Prelude to the Battle of Cross Keys

Major engagement in the American Civil War

Feb 22, 2009 Barry Vale

In the Battle of Cross Keys the Confederate forces were commanded by Stonewall Jackson, whilst the Union forces were commanded by George McClellan.

Well Led Confederates

In the early phase of the American Civil War the Confederates forces were usually well-commanded by the likes of General Lee and Stonewall Jackson had managed to hold their own against numerically superior Union forces. Time would eventually favour the Union forces, and the Confederate commanders were always aware that were engaged in an uphill struggle.

The Confederate forces had inadvertently found themselves unconnected to each other with Stonewall Jackson’s forces being separated from the bulk of the Confederate forces commanded by General Robert E. Lee, simply as a result of where their forces happened to be when the American Civil War started in earnest. The reason for the Confederate forces instigating the Battle of Cross Keys was a simple one, they intended to join their armies as well as the Confederate territories together again.

Poor Performing Union Forces

On the other hand the commanders of the Union forces had come under a great deal of political pressure to ensure that their numerical, financial, and military superiority was translated into victories leading to a more rapid ending of the American Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln still kept up the pressure for military successes, as the Confederate commanders seemed to be far more effective than their counterparts.

The inability to make rapid advances, due to the inefficiencies of the Union forces and their commanders was certainly a factor, which led up to the Battle of Cross Keys. However the Union forces were generally poorly commanded as well as poorly trained, a situation eventually put right through the efforts of Generals Grant and Sherman.

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