Calamity at Chancellorsville: The Wounding and Death of Confederate General Stonewall Jackson

by Mathew W. Lively

On May 2, 1863, Confederate General Thomas J. Stonewall Jackson led his Second Corps around the unsuspecting Army of the Potomac on one of the most daring flank marches in history. His surprise flank attackOColaunched with the five simple words You can go forward, thenOCocollapsed a Union corps in one of the most stunning accomplishments of the war. Flushed with victory, Jackson decided to continue attacking into the night. He and members of his staff rode beyond the lines to scout the ground while his units reorganized. However, Southern soldiers mistook the riders for Union cavalry and opened fire, mortally wounding Jackson at the apogee of his military career. One of the rounds broke JacksonOCOs left arm, which required amputation. A week later Old Jack was dead.Calamity at Chancellorsville: The Wounding and Death of Confederate General Stonewall Jackson is the first full-length examination of JacksonOCOs final days. Contrary to popular belief, eyewitnesses often disagreed regarding key facts relating to the events surrounding JacksonOCOs reconnaissance, wounding, harrowing journey out of harmOCOs way, medical care, and death. These accounts, for example, conflict regarding where Jackson was fatally wounded and even the road he was on when struck. If he wasnOCOt wounded where history has recorded, then who delivered the fatal volley? How many times did he fall from the stretcher? What medical treatment did he receive? What type of amputation did Dr. Hunter McGuire perform? Did Jackson really utter his famous last words, Let us cross over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees? What was the cause of his death?Author Mathew W. Lively utilizes extensive primary source material and a firm understanding of the area to re-examine the gripping story of the final days of one of the ConfederacyOCOs greatest generals, and how Southerners came to view JacksonOCOs death during and after the conflict. Dr. Lively begins his compelling narrative with a visit from JacksonOCOs family prior to the battle of Chancellorsville, then follows his course through the conflict to its fatal outcome.Instead of revising history, Dr. Lively offers up a fresh new perspective. Calamity at Chancellorsville will stand as the definitive account of one of the most important and surprisingly misunderstood events of the American Civil War.

Genres: Civil War, History, American Civil War, Nonfiction

260 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2013

About the author

Mathew W. Lively is a West Virginia native and practicing physician. He is the author of numerous scientific articles in the medical literature, several of which focus on medical history topics. A life-long student of Civil War history, his first book – Calamity at Chancellorsville: The Wounding and Death of Confederate General Stonewall Jackson – was released by Savas Beatie in May 2013.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book that is so well-written that it reads even shorter than it is. If you are even remotely interested in Jackson's final days, this book is worth reading.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice narrative of the last days in the life of Jackson. I appreciated the fact that it did not dive too deeply into war strategy, but offered the opportunity to more serious war buffs via its appendixes and references. I won this book as part of the Goodreads First Reads program.

[Sharon Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought a Kindle version of this book strictly for the information it contained. I didn't care how it was put together, provided the facts were there and were well-supported. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the book was a beautifully written, meticulously researched, and compelling story of Stonewall Jackson's final days. Dr. Lively has a slightly different version of Jackson's mortal wounding than most other researchers and, after reading carefully and studying his maps, I tend to agree with him. And yes, the minutiae of Jackson's wounding do matter because the fact of Stonewall Jackson's death might have changed the outcome of the Civil War. Not certainly...but possibly.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Mathew W. Lively provides a detailed analysis of the death of Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson in his excellent study Calamity at Chancellorsville: The Wounding and Death of Confederate General Stonewall Jackson. Beginning with Jackson's reunion with his wife Mary Anna and his infant daughter Julia, Lively brings Jackson to life in a new way for me. Personally, Stonewall Jackson had never inspired much interest besides his famous eccentricities and his deep Christian faith as shown in the 2003 film "Gods and Generals." Under Lively's skillful hands, Stonewall Jackson emerged as a loving husband and father who spent the days before his wounding bonding with his baby.

This sweet moment of domestic tranquility is sadly brought to an end by the cruelty of war. The Battle of Chancellorsville would go down as Stonewall Jackson's greatest moment, but the glory only lasted a few hours when the general was wounded in a friendly fire incident. Lively does an excellent job describing the events of the battle and Jackson's wounding. Lively takes the reader through all the conflicting accounts of Jackson's wounding and patiently lays out the evidence that supports his interpretation of events. Of particular note was the argument over where the wounding actually took place and the debate over how many times Jackson actually fell from the stretcher. Dr. Lively, a medical doctor, then details Jackson's wounds and the medical treatment that the General received. It is this part of the book that Dr. Lively really showcases his skills--the doctor clearly and in lay person terms explained the nature of Jackson's wounds and the forms of treatment available in 1863. Following his wounding, Jackson was moved to Guiney Station where he rested in an outbuilding on Fairfield plantation. At first it appeared that Jackson was recovering, but within days of his arrival at Fairfield Jackson began to show signs of pneumonia. Despite the efforts of his medical team, Stonewall Jackson died on Sunday, May 10, 1863.

Dr. Lively's account is the most detailed examination of Jackson's wounding, illness, and death in print. The author spent several years researching and writing this book and the results testify to his commitment to the subject. The author's depiction of Stonewall's death is particularly touching, and regardless on what one thinks about the cause Jackson fought for--his deep Christian faith and the dignity in which he faced his death are indeed admirable. An almost minute-by-minute account, Calamity at Chancellorsville is a gripping read

[Vince · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lively is only concerned with Jackson's wounding, seeming recovery and then relapse and death. A little background information on Jackson's life before this event is included, but only the barest discussion of the Chancellorsville battle itself. This is a unique approach as compared to other writings on the "catastrophe" as most historians have tended, relatively, to give only minor attention to this aspect of the battle. Lively's focus on Jackson from May 3-10 is what makes this book compelling, and a very useful addition to the writings on Civil War history for anyone who has more than a superficial interest.

[Lenny Balacco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book on the final days of Stonewall Jackson.
Easy to read and has additional facts of what happened from the time he was shot until he passed away on May 10
1863.