Early Life and Letters 
 
 of 
 
 Gen. Thomas ].( Stonewall) Jackson 
 
" You may be whatever you resolve to be. 
 
Early Life and Letters 
 
 of 
 
 General Thomas J. Jackson 
 
 "Stonewall" Jackson 
 
 By 
 
 His Nephew 
 THOMAS JACKSON ARNOLD 
 
 ILLUSTRATED 
 
 NEW YORK CHICAGO TORONTO 
 
 Fleming H. Revell Company 
 
 LONDON AND EDINBURGH 
 
Copyright, 1916, by 
 FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY 
 
 New York: 158 Fifth Avenue 
 Chicago: 17 North Wabash Ave. 
 Toronto: 25 Richmond Street, W. 
 London: 21 Paternoster Square 
 Edinburgh: 100 Princes Street 
 
To 
 
 my Wife and Daughter, 
 
 Eugenia Hill Arnold, 
 
 and 
 Isabel Arnold 
 
 396705 
 
Preface 
 
 THERE is no pretension to literary style in 
 the following pages. The writer has de 
 voted his entire attention to the collection 
 and presentation of facts, and these have been sifted 
 with scrupulous care, and whenever doubt as to 
 accuracy existed, have been unhesitatingly rejected, 
 there being neither desire nor necessity for drawing 
 upon the imagination. No character has appeared 
 upon the world s stage within the past half century 
 of whom so much has been written as of " Stone 
 wall " Jackson. With as many as twenty biog 
 raphies issued from the press in this time, aside from 
 an innumerable quantity of magazine and other 
 articles, it would seem that the subject had been 
 more than exhausted, and that there was little room 
 for another biography. But careful scrutiny of what 
 has been written, and much of this singularly inac 
 curate, discloses little information as to a consider 
 able period in the history of General Jackson. 
 
 The object of the present volume is to reveal 
 something of the less known part of his life, and 
 to preserve in a permanent form such facts as might 
 be of interest to the admirers of "Stonewall" 
 Jackson. 
 
 T. J. A. 
 
 Arnold Hill, W. Va. 
 
Contents 
 
 INTRODUCTION 13 
 
 I. YOUTH 24 
 
 II. ANCESTRY 38 
 
 III. WEST POINT 52 
 
 IV. WEST POINT (Continued ) . . .61 
 
 V. MEXICO 77 
 
 VI. MEXICO (Continued} .... 93 
 
 VII. MEXICO (Continued) . . . .113 
 
 VIII. MEXICO (Continued) . . . .124 
 
 IX. GOVERNOR S ISLAND . . . .140 
 
 X. FORT HAMILTON 153 
 
 XL FORT MEADE 166 
 
 XII. VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE . . .178 
 
 XIII. VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE (Con 
 
 tinued ) 190 
 
 XIV. HOME LIFE 199 
 
 XV. HOME LIFE (Continued) . . .214 
 
 XVI. LEXINGTON, VA. .... 228 
 
 XVII. EUROPE . . .... 246 
 
 XVIII. HOME LIFE 254 
 
 XIX. HOME LIFE (Continued) . . . 270 
 
 XX. HOME LIFE (Continued) . . . 284 
 
 XXI. HOME LIFE (Continued) . . . 298 
 
 9 
 
10 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 
 XXII. 
 
 IMPRESSIONS . . . . 
 
 309 
 
 XXIII. 
 
 IMPRESSIONS (Continued) 
 
 324 
 
 XXIV. 
 
 CIVIL WAR 
 
 
 
 
 
 XXV. 
 
 IMPRESSIONS DEATH 
 
 . 342 
 
 
 INDEX 
 
 160 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 FACING 
 PAGE 
 
 General Thomas J. Jackson Title 
 
 Cottage in Which General Jackson Was Born 
 Miniature of His Father 26 
 
 Fac-simile of Receipt Given by Young Jackson as 
 Constable 36 
 
 Residence and Mill of Cummins E. Jackson . . 50 
 West Point and East Shore of Hudson River . . 62 
 
 Major Jackson at New Orleans En Route from 
 Mexico Artillery Sabre Carried by Jackson in 
 the Campaign in Mexico ; and One of His Spurs 
 and Ink-well Young Jackson in the City of 
 Mexico, Age 23 .. .140 
 
 Virginia Military Institute, Lexington . .186 
 
 Miss Eleanor Junkin, Jackson s First Wife . . 204 
 
 Jackson the Professor At the Virginia Military 
 Institute .228 
 
 Mrs. Mary Anna (Morrison) Jackson, About 1880 256 
 Specimens of General Jackson s Handwriting . . 294 
 General Jackson at Winchester, Va., in 1862 . . 34 
 
 Julia, Daughter of " Stonewall " Jackson, as a 
 Child, and When Grown 
 
Introduction 
 
 FROM my earliest childhood my memory is 
 very clear as to the personal appearance of 
 General Jackson, and from that time forward 
 I knew him quite well, as a boy would know a man. 
 Whilst an army officer, afterwards as professor at 
 the Virginia Military Institute, it was General Jack 
 son s custom, as far as practicable, to spend his vaca 
 tions with my parents, at their home, in the town of 
 Beverley (West) Virginia. Later I was a member of 
 General Jackson s family in Lexington, Virginia, for 
 almost a year, where I was associated with him more 
 or less daily, always at the same table, and fre 
 quently accompanying him in his walks. In later 
 years I knew intimately some of General Jackson s 
 boyhood companions, a number of them relatives, 
 from whom I gathered much interesting information. 
 In addition there has recently come into my pos 
 session more than one hundred letters of General 
 Jackson s private correspondence, of a most intimate 
 nature, written to my mother, who was his only sis 
 ter, and, with himself, were the sole surviving mem 
 bers of their family. General Jackson, being the 
 elder, felt a fatherly, as well as a brotherly interest 
 in this sister, as is clearly evidenced throughout the 
 entire correspondence. 
 The writing of these memoirs is not the inspi- 
 
1* ; BA^LY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 ration of a moment. To the conscientious narrator, 
 who feels that a word should not be written, nor a 
 line of correspondence quoted, that would meet with 
 the serious disapproval of the subject of the sketch, 
 could it be brought to his knowledge, the task is not 
 an easy one. I have conscientiously endeavored 
 to keep within the lines indicated. The period of 
 General Jackson s life embraced in that part of the 
 Civil War in which he participated has been so fully 
 covered by other writers, and particularly by the 
 distinguished military critic and strategist Lt. Colo 
 nel G. F. R. Henderson of the British Army, in his 
 " Stonewall Jackson," that anything that might now 
 be written would be superfluous, and fall short of what 
 has been so ably portrayed : so that an account of 
 this period of his career has not been attempted, 
 other than the occasional introduction of some in 
 cidental matters, a number of them hitherto unpub 
 lished. General Jackson believed in system, method 
 and discipline in every phase of life. He not only 
 practised them himself, but looked for them in 
 others, regarding them as essential attributes 
 towards obtaining the most out of life, utilizing the 
 unit to produce the greatest result. He certainly 
 regarded methodical habits as indispensable to the 
 highest form of usefulness to others. In a sense, ac 
 cording to his creed, certainly in later life, man was 
 a machine with intelligence, one of God s instru 
 ments, and lived as such : and in his own brief span 
 of thirty-nine years, at least after attaining his ma 
 jority, he lived a full man s life, weighing as it were 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 15 
 
 the possibilities of each hour, and giving to his work 
 his utmost intelligence. He was intensely am 
 bitious. This is clearly apparent throughout his 
 entire course at West Point, and also in the campaign 
 in Mexico. In fact, in the latter, he recognizes as a 
 punishment from God, for his " excessive ambition " 
 an order severing him (fortunately for him but 
 temporarily) from the advancing army. That he 
 started out in life with the determination to distin 
 guish himself, and to add lustre to his family name, 
 there cannot be a doubt. To what height he aspired 
 is only matter of conjecture, as he was not given to 
 speaking of the successful results of his efforts, and 
 certainly never as to his aspirations : that the latter 
 were very high up on the ladder of fame, even with 
 out limit, may be readily imagined. This was 
 personal ambition. Later in life there was a marked 
 change. The same steady, determined desire to 
 succeed, but not for self : the controlling idea was to 
 press to the very utmost limit the work of the Master 
 self was completely subordinated. Every thought 
 and act was under the constant guidance and direc 
 tion of the Maker, and all for His glory only. An 
 interesting revelation gleaned from this correspond 
 ence is the seemingly intuitive perception, or clear 
 discernment, with which General Jackson, as early as 
 the year 1855, penetrated future political events, and 
 foresaw not only a coming effort at separation of the 
 states, but evidently it was manifest to his mind that 
 such separation would be accompanied by strife. 1 
 
 1 See letters of date Oct. 6, 1855, P- 2 3 2 > and J une 6 l8 5 6 P a S e 2 44.. 
 
16 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 So expectant was he of this that he stated in his 
 letters his unwillingness to invest more than a 
 limited part of his money in a contemplated pur 
 chase of public lands, in any of the free states, for 
 fear that he might lose the property so acquired by 
 confiscation. Further, the expression in his letters 
 leaves no uncertain conjecture as to where he ex 
 pected to stand when such a crisis should arrive. 
 Not only is his position made manifest in this way, 
 but in another letter of near the same date, wherein 
 he makes known his purpose to aid a younger half 
 brother in an investment in lands, he strenuously 
 objects to the latter locating in a free state, for the 
 reason that should war come, the young man would 
 by such residence in all probability be found on the 
 side of the " abolitionists : while we would be on the 
 opposite side." 
 
 Of those who did not know General Jackson, 
 some have classed him as a fanatic, some as a bigot, 
 some as an enthusiast, and still others as a fatalist. 
 Those who knew him best did not so estimate him. 
 He was entirely free from bigotry, being the last 
 person to believe that no one could enter the king 
 dom of heaven except by the particular path that 
 he had selected. He did not have prejudice or 
 irrational partiality for a particular creed. In Mexico 
 he consulted with the highest Catholic dignitaries, 
 to gather all the information attainable about the 
 doctrines and teachings of that church, being himself 
 entirely open to conviction. After his return from 
 Mexico he investigated the doctrines of the Episcopal 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 17 
 
 church far enough to be satisfied, and was baptized 
 therein. 1 The probability is that he would have been 
 confirmed in that church had he not been ordered 
 to Fort Meade, Florida, where he had no opportunity 
 of doing so. From Fort Meade he went to Lexing 
 ton, and upon further investigation, including the 
 study of the Shorter Catechism, and discussions with 
 able and intelligent men, particularly John B. Lyle, 
 with whom he had formed a close friendship, and his 
 former firiend Major D. H. Hill, he united with the 
 Presbyterian church. That he regarded all denomi 
 nations as working together for God s glory is veri 
 fied abundantly. In support of this view it is only 
 necessary to allude to the fact that later in the Civil 
 War he made special effort and succeeded in pro 
 curing the services of a Catholic priest for chaplain 
 of one of his brigades that was composed principally 
 of persons of that faith. 1 
 
 The reader will bear in mind that this occurred 
 more than fifty years ago. At this late day we un 
 fortunately too frequently find the want of such liber 
 ality in those engaged in the work of the Master. 
 He was not a fanatic, for he did not have hatred for 
 those opposed to him. The fanatic is not only the 
 bigot, but he seeks to compel all who differ with him 
 to travel his path. General Jackson was incapable 
 
 1 The late Dr. Hunter McGuire stated that on one occasion Jackson 
 issued an order directing that all tents be left. Whereupon a chaplain, a 
 Catholic priest, tendered his resignation, assigning as a reason that with 
 out the privacy of a tent he could not perform his clerical duties. Jackson, 
 upon inquiry, permitted the one exception. The priest remained, being 
 the only person in the command having a tent on the march. 
 
18 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 of persecuting" his fellow-man for entertaining opin 
 ions at variance with his own religious views. He 
 was not an enthusiast, for that is a form of fanaticism. 
 His helpful friendship was extended to all denomina 
 tions in their efforts to advance the Creator s cause. 
 I have time and again seen him in attendance at 
 services of other denominations than his own. For 
 those who were not religious he had only kind feel 
 ing and sympathy. Being sincere himself he re 
 spected their sincerity. He could pray for them, and 
 strive to lead a life that would be an example, and 
 offer advice when seemly or sought. It would have 
 been utterly incompatible with his temperament to 
 persecute them. Such a thought would have been 
 abhorrent to his whole nature. He was not a fatalist. 
 " Fatalism tends to apathy, to absolute inaction. 
 " His belief was in the Providence of the Scriptures, 
 to intelligent and hopeful effort. It does not over 
 throw but rather establishes the agency of second 
 causes ; for it teaches that God s method and rule of 
 effectuating events only through them is as stead 
 fast as His purposes to carry out His decree. Hence 
 this faith produces a combination of courageous 
 serenity, with cheerful diligence in the use of means. 
 Jackson was as laborious as he was trustful, and 
 laborious precisely because he was trustful. Every 
 thing that preparation, care, forecast, and self-sacri 
 ficing toil could do to prepare and earn success he 
 did. His belief in the superintendence of God was 
 equal to his industry." l General Jackson was simply 
 
 1 Dabney. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 19 
 
 a very earnest Christian, he was deeply consecrated, 
 his whole soul was in his belief. He lived his religion 
 every hour of the day. He certainly believed it to 
 be the one and only object overshadowing all else. 
 
 He accepted the Scriptures and Divine injunctions 
 as true. Having done this, the laws of God were to 
 him as the commands of a superior officer, with this 
 difference, that a disregard of the latter meant pun 
 ishment and disgrace in this life only, while a 
 disregard of the former meant to him eternal 
 punishment. His own expression in a few concise 
 words, in a letter written as early as the year 1850, 
 when he was but twenty-six years of age, gives a 
 clearer comprehension of General Jackson s religion 
 than anything that has ever been written. " Rather 
 than wilfully violate the known will of God, I would 
 forfeit my life. It may seem strange to you, yet 
 nevertheless such a resolution I have taken, and I 
 will by it abide." l Many have sacrified their lives 
 rather than renounce their religious convictions. 
 Jackson would have sacrificed his life rather than 
 have wilfully violated any one of God s command 
 ments. No one who knew General Jackson will for 
 a moment question that he meant literally what he 
 wrote in the above quotation. It was the expression 
 of a carefully considered opinion on the part of a 
 very serious, sincere and earnest man. If he ever 
 made a careless statement, it is not within my knowl 
 edge. And yet, notwithstanding all this seriousness, 
 he was not without a sense of humor, and this occa- 
 
 1 Letter of date March 8, 1850, p. 159. 
 
20 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 sionally overflows in his letters, and one in reading 
 can imagine the hearty laughter. Mrs. Preston, his 
 sister-in-law, relates having seen him so convulsed as 
 to almost fall from his chair. Jackson was a man of 
 sound and excellent judgment. I never knew or 
 heard of his making a mistake in a business venture. 
 He was a good judge of men. He has been criti 
 cized more or less for some of his staff selections. 
 Among others, of a Doctor of Divinity for his Chief 
 of Staff. Yet it would have been difficult to have 
 made a wiser selection. Aside from Dr. Dabney s 
 practical, clear judgment and discretion, he was a 
 close observer and excellent interpreter of human 
 nature ; he possessed untiring energy and industry. 
 There was probably not a man in Jackson s army 
 who had as accurate knowledge of the topography 
 of the country, of the roads and streams in every 
 section of that part of Virginia in which Jackson s 
 military operations were conducted, as did Dr. 
 Dabney. Such knowledge was invaluable to Jack 
 son. One of General Jackson s friends, a former 
 cadet, in a conversation with him, on one occasion 
 
 inquired how he happened to appoint to an 
 
 important position when he was so unpopular. 
 Jackson s reply was : " As he has no friends, he will 
 be impartial in his reports." l 
 
 While a professor at Lexington, General Jackson 
 thought seriously at times of entering the ministry. 
 He wrote his aunt, Mrs. Neale, to the effect that the 
 
 1 Related by Col. J. D. H. Ross of Lexington, Va. f to whom Jackson 
 made the reply. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 21 
 
 subject of becoming a herald of the cross had often 
 seriously engaged his attention. That he regarded 
 it as the most noble of all professions, and that he 
 would not be surprised were he to die upon a foreign 
 field, clad in ministerial armor. But that his con 
 viction was that he was " doing good here and that 
 for the present he was where God would have him 
 be." l Some persons who did not know General 
 Jackson, or knew him but slightly, have described 
 him as being eccentric. I do not recall having ob 
 served anything unusual in this respect, certainly not 
 any of the peculiarities so often made mention of. 2 
 To the earnest thinker, who tries to realize what life 
 and its duties are, and who personally knew him, 
 Jackson did not appear eccentric. It may be said 
 
 1 Quoted in Mrs. Jackson s " Life, etc." 
 
 * A number of persons who were associated with General Jackson at 
 different periods have expressed views very similar to my own ; among 
 others, Dr. James R. Graham of Winchester, Virginia, with whom Jackson 
 made his home in the winter of 1862. He writes, " During all that 
 period I cannot recall a single act or word which I could have wished 
 were different, or which the most censorious could construe to his dis 
 advantage. His demeanor and conversation were those of a dignified 
 and refined gentleman, thoroughly familiar with all the requirements of 
 social life. Reports were rife of his peculiarities. After he had been 
 with us a few days, I remembered these reports and wondering that I had 
 failed to observe anything peculiar, began to watch for the oddities 
 alleged of him. But somehow my powers of discernment were not suffi 
 cient to detect what was so patent to others, and I never did discover the 
 remarkable eccentricities of which so much has been said and written. 
 The fact is they did not exist to any observable extent. His manners in 
 company, his gait, his horsemanship all have been described as singular 
 even to grotesqueness. It may be that people have thought to make him 
 more conspicuous as a soldier by caricaturing him as a man. But what, 
 ever the motive, these representations have the least possible foundation 
 in fact." Published in " Things and Thoughts," Winchester, Va., 1901. 
 
