Rebel Yell: The Violence, Passion, and Redemption of Stonewall Jackson

Well written and engrossing.

.......The sobriquet, 'Stonewall', remains the most famous nickname in American military history. Let me begin my review by stating that this is by far the best and most entertaining biography I have read of a historical figure, There is something almost magical about S.C.Gwynnes vivid storytelling that makes this book a true page turner and difficult to put down. The recounted battle scenes are masterfully described and marvels of kinetic action. Gwynne brings the battles to life, contrasting the beauty of the Virginia countryside and terrain with the brutality and horrors of her battlefields. I found myself transfixed by tales of the bloody, error-plagued and clumsy battles of the early war. As the painful details of each battle unfolded, I could not help but will the vastly outnumbered and out-gunned Jackson forward through several forced marches to another hard-fought victory. Some readers may not enjoy the recounting of Jacksons military campaigns as they are told from a Southern perspective and expose the incompetence, timidity, and faintheartedness that characterized the military leadership of the Union in the early campaigns of the war. Was it simply a general reluctance of the Union Generals to wage war against adversaries they believed to be their fellow countrymen? Perhaps. Nevertheless, the Confederate army won, time and time again, battles against numerically superior forces in the early stages of the war. The vast resources, industry, and manpower of the Union eventually wore down the resolve of the Confederate States, but in the beginning of the conflict it was a rallying cry (The Rebel Yell) and gallant leaders like Jackson who galvanized their resolve to fight their way to victory no matter what the cost. ......S.C.Gwynne has written a definitive biography of T.J.Jackson and gives the reader a thorough recounting of his life through numerous accounts of fellow soldiers, colleagues, family, and friends; it is also a chronological account of his military campaigns narrated from a distinctly Southern point of view. A hypochondriac by nature, an earnest man, and religious in the extreme. Jackson possessed an iron resolve and willpower that, while seemingly worthless to him in civilian life, would prove transformative with his battlefield successes and facilitate his meteoric promotion from Major to Lt. General within a short span of time. Jackson will always be remembered for his humility--always spurning the gifts, adulation, and other rewards that were heaped upon him as his fame and notoriety grew. He was at times magnanimous and others times petty, highly intelligent yet narrow minded in the extreme, insightful and yet closed minded. A fierce warrior on the battlefield, it is blatantly obvious that Americas most gifted tactician was a man of many contradictions. ....... ........The important role Thomas J. Jackson played in the history of the United States should never be underestimated or discounted. Had he not been accidentally shot at Chancellorsville in May of 1863, it is likely that his leadership would have caused the Confederate armies to prevail at Gettysburg. This, in turn, may have led to a string of several Confederate victories in Northern cities which might have forced Lincoln and the Union to sue for peace. Alas, it was not meant to be. Although the Confederate States of America continued their bold struggle for independence under Robert E Lee's capable leadership, Stonewall Jackson was irreplaceable and his loss had devastating effects on Southern prospects for victory in the conflict. After Gettysburg, it soon became apparent that the Confederates would never again recapture or replicate the victorious inertia they posessed in the beginning of the conflict. Thanks to S.C.Gwynne's 'Rebel Yell', I will forever be able to visualize Stonewall Jackson mounted on 'Little Sorrel', the light of battle shining in his fierce blue eyes, holding one gloved hand high as he gave thanks for Gods help in securing another Confederate victory--with bullets and artillery thudding all around him. I cannot recommend this book highly enough for any student of history.

