What do you think?
Rate this book
Civil War America
Shenandoah 1862: Stonewall Jackson’s Valley Campaign
One of the most intriguing and storied episodes of the Civil War, the 1862 Shenandoah Valley Campaign has heretofore been related only from the Confederate point of view. Moving seamlessly between tactical details and analysis of strategic significance, Peter Cozzens presents a balanced, comprehensive account of a campaign that has long been romanticized but little understood. He offers new interpretations of the campaign and the reasons for Stonewall Jackson's success, demonstrates instances in which the mythology that has come to shroud the campaign has masked errors on Jackson's part, and provides the first detailed appraisal of Union leadership in the Valley Campaign, with some surprising conclusions.
639 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2008
42 people are currently reading
524 people want to read
About the author
Peter Cozzens
44 books250 followersPeter Cozzens is the award-winning author of seventeen books on the American Civil War and the West. Cozzens is also a retired Foreign Service Officer.
His most recent book is A Brutal Reckoning: Andrew Jackson, the Creek Indians, and the Epic War for the American South (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2023). Cozzens's next book is Deadwood: Gold, Guns, and Greed in the American West (Knopf: September 2025).
Cozzens's penultimate book, Tecumseh and the Prophet: The Shawnee Brothers Who Defied a Nation, was published by Knopf in October 2020. It won the Western Writers of America Spur Award and was a finalist for the George Washington Prize.
His The Earth Is Weeping: The Epic Story of the Indian Wars for the American West was published by Alfred A. Knopf in October 2016. Amazon selected it as a Best Book of November 2016. Smithsonian Magazine chose it as one of the ten best history books of 2016. It has won multiple awards, including the Gilder-Lehrman Prize for the finest book on military history published worldwide. It also was a London Times book of the year and has been translated into several languages, including Russian and Chinese.
All of Cozzens' books have been selections of the Book of the Month Club, History Book Club, and/or the Military Book Club.
Cozzens’ This Terrible Sound: The Battle of Chickamauga and The Shipwreck of Their Hopes: The Battles for Chattanooga were both Main Selections of the History Book Club and were chosen by Civil War Magazine as two of the 100 greatest works ever written on the conflict.
The History Book Club called his five-volume Eyewitnesses to the Indian Wars "the definitive resource on the military struggle for the American West."
His Shenandoah 1862: Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign was a Choice "Outstanding Academic Title" for 2009.
He was a frequent contributor to the New York Times "Disunion" series, and he has written articles for Smithsonian Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, True West, America's Civil War, Civil War Times Illustrated, and MHQ, among other publications.
In 2002 Cozzens received the American Foreign Service Association’s highest award, given annually to one Foreign Service Officer for exemplary moral courage, integrity, and creative dissent.
Cozzens is a member of the Advisory Council of the Lincoln Prize, the Western Writers Association, the Authors' Guild, and the Army and Navy Club.
Cozzens and his wife Antonia Feldman reside in Maryland.
His most recent book is A Brutal Reckoning: Andrew Jackson, the Creek Indians, and the Epic War for the American South (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2023). Cozzens's next book is Deadwood: Gold, Guns, and Greed in the American West (Knopf: September 2025).
Cozzens's penultimate book, Tecumseh and the Prophet: The Shawnee Brothers Who Defied a Nation, was published by Knopf in October 2020. It won the Western Writers of America Spur Award and was a finalist for the George Washington Prize.
His The Earth Is Weeping: The Epic Story of the Indian Wars for the American West was published by Alfred A. Knopf in October 2016. Amazon selected it as a Best Book of November 2016. Smithsonian Magazine chose it as one of the ten best history books of 2016. It has won multiple awards, including the Gilder-Lehrman Prize for the finest book on military history published worldwide. It also was a London Times book of the year and has been translated into several languages, including Russian and Chinese.
All of Cozzens' books have been selections of the Book of the Month Club, History Book Club, and/or the Military Book Club.
Cozzens’ This Terrible Sound: The Battle of Chickamauga and The Shipwreck of Their Hopes: The Battles for Chattanooga were both Main Selections of the History Book Club and were chosen by Civil War Magazine as two of the 100 greatest works ever written on the conflict.
The History Book Club called his five-volume Eyewitnesses to the Indian Wars "the definitive resource on the military struggle for the American West."
His Shenandoah 1862: Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign was a Choice "Outstanding Academic Title" for 2009.
He was a frequent contributor to the New York Times "Disunion" series, and he has written articles for Smithsonian Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, True West, America's Civil War, Civil War Times Illustrated, and MHQ, among other publications.
In 2002 Cozzens received the American Foreign Service Association’s highest award, given annually to one Foreign Service Officer for exemplary moral courage, integrity, and creative dissent.
Cozzens is a member of the Advisory Council of the Lincoln Prize, the Western Writers Association, the Authors' Guild, and the Army and Navy Club.
Cozzens and his wife Antonia Feldman reside in Maryland.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
August 12, 2024
I just read a book about George McClellan’s 1862 Peninsula Campaign, where Richmond was in his sights and Stonewall Jackson’s diversionary Valley Campaign was a mere sideshow. So this book was a great counterpoint to that, in making McClellan the sideshow and Jackson’s Valley Campaign the main event.
The story unfolds at a leisurely pace, with several mini-biographies and a lengthy history of the Shenandoah Valley, far predating Jackson’s arrival on the scene. When he does show up, just as McClellan is plotting to put down the rebellion once and for all, Cozzens shows how Jackson helped turn the tide, becoming "the Confederacy's only successful commander since First Bull Run," and ensuring that the war would not end in 1862, or for some time to come.
That’s because, while McClellan inched toward Richmond, Jackson aimed to keep McClellan’s potential reinforcements tied up in the Valley. In Cozzens’s telling, Jackson succeeded almost in spite of himself. He comes under some criticism as being erratic, impulsive and overly secretive. By playing his cards close to the vest, he could at times take “what might have been a commendable reticence to a hermetic extreme," Cozzens observes, as Jackson could often leave his own subordinates confused about his plans.
