145
years ago today, a mistake was made that continues to reverberate today
as a defining moment in American History. On May 2, 1863 at the Battle
of Chancellorsville, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, had craftily flanked
the Union troops . After a successful assault, Jackson and others rode
back to camp. In the darkness, Jackson and his men were mistaken for
Union troops and were fired at, striking Stonewall with 3 bullets.
Unable to get adequate and immediate medical care, Jackson languished
for 8 days before passing.
The
death of Stonewall Jackson was the beginning of the end for the
fledgling Confederacy. Not only a brilliant tactician, Jackson was the
right hand man of Robert E. Lee, Commander of the Army of Northern
Virginia. Jackson’s death came at the high water mark for Confederate
military success in the Civil War. His death was a demoralizing blow to
the Southern cause and left Lee without his most trusted soldier. The
loss of Jackson would be felt when confusion and missed opportunities
led to defeat at Gettysburg. It is not a stretch to say that the death
of Jackson directly correlated to the subsequent Union victories. Prior
to Chancellorsville, Confederate generals had consistently
out-maneuvered Union leaders and enjoyed a string of early successes.
Once Lee’s right-hand man was lost, the Southern cause was lost as well.