This is my first book on the life of Stonewall Jackson--and it has helped me discover one of my favorite American historical figures. S. C. Gwynne is a great writer. In "Rebel Yell" he paints a descriptive picture of each event and provides sufficient background to give even the most uninformed Civil War reader plenty of information to understand the times before and during the Civil War. He is fair and unbiased in his writings--and quick to show the failings of Stonewall along with the triumphs. He also summarizes the facts well. Instead of giving a constant chronological narrative of the data, Gwynne does a marvelous job of summarizing the key points and drawing out the significance of each battle and tactical movement.But Gwynne was helped by excellent source material. There is no character in the Civil War so unique, so polarizing, and so curious as that of Thomas Jackson. A strange "back woods" Virginian. A quirky social outcast. A devout Presbyterian and believer in Christ. A terrible professor. A hypochondriac with severe eye problems. A stickler for the rules. Yet it is this enigma who became a Civil War legend. Whether it was through his frequent feats of marching his often starving army 35 miles a day, his passionate sense of duty, or through his seemingly lethargic calm in the face of death--Stonewall Jackson quickly rose to prominence in the eyes of both the Confederates and those in the Union. In the Shenandoah Valley, it was Jackson who forced the Union to divide their forces (saving Richmond in the process) through his grueling marches and brilliant maneuvers. At Second Manassas it was Jackson who held the line at Stony Ridge. And it was at Chancellorsville that Stonewall led over 25,000 soldiers around the Union flank undetected.But it is not merely the tactical prowess or leadership under fire that makes Stonewall great. Jackson was molded and defined by his belief in God. This belief was manifested in his strong sense of morality--which he never wavered in. He also never failed to let those around him know when they were breaching those moral standards of right and wrong. He had a unrelenting sense of duty to God and to his homeland. In Stonewall Jackson we see many characteristics come to life: sacrifice, character, courage, kindness, and convictions that are never compromised. Our modern world can learn much from such a man.I find it interesting that Stonewall Jackson owned six slaves--for the purpose of taking care of them and allowing them to earn their freedom. In fact Jackson started a Sunday School for slaves (illegally), teaching them to read and understand the Scriptures. As a Christian man he made incredible efforts to get preachers and gospel material into his military camps. How does a man with the character and the conviction of Stonewall, fight and die for the Confederate cause? How does this man end up on the wrong side of history? Through "Rebel Yell" I have come to better realize the terrible moral gray area of the Civil War. Stonewall was not fighting for slavery. He was fighting against invasion of Virginia. Against the tyranny of centralized government--and for independent states' rights. This does not justify the confederate cause--but it does add sufficient food for thought.How should we remember the life of Stonewall Jackson? Some may say he was indiscernible mystery who got caught on the wrong side. A fanatic. A confused but brilliant mind. I will remember him as a man who loved God and his fellow man--and gave his life for his homeland. A man of courage and conviction--a fearless American.

Stonewall Jackson story was very interesting and inspiring. I loved ever page of this book. Stonewall was a devout Christian and Great Wartime General. S. C. Gwynn has another book Empire under the silver moon, that is also a great read. I highly recommend it.

This is a well written and very balanced review of Jackson's life and Civil War campaigns. It is an easy read, yet is clearly well researched and detailed where it has to be. Gwynne's descriptions of the Shenandoah Valley and later campaigns are first rate. His understanding and presentation of troop movements are excellent and his writing style is very straightforward. He paints a sympathetic portrait of a brilliant tactician but never falls into hagiography. I learned a lot about both Jackson and the tactics of the South's war effort which I hadn't read before. Don't be put off by the book's length - I polished it off very quickly because it is impossible not to be swept along by the quality of the writing and by the story being told.

What a great book. It is a brilliant study of an extraordinary individual. A brilliant tactical general, complex, flawed and loved by his men. Feared by his enemies and the mere rumour that he was in the vicinity put his opposing general on the backfoot. Jackson and Lee were an unbeatable combination until Jackson's death after which the Confederate cause was never the same. S.C.Gwynne captures the time and the tempo perfectly, and his writing makes this one of the best history books you will ever read.

The most gripping book I've read for a long time, the quirky, enigmatic 'Stonewall' was amazing, his faith unbreakable and his military genius undisputed. Amazing detail and an eye opener on my preconceptions of the south v north issues, life is never just black and white.

Excellent reappraisal of this gifted but strange warrior, puts in perspective, much of US history and its contradictions which have persisted in the 150 years since the Civil War.

An eccentric military genius with a fiery passion for battle. Many would be surprised that a pious Christian like Stonewall Jackson would take to war like a duck to water. This book was an excellent read and throughly researched.