But Cozzens gives Jackson credit for his audacity and boldness and ultimate success. Even when suffering setbacks along the way, he accomplished his goal of keeping Union forces tied up and unable to come to McClellan’s aid. "Stonewall Jackson's antics in the Valley played a large part in what transpired between Washington and the Peninsula," Cozzens writes, as both President Lincoln and McClellan were forced to adjust their plans in response to said “antics.”
The campaign consisted of several battles, all of which are well-described with a mix of big-picture tactics and strategies, and soldiers’-eye views of the actual fighting. I’ve found that many books about battles can offer one or the other, but Cozzens succeeds in doing both.
I’m usually not one to complain about the quality and quantity of maps in books about battles, and there are plenty of maps in this book. But aside from one overly-detailed map near the beginning of the book, showing the entire Shenandoah Valley with seemingly every town and waterway and landmark labeled in tiny print, with nothing highlighted to show what’s actually important to the narrative, the rest of the maps are the usual closeups to illustrate individual battles, showing troop formations and maneuvers. Since Jackson and the armies he faced were always on the move throughout the region, some more big-picture maps would have been helpful to track their movements. The narrative almost left me with the impression everyone was just wandering around, fighting a battle every time opposing forces randomly bumped into each other. I didn’t get a good sense of the overall cat-and-mouse game, in which Jackson alternated between the pursuer and the pursued, making deliberate movements throughout the Valley that could have been better mapped out to illustrate and complement the narrative.
While much of the focus of the book is on Jackson himself and the Confederate point of view, Cozzens also aims to incorporate the Union perspective to a greater extent than he says other books about the Valley Campaign do. He’s particularly good about incorporating the view from Washington, and the difficulties that Lincoln and Secretary of War Edwin Stanton had in trying to call all the shots from afar, particularly as Jackson complicated their plans. Sometimes the information they got from the field was faulty, other times they were at fault for failing to recognize the real-world challenges that prevented Union commanders from always doing what they were urged or ordered to do. Cozzens describes the commanders and their troops as "flesh-and-blood chess pieces far off in the field," who did not and could not always move around the chessboard as Washington expected.
Ultimately, this is a compelling, well-written account of a sideshow that served its diversionary purpose. The Valley Campaign, Cozzens concludes, provided "time to improve on the defenses of Richmond, and with it a new lease on life for a Confederacy that in the late spring of 1862 was in its death throes." Given its importance in contributing to the failure of the well-studied Peninsula Campaign, Cozzens shows that the Valley Campaign is well worth a full study of its own.
The story unfolds at a leisurely pace, with several mini-biographies and a lengthy history of the Shenandoah Valley, far predating Jackson’s arrival on the scene. When he does show up, just as McClellan is plotting to put down the rebellion once and for all, Cozzens shows how Jackson helped turn the tide, becoming "the Confederacy's only successful commander since First Bull Run," and ensuring that the war would not end in 1862, or for some time to come.
That’s because, while McClellan inched toward Richmond, Jackson aimed to keep McClellan’s potential reinforcements tied up in the Valley. In Cozzens’s telling, Jackson succeeded almost in spite of himself. He comes under some criticism as being erratic, impulsive and overly secretive. By playing his cards close to the vest, he could at times take “what might have been a commendable reticence to a hermetic extreme," Cozzens observes, as Jackson could often leave his own subordinates confused about his plans.
But Cozzens gives Jackson credit for his audacity and boldness and ultimate success. Even when suffering setbacks along the way, he accomplished his goal of keeping Union forces tied up and unable to come to McClellan’s aid. "Stonewall Jackson's antics in the Valley played a large part in what transpired between Washington and the Peninsula," Cozzens writes, as both President Lincoln and McClellan were forced to adjust their plans in response to said “antics.”
The campaign consisted of several battles, all of which are well-described with a mix of big-picture tactics and strategies, and soldiers’-eye views of the actual fighting. I’ve found that many books about battles can offer one or the other, but Cozzens succeeds in doing both.
I’m usually not one to complain about the quality and quantity of maps in books about battles, and there are plenty of maps in this book. But aside from one overly-detailed map near the beginning of the book, showing the entire Shenandoah Valley with seemingly every town and waterway and landmark labeled in tiny print, with nothing highlighted to show what’s actually important to the narrative, the rest of the maps are the usual closeups to illustrate individual battles, showing troop formations and maneuvers. Since Jackson and the armies he faced were always on the move throughout the region, some more big-picture maps would have been helpful to track their movements. The narrative almost left me with the impression everyone was just wandering around, fighting a battle every time opposing forces randomly bumped into each other. I didn’t get a good sense of the overall cat-and-mouse game, in which Jackson alternated between the pursuer and the pursued, making deliberate movements throughout the Valley that could have been better mapped out to illustrate and complement the narrative.
While much of the focus of the book is on Jackson himself and the Confederate point of view, Cozzens also aims to incorporate the Union perspective to a greater extent than he says other books about the Valley Campaign do. He’s particularly good about incorporating the view from Washington, and the difficulties that Lincoln and Secretary of War Edwin Stanton had in trying to call all the shots from afar, particularly as Jackson complicated their plans. Sometimes the information they got from the field was faulty, other times they were at fault for failing to recognize the real-world challenges that prevented Union commanders from always doing what they were urged or ordered to do. Cozzens describes the commanders and their troops as "flesh-and-blood chess pieces far off in the field," who did not and could not always move around the chessboard as Washington expected.
Ultimately, this is a compelling, well-written account of a sideshow that served its diversionary purpose. The Valley Campaign, Cozzens concludes, provided "time to improve on the defenses of Richmond, and with it a new lease on life for a Confederacy that in the late spring of 1862 was in its death throes." Given its importance in contributing to the failure of the well-studied Peninsula Campaign, Cozzens shows that the Valley Campaign is well worth a full study of its own.
September 13, 2013
Revisionist look at Stonewall Jackson's most famous exploit. As a detailed campaign history it's worth reading: Cozzens covers a lot of ground in admirable detail, describing strategic decisions, personalities and battles without losing reader interest. The main problem though is Cozzens's obsession with his hobbyhorse: that Jackson was not that great a general. He doesn't make a strong case, pointing up Jackson's unpleasant qualities (eg. his terse dismissal of Richard Garnett, secrecy towards subordinates, religious zealotry) which, however personally unlikeable they might have made Jackson, have little bearing on his tactical abilities. He does make reasonable critiques of Jackson's mishandling of the Romney raid and his recklessness at Cross Keys, but seems loathe to acknowledge Jackson's more decisive victories or strategic impact. And while Cozzens' goal of examining Union decision-making is admirable, he really strains to show the likes of Nathaniel Banks and John C. Fremont as anything but incompetent. One actual sentence about the Battle of Winchester: "Having expected defeat, Banks had mentally prepared himself for the difficulties of retreat." Surely no more backhanded compliment has ever been paid.