22 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 that he was peculiar in his intense earnest religion. 
 Were there more such, then this would not be con 
 sidered a peculiarity. As intimated, Jackson was 
 unquestionably a strict disciplinarian. The cadet 
 who through his own inattention worked out the 
 wrong problem at the blackboard, and received a 
 low instead of the expected high mark ; or another 
 who worked out a long and difficult problem, and 
 was told that he had omitted something, and after 
 laboriously going over his example a second time 
 with the same result, was then informed that he had 
 omitted to write his number above the example on 
 the board, could hardly be expected to entertain 
 pleasant feelings towards Major Jackson, until in the 
 course of time and experience the conviction would 
 dawn on him that Jackson was right, and that it had 
 been to each of them, one of their most valuable lessons 
 in life, instructing them in the importance of close 
 observation and attention. 1 Nor was Jackson likely 
 to have much patience with the army officer, what 
 ever his rank, who disregarded his orders, or who 
 through indolence or want of energy neglected a 
 duty, and particularly would this be true in a case 
 bordering on insubordination. It required a satis 
 factory explanation for a seeming shortcoming. To 
 any who could not give this, Jackson would probably 
 seem unjust. Hence there were of necessity a few 
 
 1 These incidents were related to me by one of the two cadets referred 
 to. My informant had gained distinction as an officer in the Confederate 
 army, and was later a member of the Supreme Court of California, and 
 an eminent writer. T. J. A. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 23 
 
 who were bitter in their feelings towards him at times, 
 and this feeling naturally extended to their personal 
 friends and connection. It is not surprising that 
 some remnant of this should still occasionally appear 
 on the surface. Those in whose bosoms it has 
 found lodgment fully realize the futility of attempt 
 ing, at this day, unfavorable criticisms of Jackson s 
 military career, and turn their efforts to the less 
 known, and attribute to him personal traits which 
 he did not possess, and under such misrepresenta 
 tion attempt ridicule, and yet in doing this, find 
 it necessary, to avoid subjecting themselves to 
 censure, to qualify their comments by saying, 
 "Stonewall Jackson is great enough to have no 
 peculiarity apologized for, etc., etc." The only 
 possible effect of such misrepresentations is to some 
 what ruffle the feelings of General Jackson s admirers. 
 Scant satisfaction for an injustice to the memory of 
 the dead. 
 
I 
 
 YOUTH (1824-1842) 
 
 WITHIN a short time after the death of 
 General Jackson, Dr. Dabney, his former 
 Adjutant General, at the instance of many 
 friends (including Mrs. Jackson), wrote a most valu 
 able biography of his late commander. To make 
 his work as complete as possible he endeavored to 
 cover the period of the General s boyhood. As the 
 Civil War was still in progress he was precluded 
 from access to the section of country in which Jackson 
 had been reared, and had but little opportunity for 
 obtaining information ; and as General Jackson had 
 never been disposed to dwell upon his personal ex 
 periences as topics of conversation, Mrs. Jackson was 
 unable to impart much information upon the circum 
 stances surrounding her husband s boyhood days. 
 Consequently Dr. Dabney s sketch of Jackson s 
 youth was not only scant in material, but far from 
 accurate. Those who have written of General Jack 
 son since that time, knowing of Dr. Dabney s 
 reputation for accuracy in whatever he wrote, have 
 accepted and followed his account, with but slight 
 variation, so that the history of Jackson s boyhood 
 has become " an oft told tale," so much so that one s 
 natural inclination is to pass over this period in 
 silence. Yet under the circumstances this should 
 
 24 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 25 
 
 not be done, for it is due Jackson s memory, as well 
 as his admirers, that the facts, as far as known, of 
 that part of his life be at least accurately if but 
 briefly narrated. That there have been found no 
 stirring events to record may be considered rather 
 creditable than otherwise to his boyhood. Incidents 
 of moment in a boy s career, that make interesting 
 copy, are not infrequently the outgrowth of a genius 
 for mischief. There is however something of adven 
 ture that is not altogether without interest, and 
 indicates a desire on his part, at a very early age, to 
 seek and grasp at opportunity. 
 
 Young Jackson was born in Clarksburg, Harrison 
 County, Virginia, now West Virginia, on the 2ist 
 day of January, 1824. As the place of one s nativity 
 not infrequently in after years becomes a matter of 
 doubt, it is here given as it was related to me by the 
 family physician present at the time of his birth. 1 
 On the 26th day of March, 1827, his father died, just 
 three weeks subsequent to the death of the eldest 
 daughter Elizabeth, who had been stricken with 
 fever, and from whom the father, in nursing her, 
 had contracted the disease, leaving the subject of 
 this sketch an orphan at little more than three years 
 of age. He was named by his mother, Thomas, for 
 her father Thomas Neale. Afterwards, when nearly 
 grown, he added the name of his father, Jonathan. 2 
 
 1 The late Dr. James McCalley of Clarksburg, W. Va. 
 
 * See quotation from letter from Mr. Sylvanus White, a relative, at 
 page 37. Also receipt given as constable for claim for collection of date 
 July 10, 1841, signed Thos. Jackson, page 37. Also letters from Thomas 
 to his sister of date Sept. 8, 1844, page 66, and Feb. 10, 1845, page 68. 
 
26 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 Jonathan Jackson, the father, was a lawyer of prom 
 inence, and had acquired a good practice in a town 
 that was always noted for having an exceptional 
 Bar, and second in ability to none in the state, 
 Clarksburg. General Jackson s father was born in 
 Randolph (now Upshur) County, (W.) Va., Septem 
 ber 25, 1790, and received a good academic educa 
 tion at the Randolph Academy at Clarksburg. He 
 afterwards took a course of law in the office of his 
 kinsman Judge John G. Jackson, a resident of said 
 town, and was admitted to the Bar at that place at 
 the December term of Court, 1810, he having just 
 passed his twentieth year, an unusual distinction for 
 one of his years. At that period a lawyer m practice 
 did well if his profession yielded a support for him 
 self and family. If he acquired anything in excess 
 of this, it was almost invariably the result of specula 
 tion. During a short period of the sixteen years 
 that Jonathan Jackson practiced law, he filled the 
 position of Collector of United States Excise Tax or 
 Internal Revenue. It may also be mentioned that 
 in 1812 Jonathan Jackson and others raised a com 
 pany of cavalry, of which he was elected First 
 Lieutenant, and tendered their services to the Presi 
 dent of the United States, in the war against Eng 
 land. 1 The presumption is that the company was 
 not called into actual service, as there is no record of 
 a cavalry company being in the service from that 
 section of the state. Upon the death of Jonathan 
 
 1 See records of Harrison County Court, June Term, 1812. Also 
 History of Harrison County, Haymond. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 27 
 
 Jackson, his little family was left in destitute circum 
 stances. When his widow had sufficiently recovered 
 from the shock of this double affliction, she opened 
 a private school, and in that way, and with the aid 
 of her needle, supported herself and children until 
 her second marriage, in 1830, to Captain Blake B. 
 Woodson, a resident lawyer of Clarksburg. The 
 newly wedded couple shortly afterwards removed to 
 Fayette County, (West) Virginia, where Captain 
 Woodson was appointed clerk of the Court. Before 
 leaving Clarksburg, Warren, the eldest child, was 
 sent to make his home with his uncle, Alfred Neale, 
 near Parkersburg, and with whom he continued to 
 reside for a number of years. At the early age of 
 sixteen years he was employed to teach a school in 
 Upshur County, and from that time forward made 
 his home there. The other two children, Thomas 
 and Laura, their mother took with her to Fayette 
 County. Mrs. Woodson continued in such delicate 
 health, and the care of the children was so great a 
 tax upon her strength, that within a few months 
 after her arrival there, she consented to let their 
 Grandmother Jackson take them to her home in 
 Lewis County, some four miles north of Weston, 
 where she lived with her unmarried daughters and 
 sons. The grandmother sent one of these sons to 
 Fayette County for the children. Upon his arrival, 
 and the object of his visit being made known, there 
 was quite a commotion on the part of the children, 
 who were much averse to leaving their mother. 
 Thomas, now six years of age, slipped off to the 
 
28 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 near-by woods, where he concealed himself, only 
 returning to the house at nightfall. The uncle after 
 a day or two of much coaxing, and the offer of 
 numerous bribes, finally, with the mother s aid, 
 induced the children to make the visit, a journey of 
 several days. Upon arrival at their destination, they 
 became the pets of an indulgent grandmother, two 
 maiden aunts, and several bachelor uncles, all of 
 whom were noted for great kindness of heart, and 
 strong family attachment. A few months thereafter 
 the children were sent in the care of one of the negro 
 men, Uncle Robinson, a trusted servant, to see their 
 mother, then on her death bed. They arrived in 
 time to receive her dying blessing and prayers ; l 
 and then returned to make their home with the 
 grandmother. It was a happy home for the chil 
 dren. They were indulged in every way, and to an 
 extent well calculated to spoil them. 2 In August, 
 1835, death claimed the much loved grandmother. 
 The two maiden aunts had in the meantime married, 
 and were living in their own houses. As only the 
 bachelor uncles, and the slaves, were left, the home 
 for the children was broken up. Thomas, now nearly 
 twelve years of age, was received into the household 
 of a relative by the name of Brake, who lived a few 
 miles from Clarksburg. His sister Laura, after some 
 months spent with her aunts in the vicinity, was 
 sent to reside with the family of one of her mother s 
 brothers, who lived a few miles above Parkersburg. 
 
 1 See letters in after life, referring to mother s prayers. 
 
 2 See letter of August 2, 1845, page 71. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 29 
 
 Thomas soon tired of the change and longed for the 
 domicile and company of his bachelor uncles, to 
 whom he had become greatly attached. Whether 
 with the knowledge and consent of the relatives, 
 with whom he was living, or whether, according to 
 tradition, he took French leave from their hospitable 
 hearth : be that as it may ; within a day or two from 
 the time of his departure he made his appearance at 
 the old homestead of his Grandfather Jackson, where 
 his Uncle Cummins and the other bachelor uncles 
 still resided ; no doubt to his own great pleasure, 
 and equally to that of the uncles, who were ex 
 tremely fond of him, and it may be added to the no 
 less enjoyment of the family slaves, whose well- 
 known partiality and affection for the white children 
 was ever in evidence, and the sincerity of which 
 was unmistakable. Dr. Dabney in his " Life of 
 Jackson," in relating this change of residence, men 
 tions an incident which he says is most fully authen 
 ticated, occurring when young Jackson was but eight 
 years old " and shows that nature made him from 
 the first of another mould from that of common 
 men." * He appeared one day at the house of his 
 father s ^cousin, Judge John G. Jackson, in Clarks 
 burg, and addressing Mrs. Jackson by the title of 
 aunt, which he usually gave her, asked her to give 
 him dinner. While he was eating it, he remarked 
 in a very quiet tone, " Uncle Brake and I don t 
 
 1 This was subsequent to his Grandmother Jackson s death, which had 
 occurred in August, 1835. Thomas was therefore past twelve years of 
 age.-T. J. A. 
 
30 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 agree ; I have quit him, and shall not go back any 
 more." His kind hostess remonstrated against this 
 purpose as a childish whim. He listened most 
 respectfully to all her reasoning, but returned to the 
 same resolute declaration : " No ; Uncle Brake and I 
 can t agree ; I have quit, and shall not go back any 
 more." From Judge Jackson s he went to a favorite 
 cousin s, lately married and living in her own house, 
 and asked leave of her to spend the night. In the 
 course of the evening he announced his purpose of 
 leaving his home, and, after listening respectfully to 
 her remonstrances likewise, returned resolutely to 
 his old formula " No ; Uncle Brake and I don t 
 agree ; I have quit there ; I shall not go back any 
 more." Dr. Dabney then gives some logical reason 
 for this conduct on the part of the young boy. A 
 letter from Major Jackson, written to me some 
 twenty years later, in 1855, not only furnishes 
 ample proof of his sojourn with his Uncle Brake, 
 the truth of which fact has been questioned by some, 
 but affords a probable solution of the cause for the 
 change of residence which took place, as well as for 
 his very positive and pronounced opposition to 
 returning [to this uncle. The letter referred to was 
 in reply to one I had written to him, wherein, among 
 other things, I had mentioned being thrown from a 
 mule. I quote from the reply : " I remember having 
 once been served pretty much the same way by one 
 of those kicking creatures. It happened in this way : 
 I went with Cousin Wm. Brake 1 to bring some mules 
 
 1 A son of the uncle with whom he was making his home. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 31 
 
 home one Sunday morning and as I was riding 
 down a long hill, somehow or other I not only got 
 over the mark across his shoulders, but he got me 
 over his head, and jumped clear over me ; and from 
 that day to this I have not been very fond of mule 
 riding." He doubtless thought that this uncle had 
 not shown a sufficient care for him in allowing him 
 to ride an animal without knowing that it was gentle 
 and safe. Then again, from what he stated in after 
 years as to his mother s injunction at their last inter 
 view, he would be likely to feel that were she living 
 her consent would not have been given to his going 
 a distance to fetch mules on the Sabbath day. At 
 his Uncle Cummins home he attended the country 
 school, and made himself useful ; for he bore the 
 reputation of being an industrious boy. Some two 
 years later his brother Warren, who had been teach 
 ing school for some time past in the vicinity of the 
 relatives with whom he resided, stopped to see 
 Thomas, on his way to visit their sister Laura, near 
 Parkersburg. Nothing was more natural than that 
 Thomas should be eager to join his brother for the 
 visit to their sister. As Warren was a bright youth 
 with steady habits (his associates, some of whom 
 are still living, bear witness to his high Christian 
 character), nothing was more natural than that a 
 kind-hearted uncle like Cummins E. Jackson would 
 consent to Thomas accompanying him, a distance 
 of some eighty miles. The journey was undertaken 
 and the boys arrived finally at their destination, 
 where they visited their sister at the comfortable 
 
32 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 home ol their mother s brother, Mr. Alfred Neale, 
 on a beautiful island in the Ohio River. They 
 there learned that this island containing some 150 
 acres had been purchased by this uncle and one of 
 his brothers, and that in clearing up the land the 
 uncles had sold sufficient cord-wood from it to the 
 passing steamboats to not only pay for the clearing 
 but for the cost of the land, a magnificent and 
 valuable farm. One can imagine the impression 
 made upon the minds of Warren and Thomas, 
 orphan, penniless boys as they were, when they 
 looked upon this farm and realized in what manner 
 the uncles had paid for it. The call was as strong 
 as was that of California to the Argonauts of 49, to 
 go farther down the river, and do likewise. After 
 visiting their sister they continued their journey 
 down the river some twenty miles to the old town of 
 Belleville, where one of their father s sisters and her 
 husband, a Mr. George White, resided. After visiting 
 this uncle and aunt, and to whom the boys were 
 much attached, they continued down the river in 
 quest of fortune. Thomas a few years later refers 
 to this visit in a letter to his sister who was at the 
 time making her home with these relatives. It is 
 dated West Point, March 18, 1843. 
 
