Army of the Shenandoah
The Army of the Shenandoah was an army of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War; it was organized to defend the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia in the early months of the war. The army was transferred to reinforce the Confederate Army of the Potomac at the First Battle of Bull Run, which was its only major action. After the battle, the army was merged into the Army of the Potomac.
The Army of the Shenandoah originated with
the various militia and volunteer companies sent to seize and defend the town of
Harpers Ferry, Virginia (modern day West Virginia). To organize and train the
companies, Virginia state commander Robert E. Lee initially appointed Thomas J.
Jackson to command the post. Jackson formed five regiments of infantry and a
battery of artillery from the various companies, forming the basis of the
Stonewall Brigade. On May 15, Joseph E. Johnston replaced Jackson as commander
of Harpers Ferry and continued to receive additional regiments from throughout
the Confederacy. He would eventually have four brigades of infantry and an
independent regiment of cavalry, the 1st Virginia Cavalry commanded by J. E. B.
Stuart.
In mid-June, forces from the Union Department of Pennsylvania, commanded by
Robert Patterson, began moving south towards Harpers Ferry. Fearing that the
terrain around the town made it indefensible, Johnston had the bridges and as
much equipment in the town as possible destroyed and retreated south to
Winchester; Patterson remained along the Potomac River rather than pursue
Johnston. Over the next few weeks, both forces watched each other, only engaging
in battle once, at Falling Waters on July 2. After spending almost two weeks
waiting on the Potomac and receiving reinforcements, Patterson started advancing
towards Winchester but had moved only 5 miles (8.0 km) before encountering
Stuart's regiment screening Johnston's army. Patterson halted again and
consulted his officers, who advised caution; this advice, along with the refusal
of several regiments which were due for mustering out to remain any longer,
convinced Patterson to cancel the advance. This allowed Johnston to follow
orders he received on July 18 to transfer his army to reinforce P. G. T.
Beauregard's Army of the Potomac at Manassas Junction. The movement started that
evening, with each brigade marching to Piedmont where it boarded a train for
Manassas Junction. Since there was only one train on the Manassas Gap Railroad,
the brigades arrived one at a time; the artillery and cavalry marched overland.
The final units of Johnston's army arrived on the afternoon of July 21.
Since he was senior to Beauregard, Johnston had command over the two armies
present. Before Johnston arrived at Manassas, Beauregard had drawn up plans for
an attack on the Union army of Irvin McDowell across Bull Run on July 21, using
brigades from both armies, and Johnston approved the plan, allowing Beauregard
to issue the necessary orders in his name. However, the orders were vague and
contradictory, which confused the brigade commanders and prevented the attack
from taking place. On the morning of July 21, McDowell launched his own attack
on the Confederate left wing, defended by one of Beauregard's brigades. As the
battle escalated in the area of Matthews Hill and Henry House Hill, additional
Confederate brigades were moved to the left flank. Eventually, all four of
Johnston's brigades and four out of Beauregard's eight brigades were engaged in
this area. It was while defending Henry House Hill that Jackson received his
nickname of "Stonewall", which also became the name of his brigade.
After the battle Johnston's and Beauregard's commands were consolidated into the
Department of Northern Virginia, with their merged army using the name "Army of
the Potomac"; Johnston retained command of the army, with Beauregard remaining
as second in command until his transfer to the western theater.
General Joseph Eggleston Johnston (U. S. M. A. 1829) was born in Cherry Grove, near Farmville, Virginia, February 8, 1807. He served in the Black Hawk, Seminole, and Mexican wars, in the last of which he was twice severely wounded. He resigned his rank of brigadier-general to enter the Confederate service on April 20, 1861, and was given the rank of general in August. He was in command at Harper's Ferry after May 24th, and headed the Army of the Shenandoah. He brought his troops to Manassas and superseded Beauregard in the command, at Bull Run, joining his force to the Army of the Potomac. In command of the Army of Northern Virginia, he was severely wounded at Fair Oaks. In November, 1862, he was assigned to the head of the Department of Tennessee, but outside of an attempt to reliev Pemberton at Vicksburg in May, 1863, he saw no active service until he assumed command of the Army of Tennessee in December, 1863. He opposed Sherman during the Atlanta campaign of 1864, being superseded by General Hood on July 18th. His strategy was much criticised at the time, but it is now recognized that he displayed great ability during the campaign. In February, 1865, he was again given command of the Army of Tennessee, and attempted to prevent Sherman's advance through the Carolinas. Johnston's capitulation was agreed upon near Durham's Station, North Carolina, April 26, 1865. He was United States commissioner of railroads from 1885 to 1889. He died in Washington, March 21, 1891.