November 23, 2008
Of all the various authors currently writing Civil War history, I think Cozzens is by far the most readable. This book covers the entire campaign in the Shenadoah Valley up to the time Jackson's forces were pulled out and thrown into the defense of Richmond. you won't find anything here on Jackson's participation in those battles, as it falls outside of the scope of this book and it's just as well, as it wasn't exactly Jackson's shining hour.
The Valley campaign firmly established Jackson's reputation as one of the great military commanders in the South, and a beacon of hope in a very dark hour for the Confederate cause as well. But, you'll find he comes into considerable criticism as a commander throughout the book, especially for someone whose image has been carved into the side of a mountain down in Georgia, a literal iconic figure. It took a quite a bit of on the job training for Jackson to reach the brilliant peak of his career at Chancellorsville, and a lot of good men died on the way.
Watching Jackson develop as a commander is one of the more interesting aspects of this book, and one of its great strengths. He's probably the most eccentric of the great Civil War leaders. Almost no one under his command seems to have had any idea what was on his mind at any point during his campaigns, up to and including the other generals. Cozzens makes an interesting point that this may have been because he was all but incapable of expressing his thoughts verbally. It reminds me of a point in the Ken Burns' Civil War series, when Shelby Foote was talking about Jackson and someone tells him that one of his aides had been killed. According to Shelby, Jackson exclaimed "very commendable, very commendable", primarily as he knew he had to say something, but had no idea what to say. Jackson's strong Christian beliefs come into play in the book as well with several instances of Jackson criticising his commanders for using profane language. The image of Jackson pausing to pray to God for divine assistance during a particularly critical point in one battle is practically Old Testament.
Jackson pushed himself and his troops to the point of collapse, often for very limited results and never really accepted their physical limits or his own. He was particularly demanding of his subordinate officers and attempted to wreck the careers of two of his generals for their supposed failures in several battles. He also seems not to have understood at this point how to coordinate and deploy large units into battle.
However for all his faults, he was overwhelmingly the superior of most of the Union commanders he faced, and Cozzens does an exceptional job of giving the reader solid images of every one. Shields and Fremont in particular come in for well-deserved criticism. But Lincoln gets a fair amount as well, as at this stage he hadn't found dependable commanding generals and took a personal hand in directing the war. However, you get the clear idea from Cozzens that Jackson's reputation was built on fighting inferior generals, and the impression if Grant and Sherman had been in charge of the Union forces in the Valley, we would have a very different image of Jackson today.
This is a great book for the Civil War buff, you could hardly ask for better. It's probably more than a bit much for the average reader, but then if you're buying a book of this length on one campaign, you probably should rank yourself among the buffs. If you like this book and haven't already read Cozzen's other Civil War books, you definitely should.
The Valley campaign firmly established Jackson's reputation as one of the great military commanders in the South, and a beacon of hope in a very dark hour for the Confederate cause as well. But, you'll find he comes into considerable criticism as a commander throughout the book, especially for someone whose image has been carved into the side of a mountain down in Georgia, a literal iconic figure. It took a quite a bit of on the job training for Jackson to reach the brilliant peak of his career at Chancellorsville, and a lot of good men died on the way.
Watching Jackson develop as a commander is one of the more interesting aspects of this book, and one of its great strengths. He's probably the most eccentric of the great Civil War leaders. Almost no one under his command seems to have had any idea what was on his mind at any point during his campaigns, up to and including the other generals. Cozzens makes an interesting point that this may have been because he was all but incapable of expressing his thoughts verbally. It reminds me of a point in the Ken Burns' Civil War series, when Shelby Foote was talking about Jackson and someone tells him that one of his aides had been killed. According to Shelby, Jackson exclaimed "very commendable, very commendable", primarily as he knew he had to say something, but had no idea what to say. Jackson's strong Christian beliefs come into play in the book as well with several instances of Jackson criticising his commanders for using profane language. The image of Jackson pausing to pray to God for divine assistance during a particularly critical point in one battle is practically Old Testament.
Jackson pushed himself and his troops to the point of collapse, often for very limited results and never really accepted their physical limits or his own. He was particularly demanding of his subordinate officers and attempted to wreck the careers of two of his generals for their supposed failures in several battles. He also seems not to have understood at this point how to coordinate and deploy large units into battle.
However for all his faults, he was overwhelmingly the superior of most of the Union commanders he faced, and Cozzens does an exceptional job of giving the reader solid images of every one. Shields and Fremont in particular come in for well-deserved criticism. But Lincoln gets a fair amount as well, as at this stage he hadn't found dependable commanding generals and took a personal hand in directing the war. However, you get the clear idea from Cozzens that Jackson's reputation was built on fighting inferior generals, and the impression if Grant and Sherman had been in charge of the Union forces in the Valley, we would have a very different image of Jackson today.
This is a great book for the Civil War buff, you could hardly ask for better. It's probably more than a bit much for the average reader, but then if you're buying a book of this length on one campaign, you probably should rank yourself among the buffs. If you like this book and haven't already read Cozzen's other Civil War books, you definitely should.
June 5, 2015
Cozzens has (surprisingly) written the first book-length history of the 1862 Valley campaign that made Stonewall Jackson the first rising star in the Confederate luminary that relies on both Confederate and Union primary sources. Previous books have relied only on Confederate sources, so the campaign has traditionally been seen as an unalloyed Confederate triumph.
However, Cozzen's mildly revisionist history brings some sanity to the adulation and warm glow of Southern success, pointing out the tactical weaknesses of Jackson, especially early in the campaign, and his minimalist communications style that left even his commanding officers uninformed about objectives and tactics. On the Federal side is the usual parade of buffoonery masquerading as leadership, particularly as the Shenandoah Valley was seen by Union leaders as a secondary theater to the ongoing (but ever-halting) attempt to attack Richmond. In the end, while Cozzen's account of Jackson's actions may not always shine a positive light on his reputation, the reader is left by the end of the book still admiring of Jackson's ability to lead and his success on the field.