 I feel well pleased at your having a home with a grate 
 ful aunt, one to whom I shall ever owe a debt of gratitude. 
 I had the honor of making for a few weeks my abode 
 within her hospitable doors, and of amiable ladies I think 
 she is the most amiable. Therefore I will expect that 
 you will spare no pains to render yourself worthy of their 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 33 
 
 confidence, and in order to do so there is but one path, 
 and that is amiable conduct towards them and all others, 
 and industrious habits. I am well satisfied with my situa 
 tion and surrounded by apparent friends. Give my best 
 regards to uncle and aunt. Your most endeared and 
 loving brother, THOS. J. JACKSON. 
 
 The aunt and uncle referred to were kind-hearted, 
 sensible people, who no doubt used every proper 
 effort to persuade the boys from their venture, but 
 without avail. This is by no means surprising, in 
 view of occurrences that have taken place since that 
 time, and with which many persons still living are 
 familiar. In the gold excitement in California in 
 1849 and following years, numbers of boys of sixteen, 
 some possibly younger, made the journey across the 
 plains to the Pacific, often with the parents consent 
 presumably given with reluctance. Then again 
 in 1 86 1, how many boys of fourteen and fifteen years 
 of age, throughout the Southern States, enlisted in 
 the army ; most of those of that age who did not go 
 remaining at home only by the exercise of the 
 strongest parental control. The two brothers trav 
 elled as far south as the southwest corner of Kentucky, 
 where they remained throughout the winter and 
 spring. As to their life there little is known, as 
 they were ever afterwards reluctant to talk much of 
 that experience. They did not acquire the fortune, 
 however. The impression among the friends and 
 relatives was that Warren wanted to remain, but 
 that Thomas, presumably homesick, persisted in 
 returning. They took passage by steamboat, land- 
 
34: EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 ing at the home of their uncle, Alfred Neale, on the 
 island before described, each the proud possessor of 
 a new trunk containing their personal effects. Thus 
 through the failure of the expedition the West 
 probably lost two valuable citizens, while the South 
 gained a great leader for her future struggle for 
 independence. Another instance of the effect of 
 some seemingly insignificant happening upon future 
 events of great moment, the guidance of Providence. 
 This recalls to my mind a favorite quotation of General 
 Jackson, a couplet that I have heard him repeat : 
 
 " God moves in a mysterious way 
 His wonders to perform." 
 
 The boys remained but a few days visiting their 
 sister and younger half brother, and then departed 
 for their respective homes. As they were to journey 
 on foot, they had little use for the new trunks. 
 Thomas gave his to his little sister, Laura, and which 
 she treasured and kept to the day of her death, but re 
 cently at the age of eighty-five years, Warren giving 
 his to his little half brother, Wirt. 1 Warren soon after 
 their return resumed his school teaching, and Thomas 
 his duties with his Uncle Cummins. The health of 
 both boys was a good deal impaired by the climate 
 and malaria of the Mississippi, Warren dying, some 
 three years later at the age of nineteen, of consump 
 tion, attributed by his friends to be due to exposure 
 on this western river expedition. As an indication 
 
 1 The above account of this journey I had in part from my mother, in 
 part from the two uncles, therein referred to, and from other relatives. 
 T. J. A. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 35 
 
 of the high esteem in which this youth was held in 
 the vicinity where he had made his home for the 
 last three or four years of his life, it may be men 
 tioned that in a subsequent rearranging of the 
 Districts of the county, the District embracing this 
 vicinity was named for him, " Warren," and which 
 name it still retains. At the age of sixteen Thomas, 
 through the influence of his uncle, Cummins E. Jack 
 son, was appointed by the County Court of his 
 county (Lewis) to the office of constable for his 
 Magisterial District. This clearly indicates the in 
 fluence of the uncle in the county, and also the con 
 fidence of the uncle in the judgment and character 
 of his nephew. For a boy of but sixteen years to 
 have received such an appointment, he unquestion 
 ably must have impressed the Court that he possessed 
 character and judgment in advance of his years. 
 While the office of constable is not a very important 
 one, yet there are responsibilities connected with it 
 that make it very essential that the incumbent be 
 trustworthy, and capable of exercising discretion in 
 the discharge of the duties pertaining thereto ; other 
 wise the sureties on his official bond might be sub 
 jected to heavy damages through a false arrest, 
 levying wrongfully or through error on property not 
 that of the debtor, and all of which sometimes 
 happens. Cummins E. Jackson was a man of con 
 siderable wealth and prominence. There was no 
 better judge of men than he. He not only vouched 
 for the proper conduct of the office by Thomas, but 
 he and another uncle of the neighborhood, John 
 
36 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 White, who also knew Thomas well, became sureties 
 on his official bond. 
 
 The father admitted to practise at the Bar at twenty 
 years of age, Warren the eldest son given charge of 
 a school at sixteen or even younger, Thomas at the 
 age of sixteen appointed to the office of constable, 
 would indicate not only ambition but more than 
 ordinary ability in the father and sons. It may be 
 here mentioned as worthy of note that, in the adjoin 
 ing county of Harrison, there served as constable a 
 young man who afterwards became Governor of 
 Virginia, Joseph Johnson. 
 
 Cummins E. Jackson could foresee that the ex 
 perience to be gained in the discharge of the duties 
 of this office would be an invaluable training to a 
 young man who had to battle with the world for a live 
 lihood. The knowledge he would acquire of men, their 
 business methods, their resourcefulness in avoiding 
 the just demands of their creditors, the many evasions 
 practised, would give young Jackson a varied and ex 
 ceedingly useful experience. Besides a good deal of 
 practical knowledge of the law was to be acquired by 
 the official in the exercise of his duties, all of which 
 counted for more to a young man than anything to be 
 gained at the best schools in the same period of time. 
 
 Nothing unusual happened during this incum 
 bency, the duties of the office being discharged in a 
 methodical, businesslike manner, fully justifying the 
 judgment and confidence of his uncle. In this con 
 nection the following quotation is from a recent 
 letter that I received from Mr. Sylvanus White of 
 
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THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 3V 
 
 Los Angeles, California, a former resident of Lewis 
 County, (West) Virginia, and a near relative, con 
 temporary and occasional associate of young Jack 
 son. He says, " The Jackson children (referring to 
 Thomas and his brother and sister) were never given 
 a home by my parents. Thomas used to visit us 
 occasionally Tom, as he called himself when a 
 boy. I have been told that he gave himself his 
 father s name, Jonathan, and that he did not take 
 this name until he was sixteen or eighteen years 
 old." Referring to the period when young Jackson 
 was constable he relates, " I went with him on one 
 occasion (I suppose father sent me) to show him the 
 near way through the forest, over the hills some 
 three or four miles, to a man s house by the name of 
 Dennis, whom he wished to serve with a legal 
 process. He left his horse at father s, and we went 
 on foot. He served his papers, and we returned 
 home." "I remember to have seen him and 
 William Stringer have a very hot political discus 
 sion one day in Weston. Stringer \/as an ardent 
 Whig; he was perhaps forty-five years of age. 
 Thomas would not stand having his word disputed, 
 but went and brought papers and proved his point. 
 Father was a security for him in his official capacity. 
 Thomas never superintended his uncle s farm, or the 
 mill work ; some of the uncles were always at home. 
 He was a great favorite of mine, one of the most sin 
 cere, upright, polite persons I ever knew. The bi 
 ographies written of him as to his early life are in 
 many respects erroneous." 
 
II 
 
 ANCEStRY 
 
 A BRIEF resume of General Jackson s ancestry 
 should be given the reader at this period of 
 the sketch. The Jackson ancestry has not 
 been traced, nor has any effort been made to do so, 
 beyond the generation that came to America. The 
 following letter from the pen of the late Captain 
 George W. Jackson of Weston, W. Va., a first 
 cousin of General Jackson s father, addressed to Mr. 
 Jonathan Arnold, the brother-in-law of General 
 Jackson, bearing on this subject is here given. 
 
 Weston, May 20, 1871. 
 DEAR SIR : 
 
 I regret that I did not see you when you were in 
 Weston. As I understood from J. C. Jackson you de 
 sired some information relative to our family. I believe 
 that I can give you the requisite information that you 
 can rely on. I am now in my eighty-first year, and 
 was about thirteen or fourteen years old when my grand 
 father (John Jackson) died in Clarksburg. I was placed 
 in the mill with him as he could not be induced to leave 
 it, as it occupied his mind, etc. Many of the facts that I 
 relate I had from him, some from my grandmother, some 
 from my father (George Jackson), and all confirmed 
 by a detailed statement of my sister, (Mrs.) Williams, 
 who being intimate with grandmother for more than fifty 
 
 38 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 39 
 
 years, had them often repeated by her. John Jackson, my 
 grandfather, was born in Ireland. 1 He with his father 
 and two brothers moved to London when he was a child. 
 John Jackson s father died when he was young. After 
 arriving at manhood he emigrated to Maryland ; 2 he settled 
 in Cecil County. He there married Elizabeth Cummins, 
 and remained some time after the birth of George Jack 
 son, my father, and removed to Moorefield, thence to 
 Pendleton County, thence to Buckhannon, thence to 
 Clarksburg, where both died, grandfather at eighty- 
 five, 3 and grandmother at a hundred and one years of 
 age. Elizabeth Cummins and an orphan sister were born 
 in England and raised by a maiden aunt ; her sister mar 
 ried and emigrated to the city of New York. Elizabeth 
 would have gone with her, but was prevailed on to 
 remain by a promise that at her aunt s death she would 
 leave her one thousand pounds. She (the aunt) died in 
 two or three years. Elizabeth after obtaining her money 
 sailed for New York in search of her sister. After her 
 arrival and diligent search, ascertained that she, her 
 husband and two children had died of the yellow fever 
 the year preceding. She then went to Maryland and 
 found some acquaintances from England with whom she 
 lived until she married my grandfather in 1755. She 
 often assured my sister and felt proud of it that the land 
 patented in her name including the town of Buckhannon 
 was paid for in gold she had brought from England and 
 repeatedly showed with seeming pleasure a few guineas 
 she retained till her death. The question has often been 
 asked me if any relationship existed between my father and 
 General Andrew Jackson, and upon inquiry of my father 
 on that subject, I obtained the following facts. Andrew 
 
 1 In the year 1719. 2 In the year 1748. 3 September 25, 1804. 
 
40 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 Jackson and my father were members of Congress in 96 
 or 97 or 98, became intimate, and in after life corre 
 sponded, particularly during the exciting campaigns of 
 1824 and 28. While in Congress they compared notes 
 as to the probability of relationship ; they settled on this 
 alone, that their parents both lived in the same parish in 
 Ireland ; although they had no data to establish relation 
 ship and never claimed it, they believed it existed, etc. 
 Both were of Protestant families. 
 
 With respect, etc., 
 Jon*, Arnold. GEO. W. JACKSON. 
 
 John Jackson, named in the above letter, is de 
 scribed by another grandson, Judge John G. Jackson, 
 in a letter written by him to his wife s sister, Mrs. 
 Dolly Madison, "as a man of great corporeal 
 strength, and who had spent his long life in noble 
 and virtuous pursuits, which endear men to their 
 acquaintance." " I saw him breathe his last in the 
 arms of my aged grandmother, and can truly add 
 that to live and die as he did would be the excess of 
 happiness." The same John Jackson and his eldest 
 son George visited the vicinity of the present town 
 of Buckhannon as early as the year 1769. He made 
 what was termed a tomahawk claim at the confluence 
 of Turkey Run with the Buckhannon River. They 
 cleared some land and planted a crop of corn, and 
 returned to their home, east of the Alleghany Moun 
 tain. In the following autumn they went back with 
 the intention to harvest and store their corn, with the 
 view of moving the family there later. Upon their 
 arrival they found that the buffalo had destroyed 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 41 
 
 their crop. This necessitated delay in removal until 
 the following year, 1770. John Jackson and his two 
 eldest sons, George and Edward, served in the war 
 for Independence until its close. George held the 
 commission of captain. Whether the father and 
 brother held commissions in the army is unknown ; 
 tradition says they did. The wife of John Jackson 
 is described as a large, strong-minded, energetic, 
 courageous woman, of great strength of character, 
 which traits were inherited by many of her descend 
 ants. The members of the family mentioned bore 
 each his full share in defending the settlements from 
 the attacks of the Indians, and were ever vigilant and 
 dependable in any emergency. George Jackson, the 
 eldest son, was a member of the Virginia Convention 
 that adopted the Constitution of the United States, and 
 he afterwards served in the fourth, sixth and seventh 
 Congresses, 1 his first term being the last one of 
 Washington s administration, and was held in Phila 
 delphia. In later life he removed to Zanesville, Ohio, 
 and represented his county in the Ohio Legislature 
 and was later a member of the Senate of that state. 
 His eldest son, John G. Jackson, was elected to the 
 Virginia Legislature of 1797, and several succeeding 
 terms. He was appointed and commissioned sur 
 veyor of government lands west of the Ohio River. 
 He was elected and served in the eighth, ninth, tenth, 
 
 !The last Congressional Directory, 1913, gives Georgejackson mem 
 bership in the fourth Congress only; but as this directory contains a 
 number of inaccuracies, the earlier directories naming him as a member 
 of the fourth, sixth and seventh Congresses have been accepted as the 
 better authority. T. J. A. 
 
42 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 eleventh, thirteenth and fourteenth Congresses, com 
 mencing in 1803. He was appointed and commis 
 sioned brigadier-general of the Virginia Militia. In 
 the year 1819 he was appointed United States Dis 
 trict Judge for the District of Western Virginia, and 
 held that office till his death, March 29, 1825. He 
 married Miss Mary Payne, sister of the famed Dolly 
 Madison, and also a sister of Mrs. George Steptoe 
 Washington, whose husband was a nephew of George 
 Washington, and one of the administrators of his 
 estate. This marriage of John Q. Jackson and Mary 
 Payne is said to have taken place in the White 
 House, being the first ceremony of the kind solem 
 nized therein. 1 While serving in Congress, John G. 
 Jackson fought a duel with Congressman Pearson of 
 South Carolina, in which he was wounded in the 
 hip, thereby causing a lameness for life. 2 
 
 Another son of George Jackson, Edward B. Jack 
 son, was elected to Congress in 1820, and upon ex 
 piration of his term was reflected. A grandson of 
 this same George, William L. Jackson, was Lieu- 
 tenant-Governor of Virginia ; he was afterwards 
 elected and served as Judge of the Circuit Superior 
 Court in that state and later was a brigadier-general 
 in the Confederate army. After the Civil War he 
 removed to Kentucky where he was elected Circuit 
 Judge, and held that position until his death. An- 
 
 1 On the authority of their eldest daughter, the late Mrs. John J. Allen, 
 wife of Judge Allen, long a member of the Supreme Court of Virginia, 
 who stated that she had often heard it related by her parents. 
 
