The Heroes of the Lost Cause

In 1867, Edward Pollard, an editor for a Richmond newspaper, published The Lost Cause, championing his voluminous book as a “New Southern history” of the war.  Pollard’s work poignantly reflected the sentiments of unrepentant rebels clinging to their ideology.  Pollard explicitly explained the motivation behind what he termed the “Lost Cause.”  Although the South had lost the Civil War, he argued that the South could still wage and win the “war of ideas.” Henceforth, the Lost Cause remembered the Confederacy and their leaders as a doomed cause that was justly and heroically fought for by noble, chivalrous, virtuous men.

The ideal Southern soldier, of course, was the “Marble Man”. With the exception of George Washington, perhaps the most famous general in American history is Robert E. Lee (January 19, 1807 — October 12, 1870), despite the fact he led the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia against the Union in the Civil War. As the son of U.S. Revolutionary War hero Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee III, and a relative of Martha Custis Washington, Lee was imbued with a strong sense of honor and duty from the beginning. And as a top graduate of West Point, Lee had distinguished himself so well before the Civil War that President Lincoln asked him to command the entire Union Army. Lee famously declined, serving his home state of Virginia instead after it seceded.

Nobody personified the virtuous Christian soldier of the Lost Cause quite like Thomas Jonathan Jackson, who became one of the most famous generals of the Civil War, even if many of the people he continues to fascinate probably don’t remember his whole name. That’s because Jackson earned his famous “Stonewall” moniker at the First Battle of Manassas or Bull Run, when Brigadier-General Bee told his brigade to rally behind Jackson, whose men were standing like a stone wall. Ironically, it’s still unclear whether that was a compliment for standing strong or an insult for not moving his brigade, but the nickname stuck for the brigade and the general.

Jackson would only enhance his legend over the next two years, first leading his army on one of the most incredible campaigns of the war in the Shenandoah Valley in 1862. Known as the Valley Campaign, Jackson kept 3 Union armies occupied north of Richmond with less than 1/3 of the men, marching his army up and down the Valley 650 miles in three months. The impressive feat helped his men earn the nickname “foot cavalry.”

Alongside Lee, no one epitomized the chivalry and heroism celebrated by the Lost Cause more than JEB Stuart (1833–1864), the most famous cavalry officer of the Civil War. Stuart was equal parts great and grandiose, leading the cavalry for the Confederacy in Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia until his death at the Battle of Yellow Tavern in May 1864. Stuart was a throwback to the past, colorfully dressing with capes, sashes, and an ostrich plumed hat, while sporting cologne and a heavy beard. But he was also brilliant in conducting reconnaissance, and he proved capable of leading both cavalry and infantry at battles like Chancellorsville. As the eyes and ears of Robert E. Lee's army, none were better, despite the fact that he was only in his late 20s and early 30s during the Civil War, far younger than most men of senior rank.

Nevertheless, Stuart’s tough fighting was and still is eclipsed by his reputation for audacious cavalry movements. He embarrassed the Army of the Potomac by riding around it twice, making him famous and embarrassing Union generals like George McClellan. However, Stuart’s role at Gettysburg was far more controversial. Given great discretion in his cavalry operations before the battle, Stuart’s cavalry was too far removed from the Army of Northern Virginia to warn Lee of the Army of the Potomac’s movements. Lee’s army inadvertently stumbled into the Union army at Gettysburg, walking blindly into Gettysburg.