First Bull Run "There is Jackson, Standing Like a Stone Wall"

Bryan_C

First Sergeant
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Great timing for this post, for today is the 151st anniversary of these words and the legend they created. As the story goes, Genereal Barnard Bee, trying to rally his retreating and demoralized troops, pointed out General Thomas J. Jackson, on horseback, remaining calm and unnerved by explosions and bullets around him- or as one soldier put it, moving "about in that shower of death as calmly as a farmer about his farm when the seasons are good." At that moment, Bee said something to his troops, which may have been these words: “Look, men! There is Jackson standing like a stone wall! Let us determine to die here, and we will conquer! Rally behind the Virginians!”

Something must obviously have been said, for that moment bolstered the Confederates and changed the course of the battle to a southern victory. But I wonder... how many actually heard whatever Bee said?

Bee was wounded shortly after he spoke and died a day or so later- with the priority of trying to save his life, no one asked him to clarify his words (or maybe they were trying to save him just so he COULD clarify them, haha). But I was just reading about another battle (Cedar Mountain, August 9, 1862, also involving Jackon) and a soldier's account talks about the noise of the battlefield, with similar conditions as 1st Bull Run:

"... [General Jackson] met his men falling back in considerable disorder... and called on his men to rally and follow him [and he] would lead them. This all may be true, but how he could have been heard is a mystery to me. The rattle of musketry, the shouting, the cheering, and yelling was deafening."

I'm not questioning the integrity of whatever Bee said. I believe the intent was to speak the best of Jackson at Bull Run and rally the troops. I know the real answer will never be known but I'm just wondering if the story rwally happened according to the legend.
 
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"A legend, for its active and passive participants includes no happenings that are outside the realm of "possibility", defined by a highly flexible set of parameters, A majority of legends operate within the realm of uncertainty, never being entirely believed by the participants, but also never being resolutely doubted."

-Wikipedia
 
Hello and welcome from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. I can't imagine he was heard more than a few feet away. But the sight of your commander trying to rally the troops probably meant more than words. I believe it was at Cedar Mountain while trying to rally his troops he found that his sword had rusted in its scabbard.
 
I have always wondered about the last part of it "rally BEHIND the Virginians". Bee may have been falling back, and this was, maybe, a quick off-handed order. Once rallied Bee led his men past Stonewall Jackson, and into history. the history is kinda mixed. The Charleston Mercury printed the first account of it, and an an aide to Bee said it was bogus, that he didn't intend it to taken that way. He seemed to imply that Bee wanted for Jackson and his command to follow him. Be that as it may, Jackson's position was key to victory, and had he moved from his position there would not have been a strong command for new units arriving on the field to fight from.
 
This all may be true, but how he could have been heard is a mystery to me.

Good point, have wondered the same myself. Guess it doesn't matter if ya believe it's important to not let the facts get in the way of the truth (whatever that means).
 
Case in point - the mailman just arrived and my wife said something that sounded like, "Your necklace is here."
I replied, puzzled, "My necklace is here?"
She replied, "Your NETFLIX is here. Go put in your hearing aid!"
 
Always loved the epic speeches made just before the command went into battle, lets say Pickett at Gettysburg. There is nooo way anybody could hear him beyond two feet. And it is quoted word for word as gospel. It goes down in history as a FACT. Maybe an aide knew shorthand.
 
Case in point - the mailman just arrived and my wife said something that sounded like, "Your necklace is here."
I replied, puzzled, "My necklace is here?"
She replied, "Your NETFLIX is here. Go put in your hearing aid!"
That's like the note a husband left for his wife: "Doctor's office called. Your Pabst beer is negative."
 
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