Cozzens does a good job describing the environs of the Valley, which tracks along the current I-81 through central Virginia, its people, and its importance (then and now) as a thriving transportation and verdant farming corridor between the rising Allegheny mountains to the west and the wet lowlands of coastal Virginia to the east. The armies of both North and South would range up and down this broad valley during the six months of the 1862 campaign with towns like Winchester, Martinsburg, and Harrisonburg changing hands numerous times as fortunes ebbed and flowed. Indeed, the gently rolling hills and prosperous farms of the Valley form the stereotypical backdrop that many today envision when they think of a Civil War battle scene.
In all, Cozzen's work is a valuable piece of scholarship on the Compaign because of his bipartisan mining of the primary sources. One flaw is his over-reliance on the primary sources for soldiers' and officers' descriptions of the battles during his overlong descriptions of the few set-piece battles that occurred in that six month window. Yes, the phrasing, wording, and heartfelt passion of these letters home is laudable, but the viewpoint of a single soldier in the midst of a much larger battle waged by tens of thousands of troops over several miles of sometimes disconnected battlefront provides little perspective on the over all tactical progress of a battle and even less on its strategic significance. Cozzen's should have written up from his primary sources to provide us with these needed tactical and strategic viewpoints, while perhaps dedicating a single chapter to the soldiers' view of the war so we could still get a flavor of the common language and passion of the day.
Still, a needed addition to the Civil War library, especially for students of Jackson and those with an interest in the history of the Shenandoah Valley
However, Cozzen's mildly revisionist history brings some sanity to the adulation and warm glow of Southern success, pointing out the tactical weaknesses of Jackson, especially early in the campaign, and his minimalist communications style that left even his commanding officers uninformed about objectives and tactics. On the Federal side is the usual parade of buffoonery masquerading as leadership, particularly as the Shenandoah Valley was seen by Union leaders as a secondary theater to the ongoing (but ever-halting) attempt to attack Richmond. In the end, while Cozzen's account of Jackson's actions may not always shine a positive light on his reputation, the reader is left by the end of the book still admiring of Jackson's ability to lead and his success on the field.
Cozzens does a good job describing the environs of the Valley, which tracks along the current I-81 through central Virginia, its people, and its importance (then and now) as a thriving transportation and verdant farming corridor between the rising Allegheny mountains to the west and the wet lowlands of coastal Virginia to the east. The armies of both North and South would range up and down this broad valley during the six months of the 1862 campaign with towns like Winchester, Martinsburg, and Harrisonburg changing hands numerous times as fortunes ebbed and flowed. Indeed, the gently rolling hills and prosperous farms of the Valley form the stereotypical backdrop that many today envision when they think of a Civil War battle scene.
In all, Cozzen's work is a valuable piece of scholarship on the Compaign because of his bipartisan mining of the primary sources. One flaw is his over-reliance on the primary sources for soldiers' and officers' descriptions of the battles during his overlong descriptions of the few set-piece battles that occurred in that six month window. Yes, the phrasing, wording, and heartfelt passion of these letters home is laudable, but the viewpoint of a single soldier in the midst of a much larger battle waged by tens of thousands of troops over several miles of sometimes disconnected battlefront provides little perspective on the over all tactical progress of a battle and even less on its strategic significance. Cozzen's should have written up from his primary sources to provide us with these needed tactical and strategic viewpoints, while perhaps dedicating a single chapter to the soldiers' view of the war so we could still get a flavor of the common language and passion of the day.
Still, a needed addition to the Civil War library, especially for students of Jackson and those with an interest in the history of the Shenandoah Valley
March 21, 2019
I came close to closing this book and throwing it out twice! I am a student of General Jackson, his Valley campaign (lived and studied in Harrisonburg for five years) and have read many books and articles regarding this period in history. When the hype says it's a balanced viewpoint that takes away the mythology surrounding Jackson's campaign, I was intrigued and my expectations were high. The flyleaf insinuates that this is a more complete and balanced presentation than Robert Tanner's Stonewall in the Valley (though Cozzens doesn't name the author or the book - I get it, though).
After Cozzens wrote that Jackson was a hypocrite and Ashby was effeminate, I realized Cozzens had a major axe to grind. I kept reading. After he made snide remarks regarding the volunteer Virginia militia units in the campaign, I kept reading - Cozzens is, after all, from Illinois and he worked at the State Department. When Cozzens paints the picture that General Jackson was an idiosyncratic boob that went into these battles thoughtlessly and recklessly, I now lose my patience and write this review. I wonder if he has thoroughly studied Thomas Jonathan Jackson?
Cozzens even takes knocks at Robert E. Lee, who was at this point the senior military adviser to Jefferson Davis. Why criticize Lee for "pseudo-leadership" in the opening of the Valley Campaign? Again, Cozzens has an axe to grind! Jackson flits in and out of Cozzens narrative like a flea on a hot griddle. In an effort to weave the Union movements and cast of characters in the story, the writing style becomes very disjointed and longwinded. I had to re-read several sections over in order to make sense of the story line.
Cozzens writing style does NOT flow; there are so many run-on sentences. I read part of the book out loud to my wife (who is also a teacher) and she asked if there was any editing prior to publication! There are MANY sentences in the book my high school English teacher would have red lined and told me to re-write!
I CANNOT recommend this book. It is not balanced, it is not unbiased and spins its own mythology. Read Robert Tanner's book, Stonewall in the Valley (just ignore Jackson sucking on lemons). Read James I. Robertson's biography on Jackson and his book on the Stonewall Brigade (this was Robertson's dissertation).
I am glad that I bought Cozzens' book as a used book! $8!!
After Cozzens wrote that Jackson was a hypocrite and Ashby was effeminate, I realized Cozzens had a major axe to grind. I kept reading. After he made snide remarks regarding the volunteer Virginia militia units in the campaign, I kept reading - Cozzens is, after all, from Illinois and he worked at the State Department. When Cozzens paints the picture that General Jackson was an idiosyncratic boob that went into these battles thoughtlessly and recklessly, I now lose my patience and write this review. I wonder if he has thoroughly studied Thomas Jonathan Jackson?
