A Think Quest 99' Project

Confederate Biographies - Stonewall Jackson

General Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson

Born January of 1824. Graduated 17^th in his class at West Point, the US Military Academy. He was one of the guards overseeing John Brown’s execution. April 1861 - He was promoted to Col. and he was ordered to assembly his brigade which would later be the famous "Stonewall Brigade," which consisted of the 2^nd, 4^th, 5^th, 27^th, 33^rd Virginia Infantry units and the Rockbridge Artillery. July 1861 - During 1^st Manassass (Bull Run) he earned his nickname when a soldier yelled, "Look, there stands Jackson like a stone wall." October 1861 - He was promoted to Major General. Jackson was placed in command of the Valley of Virginia (Shenandoah Valley)

May 1862 - His brilliance in his battles in the Shenandoah earned him great respect. June 1862 - His mediocre leadership in the Seven Days Battles were uncharacteristic of Jackson. Summer 1862 - Jackson showed more skillful leadership during the battles of 2^nd Manassass and Antietam. October 1862 - Lee divided the army into two corps and Jackson was given command of the Second Corps, he   controlled half of Lee’s army of Virginia. Commanded a successful force that beat back the Federals at    Fredericksburg. May 1, 1863 - Under orders from Lee, Jackson marches his force around the Federal front and flank, which was  being commanded by General "Fighting Joe" Hooker. Jackson attacked the rear of the unsuspecting   Federals and forced them to retreat. After a meeting with his staff around 9pm on May 2^nd, he was  returning to his lines when members of the 18^th North Carolina Infantry Regiment accidentally shot him. They heard the gallop of incoming horses and wrongfully assumed a surprise ambush. The nearby hospital amputated his left arm but he died of pneumonia on May 10^th. He was an enormous loss to the South.