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→The Civil War
He then quickly moved to the southern end of the valley, defeating the Union at Cross Keys on June 8, then at Port Republic the following day. Lee then brought Jackson's troops by road and railroad to Richmond to attack the right flank of McClellan's army. But Jackson arrived a day late, possibly because of a lack of experience in large-scale action; despite this mild tarnish to his reputation, McClellan was beaten back severely and was ordered to evacuate the peninsula.
He then quickly moved to the southern end of the valley, defeating the Union at Cross Keys on June 8, then at Port Republic the following day. Lee then brought Jackson's troops by road and railroad to Richmond to attack the right flank of McClellan's army. But Jackson arrived a day late, possibly because of a lack of experience in large-scale action; despite this mild tarnish to his reputation, McClellan was beaten back severely and was ordered to evacuate the peninsula.
Federal forces then began regrouping under Major General John Pope when Lee joined Jackson near Manassas. The Second Battle of Bull Run commenced when Jackson was sent to attack the rear of Pope’s forces by a wide, encircling movement, decisively beating him. Lee then had taken his forces across the Potomac into Maryland, and to protect Richmond, Jackson was sent to capture Harpers Ferry (September 13-15), which was carried out successfully, enabling him to return in time to rejoin Lee in Sharpsburg for the Battle of Antietam. Unfortunately, Lee lost that engagment and his forces had to journey back into Virginia.
Lee would regroup his forces, dividing it into two corps: Lieutenant General James Longstreet commanding one, and the newly-promoted Lieutenant General Stonewall Jackson the other. Taking his army to Fredericksburg, Virginia in December, Lee divided his forces against the Army of the Potomac under Major General Ambrose Burnside; Jackson took his corps around the Union left and utterly defeated Burnside’s rash attack.
===Chancellorsville===
While both armies were sitting on opposite sides of the Potomac, Burnside was replaced by Major General Joseph Hooker, who, in April, attempted to turn the Confederate position south of Washington along the Rappahannock River. It was there that the team of Lee and Jackson made their boldest move. Lee divided his army, leaving a small body to meet Federal troops on the Rappahannock. Lee then moved his main body, including Jackson's corps, to meet the threatened envelopment Hooker had planned in the woods near Chancellorsville. He again divided his army, keeping only 10,000 men to face Hooker directly, while the remainder was sent around Hooker’s right, and with it Jackson’s entire corps. The surprised Federals were routed by Jackson’s men, who seemingly appeared out of the woods by the thousands. Completely flanked by an army that numbered less than half of his own men, Hooker was forced to withdraw.
==Death==
That same evening, Jackson had ridden forward to reconnoiter enemy lines, and upon returning to his own lines he was accidentally shot by his own men. The wounds were serious, but not life-threatening; however his left arm was shattered and had to be amputated. In a small cabin at Guinea Station, Virginia, he was left to recuperate, but pneumonia had set in, and he died under a week later.
==Assessment==
Of Lee’s lieutenants in battle, Jackson was considered his right arm. The qualities of each man complimented the other, Jackson trusting in his commander to the point of merely nodding his head in agreement with Lee’s plans before carrying them out. He was a master of surprise tactics and rapid movements, his own plans kept so secret that even his officers did not know of them until he was ready to make a strike. Despite that, and despite his many eccentricities, his own men completely trusted him and fought effectively under his command.