 Raymond s " History of Harrison County." I have also heard my 
 father relate the same incident. T. J. A. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 43 
 
 other relative, Jacob B. Jackson, was Governor of 
 West Virginia. The latter s brother, John J. Jackson, 
 Jr., was appointed Judge of the United States District 
 Court for the District of West Virginia, which posi 
 tion he filled for more than forty years. Another 
 brother, James Monroe Jackson, was also on the 
 bench for many years in the same state, and as a 
 member of the West Virginia Constitutional Conven 
 tion, in 1872, gained as much distinction as any 
 member of that body. Edward Jackson, the second 
 son of John Jackson, and grandfather of Thomas, the 
 subject of this sketch, married Mary Hadden, the 
 daughter of David Hadden, October 17, 1783. 
 David Hadden, with other members of his family, 
 emigrated from New Jersey, in which colony the 
 name had long been prominent, and settled in the 
 beautiful Tygarts Valley, in what was afterwards 
 Randolph County, Virginia, in 1772. They selected 
 for their homes the choicest lands in that valley and 
 were soon recognized as leading men in the com 
 munity. John Hadden, a son of David, Edward 
 Jackson, his brother-in-law, and John Jackson, the 
 father of Edward, were each members of the first 
 court held in Randolph County in 1787, having been 
 appointed and commissioned as such officials by the 
 Governor of Virginia. The same John Hadden and 
 one John Wilson were the first members to represent 
 the newly organized county in the State Legislature ; 
 and it has been common repute from that time to 
 the present that the county at no time has been so 
 ably represented. Edward Jackson was a merchant 
 
44 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 in Clarksburg as late as the spring of 1 786. Pre 
 sumably he was the first merchant in the town. As 
 illustrative of the custom of that time, a young 
 daughter of David Hadden, accompanied by a 
 married sister, travelled from her home on horse 
 back over a mountain trail in 1788 to Clarksburg, 
 a distance of seventy or seventy-five miles, to visit 
 their relatives there, and to attend a protracted 
 meeting that was to be held at that place. An ac 
 count is given of the journey here described, but 
 without mentioning names, in the diary kept by 
 Bishop Asbury, who attended and conducted the 
 meeting. 1 Upon returning through the wilderness 
 the unmarried daughter, Margaret, parted with her 
 sister at the latter s home near the site of the present 
 town of Buckhannon, and continued her journey 
 alone, a distance of some forty or more miles. Dark 
 coming on in the wilderness near Roaring Creek, 
 she could not distinguish the bridle path ; she there 
 upon tied her horse fast to a sapling and crawled 
 under a cliff of rocks and slept until it was sufficiently 
 light in the morning to discern the trail, when she 
 continued her journey home. Wild animals, such 
 as panther, catamounts, wolves and bear, were 
 plentiful in that section, even to a much later period, 
 aside from the not infrequent incursions of raiding 
 Indians. Only a few years prior to the date men 
 tioned, her uncle, a brother of David Hadden, who 
 with his family had settled a few miles below David 
 in the valley, was with his family, excepting one son, 
 
 1 Bishop Asbury s diary was afterwards published in book form. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 45 
 
 murdered by the Indians, their house and its contents 
 pillaged and burned. This was witnessed by the 
 son, William, who was concealed near by in a sink 
 hole, covered with driftwood, but powerless to 
 render any aid. The Indians searched for him in 
 the drift, but failed to find him. In consequence 
 of the barbarity which he witnessed upon that 
 occasion he became the unrelenting foe of the 
 Indians, and when they ceased coming to that 
 section he followed in their footsteps further west, as 
 they retired, until all trace of him was lost. 1 Edward 
 Jackson, the grandfather of Thomas, held various 
 prominent official positions in Randolph County. 
 About the year 1801 he removed to that part of 
 Harrison County, now within the confines of Lewis 
 County, and where Thomas afterwards made his 
 home with his grandmother and her family. In 
 1803 and 1804 he represented Harrison County in 
 the Legislature at Richmond. He died December 
 26, 1828, in the seventieth year of his age. Of the 
 ancestry of General Jackson s mother, the earliest 
 one of whom there is any knowledge, and this is by 
 tradition in the family only, was Daniel Neale, of 
 whom it was said that he held a commission in the 
 English army. He emigrated from Ireland in 1649, 
 and located in Northumberland County, Virginia. 
 His property in Ireland, it was represented, had 
 been confiscated during the war of the Common 
 wealth, and he was forced to leave the country be 
 cause of political and religious troubles. 
 
 1 History Randolph County," Maxwell. 
 
46 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 In the year 1692 Thomas Neale, a descendant and 
 presumably a grandson of Daniel, was commissioned 
 by Royal Patent Postmaster General of Virginia and 
 all the other colonies. This was the first postal 
 service established in the colonies. It may be men 
 tioned that the post-rider did not start on his route 
 until a sufficient number of letters had been lodged 
 to defray all expenses of his journey. In years after 
 wards Benjamin Franklin was appointed and com 
 missioned to this same office, and continued therein 
 until near the commencement of the Revolution. 
 Richard Neale, a descendant, presumably a grand 
 son of the said Thomas, resided in Westmoreland 
 County, Virginia. Some time subsequent to the year 
 1767, he and his family removed to Loudon County 
 in the same state. 1 About the year 1800 Richard 
 Neale s son, Thomas Neale, father of General Jack 
 son s mother, along with his brothers, George, Will 
 iam, Richard and James, removed from Loudon 
 County and settled in Wood County, (West) Virginia. 
 Thomas had previously married Margaret Wynne of 
 Loudon County. They had eleven children who 
 arrived at maturity. The third child of this marriage, 
 Julia Beckwith Neale, the mother of the subject of 
 
 1 The information here given regarding the Neale family is from letters 
 received by me from Mrs. Alfred Neale of near Parkersburg, W. Va., a 
 sisiter-in-law of General Jackson s mother, a lady of unusual information 
 and intelligence, and whose name appears occasionally herein in corre 
 spondence with Major Jackson. Mrs. Neale has now been dead many 
 years, and while she was very careful in any statements of facts, it is to 
 be regretted that she failed to disclose the source of her information as to 
 the Neale ancestry. T. J. A. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 47 
 
 this sketch, was born in the latter county, February 
 29, I7Q8. 1 She was married to Jonathan Jackson in 
 Wood County in the year 1818. Immediately 
 following their marriage they located in Clarksburg, 
 (West) Virginia, where her husband had already 
 established himself in the practise of the law, as has 
 heretofore been stated, and where they continued to 
 reside until his death, and in which place she re 
 mained until after her second marriage. 
 
 In several of the biographies that have been 
 written of General Jackson, as well as in some other 
 publications, mention is made of the absence of re 
 ligious sentiment, and the lax methods that prevailed 
 in that section of Virginia in early or pioneer times, 
 and down to and including the period of young 
 Jackson s youth. A careful investigation of condi 
 tions existing in that section of the country, and 
 covering the entire period referred to, does not war 
 rant such conclusion. We are prone to picture in 
 our minds a state of constant improvement, and like 
 overwise children are ever in advance of our fathers. 
 If we but turn to the court records of pioneer days 
 in Harrison, Randolph and other counties, we are 
 astonished to find frequent indictment and punish 
 ment inflicted for offenses that at the present day 
 are committed with impunity, and with no thought 
 of a penalty being imposed : for instance, the carry- 
 
 1 1 am informed that the house in which Julia Beckwith Neale was 
 born is still standing, on what is known as the " Peach Orchard " farm 
 near Aldie, Loudon County, Virginia, formerly the property and home of 
 her father, Thomas Neale. T. J. A. 
 
48 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 ing of a grist of corn to the mill on the Sabbath and 
 similar violations of that day; for using profane 
 language in public places, and for card playing. 
 There were indictments for these and similar misde 
 meanors at almost every term of court. Who of 
 the present generation have heard of the punishment 
 of such offenses? Many there were who had no 
 church affiliations or religious tendencies, just as one 
 finds it to-day. In some communities more religious 
 observance than in others. In this connection the 
 following quotation is given from "The Mononga- 
 hela of Old," by Hon. James Veach, wherein he 
 entertainingly describes the early settlements prior 
 to the year 1800, in a section contiguous to that just 
 referred to and between the residents whereof there 
 was direct and constant intercourse, in many respects 
 one and the same country and people. After men 
 tioning the different religious denominations repre 
 sented, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist and others, 
 he says, " Nearly all our temples were in the coun 
 try, away from the noise and revelry of the villages, 
 rearing their humble roofs beneath the shade of the 
 oak, on some flower-decked eminence, or in some 
 quiet vale, beside some noiseless spring ... fit 
 localities at which to drink of the wells of the water 
 of life. And then the old country schools with their 
 puncheon floors and benches. They were plenti 
 fully scattered among our early settlements. There 
 is scarcely a neighborhood . . . where some 
 survivor of the second generation cannot point you 
 to the spot where his young ideas were taught to 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 49 
 
 shoot and he to play." Then again, " Almost every 
 country preacher was a teacher of Latin and mathe 
 matics. They were often better qualified than many 
 modern * professors. " And then of the " pioneers," 
 " Take them all in all, they were generally men and 
 women of whom their posterity may be proud." 
 "We will find many things in the character of our 
 early settlers to command our admiration many to 
 attract our imitation ; while in a few, their errors 
 and aberrations stand out as beacons to warn us that 
 with all their heroic excellencies they still were men." 
 Of character, " It was that of original settlers every 
 where in many respects. The first settlers came 
 here not merely to better their condition, but to 
 gratify their taste. . . . Fearless of danger, yet 
 fearing their God. . . . The men of that day 
 sought to be a law unto themselves, and were of too 
 lofty a spirit to be actors in the low kennels of 
 modern chicanery. Their word was their bond, 
 its seal their honor, its penalty the fear of social 
 degradation." 
 
 Surprise is expressed by Colonel Henderson in his 
 " Life of Jackson," as well as by other of his biog 
 raphers, at Jackson growing up to be a man of ve 
 racity, of correct habits and of marked piety, consid 
 ering his surroundings in youth. Unfortunately the 
 persons from whom Colonel Henderson and others 
 derived their information, which afforded a basis for 
 such comments, were evidently not familiar with 
 conditions as had existed in that region; but without 
 having opportunity of turning to the records, or of 
 
50 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 seeking evidence from original sources, they gave 
 expression, no doubt innocently, to their own erro 
 neous opinions as to the character of customs which 
 they assumed would naturally prevail in a country 
 regarded by them as but little removed from the 
 frontier, and to which they were unfortunately stran 
 gers. Many of General Jackson s relatives were 
 pious people with active church affiliations ; some 
 were not. Of his great-grandparents, John Jackson 
 and wife, the former, as elsewhere herein shown, was 
 a man of good habits. It is not now known whether 
 he was a church member or not ; the latter was. 
 His Grandmother Jackson and her father s family, 
 the Haddens, were as devout Christians as was Gen 
 eral Jackson himself. His mother and her family, 
 the Neales, were people of marked piety. Many of 
 Thomas relatives living within visiting distance of 
 where his boyhood days were passed, and with 
 whom he no doubt frequently associated, were pious 
 people, so that had he grown up to be other than a 
 man of rectitude, it would have been surprising. In 
 letter after letter written by General Jackson in later 
 life he refers to the blessing that should come to his 
 sister and himself from his mother s and brother s 
 prayers, showing that from infancy his mind was di 
 rected towards God. To those interested in the 
 subject of heredity it may not be amiss to quote a 
 few passages from the will of General Jackson s 
 great-grandfather, David Hadden, filed for record in 
 the County Court of Randolph County in the year 
 1791. It is not at all probable that General Jackson 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 51 
 
 ever saw or heard of this will, as it was not even 
 known to the descendants of David Hadden of the 
 last generation residing in the county where filed, 
 and was only discovered in recent years in searching 
 through some old records. Commencing in the 
 usual form of wills of that period, he continues, " Be 
 ing very frail and weak in body, but of perfect mind 
 and memory, thanks be to God. Calling unto mind 
 the mortality of my body, and knowing that it is ap 
 pointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain 
 this my last will and testament ; that is to say, prin 
 cipally and first of all, I give and recommend my 
 soul into the hand of Almighty -God that gave it ; 
 and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried 
 in a decent and Christian burial, at the discretion 
 of my executors, nothing doubting but at the gen 
 eral resurrection I shall receive the same again by 
 the mighty Power of God. And as touching such 
 worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless 
 me in this life, I give, devise," etc., etc. . . . 
 Dated i3th May, 1791. Proved in court, Decem 
 ber 26, 1791. The deep intense Christian faith and 
 trust disclosed in the foregoing sentences might 
 well find a counterpart in the simple, trusting faith 
 of General Jackson himself. 
 
Ill 
 
 WEST POINT (1842-) 
 
 IN the period in which young Jackson was con 
 stable, a vacancy occurred at the United States 
 Military Academy at West Point for a cadet- 
 ship from the District in which he resided. Through 
 the influence of the same Uncle Cummins who was 
 an intimate friend of the Hon. Samuel S. Hayes, 
 Member of Congress from said District, Thomas was 
 appointed in 1842, upon the recommendation of the 
 latter, to fill the vacancy. 1 He at once resigned his 
 office as constable, leaving the closing up of the 
 business connected with it in the hands of his Uncle 
 Cummins. His educational advantages had been 
 }uite limited, and ,he now had very little time in 
 vhich to prepare for the examinations preliminary 
 to admission to the academy. He sought the assist 
 ance of a prominent gentleman, a friend of the fam 
 ily, who was well qualified and ready to extend a 
 
 1 Mr. Sylvanus White, of whom mention has been made before, writes 
 that Hon. Samuel S. Hayes was a close friend of the Jacksons. I have 
 been also informed that Hon. J. M. Bennett, of Weston, (West) Virginia, 
 used his influence with Mr. Hayes to secure the appointment of young 
 Jackson. In the early part of the Civil War General Jackson tendered 
 this gentleman, who at the time was Auditor of the State of Virginia, the 
 position of Adjutant General or Chief of his Staff, but the appointment 
 was declined. T. J. A. 
 
 52 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 53 
 
 helping hand. Every minute possible was utilized 
 in preparation to the time of his departure. He 
 travelled by horseback to Clarksburg, and there 
 learning that the stage-coach in which he purposed 
 going had just passed, he left his horse, and travel 
 ling on foot a much shorter route than by the main 
 road, overtook the coach at a little distance from 
 that town and continued his journey in it. He re 
 ported to Congressman Hayes in Washington, and 
 receiving his appointment, from there continued his 
 journey to West Point, where he passed his examina 
 tion and was duly enrolled on the ist of July, 1842. 
 Before discussing young Jackson s life at West Point 
 it is proper to turn for a brief period to the uncle, of 
 whom occasional mention has been made, but whose 
 name from this time forward will but seldom appear. 
 The biographers of General Jackson have each re 
 ferred to him, Dr. Dabney at greater length than any 
 other. 
 
 As the relations existing between the subject of 
 this sketch and this uncle were unusual, and as 
 Thomas was with and under his influence in what 
 may be termed the formative period of his life, and 
 as he always afterwards expressed the greatest fond 
 ness for and devotion to this uncle, I will not only 
 quote from Dr. Dabney, but add some particulars that 
 have since come within my personal knowledge. I re 
 member having seen Cummins E. Jackson on one 
 occasion when he visited my father s home, just prior 
 to his departure for California in the spring of 1849. 
 Although I was a mere child at the time, I recall dis- 
 
54: EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 tinctly the man with large, piercing blue-gray eyes, 
 smooth face, who inclined his head (hardly from 
 necessity) whenever he passed through a smaller 
 door leading to the dining-room ; the servants of the 
 household called my attention to it, and explained 
 that he had to do so on account of being so tall. He 
 was of stout frame but not corpulent. That is the 
 extent of the observation, the accuracy of which has 
 since been verified by his contemporaries who knew 
 him well. Dr. Dabney says, " This remarkable uncle 
 claims our notice, not only for his paternal kindness 
 to the orphan, but for the influence which he exerted, 
 and for that which, contrary to all human calcula 
 tion, he failed to exert upon him. He was then ap 
 proaching middle life, a bachelor of lofty stature and 
 most athletic frame, 1 and full of all the rugged en 
 ergy of his race. The native powers of his mind, 
 although not cultivated by a liberal education, were 
 so strong that some of his acquaintances have de 
 clared him to be, in their opinion, the ablest man 
 they ever knew. His will was as strong as his un 
 derstanding. ... As a friend he was steadfast 
 and generous without stint ; and though forbearing 
 and slow to take offense, as an enemy he was equally 
 bitter and unforgiving. Such was his liberality that 
 his poorer neighbors and dependents adored him. 
 He never had political aspirations for himself, but 
 his unbounded influence usually gave the honors of 
 his county to the person whom he favored. . . , 
 
 1 He was about thirty-six years of age, six feet, two and a half inches in 
 height, and of some two hundred pounds weight. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 55 
 
 He was so passionately fond of litigation that his 
 legal controversies consumed a large part of the in 
 come of a liberal estate and the earnings of his own 
 giant industry. He owned a valuable farm and 
 mills, and was one of the largest slaveholders in the 
 county of Lewis. 1 .... . . In this home Thomas 
 
 received all the privileges of a son of the family. 
 The relation existing between him and his uncle was, 
 from the first, remarkable. He treated the little boy 
 more as a companion than as a child . . . and 
 always rather requested than demanded his compli 
 ance with the discipline of the household. The child 
 was thus stimulated to the work of his own self- 
 government from a very early period, and left to an 
 independence of action more suited for a man. But 
 he did not disappoint his uncle s confidence. . . . 
 
