Cavalry units during the Civil War practiced the so-called foot cavalry drills.[1] The media started to apply the phrase foot cavalry to Jackson's men starting from 1862. This was after Jackson's successful Shenandoah Valley campaign, in which Jackson usually surprised his Union opponents by completing much faster operational maneuvers.
Ancient Israel was invaded by confederate nations from the east much as Stonewall Jackson is invading the country north of the Potomac! ... instead of being "bagged," he, with his "foot cavalry," will recross the Potomac—horse, foot, and dragoons.[3]
In actionedit
One of Jackson's foot cavalry
It was said of Jackson's foot cavalry, they take not what they cannot reach.[4][5] To achieve the reputation for amazing speeds of marching (30 mi (48 km) a day),[6] Stonewall Jackson used a combination of great audacity, excellent knowledge and shrewd use of the terrain, added to the ability to inspire his troops to great feats of marching and fighting. His men endured forced marches and he used an intimate knowledge of the passes and railroad tunnels along the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia to move between the Piedmont region and the Shenandoah Valley with unanticipated rapidity, confounding his opponents in the Union leadership.[7][8]
Because his opponents learned early in the War that they could not accurately predict his location, Jackson and his "foot cavalry" are considered by many historians to have been a major factor in leadership failures of U.S. PresidentAbraham Lincoln and General George B. McClellan during the Peninsula Campaign. In fear of Jackson, Lincoln ordered extra troops held back from McClellan's expedition to protect Washington, D.C. McClellan, whose actions were later seen as overcautious, was unnerved by Jackson's sudden appearance in front of him at the beginning of the Seven Days Battles. In combination, these actions of Lincoln and McClellan contributed significantly to the failure of the main mission of the Peninsula Campaign, which was to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond in the summer of 1862.[9] Richmond would not be captured until the last days of the war.
Recognitionedit
On January 16, 1866 The Daily Phoenix (Columbia, S.C.) called the Jackson's foot cavalry "immortal."[10]
Indeed, contemporaries marveled at what Jackson's foot cavalry was capable of,
The laws of the human body seemed to have been reversed for these men. They marched, and fought, and triumphed, like war-machines, which felt no need of rest, or food, or sleep. In one day they marched from Harper's Ferry to Strasburgh, nearly fifty miles. ... The very rapidity of their marches separates them from all soldier-comforts—often from their very blankets, however cold the weather; and any other troops but these and their Southern comrades would long since have mutinied and demanded bread and rest. But the shadow of disaffection never flitted over forehead in that command.[11]
Historian Robert K. Krick wrote,
For the men in the ranks who gasped and sweated through the general’s epic marches, his oddities likewise became lovable quirks and his insanity genius. The men discovered that a victory lay at the end of each march, usually without excessive cost in blood. Trading sweat for blood, and exertion for victory, made great good sense to them.[12]
In honor of Jackson and his "foot cavalry" there is a 100 mi (160 km) trail run in Fort Valley, Va with a division called "Stonewall Jackson Foot Cavalry Division".[13]
^Mason, Frank H. The Twelfth Ohio Cavalry: A Record of Its Organization and Services in the War of the Rebellion: Together with a Complete Roster of the Regiment. Cleveland, Ohio: Nevins' Steam Print. House, 1871, p. 18
^The Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), July 26, 1862
^The National Republican (Washington, D.C.), September 10, 1862
^Yorkville Enquirer (Yorkville, S.C.), November 05, 1862
^Davis, William C., and James I. Robertson. Virginia at War, 1864. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2009.
^Martin, David G. Jackson's Valley Campaign: November 1861–June 1862. Cambridge, Mass., 1994, p. 103.
^John H. Worsham. One of Jackson's foot cavalry; his experience and what he saw during the war 1861-1865, including a history of "F company." Richmond, Va., 21st regiment Virginia infantry, Second brigade, Jackson's division, Second corps, A. N. Va. New York: The Neale Publishing Company, 1912
^Jackson and his "Foot Cavalry in Hall, John Lesslie. Half-hours in southern history. Richmond: B. F. Johnson Publishing Co., 1907, pp. 253-261.
^Gallagher, Gary W. The Richmond Campaign of 1862: The Peninsula and the Seven Days. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2000.
