The Luray Valley, 1862

Six hundred against 14,000. Doesn’t sound like much of a fight. That’s what I thought about a year ago when Gary Ecelbarger pitched an idea to me for a General’s Tour feature. When you consider that Stonewall Jackson has the 14,000, and it takes him five hours to attack after getting within striking distance of Col. John Kenly’s isolated 600—which admittedly grows to a little more than a thousand throughout the day—and two hours of fighting before forcing Kenly out of his position, you know there’s a great story to tell.

This action occurred at Front Royal, Va., on May 23, 1862. Just two months before, Jackson had been beaten by Federal forces at Kernstown, Va., so the nickname “Stonewall” had taken some derisive hits from friend and foe alike. Since that defeat, Jackson had retreated south through the Shenandoah Valley to Harrisonburg, Va., with many beginning to doubt his abilities. From there he moved east and entered the Luray Valley, planning to use the corridor between Massanutten Mountain and the Blue Ridge Mountains to move north again and strike the Federals’ flank.

Those plans changed when trouble erupted in the mountains west of Staunton, Va. The tiny army under Allegheny Johnson was hopelessly outnumbered against a two-pronged threat, so Jackson drove his men hard once more, on the kind of march that would earn them the title “foot cavalry.” Pride in such marches had yet to take hold in the hearts and minds of these soldiers, and there was more grumbling and considerable desertions. But Jackson was victorious at the Battle of McDowell on May 8, 1862.

When he returned to the Luray Valley, Jackson brought with him Johnson’s small force, that general having been wounded at McDowell. Jackson also consolidated his division with that of Richard S. Ewell, who had crossed the Blue Ridge into the Luray Valley as Jackson departed for the McDowell mission. Thus, the forging of a great army was taking place. This is the force Jackson marched north to Front Royal with. These are the men—and more significantly his principal officers—who never quite knew what Jackson was thinking. Indeed, it was just before Kernstown that he had declared never to hold another council of war. In hindsight, considering the soldiers involved and the reputations they would earn, it’s hard to believe they would have any trouble contending with an enemy force of 600.

There are also plenty of colorful characters in the story, including Rob Wheat and his New Orleans dockworkers, drunken horsemen from Turner Ashby’s cavalry, Confederate spy Belle Boyd, and a battalion of mutinous Marylanders. I guess Gary knew what he was talking about.

Editor