Stonewall Jackson

Photo from rebelstuff.com/ legendsts.html

Stonewall Jackson was one of our greatest civil war heroes. He was unbelievable in military tactics and was great at learning the enemies’ strategies and counteracting them. He is my hero because he was not selfish and yet he had the personal will to go on under any circumstances.

Stonewall Jackson was born on January 21, 1824, in Clarksburg West Virginia. Stonewall had one brother, Warren, and two sisters, Elizabeth and Laura Anne. His father was Jonathan Jackson and his mother was Julia Beckwith Neale. In the spring of 1826 his sister, Elizabeth, and his father, Jonathan, died of Typhoid fever. His mother Julia was widowed at the age of 28. His mother was left with many debts and mortgages and decided to remarry. The man she remarried did not like Julia’s kids. His name was Blake Woodson. Not too long after, Julia was pregnant with another child and she died in child birth and around the same time period, StoneWall’s brother, Warren, and Blake died of tuberculosis. The rest of the children were sent to live with relatives.

Photo from http://www.vmi.edu/archives/jackson/ jackson.html

From 1842 to 1846 Jackson went to West Point to go into the army. He was one of the hardest working people in the academy and graduated 17th out of 59 students. From the year 1846-1848 Jackson served in the Mexican War and was stationed at Carlisle Barracks, PA. In the spring of 1851 Jackson was offered and accepted to teach at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), in Lexington, VA. He taught Natural Physics and his teachings are still used today. The reason they are still used today is because the things he taught can be interconnected with a battle and can be used very effectively if done right. A little while later he married a woman named Julia Miller Junkin. Their son was born but unfortunately Julia died during childbirth. He married again to a woman named Mary Anna Morrison. They had a daughter named Mary Graham.

Photo from http://www.vmi.edu/archives/jackson/jackson.html

In 1861 the army had a lot of new recruits and Jackson was put in charge of them. Jackson was ordered to be put at Harper’s Ferry, where the famous “StoneWall Brigade” took place. During the charge that took place at Harper’s Ferry, Stonewall jumped in front of a soldier that was about to be killed by a sword thrust and killed the man that was attacking the soldier. Jackson did this many times to save his men. After the battle of Harper’s Ferry, because of his bravery, StoneWall was promoted to brigadier general. At the battle of 1st Manassas he was put in charge of the entire Shenandoah Valley army where he earned the name "Stonewall." During the battle of the 1st Manassas a soldier saw Jackson standing in the midst of the battle not even flinching. That same soldier remarked, “There stands Jackson like a stonewall.” Jackson went through many battles winning and earning his name effectively. At one point Robert E. Lee said, “Jackson is my right hand.”

On May 2, 1862 during the battle of Chancellorsville, Jackson was accidentally fired upon by his own men and was shot with three .57 caliber bullets. Jackson was wounded mortally. Jackson was taken to a field hospital where his left arm was amputated, but it was not enough to save him. He died at 3:15 pm the next day. It was a great loss for the Confederate army. Robert E. Lee was most upset of all because Jackson was one of his best friends and greatest generals. When Robert E. Lee heard of the passing of Jackson he said, “Jackson lost his left arm, but I have lost my right.”

Stonewall Jackson was an incredible man. He fought many battles bravely, always putting himself in front of danger to help his men out. He was a very unselfish man, but fair and strict. He always was encouraging his men to do better than what they were doing so that they could die an honorable death or go home proudly. He is my hero because of all the traits I have listed and because he was a great man especially at what he did. Long live Stonewall Jackson.