the one responsible for the success of the army.Pride and arrogance were avoided in doing this.Remember that he warned the South of placing to much pride in the successes that the army was achieving.With a arroganent spirit one will not be able to understand or deal with adversity.This is what happen in the latter days of the war.We looked for another Jackson,Only if Jackson was there!It was his reglion that saw Jackson thought difficult times and it was this same that made him .That is why Dabney spent time on his reglious outlook.
 
Same here buds book is hard to beat
The tempting thing about Rebel Yell is just that S.C. Gwynne's prose is so magnificent -- at least, I found it so in his Empire of the Summer Moon.

But I've heard mixed reviews on whether Gwynne captures the real Jackson as well as Robertson does. I don't know, I haven't read either of them. The only book I've read about Jackson is his "memoirs," which were compiled, mostly from his letters, by his wife, Mary Anna. Since it's all either Jackson's own words or those of the person who knew him most intimately, it does give you a window on the man's soul.

I loved reading Thomas's and Mary Anna's writing, but if you're looking for a complete biography, you'd want Robertson or Gwynne.
 
There are those who say that if one studies the method that Jackson used his troops, is very similar to the way in which Joshua and David operated against supperior forces.What made Jackson's religion was that he never accepted victory as his but did give it to the Highter power,thereby he did not make himself to the one responsible for the success of the army.Pride and arrogance were avoided in doing this.Remember that he warned the South of placing to much pride in the successes that the army was achieving.With a arroganent spirit one will not be able to understand or deal with adversity.This is what happen in the latter days of the war.We looked for another Jackson,Only if Jackson was there!It was his reglion that saw Jackson thought difficult times and it was this same that made him .That is why Dabney spent time on his reglious outlook.
Maybe I'll check out this Dabney. I don't see how any biography of Jackson could possibly be "too religious." There simply is no understanding Thomas Jackson apart from his faith. It was who he was.
 
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