On Sunday, May 25, 1862, the Confederate soldiers in General Thomas J. Jackson’s army who had stayed in the ranks through the grueling night march found themselves on the high ground surrounding Winchester, Virginia, and extending toward the east and west. After the Confederate victory at Front Royal on May 23, Jackson left General Richard Ewell to push his column from Front Royal to Winchester. Jackson took another column and joined Turner Ashby’s cavalry along the Valley Pike, also pushing north toward the small city. Union General Bank’s army was on the run, and “Stonewall” wanted to keep up the pursuit. Driving his columns forward through the night with the determination to reach the high ground near Winchester ultimately paid off, and in the morning fog, Jackson readied to launch his weary soldiers toward the town. At daybreak, the attack began. After a couple hours of fighting on the outskirts of town, Banks and his blue clad army retreated, fleeing out the north side of the town as Jackson and the hollering rebels entered at the other side. Pockets of resistance were quickly overwhelmed, and some local civilians brought their pistols to the windows and took potshots at their hated “oppressors.” As the Confederate officers and soldiers charged or marched through the streets, the civilians came out to their doorsteps to welcome back the general and army that had “abandoned” them the previous March.

“Jackson Enters Winchester” by Mort Kunstler (https://www.mortkunstler.com/html/store-limited-edition-prints.asp?action=view&ID=147)
Popular art depicts General “Stonewall” Jackson’s return to Winchester, Virginia, on May 25, 1862, in bright and vivid colors. Mort Kunstler’s piece, especially draws a rosy-hued scene of joyous civilians rushing to the streets and cheering the general and his men, giving them bouquets of flowers. It is fine art, and from personal experience, it can be reported that it captured the imagination of an impressionable teenager. A first glance at primary sources even lend support to the image. Southern sympathizing civilians in Winchester met the Confederate army with frenzied excitement and recorded it in their diaries. Laura Lee celebrated on paper, using 18 exclamation points: “Thanks be to the Lord, we are free!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”[i] Continue reading →