Cozzens even takes knocks at Robert E. Lee, who was at this point the senior military adviser to Jefferson Davis. Why criticize Lee for "pseudo-leadership" in the opening of the Valley Campaign? Again, Cozzens has an axe to grind! Jackson flits in and out of Cozzens narrative like a flea on a hot griddle. In an effort to weave the Union movements and cast of characters in the story, the writing style becomes very disjointed and longwinded. I had to re-read several sections over in order to make sense of the story line.
Cozzens writing style does NOT flow; there are so many run-on sentences. I read part of the book out loud to my wife (who is also a teacher) and she asked if there was any editing prior to publication! There are MANY sentences in the book my high school English teacher would have red lined and told me to re-write!
I CANNOT recommend this book. It is not balanced, it is not unbiased and spins its own mythology. Read Robert Tanner's book, Stonewall in the Valley (just ignore Jackson sucking on lemons). Read James I. Robertson's biography on Jackson and his book on the Stonewall Brigade (this was Robertson's dissertation).
I am glad that I bought Cozzens' book as a used book! $8!!
February 5, 2019
My meandering journey through history of American Civil War has now shifted from the East back to Western Theatre and early 1862. Yes, it was time to learn a bit more about this legendary Valley campaign of Thomas Jackson. And based on my appreciation of Peter Cozzens’ ‘The Darkest Days of War’, his volume dedicated to Jackson’s 1862 Shenandoah Valley campaign was the natural choice for me.
As it turns out, it was also the perfect choice – ‘Shenandoah 1862’ is yet another one of those beautifully written military history narratives that American Civil War seems to be blessed with. The author strikes perfect balance between coverage at operational level, details of individual engagement and personal experience of ordinary soldiers. Perhaps most importantly though, he succeeds completely in painting a vivid picture of individual leaders – an aspect which I’m slowly starting to realize is of extraordinary importance in this particular conflict. Granted, after reading this book Jackson still remains an enigma to me, but on the other hand understanding that man is perhaps simply impossible. But Banks, Fremont, Shields and Ewell... I think I’m having pretty good grasp of those men after reading this book and it’s a knowledge that will come to good use when I encounter three of those generals in my future studies of Civil War.
Saying that a book is a must read is usually a bit of cliché by default, but I think that in this case it really is a well-founded claim. For ACW history buffs, this volume provides a detailed study of one of the most legendary campaigns of the conflict as well as realistic portraits of three of major military leaders of this conflict. At the same time, I am convinced that readers new to the topic will find this volume both easy to absorb and very educational in regard of realities of warfare during Civil War. I would even go as far as claiming that 'Shenandoah 1862', due to the limited scope and compactness of the campaign as well as the fact that it took place so early in the war, may very well be the perfect starting point for more serious study of American Civil War.
As it turns out, it was also the perfect choice – ‘Shenandoah 1862’ is yet another one of those beautifully written military history narratives that American Civil War seems to be blessed with. The author strikes perfect balance between coverage at operational level, details of individual engagement and personal experience of ordinary soldiers. Perhaps most importantly though, he succeeds completely in painting a vivid picture of individual leaders – an aspect which I’m slowly starting to realize is of extraordinary importance in this particular conflict. Granted, after reading this book Jackson still remains an enigma to me, but on the other hand understanding that man is perhaps simply impossible. But Banks, Fremont, Shields and Ewell... I think I’m having pretty good grasp of those men after reading this book and it’s a knowledge that will come to good use when I encounter three of those generals in my future studies of Civil War.
Saying that a book is a must read is usually a bit of cliché by default, but I think that in this case it really is a well-founded claim. For ACW history buffs, this volume provides a detailed study of one of the most legendary campaigns of the conflict as well as realistic portraits of three of major military leaders of this conflict. At the same time, I am convinced that readers new to the topic will find this volume both easy to absorb and very educational in regard of realities of warfare during Civil War. I would even go as far as claiming that 'Shenandoah 1862', due to the limited scope and compactness of the campaign as well as the fact that it took place so early in the war, may very well be the perfect starting point for more serious study of American Civil War.
May 28, 2012
A very in-depth book covering Jackson's famous Valley Campaign of 1862. It starts with Jackson being appointed commander of the Valley in November 1861 and ends with him departing the Valley in June 1862 to participate in the Seven Days Battles near Richmond. Jackson's somewhat infamous but often overlooked Romney Campaign during the winter of 1861-1862 is also covered. It may be the most complete treatment of the campaign ever written.
Cozzens has mostly written about the western theater of the Civil War, but he delivers an excellent book here in his usual style. He gives good coverage of the Union side of the campaign as well. As usual with Cozzens' books, his biggest drawback is his level of detail as he breaks things down to the regimental level and at times that can provide an overwhelming amount of detail.
There are maps for all the battles which I found to be pretty good. The beginning of the book also spends some time covering the Valley itself.
Most interesting was Cozzens' opinion of many of the major characters of the campaign. He's also clearly not Stonewall apologist, finding plenty of polite criticism for Jackson's behavior and decisions. Beloved tragic cavalry commander Turner Ashby also takes a fair share of criticism. He is actually less harsh about most of Lincoln and Stanton's command decisions during the campaign than most writers. Many Union commanders also receive what seems like a different judgment than is oft levied against him. Fremont receives plenty of deserved criticism, but the legitimate difficulties he and other commanders faced are given the attention they deserve. There is far more depth here than the popular notion of brilliant Jackson and his inept adversaries.
Overall, Cozzens paints an impressive and detailed picture of a significant and nuanced campaign.
Given his treatment of the 1862 campaign, I hope Cozzens plans to revisit the Valley with 1-2 further books covering the 1864 Valley campaigns of Sigel, Hunter, Early, and Sheridan.
Cozzens has mostly written about the western theater of the Civil War, but he delivers an excellent book here in his usual style. He gives good coverage of the Union side of the campaign as well. As usual with Cozzens' books, his biggest drawback is his level of detail as he breaks things down to the regimental level and at times that can provide an overwhelming amount of detail.
There are maps for all the battles which I found to be pretty good. The beginning of the book also spends some time covering the Valley itself.
