Who was a better civil war general Stonewall Jackson or William Sherman?

Answer 1

I know people will hate me for saying this but I feel that Sherman was a better general.....

*He survives the war. I know I know Jackson was killed by his men, he may have been loved and admired by more people, but Sherman survives to see the end of the war and is able to be treated as a war hero after the war.

* Sherman realized bringing the war to the people of the south was a viable and much needed strategy.

* There is nothing wrong with both Sherman and Grant using their strengths to their advantage(man power, industrial power, nations wealth, etc) If they didn't the north possibly would have lost and we would hear the countless criticism against them of: what were they thinking, they were idiots for not using their strengths, blah blah blah

Answer 2

I think the key to this answer is that all of Gen. Sherman's battles occurred when he had the Confederates totally outnumbered. In his famous March through Georgia and South Carolina he was unopposed. The Southern general John Bell Hood went on a wild goose chase in Tennessee to disrupt Sherman's supply line. When Sherman decided to live off the land and not worry about the supply line, Hood, a grossly inept and maimed figure, possibly deluded by pain medication left Sherman unchecked in later 1864. Earlier in 1864 when Joseph E. Johnston headed the Army of Tennessee (before Hood) Sherman was never able to catch him. At the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain Sherman lost 3000 men, Johnston only 600. This was a big Confederate victory. Davis should have never removed Johnston. Near the end of the war the Confederates actually defeated Sherman's troops at Bentonville, although it was not a significant victory. Nevertheless, the whole campaign showed Sherman could win with a highly superior force, but no really great generalship.

On the other hand Stonewall Jackson was almost always outnumbered; almost always highly successful. No general could move his troops so fast. His Shenandoah Valley campaign is one of the greatest examples of speed and manueverability in military history. Sherman never accomplished such a feat. His movements at Harpers Ferry, Chancellorsville, and First and Second Bull Run were that of a genius.

An objective look at their fighting, shows that Stonewall Jackson was the superior general.

Answer 3

Jackson.

Jackson fought a war against the military and did so with honor.

Sherman took the war to the people with scorched earth tactics. Sherman ruined the lives of the people and caused death where he went.

Yes Sherman was probably more influential in the outcome of the war; but that does not excuse his actions.

Unfortunately for the north, the top military talent was in the south. That is why they had to resort to an endless supply of soldiers via a draft (they had all the immigrants which made their draft much more effective), and also why they resorted to such horrible tactics as Sherman's. The true test of a general isnt whether he gets the job done, its how he gets the job done and Sherman failed that test while Jackson passed it with flying colors.
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Eric, forcing immigrants that dont even understand what is going on and destroying the farm land and causing civilian deaths are not viable strategies, they are war crimes.
I see your point, but they put the stability of the country above the lives of the people-that is inexcusable; especially when you consider that it was done to destroy the 10th Amendment more than anything else.

Answer 4

I love Sherman and I know he had a large part to do with winning the war, but though I am a northerner, I would have to go with Stonewall Jackson. Seemed he just always knew what it took.

Answer 5

Best Defensive General - Stonewall Jackson
Best Offensive General - William Sherman

Stonewall Jackson consistently won battles where he was out-manned, outgunned, and out-supplied. He always got 100% effort from his men, his battlefield maneuvers were always well executed, he coordinated well with other generals and he was revered by the civilian population.

Sherman did something far more rare. With due respect to Grant, Sherman finished the War. His march from Atlanta to the Atlantic Ocean was brilliant. He had a minimum of supplies and a hard time deadline to accomplish an extraordinary set of goals with no backup. He was most innovative at logistics. He executed a complex battle plan despite problems with limited communications, a difficult terrain without much previous mapping, and no possibility of reinforcement. He may have shortened the War by several years.

Answer 6

Stonewall Jackson was a far superior general to Sherman it's a shame that Jackson did not survive the war.

Answer 7

no contest Stonewall Jackson was the best
Sherman hated everone in the South If Jackson had of lived the south would have won the war.
And yes slavery would have ended. Because
Lee or Jackson would have been the next President of the CSA Lee freed his slaves before the war. Grant hept his after the war. Jeff Davis
let his slaves govern them selves They even
had their own court system.

Answer 8

..Tactically i would have to say stonewall ...he accomplished a lot with fewer resources and men ...Even though he died too early for history to give a definitive answer to your question ...past performance is usually a good indicator of future performance .... It seems sherman on the other hand was not as much a tactician as a mighty hammer who used his greater supply of men and equipment to bludgeon his way to victories ...grant too had this characteristic and among his own troops was called "the butcher " ....But given this fact , even grant did not possess the one trait that has kept sherman from enjoying greater respect from civil war buffs and historians ....His fanatical hatred for the enemy led him to pursue military actions that went beyond what was necessary to achieve his objectives ....He was probably what modern day psycholgists would diagnose as sociopathic and some say possibly borderline schizophrenic ....Because lincoln was so desperate for victories at times , it is believed he allowed sherman a free hand when he himself had personal misgivings about sherman's behavior ......

Answer 9

Sherman knew how to get the war over quickly. No wonder they named a tank after him.

Answer 10

i refer jackson or william t sherman anyday plus the first and second battles of bull run were amazing plus jackson was always outnumbered and outgunned look at the battle of chanecillorsville that battle was amazing and hooker had to retreat lus ackson had a way to use his men and knew how to do well on the field with other generals i bet when lee heard of the victory at the first battle of bull run i bet lee said to himself during the mexican american war that ackson new how to use guns and men and yes i know grant and sherman were both in the mexican american war as well but acson did the impossible on the battlefield heck the union army used jackson as bait at the second battle of bull run look how jackson lee and longstreet worked seriously well together but man after lee lost jackson gettysburg was a disaster and i hate how eople say they should have killed and hanged everybody was a part of the csa and heck in 63 they were some victorys for the south in 1863 and losses as well