The Last Days of Stonewall Jackson
by Chris Mackowski & Kristopher D. White
Product Details
- Paperback: 168 pages
- Publisher: Savas Beatie (April 2013)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1611211506
- ISBN-13: 978-1611211504
In Confederate lore after Robert E. Lee comes Stonewall Jackson. No Confederate personalities can challenge either of them for dominance.
This is as true now as it was ago during the war 150 years. Jackson stories are part of the rich lore of the Civil War. His accidental wounding, on May Second, is often a major part in the Chancellorsville history.
Possibly, the most debated “what if” of the war is Jackson at Gettysburg.
This small book takes a long look at the wounding, death and remembrance of Stonewall Jackson.
While full of details, the reader is never bored. The writing is crisp; illustrations are plentiful with maps in the right places.
The authors skillfully walk us through the events while being both informative and entertaining.
Jackson’s death is not the end of this story but only the beginning.
We attend funerals in Richmond and Lexington. The book follows the story of his horse Little Sorrel and the history of the building in which he died.
They tell us how his arm came to be buried and why it is not with his body. All of the details are great fun, at least for me, to read.
Nine appendixes complement the main story. These are the side trips that could not be told within the main story.
There is a timeline of Jackson’s life. A second appendix “Before he was Stonewall”, provides a short but personal history of the man.
“Whatever happened to …” reminds us that the participants’ have real lives that did not end with the main story.
Appendix F is an intelligent and balanced look at the Jackson did not get shot stories. It is one of the best looks at this question I have ever read and worth buying the book for.
This is a book to give and a book to own. While a fast and fun read, it is full of information and a learning experience.
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