Lieutenant General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson

Photo of General Jackson.
 Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson was born in Clarksburg, Virginia.  He was a graduate from the West Point Military Academy and served in the Mexican War from 1846 to 1848.  After the Mexican War his higher-ranking officers promoted his ranking because of his great effort in the war.  After that he became a professor of Military Tactics at the Virginia Military Institute.

Pictures of Jackson from his youth and his later years.
      Jackson was called to fight for the south as a Colonel in Virginia.  His first assignment was to recruit men to fight at Harpers Ferry against John Brown’s raid.
     He then went on with his brigade to fight at Manassas in the first battle of Bull Run.  In this battle Jackson earned his nickname “Stonewall” and the brigade was later named the “Stonewall” brigade.  Later that fall he was promoted to Major General.
     Later in the war Jackson and his “Stonewall” brigade were sent to capture Harpers Ferry, which he and his men successfully did.  He was then promoted to having full command of the now-official second Corps. Before this it had been a command or a wing.
     On his greatest day he led his brigade around the right side of the Union flank at Chancellorsville breaking it at its weak point.  Later that night after observing advances that had taken place that day he was coming back to his own lines and was mistakenly shot in the left arm by one of his own men. After the amputation of his arm General Robert E. Lee wrote, “He has lost his left arm but I have lost my right arm.” He said this because of  Jackson’s great skill as a leader.  Jackson was considered Lee’s right arm because the two of them worked well together and fit each other well.

     “Stonewall” Jackson died on May 10,1863 at 3:15 in the afternoon. Many people mourned over the loss of this great leader including the cadets at the Virginia Military Institute that he was teaching.

     One thing he was remembered for besides his leadership and capability to rally troops was his deep religious beliefs. It was said that he would lead prayers in camp and he always regretted fighting on Sunday.
Cadets from the Virginia Military 
Institute mourning at Jacksons grave.

     Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson was a good person and an excellent war leader.  He will always be known as the great “Stonewall”. 
BIBLIOGRAPHY
"Thomas J. Jackson" The World Book Encyclopedia, Field Enterprises Corporation, Volume 11, 1973
"Thomas J. Jackson Biography Page",<http://www.civilwarhome.com/jackbio.htm>,(Nov. 1 2000)
"Death of General Stonewall Jackson", <http://members.tripod.com/~jrw6/jackbio.htm>(Nov. 1 2000)
Kaleb Little
8th Grade
2000
top