 The uncle, though temperate and energetic, was 
 himself utterly devoid of Christianity. . . . The 
 
 wonder is that the circumstances which surrounded 
 him (Thomas) did not make him simply another 
 Cummins E. Jackson. The generous kindness of 
 this uncle, the force of his example, the similarity of 
 the two in the strength and ardor of their natures, 
 and the impress of a will so energetic and command 
 ing, would seem naturally to tend to that result. 
 But the nephew seems to have imbibed all of the 
 good traits of the uncle and to have escaped the 
 bad." The sketch from which the above quotations 
 are made is in some respects inaccurate. It is but 
 
 1 Cummins E. Jackson owned a number of slaves. There were no 
 large slaveholders in Lewis County. T. J. A. 
 
56 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 fair and just to Dr. Dabney to quote from the pref 
 ace of his " Life of Jackson," wherein he states " that 
 the whole work was written before the termination 
 of the contest (Civil War)." As the section of 
 Western Virginia where Cummins E. Jackson had 
 resided was within the federal lines, and far distant 
 from Dr. Dabney, and of course inaccessible to him 
 at that time, it was impossible for him to gather 
 more than meagre knowledge. Cummins E. Jack 
 son had some bitter enemies, and it is clearly evi 
 dent that a part at least of what the doctor has 
 written was gleaned through such channels. I have 
 had exceptional opportunities for obtaining informa 
 tion from many sources, much of k at first hand. 
 Cummins ^E. Jackson was in no sense a religious 
 man ; that he had his faults, as do others, goes with 
 out saying, but there were many fine traits to his 
 credit on the final balance sheet. He was temperate 
 and of the strictest veracity. He was of too strong 
 mentality, liberality and fairness to attempt to divert 
 the mind of a child from the teaching and injunctions 
 of that child s dying mother. Although irreligious, 
 as Dr. Dabney says, yet the very thought of in 
 fluencing, or of trying to influence this little father 
 less, motherless boy, under such circumstances, 
 would have been repellent and abhorrent to his 
 whole nature. Cummins E. Jackson was too big 
 and noble hearted to have so much as countenanced 
 such a thought. Unquestionably, a great deal of 
 young Jackson s development should be credited to 
 this uncle, who doubtless understood the child and 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 5T 
 
 encouraged all of his better impulses. There can be 
 no doubt that the mother s last admonitions to the 
 seven-year-old boy, often referred to in his letters in 
 later life, and her dying injunction, were indelibly 
 engraved into his very being and abided with and 
 influenced him throughout life. Of this uncle Gen 
 eral Jackson always spoke with grateful affection, as 
 he was evidently his favorite nephew. In the letter 
 heretofore quoted, from Mr. White, he states " that 
 he (Cummins) was more fond of Thomas than of his 
 own brother." Quoting further from Dr. Dabney, 
 " Cummins displayed his restless love of adventure 
 by going when he was forty-nine (forty-seven) years 
 old to seek gold in California. He was also impelled 
 in part by disgust at the persecutions of some of his 
 neighbors, with whom his feuds had become per 
 fectly inveterate. His ample farm and competency 
 could not detain him. He crossed the plains with a 
 well equipped company of gold-hunters, of whom 
 he was recognized as the chief, in 1849," and died 
 not long afterwards. The following information con 
 veyed in a letter from Major Jackson to his sister, 
 written from Fort Hamilton, New York, of date 
 February i, 1849, and which it is highly probable 
 was also imparted by him directly to his Uncle Cum 
 mins, had much to do with the organizing and de 
 parture of this company for California ; he writes, 
 " The gold fever is running very high here. I have 
 conversed with Mr. Loesser, an officer of the army, 
 from California, who says that a person can gather 
 on an average about seventy-five dollars per day." 
 
58 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 Little do those of the younger generation of the 
 present day realize what the California gold fever 
 was. The above quotation from what all would 
 regard as a strictly reliable source will enable one 
 to form a somewhat correct idea of the cause that 
 appealed to and excited the imagination. One can 
 hardly estimate what seventy-five dollars per day at 
 that period, particularly in the rural districts, would 
 be the equivalent of at the present time. No doubt 
 all who undertook this journey expected to return in 
 the course of two or three years with fortunes in 
 gold. Such was the intention and expectation of 
 Cummins E. Jackson ; otherwise he would have dis 
 posed of his valuable home property before leaving. 
 Nearly all of these adventurers did return, but many 
 of them without the fortunes. I witnessed on one 
 occasion a gold-hunters rush. I have never read 
 an account of such a scene that conveyed anything 
 like an adequate description of what it is. The 
 people were not only excited but wild ; they rushed 
 night and day ; seemingly nothing could control 
 or stop them. Of those who had not the means to 
 procure teams and wagons, some trundled wheel 
 barrows, others hand carts, all loaded with picks, 
 shovels, provisions, blankets, etc., etc., starting out 
 on a journey of not less than one hundred miles 
 from the last point where supplies were obtainable. 
 Little wonder that in 1849 boys of fifteen and six 
 teen, and even widows with families of children, 
 joined in the onward rush across the plains for 
 California. It may be proper to state that I resided 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 59 
 
 for a number of years in the midst of these former 
 fortune hunters, and was often entertained with the 
 narration of their experiences during the period re 
 ferred to. The following quotations from letters 
 from young Jackson to his sister Laura, written 
 from West Point, the first under date of September 
 8, 1844, will give a very clear conception of what 
 his home with his Uncle Cummins had been. He 
 writes : " Times are very different from what they 
 were when I was at my adopted home. None to 
 give their mandates ; none for me to obey but as I 
 chose ; surrounded by my playmates and relatives, 
 all apparently eager to promote my happiness." 
 Again, in a letter to same from Fort Hamilton of 
 date July 6, 1850, he writes that he has received 
 news of his Uncle Cummins death in California, 
 and says, " This is news which goes to my heart. 
 Uncle was a father to me." And again in a letter to 
 same from Lexington, Va., of date June 5, 1852, he 
 had heard that the report of this uncle s death was 
 incorrect, and that he had returned ; he writes : " To 
 meet him will be a proud day of my life. He has cer 
 tainly been a good friend to me." Unfortunately the 
 first report was correct. It should be borne in mind 
 that the last two quotations given were written by 
 Major Jackson in mature manhood, and after he be 
 came an avowed follower of Christ, and will be 
 accepted as his evidence as to what was the man, 
 Cummins E. Jackson. In closing this sketch of the 
 uncle, a few paragraphs will be quoted from a letter 
 received by me from Hon. Henry Brannon of Lewis 
 
60 EARLY LIFE AND LETTEES 
 
 County, late Presiding Judge of the Supreme Court 
 of West Virginia. Referring to Cummins E. Jack 
 son, he writes : 
 
 " When I went to Western, Lewis County, a boy of 
 fifteen years, he had only a few years before left that 
 county for California. Though I never knew him, 
 Cummins E. Jackson s name was a household word in 
 Lewis County. I knew a hundred of his close friends 
 and relatives. They have all fallen asleep, and they 
 were leading men and women of the county. They 
 spoke of him so much, so often, that I almost feel that I 
 knew him personally. He was a leading, prominent 
 county man. His heart was big and generous. This 
 told him to give home and shelter to his orphaned 
 nephew, Thomas J. Jackson. Cummins, as everybody 
 called him, was a large, handsome man, firm, courageous 
 and devoted to his friends. He had a valuable landed 
 estate and was loved and respected by all who knew him. 
 Everybody was a friend to Cummins E. Jackson. I can 
 assert this from those who knew him best." 
 
 Weston t W. Va. t February 12, ipzo. 
 
IV 
 
 WEST POINT Continued (1842-1846) 
 
 RETURNING again to the subject of this 
 sketch, and his admission to the United 
 States Military Academy at West Point. 
 The class he entered was a large and distinguished 
 one. Generals McClellan, Foster, Reno, Stoneman, 
 Couch and Gibbons of the Federal army, and Gen 
 erals A. P. Hill, Pickett, Maury, D. R. Jones, W. D. 
 Smith, and Wilcox of the Confederate army were 
 among his classmates. He was here brought into 
 competition with some of the brightest and most 
 cultured young men of the nation ; and although 
 his training in mathematics had been limited to arith 
 metic and a few weeks of hurried preparation in 
 algebra, and without any knowledge whatever of 
 the French tongue, he was assigned to the fourth 
 class where he began the study of that language, 
 and of algebra and geometry. At the end of his 
 first year, in a class of seventy-two, 1 he stood forty- 
 five in mathematics, seventy in French, had fifteen 
 demerits, and was fifty-one in general merit." As 
 the predominant question with young Jackson from 
 the time of his appointment had been whether, with 
 his defective preparation, he would be enabled to 
 maintain himself at all in the course of study at 
 
 ^he class of 1842 contained one hundred and nine. Presumably a 
 number were dropped during the year. 
 
 61 
 
62 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 West Point, he was more than gratified with the re 
 sult of the examination in placing him sufficiently 
 high to assure his entry into the next advanced 
 class. And from that time forward he was relieved 
 of any apprehension as to his ability to sustain him 
 self, provided his health did not fail him. While 
 the studies in the next class were much more dim- 
 cult, yet the effect of the previous year s severe 
 mental training began to be apparent in that at the 
 end of the second year, coupled with his close in 
 dustry and application, he had risen to eighteen in 
 mathematics, fifty-two in French, was sixty-eight in 
 drawing, and fifty-five in engineering studies, with 
 but twenty-six demerits, and in general merit 
 thirty. While at West Point every little advance 
 ment in his studies and class standing was reported 
 to his sister. One can well imagine the pleasure 
 this was to both, and how eagerly the sister would 
 await these, to her, highly flattering reports of her 
 only brother. The latter was ever reticent and 
 modest in speaking or writing of himself, but there 
 was no hesitation when it came to informing his 
 sister of his progress, as appears from his letters to 
 her, knowing as he did the interest she felt in him 
 and the pleasure such information would give her. 
 The first letter of those preserved bears date : 
 
 Military Academy , West Point, N. K, 
 
 January 28, 1844. 
 DEAR SISTER : 
 
 It is with pleasure that I embrace this opportunity 
 of informing you of the receipt of your interesting letter, 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 63 
 
 which announced to me your own health, as well as that of 
 my friends in general ; though you, to my great surprise, 
 did not inform me of your intended home ; but I con 
 cluded from the general tenor of it that you intended to 
 
 reside with Uncle S , of which, if true, I am very 
 
 glad. My health is far better than it was when I parted 
 with you, and indeed more flattering than it has been for 
 the last two years ; and I think by the time I graduate, 
 if that should ever be, my health will be as good as ever. 
 I hope in the meantime that no pains will be spared on 
 your part for the recovery of your health. You should 
 have received a letter from me at an earlier date had it 
 not been for the examination, which was on the eve of 
 commencing when I received yours. The examination 
 closed a few days since, and rather to my advantage, as I 
 rose considerably in mathematics, and a few files in the 
 French language, though in the same time I fell a few 
 files in ethics and in drawing. I passed in all my 
 studies, and I bid fair to continue to do the same for the 
 future. There was only one Virginian found deficient in 
 my class. ... I am almost homesick, and expect to 
 continue so until I can have a view of my native moun 
 tains, and receive the greetings of my friends and rela 
 tives, when I shall have the opportunity of mingling with 
 my schoolmates, and the companions of my earliest 
 youth. It is the anticipation of one day realizing them 
 that fills my heart with joy, and causes me to urge for 
 ward and grasp that prize which will qualify me for 
 spending my life with them in peace and honor. If no 
 change takes place in the army, and I continue to progress 
 in my class as well as I have so far, my pay when I leave 
 this institution will be about one thousand dollars a year ; 
 though fate may decree that I shall graduate in the lower 
 
64 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 part of my class, in which case I shall have to go into 
 the infantry and would receive only seven hundred and 
 fifty dollars a year. But I feel very confident that unless 
 fortune frowns on me more than it has yet, I shall grad 
 uate in the upper half of my class, and high enough in 
 it to enter the Dragoons. But be that as it may, I in 
 tend to remain in the army no longer than I can get rid 
 of it with honor, and means to commence some profes 
 sional business at home. My friends here are numerous 
 apparently ; and all that I want to render myself happy 
 on earth is the sight of you and my native land. Tell 
 Uncle Cummins if you should see him shortly that I 
 want him to write to me, giving me permission to come 
 home ; for without his consent the superintendent will 
 not give me a furlough ; though if you should not have 
 an opportunity of doing so, you need not mention it to 
 him, for I will write to him if I do not hear from him 
 soon. Give my respects to Seely, 1 if you should see her, 
 and tell her that there is not a day that passes by without 
 my thinking of her, and that I expect to see her in less 
 than five months. Don t forget to write ; and write 
 often. I remain your true and well wishing brother, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 P. S. I received with much pleasure your letter of 
 January since I wrote the within, and was highly gratified 
 to hear that your health is still improving. You informed 
 me that if I would bring some stuff home that you would 
 make it up for me. That one disposition which you 
 evinced in so doing is worth more to me than any other 
 evidence that you could give to me of a benevolent heart 
 and worthy sister. But I do not wish you to give me 
 
 1 One of his uncle s slaves, who had charge of the household affairs, 
 cooking, etc. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 65 
 
 any aid at present, but will feel well satisfied if you can 
 aid your aunt enough to satisfy her for her trouble on 
 your account. I will have to take clothes already made 
 up for a part of my pay, or else not get all my pay until 
 I return from furlough. Things have taken considerable 
 change here since I wrote to you last. I thought then I 
 
 could spare about dollars, which I intended to 
 
 expend for you, but I find that I will not have more than 
 
 dollars or so. Which, as it is so small an amount, 
 
 I shall bring it to you in money, as I think that you can 
 purchase with it to a better advantage than I can. But 
 if you wish me to bring anything, let me know it, and 
 also the price of it in Beverley, in your next letter ; and 
 if I can get it any cheaper here, I will do it with pleasure. 
 I ever remain yours with high esteem. If I had one wish 
 it would be to see you as soon as you will see this. 
 
 T. J. J. 
 Miss Laura A. Jackson, 
 
 Beverley, Virginia. 
 
 As indicated in the preceding letter young Jackson, 
 who was thoroughly homesick, as is clearly apparent, 
 and which fact is convincing evidence of what his 
 home life with his Uncle Cummins had been, ob 
 tained his furlough and spent the summer vacation 
 of 1844 in Western Virginia, a portion of the time 
 visiting his sister in Randolph County, and the 
 remainder and principal part at his old home in 
 Lewis County with his Uncle Cummins. His cousin, 
 Mr. Sylvanus White, elsewhere herein quoted from, 
 and who resided with his parents in the vicinity, in 
 referring to this visit writes, "When he (young 
 Jackson) was at home on furlough at the expiration 
 
66 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 of his first two years at West Point, he told me how 
 hard his studies were. He said he was only allowed 
 three weeks to learn the English grammar ; and if 
 he had failed in that he would have been sent home. 
 Oh, I tell you I had to work hard/ I said, Would 
 they send for you if you did not go back ? Oh, I 
 think not, he said ; but not for Lewis County would 
 I fail to go back. I am going to make a man of 
 myself if I live. What I will to do I can do/ One 
 Sunday we went to the Brad Run Baptist Church to 
 services. He Tom, as he preferred to be called 
 
 was riding with Miss Caroline N ; they were 
 
 crossing the West Fork River at the Wither s ford. 
 The water was two and a half or three feet deep. 
 His horse slipped on the stones and fell so as to 
 throw him in the water. He had on a very fine 
 suit, his cadet uniform. He made no complaint, 
 hardly any remark, but remounted and went on to 
 church. He was the most precise and polite man I 
 ever saw to everybody." 
 
 The following letter was written to his sister just 
 after his return to West Point at the expiration of 
 his furlough, the only leave of absence granted him 
 during his four years course at the academy, and 
 dated : 
 
 West Point Military Academy, 
 
 September 8, 1844. 
 DEAR SISTER : 
 
 You will please to pardon me for not writing to 
 you at an earlier period. It was my desire to have sent 
 you a few lines before returning to this place. . . . 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 67 
 
 During my furlough I was made an officer, consequently 
 my duties are lighter than usual. . . . (He then 
 proceeds to give his sister the following encouragement.) 
 Be not discouraged by disappointments and difficulties, 
 but on the contrary let each stimulate you to greater ex 
 ertions for attaining noble ends, and an approving con 
 science at least will be your reward. My health is as 
 good as usual. Please write to me soon. 
 
 Your friend and brother, 
 
 THOS. JACKSON. 1 
 
 To L. A. Jackson. 
 