Most interesting was Cozzens' opinion of many of the major characters of the campaign. He's also clearly not Stonewall apologist, finding plenty of polite criticism for Jackson's behavior and decisions. Beloved tragic cavalry commander Turner Ashby also takes a fair share of criticism. He is actually less harsh about most of Lincoln and Stanton's command decisions during the campaign than most writers. Many Union commanders also receive what seems like a different judgment than is oft levied against him. Fremont receives plenty of deserved criticism, but the legitimate difficulties he and other commanders faced are given the attention they deserve. There is far more depth here than the popular notion of brilliant Jackson and his inept adversaries.
Overall, Cozzens paints an impressive and detailed picture of a significant and nuanced campaign.
Given his treatment of the 1862 campaign, I hope Cozzens plans to revisit the Valley with 1-2 further books covering the 1864 Valley campaigns of Sigel, Hunter, Early, and Sheridan.
June 7, 2013
The work "stellar" is used rarely when one describes the concept and exectution of a work of non-fiction. This book, however, deserves the word and more lauds. I have never read a work on the Civil War with such a scholarly approach and such depth of background and insight. As all Civil War buffs know "Stonewall" Jackson always though out-of-the-box. His strategy was unpredictable, always, and his shifts of attack legendary. Through these tactics, he thwarted the Union's attempt to re-inforce their troops against a major Richmond raid.
But, Cozzens handles this as if it were a multi-faceted diamond. Each element, each angle, each movement is examined and backed up by footnotes and research. The notes and bib are, in themselves, a good reference for anyone to become an avid reader on the War.
His writing, to me, is so detailed, after I close the book, for a second, I'm not sure where I am: the reader is awash in stunning, lucid sentences about the 1862 Campaign, fought in the beautiful hills of Shenandoah, called "Jackson's Valley Campaign."
Thanks from a new fan, Mr. Cozzens!! The book is a shooting star across those tragic and forgotten battlefields.
But, Cozzens handles this as if it were a multi-faceted diamond. Each element, each angle, each movement is examined and backed up by footnotes and research. The notes and bib are, in themselves, a good reference for anyone to become an avid reader on the War.
His writing, to me, is so detailed, after I close the book, for a second, I'm not sure where I am: the reader is awash in stunning, lucid sentences about the 1862 Campaign, fought in the beautiful hills of Shenandoah, called "Jackson's Valley Campaign."
Thanks from a new fan, Mr. Cozzens!! The book is a shooting star across those tragic and forgotten battlefields.
October 28, 2008
This is a well-written, highly-detailed look at the Shenandoah campaign of Stonewall Jackson.
But I couldn't finish it. The level of detail vastly exceeded my level of interest.
If you're really into the Civil War and/or Stonewall Jackson, I highly recommend this book -- five stars. If your interest is more casual, you might want to give it a try from the library first because it may be (much) more than what you're looking for.
But I couldn't finish it. The level of detail vastly exceeded my level of interest.
If you're really into the Civil War and/or Stonewall Jackson, I highly recommend this book -- five stars. If your interest is more casual, you might want to give it a try from the library first because it may be (much) more than what you're looking for.
May 30, 2012
I hated to give this 3 out of 5 stars because Cozzens wrote what is probably my favorite Civil War book, "This Terrible Sound," about Chickamauga. I just felt a detachment in this book that doesn't seem to be present in his Western Theater books (on Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Iuka/Corinth, and Stones River). There weren't enough maps, which is essential in any study of the Valley Campaign. It just did not work for me, which is a shame because it was a massive undertaking (512 pages of text).
December 16, 2014
This book was well detailed. Unfortunately, it was so detailed that it interfered with the author's own narrative & started boring me to tears.
I mean really, he spent over 30% of the book (or 9 chapters - 150 out of 500 pages) just discussing the pitiful state of morale in Jackson's Army as well as the sloth of the Army of Northern Virgina.
The author tried to make it worthwhile, which was why I gave it 3 stars instead of 2, but his prose was a complete flop.
I mean really, he spent over 30% of the book (or 9 chapters - 150 out of 500 pages) just discussing the pitiful state of morale in Jackson's Army as well as the sloth of the Army of Northern Virgina.
The author tried to make it worthwhile, which was why I gave it 3 stars instead of 2, but his prose was a complete flop.
Read
May 9, 2021Well written account of the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of the Civil War. Very focused on what happened in the Valley in the year 1862, barely mentioning any other events during that year. But, a pretty exhaustive look at the whole campaign that year, and a good look from both sides.
The campaign gave Stonewall Jackson some of his greatest fame, something I always knew, but didn't know why. Turns out, I still don't. It seems the biggest factor to the "success" of the confederates in the valley was federal generalship, and its incompentency. Which, is very similar to the rest of the war. However, slipups on the southern side, including tactical mistakes from Jackson, kept some battles from really hurting the north. But, its considered a good campaign for the south b/c they were greatly outnumbered, and didn't have any success elsewhere in the war during the year, so the south gave extra weight to the small victories in the campaign.
The battles themselves weren't particularly major, I'm not sure any reached 1,000 total casualties b/w both sides. But, Jackson's goal was to distract Union from attacking w/full force against Richmond, which he successfully completed, due to Lincoln sending McDowell's command into the valley, tho all that resulted in was a lot of marching, and Shields' division getting mauled pretty bad at Port Republic (tho also inflicting some damage before retreating).
Well written, using letters from troops, and seemingly objective conclusions about decisions made during campaign. The only drawback is I'm not sold that the campaign, in the overall scope of the war, was important enough for such a focus, except to Civil War buffs, like me.
The campaign gave Stonewall Jackson some of his greatest fame, something I always knew, but didn't know why. Turns out, I still don't. It seems the biggest factor to the "success" of the confederates in the valley was federal generalship, and its incompentency. Which, is very similar to the rest of the war. However, slipups on the southern side, including tactical mistakes from Jackson, kept some battles from really hurting the north. But, its considered a good campaign for the south b/c they were greatly outnumbered, and didn't have any success elsewhere in the war during the year, so the south gave extra weight to the small victories in the campaign.
