Thomas Jackson was born in Clarksburg, Virginia (Presently West Virginia) on Janurary 21st 1824. Orphaned at age 7, he was raised by his kin, with little schooling or education but still went on to graduate from West Point in 1846. Jackson graduated 17th of 59 students, and was said by his peers to have been first if given another year, despite nearly flunking out his first year. From West Point he went on to serve in the Mexican War with success and distinction, although he resigned from the military in 1851 to teach at the Virginia Military Institute. In 1853 he married Elenor Junkin, but soon after she died, and he remaried in 1857 to Mary Anna Morrison, whose memoirs descirbe him as gentle and playful. In november of 1851 he became a raging Presebyterian, referred to as "Deacon Jackson", he supported a number of different habits. Believing the left side of his body was out of balance, he often walked, and rode into battle with his left arm raised. He also ate while standing inorder to "straighten the intestinal tract" and aid digestion.
Jackson joined the confederate army in early 1861, and earned his famous nickname in the first battle of manassas. As the Confederates fell back before a Northern attack, Jackson and his brigade stood firm, "like a stone wall," according to Gen. Barnard Bee.
In the spring of 1862, Stonewall led a confederate army in the Shenandoah Valley. Jackson displayed his military genious and perseverence in an outstanding campaign, he defeated Union forces far superior to his own. After this campaign he joined up with Lee's army in the defense of Richmond. Due to exahstion, Jackson's edge on the battle feild was lost, and he was largely ineffective. But later on that year in the second battle of Manassas, Antietam and Fredericksburg contributed immesurable to the southern success.
At Chancellorsville the spring of 1864, he galantly attacked the flank of the federal army with over half of the southern army under his command. However this would be his last success, as he returned from a nightly reconnaissance, he was shot by his own troops who mistook him for an intruder. He died on the 10th of May from pneumonia as a result of the wounds. The lose of Jackson was a great blow to the southern success. Lee wrote, "I know not how to replace him."
