No Robert E. Lee, no Stonewall Jackson?

[ratwod]

Suppose Robert E. Lee fought for the north.

Would Stonewall Jackson have fought for the south?

 

[James_tiberous]

yes

 

[samuel orris]

I agree with Yes. These men followed their love for their state, not human influences. Jackson was born in the western part of Virginia before it became West Virginia.

 

[James N.]

Suppose Robert E. Lee fought for the north.

Would Stonewall Jackson have fought for the south?

At the beginning of the war Robert E. Lee was in command of Virginia State forces but had yet to take the field; Jackson on the other hand, quite independently of Lee, assumed a leadership position at Harpers Ferry before becoming part of the larger force led by Joseph Johnston. Lee very soon became military advisor (with NO actual command) to President Jefferson Davis and was sent on an inspection tour of the east coast to report on the state of coastal defenses. When the first battle of the war occurred at Bull Run Lee remained in Richmond; of course that battle was where Jackson won his fame as Stonewall. I would venture to say the two had very little contact or correspondence prior to the beginning of Jackson's legendary Shennandoah Valley Campaign in the spring of 1862. It wasn't until May of that year that Lee finally received a significant field command - though he did bumble around a bit in western (West) Virginia in the fall of 1861 - when he replaced the wounded Johnston. Although after that event the pair formed a remarkably successful military partnership there is no reason to believe they had much influence over each other prior to it.

 

[Bruce Vail]

Yes, I think that is right.

Jackson was probably much more influenced by his pre-war colleagues on the faculty of the Virginia Military Institute. They pretty much all went into the Rebel army. I recall reading some where there not a single VMI grad served on the Union side.

 

[civilken]

probably he was a wild individual. I often think what would he have done when the war was over and the South lost since he believes it was ordained by God .. Would he have become a true union men and follow God's decision interest.