Free Stonewall Goes West: A Novel of The Civil War and What Might Have Been (Stonewall Goes West Trilogy) by R.E. Thomas Page A

from one key weakness: they were no organized party as such, united only by their opposition to Davis and his policies. They quarreled with each other as much as they quarreled with him.
    Davis’s own partisans in the Congress spoke out on the need to not shackle a man of Jackson’s demonstrated ability, to give him the proper scope to win victories, and of the need to act quickly. With the thinly veiled threat to veto any bill that was not Davis’s own lurking in the background, no alternative bill was presented, and Jackson’s appointment passed unanimously, with his promotion dated to October 14, the date of Second Kettle Run. Even the President’s bitterest opponents did not dare vote openly against the Confederacy’s foremost hero, choosing instead to skulk away in abstention.
    And so the War Department summoned Jackson to Richmond, where knew he had reported first to Mechanics’ Hall, the seat of the War Department, to receive orders and to meet with Secretary Seddon and Adjutant General Samuel Cooper. Those were mere formalities, however. As Davis well knew, it was the first meeting between himself and his newest commander that mattered most.
    Davis began to dwell memories of the Romney fiasco, which had never been far from his thoughts since deciding upon Jackson’s promotion. Since that unpleasant misunderstanding, relations between the two men had been decidedly cool. Because of that, Davis had chosen to ignore Jackson as much as possible, but after Jackson’s wounding at Chancellorsville, he had already come to regard that choice as one of his very rare mistakes. Starting with Jackson’s convalescence, Davis had made some gestures at repairing the breach. Now it was time to finish the job.
    “I bent over backwards and swallowed my own bile for months, placating Johnston in futility,” Davis muttered to himself. “Will I do less for Stonewall?”
    Davis sighed. He had been to West Point and came out of the Mexican War a successful leader of men, covered in glory. His dearest wish in the this conflict was to command an army in the field himself, not to be chained to office and the petty politicking that went with it, no matter how high the office might be.
    The President’s preoccupation came to an end when a clerk informed him that General Jackson had arrived. Burton Harrison ushered Jackson into Davis’s office.
    Jackson was wearing his best uniform, which while clean and freshly ironed, showed some signs of weathered fading and wear. Jackson drew himself up and offered a stiff salute.
    Davis saluted back, and motioned for Jackson to be seated. “Would you care for some coffee? Or perhaps tea?” he inquired.
    “Only some water, thank you, Mr. President,” Jackson replied, sitting with his one thumb sticking up. Davis nodded at Harrison, who left to fetch it.
    Taking his seat, Davis asked “How was your journey? And that of your family? I trust they are well. I understand you are staying in General Lee’s house, on Franklin Street?”
    “My family is very well, thank you, and yes, we are guests there. Although I fear we might be too much of a burden on Mrs. Lee, I believe she and her daughters appreciate the company for Christmas.”
    Davis nodded. He knew Mary Lee suffered badly from arthritis.
    Jackson asked “And your own family, Mr. President?”
    Davis smiled pleasantly, thinking of his hellion brood and their high-spirited antics. “We manage. I confess I find fatherhood a state uplifting and trying, and both in the extreme.”
    Jackson nodded, but said nothing. Davis decided it was time to begin their real business. “General Jackson, I understand that you are a stranger to the western army, to the western theater. You will need some time to take the reins, to become acquainted with the army, the situation. However, I was hoping that you might have some general ideas on how the coming campaign should be conducted.”
    Jackson said emphatically “Yes, yes. I do. The army must endeavor