General Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson in the Southern Quote

He was born January 21, 1824 in Clarksburg, Virginia. His parents, patriotic Revolutionary stock, died when he was a child. He was a leader from boyhood and his country upbringing made him a bold and expert rider. In June, 1842 he was appointed to a cadetship in the Military Academy at West Point.

After graduation he served in the Mexican War, where he quickly received promotions for gallantry. It was during this time that his religious character began to take shape and he began to study the Bible.

Thomas was elected to a chair at Virginia Military Institute and made Lexington his home until he began his remarkable career in the Confederate War. Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson and his cadets were ordered to the battlefield on April 21, 1861 when the state of Virginia passed its ordinance of secession.  His fame was earned starting with the First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas), the conflict in which he was given the nickname Stonewall.

Military historians consider Jackson to be one of the most gifted tactical commanders in U.S. history. The Valley Campaign of 1862 is still studied worldwide as an example of innovative and bold leadership.

General Jackson passed his own lines of Confederates at the Battle of Chancellorsville to make a personal inspection and was fired upon and wounded by a line of Confederates who mistook him and his escort for the enemy. General Jackson lived a few days and died May 10, 1863 probably lamented more than any soldier who had fallen. His death was a severe setback for the Confederacy, affecting not only its military prospects but also the morale of its army and the general public.

This edition of Southern Quote pays tribute to a much-beloved historical figure who once said, “Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me.”