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Fremantle, Three Months in the Southern States, pp. 132-3:

General [James E.] Slaughter declared that on the night after the terrific repulse of Burnside’s army at Fredericksburg, Stonewall Jackson had made the following suggestion :— “I am of opinion that we ought to attack the enemy at once; and in order to avoid the confusion and mistakes so common in a night-attack, I recommend that we should all strip ourselves perfectly naked.”

Is this true? Apparently, some think the story was invented after the war, but Fremantle's book was published in 1863.

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    Please don't tell me how he planned for the men to carry their ammunition... – T.E.D.♦ Jul 23 '20 at 23:21
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    Footnote at the bottom of the original authors page indicates Fremantle doubted the story as well: I always forgot to ask General Lee whether this story was a true one. – justCal Jul 24 '20 at 0:48
  • @T.E.D. in the normal webbing (or whatever it was), I assume. Likewise, I don't think he intended for them to be bare-footed. – Tomas By Jul 24 '20 at 8:17
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    @justCal I don't think it necessarily means he doubted it. He just regretted not asking Lee when he had the chance. – Tomas By Jul 24 '20 at 8:18

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