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

S.C. Gwynne has given us a wonderful story - all of it true. Gwynne gives us the story of a great commander who appeared out of nowhere to shine brightly indeed and then was suddenly gone. This is the story of "Stonewall" Jackson.The author writes wonderfully, giving us more than the dates, places, units and battles. The reader learns who this man was, how he lived, how he worshipped, how he loved, his sense of courage and duty. We learn about the poverty of his early life, his big break that sent him to West Point, his courage in combat in the war with Mexico as well as his life in the post-war army. We read about the instructor at VMI who was universally judged not only to be a failure as a teacher, but rather an oddball to boot!Jackson's life before the war and his meteoric rise to fame as a commander is well chronicled. All these things the author gives us. He also gives us a good idea of the man within. Jackson as the devout Christian, the loving husband, the tender and sentimental middle-aged man of his small town. The author does a fine job of setting up the reader for Jackson's appearance on the stage of war.The maneuvers, the marches, the feints as well as the battles are chronicled which shows the reader how Jackson could "mystify, mislead and surprise" his enemies. A battle was set up by maneuver and movement beforehand in order to put an enemy in the best position to be defeated. The Confederacy's disadvantages in this war were great as the agricultural South fought the more populous and industrial north. As a matter of fact, the author shows how the Confederate forces were poorly armed, equipped and supplied. Compared to the Union's soldiers, those wearing butternut brown or gray were hungry or ragged most of the time. That they performed as well as they did for as long as they did is tribute to their innate toughness.The reader will note the difference in command between North and South. The author's work makes it quite plain even to the novice that Lincoln's generals were often chosen by their political connections while those in the Confederacy were obviously more competent as warriors. I was struck by the fact that "Billy Yank" was usually as brave as "Johnny Reb", but often poorly led. I found it odd that, though the Union forces were more numerous and with better weapons and supplies, their commanders were usually more risk averse. On the other hand, Southern commanders such as Jackson were more daring, willing to risk great defeat to achieve great victory.Jackson was a commander who often led from the front, keeping close to the leading edge of battle. At Chancellorsville, Jackson met his end in the fading light in a crossfire between Union and Confederate forces. Here, at the high-tide of the Confederacy, Jackson fell. In one of history's "what ifs", men still conjecture on the course of the war is Jackson had not died.This is an excellent book that I cannot find even one criticism in. It is well researched, well written and is an enjoyable read on one of military history's towering figures. I heartily recommend this to Civil War, Military History, American history readers or readers of fine biographies. Five Stars.

I've always enjoyed reading books on history and this book is no exception. It's a well researched and finely "wordsmithed" book from start to finish. It pulls no punches on Stonewall Jackson and illustrates the man "warts and all." His death likely changed the short term outcome of the war although probably not the long term. But that has been and will be debated without end. But it's a thoroughly good read. If you enjoy reading about the Civil War and it's many protagonists and antagonists, you'll like this one.

SC Gwynne never fails to deliver!Exhaustive in its detail, Gwynne lays out the complexities of the time and provides a vivid picture of the paradoxical figure who was Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. Very much worth the time and energy if you're even slightly interested the Civil War era.

I began reading "Rebel Yell" a few weeks ago, spurred a bit by my heritage as a student at Jacksonville State University during the early '70's. He was a hero there, and the "Southerners", the wonderful marching band, looked like a brigade of grey-uniformed soldiers from Stonewall's army. One must enjoy explanations of strategic warfare from that era to warm up to the entire book, but I found the characterizations of this enigmatic, Presbyterian rebel who pulled off pretty amazing feats during the Civil war, an insightful look at a deeply, flawed, unexpectedly brilliant human being. Whatever I learned about the causes of the war, along with the divisions it created, I had to feel a sense of pride in the general's unflagging loyalty to his mission, against dreadful odds. I haven't finished the book, so I am intrigued by its promise of "Redemption". The "Violence" and the "Passion" have been impressive.

Outstanding what the human body can endure..... we have no concept of what those man went through in order for us the live the way we do.Every highschool in America should teach this book in hopes that the future generations will respect what was done for them.

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.

Ich habe selten so ein gutes Buch gelesen. Die Wandelung des "merkwürdigen" Professors Jackson zu Gen. Stonewall Jackson und seine unglaublichen Leistungen im Civil War werden hervorragend und spannend beschrieben. Dabei orientiert sich der Autor stets an Fakten, die durch unzählige Quellenangaben unterlegt sind. Wüsste ich nicht, dass in diesem Buch wahre Begebenheiten beschrieben werden, fiele es mir oftmals schwer zu glauben, was Jackson und seine Soldaten damals geleistet und erlitten haben und welche Genialität Jackson trotz seines zuweilen sehr merkwürdigen Charakters in sich trug.Daher volle 5 Sterne.

This is a marvelous book that seeks to understand this complicated person, not as an "oddity" (as some have done), and not as a "miracle worker", (as also happens), but as a product of his upbringing, religious faith, successes, and failures to understand what made him the Confederate General (and hero to many) that he became.This is a wonderful book, and I highly recommend it.

You know exactly, what is going to happen, but you read it anyway. Great read on Stonewall Jackson, vivid, fast-paced, full of interesting details and funny notes. What if he had been at Gettysburg? Who will ever know?