Sunday, June 10, 2007
Thoughts on ending
Having finished this walk, it is time to take stock of what has happened.
First, I will say that, as much as I admired the men who fought in this campaign before I started, I admire them even more after having walked in their footsteps. This applies to men of both sides. Almost every step that Jackson's men took in advancing or retreating was paralleled by a step by a soldier in blue. In fact the record for the longest/fastest walk in the campaign goes to the Union forces that walked from Franklin to McDowell, and then pitched into Jackson's men. They marched 34 miles in 23 hours, which is a feat. But what has really struck me about this campaign is not walking 30 miles in one day. In fact, at the conclusion of the march of the 31st of May, I could have gone a little further. No, the real feat is to walk 30 miles one day, then get up and walk 20 miles the next day, and 20 more miles the next. Each day's walk was a contest between the walk's ability to wear down my body's stamina and general health, and my body's ability to repair itself in the evenings. During the walks of May 3-5 and May 31 - June 3rd, the wear and tear started to get the better of the recuperative powers. By the time I finished on June 3rd, I was not capable of going much further. yet, when Jackson's men did this section, a man who fell behind would be captured. In fact, from eyewitness accounts at the time (e.g. John Casler and Union commanders) it seems that a number of Jackson's men fell behind. Casler eventually rejoined his unit, but Union commanders interpreted the number of captives as a sign that Jackson's command was falling apart, and ready for a knockout blow, a mistake that Jackson turned to his advantage at Cross Keys and Port Republic.
Second, Jackson was a genius, in several ways. First, the policy of stopping every hour for ten minutes and lying down seriously extends the infantryman's endurance. I have done marches in the modern US Army and never rested the Jackson way. These modern walks, however, are more fatiguing than longer walks following the Jackson policy. Second, stopping one day every week also helps extend the infantryman's range. It offers a day for the body to heal and get ahead of the damaging powers of the continuous walking. It also offers a chance for field repairs of a soldier's kit.
Third, the Valley is a truly beautiful place that retains much of its historical character. There has been much development, but much historical integrity remains. Walking allows the traveller to see things that the driver cannot. The newcomers to the Valley may not be aware of the historical nature of the land and buildings of the Valley. The Virginia Civil War Trails system helps in this regard, but is a passive system. the newcomer has to be looking for the roadside markers to see them and understand what has happened in the Valley. Long-time residents need to be active teachers of newcomers in order for them to truly grasp the special nature of the Valley. The historical places may never have the same grasp on the newcomers that they do on natives, but at least they may grow to acknowledge that these places are special to others, and this knowledge will enable people to make informed decisions about development in the future. There is much to be saved, and it will be worth the effort.
Finally, I would like to thank all the people of the Valley. They are the real jewels of the Shenandoah. To the hundreds of people that gave me a honk of the horn, a wave, and a thumbs up, I wish to say thanks for the encouragement. To the dozens that stopped and offered a cold drink of water, I offer a special thank you. They will never know how much this helped over the long miles. I gratefully received water bottles from a Aussie woman south of Front Royal, from a truck driver on Reliance Road, a retired US Marine, Rory Swofford (a repeat supporter, with great kids and whose support was so welcome), a former woman re-enactor and her daughters, and too many other to mention. Your generosity and encouragement was so welcomed. There were several members of the media that were very helpful. The Harrisonburg Daily News-Record, the Shenandoah Northern Virginia Daily, the Warren News and Courier, the Winchester Star. thanks to each of these newspapers. To the members of the various historical societies, I say thank you for your help and for your invaluable work in preserving this priceless heritage in our Valley. Most of all, however, I want to thank my best friend, and biggest supporter, Susan. She was my Chief of Staff, Transportation Officer, Chief Commissary, Public Affairs Officer, and so much else. It is no exaggeration to say that this walk could in no way have been even attempted without her help. She made this dream possible for me. Thanks, Susan. I love you.
