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"Stonewall" Jackson |
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Jackson's summer vacations from teaching were often spent vacationing in the
North and in Europe where his interests were aroused in art and culture rather than military or political aspects. This somewhat
calm, domestic period in his life came to a close on April 21, 1861, when he was ordered to Richmond as part of the cadet
corps. Since military aspirations had faded from his life, he was virtually unknown in this sphere. It was during the Battle of First Bull Run in the Civil War when Jackson assumed his nickname. Amidst the tumult of battle, Brigadier-General Barnard E. Bee stated,
"There is Jackson standing like a stone wall!" As the war continued, Jackson continually impressed his Confederate compatriots
with his skill on the battlefield and in planning conferences. He distinguished himself in the Valley campaign of early 1862,
the Battle of Second Manassas in August 1862, and the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862. Jackson was a Southern hero, and in spite of his eccentricities,
he was loved and respected by his soldiers. He strictly observed the Sabbath, and his religiosity was constant in all
facets of his life. "It is the Lord's Day; my wish is fulfilled. I have always desired to die on Sunday." "Stonewall" Jackson on the day he died On May 2, 1863, in his last march of the Civil War, Jackson was wounded by
friendly fire. He died of pneumonia several days later on May 10 at Guiney's Station, Virginia. His body was carried to Richmond
and then to Lexington where it was buried. It is said that the Army of Northern Virginia never fully recovered from the loss
of Stonewall Jackson's leadership in battle. General Robert E. Lee believed Jackson was irreplaceable.
You are now standing in the trace of the Old Mountain Road, the road on which Jackson was riding
when he was injured. Accompanied by aides and couriers, Jackson scouted in front of his main line, hoping to determine the
new Union position. Private David Kyle served as Jackson's guide through the tangled woods. He described the path taken by
their party: "We went down that old Mountain road some four hundred yards when we came in hearing of the Federals....We stayed there I should judge from two to four minutes when the Gen Jackson Turned his horse around and started back up the road we had come down....When we were about halfway back...he turned his horse head toward the south and facing the front of our own line of Battle he started to leave the old Mountain road and just as his horses front feet had cleared the edge of the road while his hind feet was still on the edge of the bank there was a single shot fired...in an instant it was taken up and...a volley as if from a regiment was fired." Spurred by the belief that the returning Confederates were Union cavalrymen charging their line, Lane's men had fired into the darkness. One bullet lodged in Jackson's right palm and two struck his left arm. As a result of the wounds Jackson would lose his left arm. Jackson died one week later on May 10, 1863. Sources: Dictionary of American Biography; National Park Service; Library
of Congress
Recommended The New York Times Book Review, Stephen W. Sears . . . [T]wo dozen writers
have attempted [Stonewall] biographies, and there are any number of special studies, monographs and essays. Now going straight
to the head of the class of Jackson biographers, and likely to remain there, is James I. Robertson Jr. . . . Stonewall
Jackson: The Man, the Soldier, the Legend gives us far and away the sharpest picture we have ever had of this
enigmatic figure.
Recommended About the Author: Robert G. Tanner is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute. A native of Southern California,
he now lives and practices law in
Recommended
Reading: The Stonewall Brigade, by James I. Robertson (Author) (304 pages) (Louisiana State University Press). Description: Commanded by Thomas J. Jackson and comprised of the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 27th and 33rd Virginia Infantry
Regiments, plus the Rockbridge Artillery Battery, the unit was officially This book describes the Stonewall Brigade in combat from first mustering to bitter end, when only 210 ragged and footsore soldiers remained of the 6,000 that served through the war. Absolutely a must read for the Civil War buff! Recommended
Thought to be obsessive, eccentric, and unable to chat at social events....
Recommended
The book does an excellent job describing the battles, then
at a critical decision point in the battle, the book focuses on an officer - the book stops and tells the biography of that
person, and then goes back to the battle and tells what information the officer had at that point and the decision he made.
At the end of the battle, the officers decisions are critiqued based on what he "could have known and what he should have
known" given his experience, and that is compared with 20/20 hindsight. "It is an incredibly well written book!"
Recommended Viewing: Still Standing: The Stonewall Jackson Story, starring James I Robertson Jr., Bill Potter, and Ken Carpenter (2007) (DVD). Description: His legacy as a military genius is widely renowned. Now, in Still Standing: The Stonewall Jackson Story, his legacy as a man of resolute Christian character is captured in this revealing documentary. Through stunning High Definition videography and expert narrative, Still Standing traces the life of Stonewall Jackson from his orphaned childhood, to the Sunday School class he taught for African Americans that has resulted in a lasting impact today, to the pivotal role he played as a General in the Civil War. Still Standing inspires, entertains, and educates as it examines the life of a uniquely American hero. Continued below… Review: In true Franklin Springs Family Media fashion, Still Standing: The Stonewall Jackson Story is destined to become a family favorite. Still Standing chronicles the life of a true Christian man brought to fame by his exemplary military acumen in the American Civil War. But it was his faithfulness to the Gospel in his family, with his children, toward his soldiers, and the Sunday School class for Blacks (freemen and slaves) that he started, taught, and supported that, no doubt, earned Thomas Jackson the reward of hearing those precious words, Well done, good and faithful servant, from his King when he crossed over the river and finally rested under the shade of the trees. This important documentary will be used in my family to inspire a new generation to look to General Jackson as a man with flaws, but who followed hard after Christ. May mine and I, by God s grace, stand like a stone wall before the onslaught of the enemy, trusting that we are as safe on the battlefield as we are in our beds. --Home Schooling Today Recommended
Using
original documents, interviews, historical resources, and heretofore unpublished letters and photographs, Williams confirms
the veneration with which blacks from
Recommended Viewing: Biography - Stonewall Jackson (2005) (A&E) (DVD). Description: He earned his nickname
for bravery at Follow his career through the
American Army, the Mexican American War, and his command in the Confederacy. See rare photos of the famed leader and learn
the tragic story of his death at
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