 Both Dr. Dabney and Colonel Henderson in their 
 sketches of young Jackson s career at West Point 
 make mention that his attainments were not such as 
 to secure him an appointment to any of the offices 
 that were usually filled by cadets. From the above 
 letter it is clearly evident that they were each mis 
 taken in such statement. Furthermore the selection 
 of young Jackson as a cadet officer was made in his 
 absence, and, it would appear, without his knowledge 
 at the time ; and as merit and qualifications are the 
 first considerations in the selection of cadets to fill 
 such positions, and in case such requirements are 
 possessed in something like equal degree by two or 
 more, then, as between these, popularity would natu 
 rally be the deciding factor, it is only a fair inference 
 that Cadet Jackson was the possessor of each of these 
 several attributes. It will be remembered that in a 
 former letter he makes mention of having many 
 friends among the cadets. In the second class, or 
 
 1 Note the signature. See page 25, and note. 
 
68 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 third year, young Jackson entered upon an entirely 
 different course of studies and having finished mathe 
 matics, French and English, was soon absorbed in 
 the abstruse subjects of chemistry, optics, mechanics, 
 magnetism and astronomy. The next letter addressed 
 to his sister bears date : 
 
 U. S. M. A., February 10, 184.5. 
 DEAR SISTER : 
 
 With pleasure I received in your letter the wel 
 come information that you are married l and happy in the 
 society of a husband who is entitled to your purest love 
 and most fervent attachment. My sincere desire is that 
 you may both enjoy all the blessings which a bountiful 
 Providence can bestow. I think that if happiness exists 
 in this world, matrimony is one of its principal factors. I 
 conclude that you ought to possess it, inasmuch as you 
 are married, surrounded by your friends and relatives, 
 living near the place of your birth, superior to the wants 
 of life and above all possessing religion. My reason for 
 not writing to you sooner was due to a want of knowl 
 edge where to direct a letter, inasmuch as you stated 
 in your first letter that you were then boarding at the 
 hotel and did not mention when you were going to 
 leave nor where you were going to settle. I hope that 
 you shall find no such excuse for not writing to me. You 
 certainly would write much oftener if you only knew the 
 satisfaction which it affords me to read a letter from a 
 sister s hand. You will please direct your subsequent 
 letters to Thos. J. Jackson, for there is some difficulty in 
 obtaining them from the post-office on account of another 
 
 1 His sister had married the latter part of September preceding. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 69 
 
 cadet s name being Thos. K. Jackson. 1 I am at present 
 living in a room by myself, my roommate having re 
 signed in consequence of his father s ill health. The 
 weather has been extremely cold and stormy here for the 
 last few days, though at present it is moderating. My 
 studies for the approaching June examination will include 
 optics, mechanics, astronomy, magnetism and chemis 
 try, together with drawing. I expect to commence tak 
 ing exercises in riding in a day or two. At the last 
 examination I rose in each department of my studies. A 
 few days since I was called upon to pay the last token of 
 respect to a friend and fellow classmate in whom were 
 combined both shining talents and the characteristics of 
 a gentleman : his death was much lamented by his class 
 mates, who a few days subsequent to his death assem 
 bled and appointed a committee to attend to the erection 
 of a monument to his memory. My health is at present 
 as good as usual, and I remain your well wishing brother, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 Then in the next is again mentioned his class 
 standing, dated : 
 
 U. S. M. A., May 77, 184.5. 
 DEAR SISTER : 
 
 It is through a sense of duty and affection, and 
 not because of any information that I have, which induces 
 me to send you these few lines. The annual examination 
 will commence in about two weeks. It will be honored 
 by the presence of a number of distinguished officers, 
 among whom is Major-General Scott. If fortune should 
 favor me in a degree corresponding to the past, I will 
 
 J May have been the reason for his inserting the name "Jonathan," 
 mentioned at page 25, and note. 
 
TO EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 have a better standing in my class than I have formerly 
 had. Thus far I have no demerit for the academic year. 
 My health is very good at present, and it was with regret 
 that your last letter brought to me the news of the deli 
 cate state of yours ; but I trust that you will again acquire 
 a fine constitution, and that we will both be permitted 
 the pleasure of meeting and enjoying each other s com 
 pany after so long a separation and so many buffetings of 
 fortune. You stated or intimated in your last letter that 
 the postage was not paid. The fault was the postmaster s. 
 I have never mailed a letter either to you or any other 
 female correspondent without paying the postage, and 
 telling the postmaster to mark it, unless I had marked 
 it myself; which latter I but seldom do. I am glad that 
 you informed me of it, and hope that you will continue 
 to do so should it again occur. But for the future I shall 
 mark them myself, to be certain that all is right. I wish 
 you to write often ; and in your next let me know who is 
 elected from Lewis (County) to the Legislature, and also 
 the Senator from the District, and the name and terms 
 of the Democratic paper published in Clarksburg, pro 
 vided you know. Though don t put yourself to any 
 trouble to find out. Write to me soon and believe me 
 your well-wisher, friend and brother, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 Mrs. L. A. Arnold. 
 
 P. S. Last evening there was published at parade an 
 extenuation of absence to F. Britton. I suppose it had 
 reference to Forbes Britton. 1 T. J. J. 
 
 The result of the examinations at the close of the 
 year placed young Jackson, who was then in the 
 
 1 A former graduate of West Point from Jackson s native county. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 71 
 
 second class or third year, as he had anticipated, 
 considerably in advance of his former class standing, 
 viz. : Eleven in natural philosophy, twenty-five in 
 chemistry, fifty-nine in drawing, not a demerit for 
 the year, and in general merit twenty. At this 
 period he had but little idea of following the pro 
 fession of arms, as may be inferred from a former 
 statement, and as is also evident from the expressions 
 contained in the next letter. 
 
 West Point, August 2, 184.5. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I am enjoying myself very well, considering that I 
 am deprived of the blessings of a home, the society of the 
 friends of my childhood, the cordial welcome of relatives, 
 and above all the presence of an only sister. Times are 
 far different from what they were when I was at my 
 adopted home ; none to give their mandates ; none for 
 me to obey but as I chose ; surrounded by my playmates 
 and relatives, all apparently eager to promote my happi 
 ness ; but those were the days of my youth ; they have 
 been succeeded by days of quite a different aspect ; man 
 hood with all its cares. I have before me two courses, 
 either of which I may choose. The first would be to 
 follow the profession of arms ; the second, that of a civil 
 pursuit, as law. If I should adopt the first I could live 
 independently and surrounded by friends whom I have 
 already made, have no fear of want. My pay would be 
 fixed ; the principal thing I would have to attend to 
 would be futurity. If I adopt the latter I presume that I 
 would still find plenty of friends, but my exertions would 
 have to be great in order to acquire a name. This course 
 is most congenial to my taste, and consequently I expect 
 
T2 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 to adopt it, after spending a few years in pursuing the 
 former. My standing at present is in drawing fifty-nine, 
 in chemistry twenty-five, in general standing twenty, in 
 philosophy eleven, in conduct one. There are sixty 
 members in my class at present, nineteen above me and 
 forty below me. I purpose coming to see you in July 
 next. A member of the corps was drowned a few days 
 since ; his body was recovered about five days subsequent 
 and interred with the honors of war. I had the pleasure 
 of his acquaintance. He was a youth of promise, stood 
 high in his class. The news must have inflicted a sore 
 wound on the hearts of his parents, for he certainly was 
 a favorite child. The corps is at present in mourning for 
 him. There have been a number of distinguished men at 
 the Point for some time back, among whom was Major- 
 General Scott. Your brother, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 And then : 
 
 West Point, U. S. M. A., Nov. 25, 184.5. 
 DEAR SISTER : 
 
 It has been but a few moments since I had the 
 pleasure of receiving your affectionate and sister-like 
 letter. As to your health, it is my sincere wish that you 
 may again recover it. My constitution as well as your 
 own has received a severe shock; but I believe I am 
 gradually recovering. My exercises this year with the 
 broadsword as well as the small are well calculated to 
 strengthen the chest and the muscles. So that I have 
 some reason to believe that they will have the desired 
 effect of restoring me to perfect health. And I hope 
 that the same kind Providence, which has preserved us 
 as the remnant of a family up to the present time, will 
 again favor us with an interview, although in Its wisdom 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 73 
 
 It has marked out for us, at least for a period, widely 
 different spheres of action, and different places of abode. 
 But I look forward with no small degree of satisfaction 
 to the time when my circumstances will allow me to settle 
 down near you, and among my relatives, in order to 
 share with yourselves the ineffable pleasure of domestic 
 circles. For your kind advice and well wishes you have 
 my hearty thanks. Since my last letter I have been 
 transferred to the first section in ethics, and I think I 
 have probably a mark in it which will place me among 
 the first five in my class in this science, and which I con 
 sider as preferable to any other in the course. There is a 
 young gentleman here by the name of Withers who is 
 from the South. 1 He has told me that his father was 
 formerly of Virginia, and that he has relatives still living 
 there ; and that one of them, who is a doctor, visited his 
 father two or three years since. This youth is an associate 
 of mine, and I would be glad to know whether or no he 
 is a relative, which I could do, probably, if I knew the 
 given name of Dr. Withers of Fauquier, who I know 
 visited the South some time previous to my coming 
 here. If you recollect the time of his passing through 
 Weston, as well as his name, I would be glad if you would 
 let me know in your next letter ; but I do not wish to put 
 you to the least trouble to find out, as I can obtain the 
 information otherwise. It is probable you think hard 
 of me because of my not writing more frequently, but I 
 hope the strict requirement of many duties, as well as want 
 of information, will prove a partial if not a complete 
 excuse. Give my respects to Mr. A , and rest as 
 sured of my unalterable attachment. 
 
 THOS. J. JACKSON. 
 
 Mr. John Withers of Mississippi. 
 
74: EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 And again : 
 
 West Point, U. S. M. A., April 23, 184.6. 
 DEAR SISTER : 
 
 . . . I am enjoying my usual state of health, 
 and live in anticipation of shortly paying you a visit. 
 Times are here nearly as usual. Of course there is a 
 little excitement owing to the proximity of furlough 
 and graduation. I have been expecting a letter from 
 you in answer to my last, but not knowing what might 
 have occurred I have deemed it best to attempt another, 
 hoping that it will meet with better success than the 
 former. . . . Had I only the memory of our late 
 brother (Warren Jackson), who I hope is at this moment 
 enjoying all the bliss of a celestial world, I could enter 
 tain you more interestingly, but as I am deprived of this 
 important faculty to a great extent, my letter must be 
 bereft of interest. . . . Rumor appears to indicate 
 a rupture between our government and the Mexican. 
 If such should be the case the probability is that I will be 
 ordered to join the army of occupation immediately, and, 
 if so, will hardly see home until after my return, and the 
 next letter that you will receive from me may be dated 
 from Texas or Mexico. ... I shall ever continue to 
 love you with a brother s love. 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 As the postmark of the above letter bears date May 
 5, 1846, it was evidently commenced and not com 
 pleted until some two weeks later. " In July, 1846, 
 his class graduated. In the studies of the final year 
 he was twelve in engineering, five in ethics, eleven 
 in artillery, twenty-one in infantry tactics, eleven in 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON T5 
 
 mineralogy and geology, seven demerits for the 
 year, and his graduating standing, including the 
 drawbacks of his previous years, was seventeen." 
 A classmate, General Dabney H. Maury, writes, 
 " There were one hundred and sixty-four members 
 in his class altogether, counting those who had been 
 turned back into it. Sixty graduated." The steady 
 upward progress which characterized young Jack 
 son s academic life from fifty-one in his first year to 
 thirty in his second, then twenty, and finally seven 
 teen in general standing, indicates an abundance 
 of energy, industry, application and ambition. A 
 former graduate, the late General F. H. Smith, 
 writes, " The lesson which his academic career pre 
 sents is that what he lacked in early previous prep 
 aration he made up by extra diligence and unceas 
 ing effort, while resolute determination to do his duty 
 caused him to have but forty-eight demerits, notwith 
 standing the strict discipline of West Point, in a 
 course of four years. It was scarcely possible for a 
 young man to have entered upon a course of studies 
 for which he was less prepared from want of early 
 preparation than he was, but the resolute purpose to 
 accomplish what he had undertaken, and thus to vin 
 dicate the confidence of his friends, animated him 
 through all his difficulties, and crowned him with the 
 honors of a graduate and with the commission as a 
 brevet second lieutenant of artillery on the ist of 
 July, 1846." While at West Point it has been said 
 that the opinion of young Jackson s teachers and 
 comrades was that his mind was sound and strong, 
 
76 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 but not quick. This presumably was true at that 
 time in so far as it might be applied to his studies, 
 and probably may have been principally due to pre 
 vious lack of mental training. His subsequent 
 career would apparently indicate the reverse, for the 
 evidence is conclusive that in action, not only in 
 Mexico, but throughout his career in the Civil War, 
 his mind was unusually quick, clear and active. 
 Notwithstanding the estimate of his teachers and 
 comrades as above quoted, it was unquestionably a 
 common remark among them that if the course at 
 West Point was one year longer, that young Jackson 
 would without doubt graduate at the head of his 
 class. 1 His companions said of him while there that 
 he was not in any sense morose, but reserved to the 
 point of shyness, "fond of animated conversation 
 and of the collision of intellect when alone with one 
 or two of his few intimates, but in a larger circle was 
 a silent interested listener." It is also related of 
 him while there " that one of the most pleasing and 
 noteworthy traits of his nature was his tenderness to 
 the distressed. A case of sickness or bereavement, 
 among the younger cadets especially, awakened all 
 his sympathies." Evidence of this tenderness and 
 sympathy may be gathered from expressions in some 
 of the preceding letters written from the military 
 academy. His was a nature of the deepest sym 
 pathy. He was noted for his humility. It is claimed 
 that the former begets the latter. If so, young Jack 
 son was a striking exemplification of its truth. 
 
 1 Colonel Henderson, Dr. Dabney, and others. 
 
MEXICO (1846) 
 
 THAT the knowledge of the prominent posi 
 tions filled in time past by so many mem 
 bers of young Jackson s ancestry and family 
 stirred his boyish imagination, and fostered an am 
 bition to distinguish himself, and influenced his con 
 duct, inciting him to still greater achievement can 
 readily be inferred. The possession of this ambition 
 and desire based on such incentive was highly cred 
 itable to the orphan boy, mapping out his career in 
 the world with the fixed determination to achieve 
 distinction, to maintain the family name, and to add 
 lustre thereto. 
 
 In confirmation of this view as to what were his 
 thoughts and aspirations, the following quotation is 
 given from a letter written by Major Jackson at Fort 
 Meade, Florida, several years later, wherein, refer 
 ring to a relative, at the time a member of the Vir 
 ginia Constitutional Convention, then in session at 
 Richmond, he says, " I am much pleased at seeing 
 Cousin William also in the convention." " Indeed 
 I have some hopes that our ancient reputation may be 
 revived" To one fired with a fervent determina 
 tion to win success and fame, who was so well 
 
 1 Italics not irj original. 
 
 77 
 
78 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 equipped with untiring energy, industry, and the 
 faculty of close concentration of mind, fortune could 
 hardly have smiled more benignantly than it did 
 upon young Jackson. 
 