The battles themselves weren't particularly major, I'm not sure any reached 1,000 total casualties b/w both sides. But, Jackson's goal was to distract Union from attacking w/full force against Richmond, which he successfully completed, due to Lincoln sending McDowell's command into the valley, tho all that resulted in was a lot of marching, and Shields' division getting mauled pretty bad at Port Republic (tho also inflicting some damage before retreating).
Well written, using letters from troops, and seemingly objective conclusions about decisions made during campaign. The only drawback is I'm not sold that the campaign, in the overall scope of the war, was important enough for such a focus, except to Civil War buffs, like me.
January 11, 2017
This is a detailed book on Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign of 1862. It uses sources from both the Northern and Southern which gives it a good balance. It is well researched and tells the full story from Jackson's assignment to the Valley until his men left for Richmond to join Lee's army. One thing it does is give a much more balanced view of Northern strategies than I feel are generally shown. The author also is critical of Jackson when he feels it is warranted. At times the book slows down somewhat with all the anecdotal evidence, but this also adds a lot of dimension to the bigger facts surrounding the events. If you are a student of the Civil War, this is a very good book.
January 30, 2021
Excellent work
I have heard of Mr. Cozzens for many years and this is the first of his many works that I have read. I must say that his writing is nothing short of excellent. Despite my interest in the subject, I found his prose a sheer pleasure to read. I found myself looking forward to the opportunity to sit down with this book and was saddened that it had to end. Thank you Mr. Cozzens.
I have heard of Mr. Cozzens for many years and this is the first of his many works that I have read. I must say that his writing is nothing short of excellent. Despite my interest in the subject, I found his prose a sheer pleasure to read. I found myself looking forward to the opportunity to sit down with this book and was saddened that it had to end. Thank you Mr. Cozzens.
April 21, 2024
Great read about the 1862 Shenandoah campaign.
A very detailed account of the campaign and its many battles. While acknowledging Stonewall Jackson's developing military skills during the campaign, he describes him as a capable commander, not a legendary figure. Warts and all. His Union counterparts are also well described, mostly warts. As usual, works of military genius are usually accomplished by first rate generals opposed by third rate generals.
A very detailed account of the campaign and its many battles. While acknowledging Stonewall Jackson's developing military skills during the campaign, he describes him as a capable commander, not a legendary figure. Warts and all. His Union counterparts are also well described, mostly warts. As usual, works of military genius are usually accomplished by first rate generals opposed by third rate generals.
March 29, 2019
Very biased research. Many grammatical errors, run-on sentences, etc. This man is not a fan of Jackson or Ashby. Almost put the book away twice. Why did he write it? He is very critical of primary source material as well. No surprise! He worked for the Feds and is from Illinois. Surprised UNC Press published this! Read Tanner’s book!
January 21, 2018
well detailed, but I prefer my history a little more personality-driven.
May 8, 2019
A bit of a slog. Cozzens writes from a very close perspective using primary sources so the big picture remains shrouded in mystery. Good book though, lots of fun anecdotes. Lots of not so fun anecdotes.
June 23, 2022
Read this book about 10 years ago, but I still draw on this great book when referring to the campaign. Great book
March 24, 2023
Detailed, thorough, balanced, primary source-based work on a key Civil War campaign.
July 25, 2009
Peter Cozzens established his reputation as an author with a series of excellent western battle histories. Now he turns his attention to one of the classic campaigns in America’s military history. “Stonewall” Jackson’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign is one of the best examples of what a smaller determined force can accomplish. The Robert G. Tanner and Gary W. Gallagher produced excellent campaign studies and Gary L. Ecelbarger is doing excellent work on individual battles. Tanner’s book has long been considered the “standard work” by which all other books are judged. I am not ready to dethrone Tanner but I feel this is a real challenger for the title of best campaign study.
This is a detailed history, omitting nothing of importance and including most of the smaller details that make history interesting. This is not a dry, detailed account that plods on page after dreary page. Cozzens’ lively style combines first person accounts with his considerable skill as a storyteller. The result is a history unfolding as it happened, imparting the urgency the participants felt to the reader. We know the story BUT we always understand how limited their knowledge was at the time. This ability makes bad decisions understandable and it shows the problem with doing nothing.
General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson is one of the pivotal figures of the early war. Lionized by many, he became a mythic heroic saintly leader. Cozzens gives us a very human Jackson. He is a complex person completely committed to the cause. He is a harsh taskmaster, prone to snap judgments and unforgiving. This portrait is neither unflattering nor idolizing. It seems to be completely honest, presenting the good and bad points that all men have.
N. P. Banks is a mixed bag, with some very good points as a person but a poor general. He is given a fair treatment that refused to make him a fool or a hero. Freemont is himself, vain, a poor general and a fool. The portrayal is what he was and nothing can change that. The treatment of Lincoln and Stanton is fair. While condemned for overreacting the author recognizes they lost sight of what was important and concentrated on a secondary front.
The handling of Garnett is excellent. The ”reasons” Jackson found for the charges are well covered. This includes the personality problems and differences in what they saw as the role of second in command. The full story of the court martial and political maneuvers is not detailed within the book.
The writing is excellent. Battles are detailed, well covered and very understandable. The reader has no problems understanding why a position must be held or taken. The author’s conclusions are well presented and quite good.
My only problem with this book is the maps. First, they were not completely proofed. Units in the battle are misidentified on the map. Second, maps need to be placed where they are needed. A map of the midpoint of a battle should not be placed at the start of the story. Likewise, one map cannot cover multiple unit positions with no indication of movement. I found this to be a constant problem when trying to follow the battle on the map. However, this is not a reason to bypass this excellent book.
I feel this will become a classic account of this campaign. The book is informative and fun to read.
This is a detailed history, omitting nothing of importance and including most of the smaller details that make history interesting. This is not a dry, detailed account that plods on page after dreary page. Cozzens’ lively style combines first person accounts with his considerable skill as a storyteller. The result is a history unfolding as it happened, imparting the urgency the participants felt to the reader. We know the story BUT we always understand how limited their knowledge was at the time. This ability makes bad decisions understandable and it shows the problem with doing nothing.
General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson is one of the pivotal figures of the early war. Lionized by many, he became a mythic heroic saintly leader. Cozzens gives us a very human Jackson. He is a complex person completely committed to the cause. He is a harsh taskmaster, prone to snap judgments and unforgiving. This portrait is neither unflattering nor idolizing. It seems to be completely honest, presenting the good and bad points that all men have.
