In early 1862 in western Virginia several massive Federal armies were moving towards the Shenandoah Valley, known as "The Breadbasket of the Confederacy". If these Union forces could unite din the Valley and move east to attack Richmond - the Confederate capitol - the rebellion would be crushed.

The South needed a savior. It was found in Stonewall Jackson. The hero of Manassas, Jackson was assigned to protect the Shenandoah Valley from invasion. The Battle of McDowell, Virginia was the first victory in Jackson's famed "Valley Campaign" of 1862 - a campaign that kept the Confederacy alive.