 Just as he was finishing his four years course of 
 military training at the United States Academy at 
 West Point, in a letter to his sister dated April 23, 
 1846, he writes of the expected war with Mexico. 
 He graduated within a few weeks following the be 
 ginning of actual hostilities, his class standing being 
 sufficiently high to assure his assignment to the ar 
 tillery corps of the army, his chosen branch of the 
 service. He had barely time after graduation to 
 make a hurried visit to his sister at Beverley, and to 
 his uncle, Cummins E. Jackson, at his former home. 
 Mention of the latter visit is made in the letter from 
 Mr. Sylvanus White, heretofore quoted, and in 
 which he further writes : " When he (young Jackson) 
 came from West Point in the summer of 1846, while 
 he was here our county militia was called out, with 
 a view of getting up a company of volunteers for 
 the Mexican War. Our Colonel ( McKinly) asked 
 him to take command of a company in the day s 
 muster. He (Thomas) said, No, I would probably 
 not understand your orders. But the colonel in 
 sisted. When we got on the parade ground, the 
 colonel did not give the proper command, and 
 Tom s company was headed up-town, so he went on, 
 afterwards explaining that he was obeying orders. 
 I volunteered in the company for the Mexican War. 
 He said to me, I expect orders any minute to go. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 79 
 
 I want to see you at the taking of the city of Mexico. 
 We are going to take it. We, that is our company, 
 were not called for. In the spring of 1849 our uncle, 
 Cummins E. Jackson, my brother, myself and others 
 started for California. 1 
 
 As young Jackson had anticipated, he shortly re 
 ceived marching orders, requiring him to immedi 
 ately report for duty with Company K of the First 
 Regiment of Artillery, and which he did, proceeding 
 thence through Pennsylvania, down the Ohio and 
 Mississippi Rivers to New Orleans ; and from there 
 the troops embarked for Point Isabel, Texas. In 
 descending the Mississippi River an island was 
 passed, strikingly familiar to young Jackson s gaze 
 as the scene of his first youthful venture to carve his 
 way to fame in the world. The sight doubtless re 
 called to his memory many incidents of the past, all 
 associated with the loved brother, Warren, since de 
 ceased, that had occurred in the winter and spring 
 they had spent there together. And all so at vari 
 ance with his present surroundings and circum 
 stances. The next intelligence received of young 
 Jackson is from Point Isabel, Texas. In a letter to 
 his sister from that place, dated September 25, 1846, 
 and postmarked New Orleans, he writes as follows : 
 
 DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I arrived in this port last evening and purposed 
 writing to you before closing my eyes in sleep, but I was 
 prevented from my purpose by the impossibility of pro 
 curing a pen. I have availed myself of this opportunity 
 
80 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 of writing, in particular as it may be the last favorable 
 one for days to come, as in this country letters are gen 
 erally transmitted through the kindness of a third person, 
 or the quartermaster. How I shall be able to get this 
 to New Orleans I cannot say, but it must be through one 
 of these channels. There are at present about one hun 
 dred vessels in port, some of which I presume will soon 
 sail for New Orleans. It is useless for me to attempt to 
 give a detailed narrative of occurrences since I last parted 
 with you, but suffice it to say that I arrived home (at 
 Cummins E. Jackson s) on the following Monday, and on 
 the succeeding Wednesday received orders to report 
 without delay to Captain Francis Taylor ; and on the fol 
 lowing day, in compliance with my orders, bid farewell 
 to my uncle s family, and proceeded to Fort Columbus. 1 
 But on arriving there ascertained that he, Captain Taylor, 
 had left. On receiving this information I proceeded to 
 Fort Hamilton, where I found him. From that post, in 
 connection with Captain Taylor, thirty men and forty 
 horses, I took up my line of march for this place. After 
 travelling upwards of four hundred miles by land we 
 reached Pittsburgh, from thence by water, and have finally 
 arrived here after a march of about thirty-six days. 
 I have not yet landed, but an officer of the 
 quartermaster s department has been aboard, and stated 
 that General Taylor had observed that he would be ready 
 for another battle by yesterday. This news came by 
 letter from Colonel Whiting. 2 Whether the battle came 
 off or not I cannot say. I belong to K Company, First 
 
 1 Located on Governor s Island, N. Y. 
 
 2 Years afterwards on the eve of Jackson s departure from the Valley 
 for Richmond, General Whiting, it is said, expressed great indignation 
 at the former s not disclosing to him any of his plans. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 81 
 
 Artillery, which, to use the common phrase, is a flying 
 company of artillery. I could say much more, but I am 
 writing in a strong gale of wind, and where all is con 
 fusion. I am in hopes of starting up the Rio Grande to 
 morrow, and on reaching General Taylor as soon as 
 possible. Direct your letter to Company K, First Ar 
 tillery, Army of Occupation, Mexico. It may reach me, 
 but not with certainty. My health is better than it has 
 been for some time. Give my respects to the good peo 
 ple of Beverley. They occupy a high place in my esteem, 
 especially your amiable husband, whose kindness as well 
 as yours has been indelibly written on my heart and 
 memory. 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 In the period in which the following letters from 
 Mexico were written, young Jackson was some 
 twenty-two years of age. His description of the 
 country, its climate, its products, and its people is 
 interesting, and as is constantly evidenced emanates 
 from the pen of a close observer and accurate writer. 
 Of more than ordinary interest in view of his future 
 achievements are his descriptions of military oper 
 ations in which he participated. His comments and 
 criticisms on what transpired, and reference to the 
 dissensions occurring and pending between some of 
 the prominent military leaders, was of course per 
 sonal to his sister. As the persons named have 
 since passed away, and the events are of so long ago 
 as to be all but forgotten, there can be no impro 
 priety in this publicity at the present day. As in 
 dicated in the last preceding letter his command was 
 
82 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 ordered to report to General Taylor, and thereupon 
 proceeded via Matamoras and Camargo, in the 
 state of Tamaulipas, thence to the city of Monterey, 
 the capital of Nuevo Leon, and from there to Sal- 
 tillo, the capital of Coahuila. Prior to the battle of 
 Buena Vista, the regular troops, which included 
 Lieutenant Jackson s command, were withdrawn 
 from General Taylor s army and ordered to the 
 mouth of the Rio Grande River, to be transferred 
 from there to Vera Cruz, the new base of operations 
 of General Scott, the commander-in-chief. As stated, 
 shortly after their withdrawal was fought the noted 
 battle of Buena Vista. One can imagine the chagrin 
 and disappointment of the young army officer, eager 
 for battle and longing for an opportunity to distin 
 guish himself, upon receiving news of this great 
 victory gained so soon after his departure from 
 General Taylor s command. General D. H. Hill 
 says that in conversation with Lieutenant Jackson 
 during this period the latter said, " I really envy 
 you men who have been in action. / should like to 
 be in one battle} His face lighted up, and eyes 
 sparkled as he spoke, and the shy, hesitating man 
 ner gave way to the frank enthusiasm of the soldier." * 
 On the Qth of March the command, numbering 
 13,500, were disembarked on the beach near Vera 
 Cruz. Jackson frequently afterwards mentioned this 
 as one of the most thrilling spectacles he ever wit 
 nessed. By sunset the whole force was paraded on 
 
 1 General Hill s article, "The Real Stonewall Jackson/ Century 
 Magazine for February, 1894. By permission. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 83 
 
 shore in order of battle. The Mexican garrison in 
 the city consisted of 4,000 of all arms, strongly in 
 trenched. The city was formally invested. On 
 March i8th the trenches were completed, the 226. 
 the bombardment was commenced with heavy ord 
 nance, which was followed by the capitulation of 
 the city on the twenty-seventh day of that month 
 and the surrender of the entire garrison, and four 
 hundred cannon. The fall of Vera Cruz was 
 brought about principally by the heavy artillery, and 
 the first regiment was continuously engaged. The 
 American loss was small, numbering but sixty-four 
 killed and wounded. Young Jackson s conduct in 
 this engagement was such as to attract the attention 
 of his superior officers, and a few months later he 
 was promoted to first lieutenant, " for gallant and 
 meritorious conduct at the siege of Vera Cruz." 
 He having been recently in March promoted to 
 second lieutenant, though from a statement in his 
 letter of date March 30, 1847, he evidently had 
 not received notice of the promotion. The letter 
 was written from camp near Vera Cruz. 
 
 DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I now send you the long delayed letter and hope 
 that you will pardon my procrastination. Since I last 
 wrote you I have been at Matamoras, Camargo, Monte 
 rey and Saltillo and the intermediate towns. At present 
 I cannot conveniently give you more than a general idea 
 of the portions of Mexico that have fallen under my ob 
 servation, but hope to do so at some future day when 
 things are more settled than at present. And I also pur- 
 
84 EAKLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 pose on writing to you more frequently. It would have 
 afforded me much pleasure to have been with the gallant 
 and victorious General Taylor at the battle of Buena 
 Vista, in which he has acquired laurels as imperishable 
 as the history which shall record the invasion of Mexico 
 by our victorious armies ; but I was ordered away from 
 Saltillo in January last, and I believe for the best, inas 
 much as I am now with the most important portion of 
 the army and on the most important line of operations. 
 I am now encamped on the road leading from Vera Cruz 
 to the city of Mexico. Our troops landed about two 
 miles from the former city on the 9th instant, and on the 
 same night were fired on by the Mexicans. On the fol 
 lowing day we commenced surrounding the city and 
 operating against it. The operations after the investment 
 was completed consisted principally in bombarding and 
 cannonading, which were continued until not only the 
 city but the castle of San Juan Dulloas agreed to sur 
 render. The capitulation occurred yesterday. The terms 
 are that all of the public property falls into our hands. 
 The troops march out under the condition of not serving 
 against us during the present war unless exchanged. 
 The troops marched out yesterday, and surrendered their 
 arms and we took possession immediately. This capitu 
 lation has thrown into our hands the stronghold of this 
 republic, and being a regular siege, in connection with 
 other circumstances must in my opinion excel any mili 
 tary operations known in the history of our country. I 
 approve of all except allowing the enemy to retire ; that 
 I cannot approve of, inasmuch as we had them secure, 
 and could have taken them prisoners of war uncondition 
 ally. Our loss is not accurately known, nor that of the 
 enemy as yet, but in my estimation ours cannot exceed 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 85 
 
 twenty men in killed. 1 We lost two captains : Captain 
 Vinton of the Artillery, and Captain Alburtis of the In 
 fantry. I have been in the city and was much surprised 
 at its strength. It is surrounded on the land side by a 
 wall about ten feet high and a series of forts, and on the 
 other side is protected by the castle. You asked me 
 whether I belonged to General Worth s division. I had 
 the honor of being in it, so long as it existed, but it 
 has been broken up. During the past siege I was part 
 of the time with him, and part of the time with General 
 Twiggs. While I was at the advanced batteries, a can 
 non ball came in about five steps of me. I presume 
 you think my name ought to appear in the papers, 
 but when you consider the composition of our army, 
 you will entertain a different view ; it is such that 
 only those who have independent commands are as a 
 general rule spoken of; for instance Ridgely, May, 
 Bragg, Duncan, Ringold, Smith all commanded com 
 panies. 2 If an officer wishes to distinguish himself he 
 must remain long in service until he obtains rank ; then 
 he receives praise not only for his efforts, but for the 
 efforts of the officers and men under him. That portion 
 of the praise which may be due to me must of course go 
 to those above me, or be included in the praise given to 
 the army. I expect to remain in Mexico for the re 
 mainder of the war, and to move forward with the leading 
 brigade. I expect to be promoted in a short time to a 
 second lieutenancy ; this will probably occasion me to 
 leave the light battery, but it will give me more rank, 
 which is of the greatest importance in the army. Re 
 member me in the warmest terms to Mr. Arnold and 
 
 1 Sixty-four killed and wounded. 
 
 8 See page 93. Probably one reason for desiring service with Magruder. 
 
86 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 all my other friends. I hope soon to march forward 
 towards the city of Mexico. Vera Cruz continues 
 healthy. I intend writing soon and more frequently, 
 but my means of writing are poor. I am now using a 
 box for a chair and my camp bedstead as a writing desk 
 and think myself comfortably situated. You have all of 
 the conveniences necessary, and I hope that you will use 
 them to write often to one who esteems you above all. 
 You will take particular care that neither this nor any 
 subsequent letter gets into a newspaper. 
 
 After the battle of Vera Cruz General Scott ad 
 vanced to Cerro Gordo, a few miles east of Jalapa 
 where General Santa Anna with 13,000 men and 
 forty-two pieces of artillery occupied a very strong 
 position completely commanding the great national 
 highway leading to the city of Mexico. After a 
 careful reconnaissance, Captain Robert E. Lee, of 
 Scott s staff, submitted to the Commander-in-Chief 
 a plan for a flank movement, that would be hidden 
 from the view of the enemy, at the western extremity 
 of the latter s position, which, if occupied by the 
 Americans, would not only enable them to assail 
 Santa Anna from an unexpected quarter on the right 
 and turn his position, but would completely com 
 mand their only line of retreat, the whole front of the 
 enemy to be threatened and pressed during the 
 attack. This plan was adopted, and the construc 
 tion of a rough road commenced and completed the 
 third day, by which the infantry, under command of 
 General Twiggs, who had been assigned to the duty, 
 strongly supported by artillery, and by Brigadier- 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 87 
 
 General Shields with his brigade, were enabled to 
 march around to strike the enemy in the rear and 
 right. The attack was made in the early morning 
 of April 1 8th and was a complete surprise to the 
 enemy and a brilliant success, his right being rolled 
 back in confusion on his centre. Pillow had assailed 
 his left, and although being twice repulsed, and un 
 successful, served to distract and occupy the Mexi 
 cans. In this battle the first artillery regiment had 
 fought as infantry. The Mexican loss in this en 
 gagement is placed at 1,200 killed and wounded, 
 3,000 prisoners, and all of their artillery. The Amer 
 ican army numbered about 8,500. Their loss was 
 sixty-three killed and 368 wounded 431, including 
 two generals. They pressed forward with unabated 
 enthusiasm, giving neither halt nor rest to the enemy. 
 The immediate results of this important battle 
 were the occupation of Jalapa the next day, the 
 abandonment of the works and artillery at La Hoya, 
 and the occupation by Worth s division of the power 
 ful fortress and town of Perote with fifty-four guns, 
 and immense supplies of ammunition, followed by 
 the occupation, on May isth, of the city of La Puebla, 
 eighty-five miles distant from the capital of Mexico, 
 without a shot being fired. Immediately following 
 the occupation of Jalapa, young Jackson writes to 
 his sister as follows : 
 
 Jalapa, Mexico, April 22, 184.7. 
 DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I promised in my last that I would give you a 
 more detailed account of Mexico in a subsequent letter. 
 
88 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 I will now endeavor to comply with that promise. In 
 doing so I will first state in general terms that the portion 
 of northern Mexico which has fallen under my observation 
 is mostly a vast barren waste, cities excepted. There are 
 but two seasons in Mexico, wet and dry. In consequence 
 of the drought there is but little vegetation in the north. 
 A person travelling through this sterile portion of country 
 would not suppose the inhabitants would be able to pay 
 their taxes. In the cities it is different ; there wealth is 
 frequently found. One person residing in Saltillo is said 
 to own a larger area of land than the state of New York. 
 Passing to the south the aspect of things change. You 
 frequently see elegant buildings. The country General 
 Santa Anna owns between this place and Vera Cruz con 
 tains three beautiful houses and a tract of land about 
 fifty-five miles in length. The country in the south is 
 very similar to our own. Whilst I was in Monterey my 
 quarters were in the outskirts of the city, having a large 
 back lot attached, which contained a beautiful orange 
 orchard. Also in this lot was a fine bathing establish 
 ment, the pool being about twenty-five by thirty feet. 
 Monterey is the most beautiful city which I have seen in 
 the north of this distracted country. About sixty miles 
 farther west is Saltillo, the capital of Coahuila. It is 
 situated about two thousand feet above the level of 
 Monterey on an inclined plane at the edge of the table 
 lands. The houses are generally built of sun-dried brick, 
 as are most of the houses in that region. The church is 
 the most highly ornamented in the interior of any edifice 
 which has ever come under my observation. Upon enter 
 ing the magnificent structure we are struck with the gaudy 
 appearance on every side, but most especially the oppo 
 site end from the entrance, which appears to be gilded. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 89 
 
 At the base is a magnificent silver altar, and on each side 
 are statues which cannot fail to attract the attention of the 
 astonished beholder. The music is of the highest char 
 acter. The priests are robed in the most gorgeous 
 apparel. The inhabitants take off their hats on ap 
 proaching the church and do not replace them until they 
 have passed it. One day whilst I was near the building 
 I observed a seilora (lady) gradually approaching the 
 door. Upon another occasion I saw a female looking at 
 a statue and weeping like a child. After obtaining a 
 limited transportation for General Twiggs division, it set 
 forward for Jalapa on the road leading to the city of 
 Mexico. But on arriving at near Cerro Gordo we learned 
 that General Santa Anna held the pass in force. Con 
 sequently we waited for reinforcements, which finally 
 arrived, and on the i^th instant we attacked the Mexi 
 cans, but did not succeed in routing them completely 
 until the 1 8th, when we took some thousands of prisoners 
 and completely routed the remainder. We followed close 
 on the retreating column until night and came near enough 
 to give them a few shots from the battery, but they suc 
 ceeded in effecting their escape for want of our dragoons. 
 General Scott, after disarming the prisoners, allowed 
 them to retire and released the officers on parole. But 
 General La Vega, who is again our prisoner, refused to 
 accept of his, and I presume he will be sent back to the 
 United States. Our loss has been considerable, but not 
 known ; neither is the Mexican. 1 General Santa Anna 
 escaped, but in his haste left us his carnage and wooden 
 leg, together with some thousands of dollars in specie. 
 General Twiggs division fought the battle. General 
 
 1 The Mexican loss was 1,200 killed and wounded, 3,000 prisoners and 
 43 pieces of artillery. The American loss was 63 killed and 368 wounded. 
 