N. P. Banks is a mixed bag, with some very good points as a person but a poor general. He is given a fair treatment that refused to make him a fool or a hero. Freemont is himself, vain, a poor general and a fool. The portrayal is what he was and nothing can change that. The treatment of Lincoln and Stanton is fair. While condemned for overreacting the author recognizes they lost sight of what was important and concentrated on a secondary front.
The handling of Garnett is excellent. The ”reasons” Jackson found for the charges are well covered. This includes the personality problems and differences in what they saw as the role of second in command. The full story of the court martial and political maneuvers is not detailed within the book.
The writing is excellent. Battles are detailed, well covered and very understandable. The reader has no problems understanding why a position must be held or taken. The author’s conclusions are well presented and quite good.
My only problem with this book is the maps. First, they were not completely proofed. Units in the battle are misidentified on the map. Second, maps need to be placed where they are needed. A map of the midpoint of a battle should not be placed at the start of the story. Likewise, one map cannot cover multiple unit positions with no indication of movement. I found this to be a constant problem when trying to follow the battle on the map. However, this is not a reason to bypass this excellent book.
I feel this will become a classic account of this campaign. The book is informative and fun to read.
February 16, 2017
This is a clear recounting of the Shenandoah Valley campaign of spring 1862. The subtitle reads “Stonewall Jackson’s Valley Campaign” and that’s good for sizzle; also, Jackson won it, so I guess he’s entitled to have it named after him. It’s also the Union’s campaign and Cozzens looks at it from its point of view as well. The reader will find that Jackson doesn’t always shine and the Yankees have some (few) good moments. The last chapter of the book sums things up well. From it, I found that Jackson won it by virtue of bold, aggressive movements when he was able to mass his small forces against smaller forces; the Federals lost it by mainly by over-caution, or timidity, when they had the advantage. Both sides had able and not-so-able subordinate performers. There are many contemporary (from the period) quotes and I could have done with fewer, but overall I found it an excellent read.
Read
August 2, 2011After writing several books on key battles in the Western Theater (Corinth & Iuka, Stones River, Chickamauga, Chattanooga), Peter Cozzens turns his attention to Stonewall Jackson's Shenandoah Valley Campaign. Unlike many previous histories, this book presents a balanced picture by presenting both the Union & Confederate perspectives. Cozzens also makes a critical analysis of Stonewall Jackson's tactics (Confederate losses were much higher than they could have been due to Jackson feeding his troops into battle piecemeal) and his command style (he drove his key subordinates nuts by keeping them in the dark as to his plans).
Cozzens analyzes the roles of President Lincoln & Secretary of War Stanton in managing the war from Washington D.C. and also the roles of key union commanders like Banks, Fremont, Shields, McDowell & McClellan. Banks is usually considered an incompetent political general in most Civil War histories but he comes across much better in this book.
The beginning of the book drags while Cozzens discusses Jackson's Romney campaign during the winter of 1861-62 but it picks up when he gets to the Valley campaign proper. I highly recommend this book.
Cozzens analyzes the roles of President Lincoln & Secretary of War Stanton in managing the war from Washington D.C. and also the roles of key union commanders like Banks, Fremont, Shields, McDowell & McClellan. Banks is usually considered an incompetent political general in most Civil War histories but he comes across much better in this book.
The beginning of the book drags while Cozzens discusses Jackson's Romney campaign during the winter of 1861-62 but it picks up when he gets to the Valley campaign proper. I highly recommend this book.
July 13, 2024
On the one hand, this book is a bit of an improvement over Robert Tanner's book, since it gives more coverage to the Union forces in the campaign. However, the author seems to have a grudge against Jackson. For example, he accuses Jackson of "hypocrisy" for using a private home in Winchester at the start of the campaign, despite the fact that such behavior seems common for other Civil War generals. Also, he seems to go to great lengths to make the Union generals better than traditional views of their leadership, such as portraying Banks' retreat to the Potomac following First Winchester as being calm and orderly.
November 1, 2020
Shenandoah 1862 is solidly good, but not quite as good as Cozzens' earlier books, mainly because he doesn't concentrate on all the battlefield drama like he did in his volumes on the Western campaigns. Possibly this is because the conflicts of the Valley were micro-battles in comparison, often with no more than one division ever engaged at a time. It's refreshing to see an examination of the Northern generals because they are so often overlooked. In Cozzens' estimation Banks is not as bad as modern reputation makes him out to be, Fremont is rather meh, and Shields is downright awful.
It would be interesting to see if Cozzens ever decided to tackle any more of the Eastern campaigns.
It would be interesting to see if Cozzens ever decided to tackle any more of the Eastern campaigns.
September 11, 2012
A very thoughtful and detailed account of the early battles of the War. Cozzens points out that Jackson was not without fault despite the way he is often portrayed by other books. He also elaborates on the incompetence of the commanding Union officers that allowed the conflict to progress beyond this time when the Confederacy was near defeat. This work is a nice mix of biographical data about the primary players and tactical discussion. I would absolutely recommend any of Cozzen's other works as well if they are similar in quality to this one. Would actually rate this a 4.5 if I had the option to do so!
December 31, 2014
This was a work book. We are doing an exhibit on the Civil War and the Indiana unit we are focusing on featured prominently in this campaign. I applaud the amount of research the author did and the fact that he had the courage to question some of our long held beliefs, such as how good was Stonewall Jackson really. It also boggles the mind how badly the North was saddled with poor military leaders early in the war.
June 16, 2009
An outstanding, detailed look at Stonewall Jackson's campaign in the Shenandoah Valley in the first half of 1862. Cozzens focuses on both the generals who dictated the battles and on the common soldier marching, camping and fighting in the misery.
April 3, 2010
Had to get it back to the library, but will pick up again. Engaging at times, but hard to follow without knowledge of the places described. Since then, we visited some to the places, and next read will make more sense.
June 26, 2013
Another good overall analysis of the Shenandoah Valley Campaign that provides a more balanced perspective of the actions of both the North and the South. A good companion read to Tanner's Stonewall in the Valley.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews