Stonewall Jacksons Military Style - Essay Example

Jackson effectively displayed Clausewitz’s theories of attack and defense strategies. Jackson was also very skilled at mobilizing his troops and getting them to a location with great speed. Because he was able to get to the right spot at the right time, he was able to obtain important victories for the Confederacy (4). His ability to maneuver with great speed is something that Jomini believes is critical to success on the battlefield. In his work, “Summary of the Art of War,” he explains that “rapid movement” and “striking in the most decisive direction” are some of the most important factors in the outcome of a battle (5). Additionally, Jackson and Lee both held that obtaining specific enemy territories was critical to the army’s overall success. This is something that Jomini believed was also critical in determining the outcome of a war. It is obvious that Jackson and other Civil War leaders studied Jomini and, in fact, his work “became the textbook for the conduct of the American Civil War” (6).

Sun Tzu’s work, “The Art of War,” deals heavily with the importance that terrain plays in the outcome of a battle. Much of Jackson’s success was due to his exceptional knowledge of the surrounding terrain as well as his ability to utilize the terrain to his advantage. Jackson was also extremely secretive with his strategies and often used the element of deception to confuse his enemies (7). Sun Tzu explains the importance of deception and states that “all warfare is based on deception” (8). In addition to using the terrain to one’s advantage and using deception and secrecy, he also understood the importance of good leadership and management. Jackson exemplifies this because he had the ability to inspire his men as well as the ability to assure that they were disciplined.

In sum, Jackson illuminates many of the theories of Jomini, Sun Tzu, and (to a lesser extent) Clausewitz. It is no coincidence that this is the case because, being a military commander and attending West Point, he would have been familiar with these strategies.