^The Daily Phoenix (Columbia, S.C.), January 16, 1866
^"Old Jack" and His Foot-cavalry: Or, A Virginian Boy's Progress to Renown. A Story of the War in the Old Dominion. New York: J. Bradburn, 1864, p. 298
^Robert K. Krick. Stonewall Jackson’s Deadly Calm, American Heritage, December 1996, Volume 47, Issue 8
"Old Jack" and His Foot-cavalry: Or, A Virginian Boy's Progress to Renown. A Story of the War in the Old Dominion. New York: J. Bradburn, 1864
John H. Worsham. One of Jackson's foot cavalry; his experience and what he saw during the war 1861-1865, including a history of "F company." Richmond, Va., 21st regiment Virginia infantry, Second brigade, Jackson's division, Second corps, A. N. Va. New York: The Neale Publishing Company, 1912
External linksedit
Jackson's "Foot Cavalry" at Old Mill, Strasburg, Va., June 1, 1862, by Mort Künstler
December 20, 2023
foot, cavalry, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, september, 2. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Foot cavalry news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message Foot cavalry was an oxymoron coined by the media to describe the rapid movements of infantry troops serving under Confederate General Thomas Jonathan Stonewall Jackson during the American Civil War Jackson s men marched on foot but they were able to cover long distances day after day to surprise the enemy Stonewall JacksonJackson s men wading the Potomac by Allen C Redwood Contents 1 Origin 2 In action 3 Recognition 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksOrigin editCavalry units during the Civil War practiced the so called foot cavalry drills 1 The media started to apply the phrase foot cavalry to Jackson s men starting from 1862 This was after Jackson s successful Shenandoah Valley campaign in which Jackson usually surprised his Union opponents by completing much faster operational maneuvers On July 26 1862 The Evening Star published the following Stonewall Jackson is now the idol of the army and the people His soldiers are proud of the name Jackson s Foot Cavalry 2 On September 10 1862 The National Republican wrote Ancient Israel was invaded by confederate nations from the east much as Stonewall Jackson is invading the country north of the Potomac instead of being bagged he with his foot cavalry will recross the Potomac horse foot and dragoons 3 In action edit nbsp One of Jackson s foot cavalryIt was said of Jackson s foot cavalry they take not what they cannot reach 4 5 To achieve the reputation for amazing speeds of marching 30 mi 48 km a day 6 Stonewall Jackson used a combination of great audacity excellent knowledge and shrewd use of the terrain added to the ability to inspire his troops to great feats of marching and fighting His men endured forced marches and he used an intimate knowledge of the passes and railroad tunnels along the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia to move between the Piedmont region and the Shenandoah Valley with unanticipated rapidity confounding his opponents in the Union leadership 7 8 Because his opponents learned early in the War that they could not accurately predict his location Jackson and his foot cavalry are considered by many historians to have been a major factor in leadership failures of U S President Abraham Lincoln and General George B McClellan during the Peninsula Campaign In fear of Jackson Lincoln ordered extra troops held back from McClellan s expedition to protect Washington D C McClellan whose actions were later seen as overcautious was unnerved by Jackson s sudden appearance in front of him at the beginning of the Seven Days Battles In combination these actions of Lincoln and McClellan contributed significantly to the failure of the main mission of the Peninsula Campaign which was to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond in the summer of 1862 9 Richmond would not be captured until the last days of the war Recognition editOn January 16 1866 The Daily Phoenix Columbia S C called the Jackson s foot cavalry immortal 10 Indeed contemporaries marveled at what Jackson s foot cavalry was capable of The laws of the human body seemed to have been reversed for these men They marched and fought and triumphed like war machines which felt no need of rest or food or sleep In one day they marched from Harper s Ferry to Strasburgh nearly fifty miles The very rapidity of their marches separates them from all soldier comforts often from their very blankets however cold the weather and any other troops but these and their Southern comrades would long since have mutinied and demanded bread and rest But the shadow of disaffection never flitted over forehead in that command 11 Historian Robert K Krick wrote For the men in the ranks who gasped and sweated through the general s epic marches his oddities likewise became lovable quirks and his insanity genius The men discovered that a victory lay at the end of each march usually without excessive cost in blood Trading sweat for blood and exertion for victory made great good sense to them 12 In honor of Jackson and his foot cavalry there is a 100 mi 160 km trail run in Fort Valley Va with a division called Stonewall Jackson Foot Cavalry Division 13 See also editBlue Ridge Tunnel Rockfish Gap Swift Run Gap Thornton GapReferences edit Mason Frank H The Twelfth Ohio Cavalry A Record of Its Organization and Services in the War of the Rebellion Together with a Complete Roster of the Regiment Cleveland Ohio Nevins Steam Print House 1871 p 18 The Evening Star Washington D C July 26 1862 The National Republican Washington D C September 10 1862 Yorkville Enquirer Yorkville S C November 05 1862 Davis William C and James I Robertson Virginia at War 1864 Lexington University Press of Kentucky 2009 Martin David G Jackson s Valley Campaign November 1861 June 1862 Cambridge Mass 1994 p 103 John H Worsham One of Jackson s foot cavalry his experience and what he saw during the war 1861 1865 including a history of F company Richmond Va 21st regiment Virginia infantry Second brigade Jackson s division Second corps A N Va New York The Neale Publishing Company 1912 Jackson and his Foot Cavalryin Hall John Lesslie Half hours in southern history Richmond B F Johnson Publishing Co 1907 pp 253 261 Gallagher Gary W The Richmond Campaign of 1862 The Peninsula and the Seven Days Chapel Hill University of North Carolina Press 2000 The Daily Phoenix Columbia S C January 16 1866 Old Jack and His Foot cavalry Or A Virginian Boy s Progress to Renown A Story of the War in the Old Dominion New York J Bradburn 1864 p 298 Robert K Krick Stonewall Jackson s Deadly Calm American Heritage December 1996 Volume 47 Issue 8 Stonewall Jackson Foot Cavalry DivisionFurther reading edit Old Jack and His Foot cavalry Or A Virginian Boy s Progress to Renown A Story of the War in the Old Dominion New York J Bradburn 1864 John H Worsham One of Jackson s foot cavalry his experience and what he saw during the war 1861 1865 including a history of F company Richmond Va 21st regiment Virginia infantry Second brigade Jackson s division Second corps A N Va New York The Neale Publishing Company 1912External links editJackson s Foot Cavalry at Old Mill Strasburg Va June 1 1862 by Mort Kunstler Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Foot cavalry amp oldid 1174856797, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
