Jackson soon received reports of the Federal army heading north and knew Bank's army had been recalled to aid in McClellan's invasion of the Virginia peninsula to attack Richmond. ![]() McClellan ordered Banks to leave a few regiments in Winchester and post the bulk of his army to the Manassas Gap Railroad Bridge. Jackson region, General Jackson readied his army.īelieving the Confederates had been pushed out of the valley and were no longer a threat, US General George B. Consolidating his forces in the Woodstock-Mt. ![]() General Jackson would choose the ground on which to attack his enemy, but his troops were insufficiently drilled and unprepared for such a daunting task. With only 3600 soldiers ready to oppose the huge force, Jackson moved his men and supplies to Strasburg. Banks and his army of 40,000 men were threatening Winchester from three directions. Armies are not called out to dig trenches, to throw up breastworks, live in camps, but to find the enemy, and strike him to invade his country, and do him all possible damage in the shortest possible time." But Jackson's first task was to deal with the Federal armies that had invaded his country. Explaining his strategy and intent to his officers Jackson declared, "War means fighting! The business of a soldier is to fight. ![]() ![]() "I have only to say, that if the valley is lost Virginia is lost", were the words of General Stonewall Jackson in the winter of 1862. Spengler Hall - Strasburg, Virginia - March 22, 1862 Stonewall Jackson & Captain Abram Spengler
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