General TJ Jackson has Died

Today history changed during the American Civil War as General TJ Jackson was defeated and captured near North Mountain in the Shenandoah.  OK it was only a game, but surprisingly the Union was able to win “Stonewall in the Valley”, a board game by Hasbro and MultiMan Publishing.

This victory has now elevated three Generals for the Union cause. General Fremont launched the initial attack from the north, followed up by General Shields attacking from the south. The last was General Banks in overall control.

Now with these three generals as household names, as least in April 1862 it had me wondering what was going to happen next.  Here are my thoughts, and I love to hear yours as well.

As the Peninsula Campaign is just starting I can see Bank’s leaving the Valley to Fremont and marching overland to Manassas and Richmond. Banks and Shield would have made a major impact on the campaign, possibly ending the war earlier.

Unfortunately the side effects would mean Fremont and Banks would become prominent in the postwar Republican Party. Allowing for a Lincoln/Banks ticket.

The issue of slavery would not have been solved, as Lincoln never issued the Emancipation Proclamation or allowed for colored soldiers (the term at the time) to fight.

17th President of the United States

Lastly what of Generals Grant, Sherman and Senator Johnson? Would they be just footnotes in history?

And what does this have to do with the middle east, well some of these generals did end up in Egypt working for the Sultan, but that is another blog.

All this from a game, go figure.