JACKSON, Thomas Jonathan, commonly called "STONEWALL JACKSON," American general: b. Clarksburg, Harrison County, W. Va., 21 Jan. 1824; d. near Chancellorsville, Va., 10 May 1863. Lieutenant-General Thomas Jonathan Jackson was one of the most unique, romantic characters of the War'between the States, and. crowded into the two years in which he served brilliant achievements which won him wider fame than any other soldier on either side. Descended from Scotch-Irish stock and inherit ing many of the qualities of his ancestry, he was left a penniless orphan when three years old, and soon showed "the stuff of which heroes are made," in his manly self-reliant ef forts to support himself. Learning of a va cancy from his Congressional district in the military academy at West Point, he determined to make the journey to Washington and seek the appointment, and set out at once — traveling a part of the way on foot—appearing before the member of Congress from his district in his suit of homespun, and with his leather saddlebags over his shoulders. The Congress man presented him to the Secretary of War, who was sa much pleased with the youth's determi nation that he at once made out his appoint !tient to West Point. He was very badly pre pared to enter the academy and barely "squeezed through" on his entrance examination, but by persevering work he gradually rose in his grade until in July 1846 he was graduated No. 17 in a brilliant class containing such men as Mc Clellan, Foster, Reno, Stoneman, Couch, Gib bon, A. P. Hill, Pickett, Maury, D. R. Jones, Wilcox and others; and one who knew him mately expressed the confident belief that if the' course had been longer "Old Jack" would have graduated at the head of his class. He inune diately reported for duty in Mexico, and serv ing in the artillery won distinction on every field, always seeking the post of danger, being made first lieutenant at the siege of Vera Cruz, brevetted captain at Contreras and Churbusco, and major at Chapultepec, rising to this rank in seven months, and being promoted more rapidly than any other officer of his grade in the Mexi can War. He was frequently and' honorably mentioned in the official reports, and John B. Magruder, his immediate superior, wrote of him: 'If devotion, industry, talent and gallan try are the highest qualities of a soldier, then he is entitled to the distinction which their possession confers.' On the recommendation of his old comrade, D. H. Hill, whose brother-in-law he afterward became, Jackson was elected, in 1851, professor of natural science and instructor of military tactics in the Virginia Military Institute, Lex ington, Va., being elected over McClellan, Reno, Rosecrans and G. W. Smith, whose names were
submitted by the faculty at West Point. He made little reputation as a professor, and the cadets were always playing pranks upon him, and laughing at his eccentricities. From his habit of instructing his own servants in Scrip ture lessons every Sunday afternoon grew his famous negro Sunday school to which he de voted so much time and thought to which he contributed so liberally of his moderate means, — sending his pastor checks for it in the midst of his most active campaigns,— and which made such an impress upon the negroes and gave Jackson so warm a place in their affections that the first contribution to his monument was made in 1887 by the negro Baptist Church of Lexing ton. Jackson was a Union man, opposed to se cession as a remedy for Southern wrongs, though thoroughly believing in the abstract right of a State to secede, and-greatly deprecated the war which he predicted would follow; but when the news reached the quiet little town of Lex ington that Mr. Lincoln had called for 75,000 troops to coerce sovereign States, and that the Union Convention of Virginia had passed an ordinance of secession, Jackson said in a speech before a public meeting: °I have longed to pre serve the Union and would have been willing to sacrifice much to that end. But now that the North has chosen to inaugurate war against us, I am in favor of meeting her by drawing the sword and throwing away the scabbard." Gov ernor Letcher, his old neighbor and friend, who had a high estimate of his abilities, commis sioned him colonel in the Virginia forces; but his brilliant record in Mexico had been for gotten — he was only thought of as the quiet, eccentric professor, and when his name was presented to the Virginia convention, a promi nent member arose and asked: ((Who is this Major Jackson, anyway?' and it required all the eloquence of the Roeldbridge delegates to secure his confirmation.
Marching the corps of cadets to Richmond where he remained for a brief season assisting in organizing and drilling the raw recruits in the 'Camp of Instruction,' he was ordered to Harper's Ferry on 3 May, where he bent his energies toward reducing the high-spirited rab ble who had rushed to the front at the first sound of the bugle to the respectable Army of the Shenandoah, which he turned over to the command of General J. E. Johnston 23 May. Placed in command of the Virginia brigade which afterward became so famous, he met the advance of General Patterson at Falling Waters on 2 July, gave them a decided check, and cap tured a number of prisoners. Soon after he re ceived his commission as brigadier-general in the following characteristic letter from General Lee: