RomanceEverAfter

Historical Romance Column

Most Americans cannot think of the Civil War without including Stonewall Jackson in those thoughts. Some believe he was one of the greatest heroes, if not the greatest, of the American Civil War. My goal is to give you some information on his life which may have contributed to his ability to achieve this honor. I enjoyed researching him and have been inspired by his daily disciplines and strong religious faith.

A Leader is Born

Thomas Jonathan Jackson was born on January 21, 1824. There was some discussion between his family and the doctor regarding the date of his birth as it was very close to midnight. His family thought he was born after midnight or the morning of January 21.  They never thought that the date would be important or that he would be a famous military leader.

Jackson was born in Clarksburg, Virginia. Clarksburg was part of the western area of Virginia that became the state of West Virginia in April, 1862. Jackson was one of the most notable West Virginians to remain loyal to the state of Virginia. Again, we have a family with divided loyalties as his sister, Laura, became a Union supporter.

Both of Jackson’s parents died by the time he was seven. He and his younger sister, Laura, went to live with their Uncle Cummins in Jackson’s Mill near Weston, Virginia. After four years, Laura went to live with other relatives. Jackson’s second wife, Anna, said that he seldom talked about his childhood as it was the saddest part of his life.

Jackson's Education

Jackson’s education was limited, and he realized he needed more to get ahead in life. When he was seventeen his Uncle Cummins was able to help him win a post as constable. His experiences during this position helped him to broaden his horizons and increase his skill as a horseman. When he finally was able to enter West Point, he was still thought of as a bashful, awkward boy with very poor preparation for this level of education but his spirit and courage would get him through it. When he took his entrance examinations his name appeared last on the list. It was felt he had "an improvable mind" and was very tenacious.

He was determined to make it through West Point and worked extremely hard to do so. He passed his exams, followed the regulations, and started a set of personal rules for himself. These rules, mostly about improving himself and dealing with other people, were a comfort to him throughout his life. He became very orderly and regimented. When Jackson graduated from West Point, he had raised his rank from the bottom to 17 out of 59 fellow students. In this accomplishment, he proved his favorite rule of conduct which was, "You may be whatever you resolve to be."

Jackson went on to serve in the Mexican War and see his first action at Vera Cruz. He was very calm and in control during battle; his performance in the Mexican war won him a promotion to First Lieutenant. After the Mexican war, he spent two years at Fort Hamilton near New York City. During this time, he concentrated on his health problems and his religious commitments. Throughout his life, his faith and commitment to God and church gave him strength and the ability to accept difficult situations.

On August 13, 1851, Major Jackson reported to VMI (Virginia Military Institute) in Lexington, Virginia. He was Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy and Artillery Tactics. He did well at instructing the artillery tactics but had difficulty with the scientific curriculum (which would be known as Physics today). He mastered the necessary subject matter but not the basic techniques of public speaking. He was not well liked by his students and they thought him boring and humorless.

I think one of the more interesting aspects of Jackson’s personal life is the fact that both his wives were daughters of Presbyterian clerics who were also college presidents. While at VMI, he met and married his first wife, Elinor Junkin. She influenced his religious leanings and brought him to a deeper spiritual commitment. Soon after their marriage, they started a family but the baby was born dead. Elinor died the same day as their son. Jackson was devastated.

While Jackson was engaged to Elinor, he met Mary Anna Morrison. Two years after Elinor’s death, he decided to correspond with and visit Miss Morrison. They were married and a year later she gave birth to a daughter who died within a few weeks of birth. He again found comfort in his religious faith and did not question God regarding this event.

Jackson had been an Episcopalian but in the early 1850s he joined the Presbyterian Church. He became a deacon, gave one tenth of his earnings to the church and started a Sunday School for African Americans, both free and slave. He still prayed several times each day and studied his Bible for two hours. He adhered strictly to a daily schedule of teaching at VMI, working on his farm and spending time with Anna in addition to his time in devotion to God.

In 1860, Lincoln was elected president and the events leading up to the Civil War began. On December 20, 1860 South Carolina seceded and by February 1861 seven states had left the Union and formed the Confederate States of America. Jackson’s first assignment was to take VMI cadets to Richmond on April 21, 1861.

Monument to General Barnard Bee at the battle ground at First Manassas.  Bee gave Jefferson his nickname "Stonewall."  Bee died at the Battle of First Manassas.

On July 2, 1861, Jackson and his men saw their first action at the First Battle of Bull Run (also known as First Manassas). During this battle, Jackson was given his nickname of "Stonewall" by Confederate General Barnard Bee. Bee never knew that he had given Jackson his famous nickname as Bee was killed at the First Battle of Bull Run.

Between July 2, 1861 and early May 1863, Jackson was in several more battles defending the Confederacy. In mid April his wife, Anna, and five-month old daughter, Laura, spent nine delightful days with him in Fredericksburg. During this time, his daughter was baptized by his favorite Presbyterian cleric. On April 29, he sent them home as Hooker’s army was on the move, and Stonewall was needed to resume his service for the Confederacy.

On the evening of May 2, 1863 during the The Battle of Chancellorsville, Jackson was mistakenly shot by his own men. He was hit once in his right hand and twice in his left arm. He was on a stretcher headed for safety when Union soldiers started firing at him and his men. A horse drawn ambulance took Jackson to a field hospital. However, on the way to the ambulance, one of the men carrying the stretcher fell and Jackson was dropped. His wounded left arm was now broken and had to be amputated two inches below the shoulder.

Monument to Jackson at Chancellorsville. The exact location where he was wounded has been left undisturbed for posterity.

Jackson was transported to Guinea Station close to the railroad in hopes of getting him to Richmond for recuperation. Upon arriving at the home of his friends, the Chandlers, it was discovered they had taken in several wounded soldiers. Jackson was placed in a small out building because some of the soldiers were suffering from infections.

Building on the Chandler's property where Jackson was taken with hopes of going to Richmond to recover.  Jackson died here on Sunday, May 10, 1863.

In the beginning it was believed he would recover. However, on May 7, 1863, the doctor realized Jackson had contracted pneumonia. Anna and Julia arrived that same day to be with him at Guinea Station. By Sunday, May 10, his doctor knew he only had a few hours to live and Jackson is quoted as saying, "I have always wanted to die on Sunday." At 3:15 p.m. on Sunday, May 10, 1863, Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson died in his home state of Virginia.

The South was stunned by his death but truly believed that someone would be able to replace him. Lee never found that person. Some historians believe that Jackson’s death was the turning point of the war. Lee and many historians believe that if Jackson had lived, the South would have won at Gettysburg and would have gone one to win the Civil War. In an interview by CSPAN in September of 2001, Shelby Foote stated that he believes if Jackson had lived, he definitely would have taken Cemetery Hill at Gettysburg. The victory would have affected the outcome of Gettysburg and possibly the rest of the war.

The bed where Jackson died in the building on the Chandler property.

As I stood in the very place where Stonewall Jackson was shot, and in the room where he died at Guinea Station, I better understood death, destruction and devastation caused by the "war between the states." How sad it is that it took the Civil War to accomplish what our nation is today. For those who are American citizens, it is important to understand the reasons for the war. I am very grateful for the historical information available to us on this war and the time and money spent to maintain battle sites, historical buildings and landmarks.

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