Jackson, Thomas J. “Stonewall” (1824-1863)

views updated

Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson (1824-1863)

Confederate general

Hero. Confederate general Thomas J. Jackson was arguably the first military hero of the Civil War, gaining a national reputation as a winner and tough warrior. During the First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861, when Federal troops appeared close to victory, Jackson suddenly arrived with his fellow Virginians to shore up the weakened Confederate line. Jackson’s men firmly held their positions and turned back several enemy assaults. Trying to rally his own troops among the confusion, Gen. Bernard Bee pointed toward Jackson’s men on his left and yelled: “Look at Jackson’s brigade! It stands there like a stone wall!” The Southerners finally regrouped and counterattacked, forcing the Northerners to retreat. For his heroic stand, Jackson gained celebrity status and, until his untimely death, he was simply recognized as “Stonewall.”

Early Years. Thomas Jackson was born on 21 January 1824, in Clarksburg (now Clarksville), Virginia. Orphaned at age six, Jackson was raised by his aunt and uncle in one of Virginia’s poorest regions (this area would later become the state of West Virginia). Although he lacked a formal education, Jackson received an appointment to West Point in 1842. He was known for his strong ambition and disciplined study habits. He graduated seventeenth out of forty-three in a class that would send twenty-four general officers to the Union and Confederate armies. Like many Civil War officers, Jackson fought in the Mexican War. Following that conflict, he resigned his commission in 1852 in order to teach physics at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington. During his tenure, he was not liked by the students and many ridiculed him and his rigid teaching habits behind his back. When the War Between the States broke out, Jackson resigned his post and accepted a commission as a colonel in the Virginia militia.

Reputation. Jackson was first sent to Harper’s Ferry to organize recruits. After Joseph E. Johnston took command of all forces in the area, Jackson was given command over the First Brigade (later known as “The Stonewall Brigade”). Adhering to his reputation as a strict disciplinarian, Jackson trained his men hard and prepared them to hold their ground during fierce fighting, a tactic that won fame for the unit at First Bull Run. In October 1861 the Confederate War Department promoted Jackson to major general and gave him command of the entire Shenandoah Valley. That winter Jackson revealed his strength of character when he submitted his resignation after a subordinate broke the chain of command and sent a complaint directly to the Confederate secretary of war. Recognizing Jackson’s talent as a field commander and his reputation as a hero, Confederate president Jefferson Davis was forced to apologize formally in order to keep Jackson in uniform.

Lee’s Lieutenant. Jackson soon gained a reputation as Gen. Robert E. Lee’s right-hand man. In order to counter the superior numbers of the Northern army, Lee brilliantly planned massive flanking movements to catch his opponent off-guard and sweep them from the battlefield. To execute these bold offensives, Lee turned to Jackson. Although constantly outnumbered, Jackson struck unsuspecting Northern troops hard and carried many battles with his strong determination to win. Jackson fought in every major battle in the Eastern theater including Second Bull Run, Antietam, and Fredericksburg (all in 1862). The successful partnership achieved its most daring victory at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia, in May 1863. Facing more than ninety thousand Federal troops, Lee split his command and sent Jackson with twenty-six thousand men on a wide-flanking movement against the Union’s right. Once again, Jackson caught the Federals off guard and the right flank quickly collapsed, forcing the Northern army to retreat. That night, as he conducted a reconnaissance at the front, Confederate pickets shot Jackson by mistake. Two bullets hit Jackson in his left arm, which Southern doctors amputated immediately. He survived for a few days before succumbing to pneumonia. Upon hearing the news, Lee wept openly and lamented: “He has lost his left arm, but I have lost my right.” Over twenty thousand Southerners paid their respects to Jackson as his body lay in the executive mansion in Richmond; he was later put to rest in Lexington. The Confederate army never recovered after Jackson’s death as Lee failed to find a general with his combat confidence and aggressive fighting ability.