90 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 Worth has again got a division, but he did not get it 
 into action owing to its being used as a reserve, and 
 General Twiggs as the advance. Captain Taylor in his 
 report to General Twiggs has spoken of me in very flat 
 tering terms. I am now in Jalapa, which is situated about 
 sixty miles from Vera Cruz and one hundred and ninety- 
 five from the city of Mexico. General Worth is now in 
 advance, and if there is any fighting at Perote he will be 
 apt to distinguish himself. He will probably be in the 
 vicinity of Perote to-morrow at farthest and possibly to 
 day. It is rumored here that the Mexicans are fortifying 
 their capital ; if so, then we may have the grand battle 
 there. A Mexican officer came here last evening from 
 the city of Mexico and stated that his father had written 
 to him from San Luis 1 stating that General Taylor was 
 there and had met with no opposition. I can say no 
 more, as I have just learned that the escort by which I 
 wish to send this has started and I must mount my horse 
 and overtake it or miss a good opportunity. I am in 
 better health than usual. 
 
 At the time when the next letter was written, it is 
 evident that young Jackson was experiencing the 
 keenest mortification. He had already suffered in 
 tense disappointment in being ordered away from 
 General Taylor just on the eve, as it were, of the 
 battle of Buena Vista. He had been looking for 
 ward, no doubt with anticipated pleasure, to his pro 
 motion to a second lieutenancy, although knowing 
 that it would more than likely occasion his transfer 
 from Captain Taylor s company, to whom he was 
 much attached, to some other. Immediately follow* 
 
 1 Presumably San Luis Potosi. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 91 
 
 ing his promotion he not only was transferred, as he 
 had feared, to a battery of heavy artillery, but this 
 was followed by an order that seemed to mean the 
 complete demolition of all of his dreams of advance 
 ment, and opportunity to win distinction and fame, 
 issued by General Scott, assigning him with his new 
 company of heavy guns to garrison duty at Jalapa 
 while the victorious army moved forward on the 
 highway leading to the city of Mexico. That he ex 
 hausted every influence in his effort to avert this 
 seeming calamity is clearly manifest, but without 
 avail. The letter is as follows : 
 
 Jalapa , May 25, 
 LOVELY SISTER : 
 
 I have the mortification of being left to garrison 
 the town of Jalapa. Captain Taylor used his influence 
 to keep me with him, in which event I should have gone 
 forward. But Colonel Childs, who was made Military 
 Governor of this place, got General Scott to issue an 
 order requiring me to join my company which was under 
 the command of the Governor. Notwithstanding my 
 present situation I have some hope of getting forward by 
 and by, when more troops get in from the States. But 
 all this is with General Scott. I throw myself into the 
 hands of an all wise God, and hope that it may yet be 
 for the better. It may have been one of His means of 
 diminishing my excessive ambition ; and after having 
 accomplished His purpose, whatever it may be, He then 
 in His infinite wisdom may gratify my desire. The 
 army was to move at the time which I mentioned. But 
 General Scott concluded to disband the volunteers, as 
 their time had nearly expired. And this so much di- 
 
92 EAKLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 minished our force that we delayed the advance until a 
 couple of days since. General Scott left on Sunday with 
 an escort, following in the wake of his troops. General 
 Worth has been in Puebla for about ten days. Santa 
 Anna marched from Orizaba and commenced fortifying 
 about half-way between the cities of Puebla and Mexico ; 
 but owing to some cause he relinquished it, and marched 
 into the capital, left the army, and is now in the Presi 
 dential chair. As to his motives I cannot say anything 
 certain, but I suppose that he thinks that his influence 
 will be more powerful there than elsewhere. . . . An 
 election was held on the I5th instant for President, and 
 Herrara was the successful candidate, but will not take 
 his seat for a few months yet. I am in fine quarters and 
 making rapid progress in the Spanish language, and have 
 an idea of making some lady acquaintances shortly. I 
 see many things here of interest in the way of ornament 
 and fruits. I wish that I only had an opportunity of 
 sending some to you and Thomas. I well know that he 
 would like to have a " ranchero " (Mexican) on horse 
 back, followed by some large dogs. 1 I would be much 
 pleased to hear from Wirt, poor fellow. 2 Give my re 
 spects to your estimable husband. I think of you often, 
 and my heart has more than once upbraided me for my 
 neglect of you. But I feared to inform you of things as 
 they were. . . . 
 
 Your brother always, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 Remember me to the worthy people of Beverley and to 
 my relatives in the vicinity. 
 
 T. J. J. 
 
 Postmarked New Orleans, June 8tk. 
 
 1 Toys of Mexican manufacture. 
 
 2 His half-brother, who was in delicate health. 
 
VI 
 
 MEXICO Continued (1846-1848) 
 
 IT may be readily imagined that young* Jackson 
 availed himself of every possible opening dis 
 cernible in his efforts to extricate himself from 
 his unfortunate predicament, and that he kept his 
 friends actively on the alert to aid him in every con 
 ceivable way. It so happened that, in the recent 
 battles, Captain John B. Magruder had captured a 
 light field battery, which General Scott presented to 
 him as a reward for his conspicuous gallantry. 
 There was a vacancy in the second lieutenancy in 
 this battery. It was claimed that the young officers 
 disliked to serve under Magruder ; that he was not 
 only inclined to keep his men in a constant state of 
 unrest, but that he was unusually hot-tempered. 
 Jackson, upon being informed of this vacancy, at 
 once applied for and succeeded in securing the posi 
 tion, and was subsequently transferred to that com 
 pany. In later years he said, " I wanted to see 
 active service, to be near the enemy in the fight ; 
 and when I heard that John Magruder had got his 
 battery, I bent all my energies to be with him ; for I 
 knew if any fighting was to be done Magruder 
 would be on hand." l From this time until after the 
 capitulation of the city of Mexico he served with 
 
 Dabney. 
 93 
 
94 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 Magruder, and evidently not only to the entire satis 
 faction of that dashing and gallant officer, but in a 
 manner to command the latter s highest admiration 
 and esteem. And this feeling must have been 
 mutual, as he later chose young Jackson as his 
 closest friend to be the bearer of a challenge to 
 General (afterwards President) Pierce. 1 
 
 At the date when young Jackson was assigned to 
 the position above referred to, Magruder with his 
 company was in advance with the army, under 
 General Scott, on the road leading to the city of 
 Mexico, Jackson, as stated, being on garrison duty 
 at Jalapa. Upon receiving the order to report to 
 Captain Magruder for duty, Lieutenant Jackson, in 
 company with a small escort, at once set forth in the 
 wake of General Scott s army, with the view of over 
 taking and joining his new command as speedily 
 as possible. At that period there were scattered 
 throughout this section of Mexico numerous small 
 detachments from the recently defeated army of 
 Santa Anna, besides bands of marauders and 
 Mexican guerrillas, sufficiently numerous and in 
 large enough force to make travelling very hazard 
 ous for any small detachments of Americans who 
 might be out of sight of, or have occasion to be 
 separated from, the main army of occupation. 
 Lieutenant Jackson encountered several of these 
 bands while on this march and on one occasion, at 
 least, the enemy was in sufficient force to encourage 
 
 1 " The Real Stonewall Jackson," General D. H. Hill, in the Century 
 Magazine of February, 1894. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 95 
 
 them to assail this small isolated squad, with the sup 
 posed certainty of its destruction. The hand-to-hand 
 combat was of short duration, however, and resulted 
 in the complete discomfiture of the Mexicans, who 
 were put to flight with the loss of four killed and 
 three captured, the remainder effecting their escape. 
 
 Dr. Dabney in writing of the light artillery says, 
 " The rapid manoeuvring of light artillery in action 
 was a new feature in American warfare. Its brilliant 
 results at Palo Alto, at Resaca de la Palma, at Buena 
 Vista, had delighted General Taylor, and electrified 
 the country. Jackson foresaw that this arm of war 
 fare was henceforth destined to be used in every 
 battle, and to be always thrust forward to the post of 
 danger and of honor. To a soul thirsting, like his, 
 for distinction, this was motive enough for preferring 
 it. And he said that, determined as he was to do 
 his whole duty, and to consecrate himself wholly to 
 his functions as a soldier, he had no fears of being 
 unable to satisfy the rigidity of its captain. In this 
 he was not disappointed." 
 
 It is evident from the foregoing that several 
 reasons influenced Jackson to apply for a transfer to 
 Magruder s company, viz., first, Believing that in 
 service under that dashing officer, with his battery 
 of light artillery, the chances of getting into battle 
 and winning fame would be greatly enhanced. 
 Second, That being an independent company, the 
 officers thereof would receive personal credit for what 
 ever the company accomplished, as distinguished 
 from a regiment of regulars, where what reputation 
 
96 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 was gained would be bestowed in the usual manner 
 upon the commanding officer. 1 Third, To get free 
 from garrison duty, and into active service. The 
 latter, without doubt, was the prime factor in causing 
 him to so eagerly seek a transfer to Magruder s com 
 pany. And, in his own opinion, his Creator, having 
 sufficiently punished him for his inordinate ambition, 
 crowned his efforts with success in permitting him 
 to obtain service in that company, which of all 
 others, as it subsequently transpired, afforded the 
 best opportunity for his attaining advancement and 
 fame. 2 The American army remained at Puebla 
 from the time of entry, May I5th, until early in 
 August. This long delay was occasioned by having 
 to await the arrival of reinforcements. 
 
 It seems that several regiments of volunteers 
 which had enlisted for but a brief service had grown 
 tired of war and clamored for their discharge. 
 Finally, with a force of somewhat less than 13,000 of 
 all arms, not including 1,300 effectives and convales 
 cents left as a garrison at Puebla, General Scott, 
 early in August, moved out from the latter city on 
 the road leading to the capital. He had organized 
 this force into four divisions : the first under Major- 
 General Worth, whose command some time before 
 had been broken up by transfer of troops ; the second 
 under Major-General Twiggs ; the third under Major- 
 General Pillow, to which division Magruder s battery 
 was assigned ; the fourth under Major-General 
 
 1 See letter of March 30, 1847, P- 85. 
 2 See letter of October 26, 1847, P. I2 & 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 97 
 
 Pierce, the last being composed principally of volun 
 teers and marines. There were in addition four field 
 batteries, a brigade of cavalry and a few pieces of 
 heavier ordnance suitable for siege operations. In 
 the meantime General Santa Anna had reorganized 
 his army, estimated at 30,000, and with a large 
 number of heavy batteries was now prepared to 
 meet the Americans. The latter after leaving Puebla, 
 on the loth of August, crossed the Rio Frio Moun 
 tains, the pass being at an altitude of 10,000 feet, 
 and in descending the western slope of which ob 
 tained their first view of the magnificent capital city 
 and surrounding valley in the distance. They en 
 countered no serious obstacle in their line of march 
 until within some eight or ten miles of the city of 
 Mexico, at the mountain ridge of El Pefion, which 
 for some distance encircles the great basin, in the 
 centre of which the city is located. This ridge and 
 Mexicalcingo to the left of it were so strongly forti 
 fied that it was clearly apparent to General Scott 
 that to attempt to force his way through either of 
 the seemingly possible approaches could only be ac 
 complished at a very great sacrifice to his army. 
 He thereupon fell back a short distance to Ayotla. 
 The Commander-in-Chief was ably assisted by an 
 exceptionally brilliant staff of engineers, presumably 
 of his own choosing, viz. : Robert E. Lee, George B. 
 McClellan, P. G. T. Beauregard and Gustavus W. 
 Smith. Lee was the eldest and most experienced, 
 and was deservedly held in high esteem in the 
 confidence of his general. These engineers demon- 
 
98 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 strated to Scott that by marching to the left a road 
 might be opened with considerable labor across a 
 rough volcanic country, seamed with ravines, but 
 over which it was possible to transport artillery, that 
 would bring them to the southwest of the city, thus 
 rendering valueless the formidable barriers and forti 
 fications erected by the Mexicans at El Penon and 
 Mexicalcingo. Approving the proposed plan, and 
 leaving Twiggs division at Ayotla to threaten the 
 Mexican front and deceive the enemy as long as 
 practicable, after a very tedious and roundabout 
 march of some thirty miles, the village of San 
 Augustin, on the great road leading to the city from 
 the south, was reached, and headquarters established 
 there, only some eight miles southwest of the city. 
 No serious opposition from the Mexicans was en 
 countered on the flank march. Across the road to 
 the north of San Augustin, to which the Mexican 
 commander had hastily transferred his army, were 
 formidable lines of fortifications, supported by heavy 
 guns. To the east of this road was an impassable 
 morass and lake. To the west extending for several 
 miles to the mountains in the direction of Magdalena 
 was a barren stretch covered with sharp rocks and 
 innumerable deep fissures over which neither horse 
 nor vehicle, it was supposed, could pass, known as 
 the Pedregal. 
 
 The engineers again seemed equal to the occa 
 sion. A bridle path was discovered by Captain Lee 
 leading across this waste. Protected by a strong 
 escort it was rapidly converted into a passable road, 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 99 
 
 over which Pillow s and Worth s divisions, with Ma- 
 gruder s light battery, crossed. At the western ex 
 tremity of the Pedregal was another magnificent 
 road leading to the capital from the southwest ; and 
 by following this road the position of the Mexican 
 army could be assailed from the rear. The flanking 
 force came in view of this highway at a point some 
 fourteen miles southwest of the city, only to discover 
 that this road as well as its approaches from the 
 Pedregal was protected by a division of some 6,000 
 Mexicans under the command of General Valencia, 
 strongly entrenched and supported by twenty-two 
 pieces of artillery in position on a seemingly inac 
 cessible foot-hill of the mountain range, extending 
 along the west side of the road. The further prog 
 ress of the Americans was completely checked. 
 About three o clock in the afternoon a brigade, sup 
 ported by Magruder s battery, occupied the summit 
 of a hill within half a mile of the enemy s breastworks. 
 Magruder immediately unlimbered and opened fire, 
 under protection of which the infantry advanced. 
 But the Mexican artillery was far superior both in 
 number and metal and completely swept the ground 
 in front. For three hours the battle continued, the 
 Americans making no impression. On the right, 
 however, with extreme difficulty they succeeded in 
 crossing a small spur of the Pedregal, covered with 
 dense chaparral, and occupied the village of Contre- 
 ras. General Scott in commenting on the battle 
 said, "The infantry could not advance in column 
 without being mowed down by grape and canister ; 
 
100 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 nor advance in line without being ridden down by 
 the enemy s numerous horsemen." The Mexicans 
 made several charges with infantry and cavalry, but 
 were each time repulsed. Darkness ended the com 
 bat. The situation was anything but encouraging 
 to the invaders. Strong reinforcements of Mexicans 
 were advancing from the city ; the remainder of the 
 American army was with General Scott on the east 
 side of the Pedregal, five miles distant. The rain 
 poured down in torrents, completely drenching the 
 men. A charge having been made by a Mexican 
 battalion, General Pillow withdrew Magruder s bat 
 tery from the ridge, the first lieutenant, Johnstone, 
 and some fifteen gunners having already fallen. 
 The Mexican reinforcements referred to, advancing 
 from the city, had halted, their advance guards be 
 ing only a few hundred yards north of Contreras. 
 The prospect of success looked gloomy. A council 
 of war was called, the situation fully discussed, and 
 the following course agreed upon : two regiments to 
 be left at Contreras under General Cadwallader with 
 the design of holding the large body of reinforce 
 ments in check, and a night flank march to be made 
 in an attempt to assail the rear of the intrenchments 
 on the ridge. Robert E. Lee has always been ac 
 credited with having devised and suggested the plan 
 successfully adopted. The council was brought to a 
 close and Lee immediately departed through the 
 rain alone over the dangerous Pedregal road to 
 submit the proposed plan to General Scott. He 
 reached Scott s headquarters at eleven o clock that 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) 3AB:@0#: 
 
 night, and urged that a powerful diversion towards 
 morning be directed at the centre of the enemy s in 
 trenched camp. This hazardous journey won from 
 his chief the compliment of being " the greatest feat 
 of physical and moral courage performed by any in 
 dividual during the entire campaign." 
 
 Lee, accompanied by General Twiggs, was sent at 
 once to collect the forces about San Augustin with 
 which to make the diversion. The flank movement 
 was made by a night march, starting at three o clock 
 A. M., under the guidance of Beauregard, Smith and 
 others, directed towards the enemy s left, over al 
 most impassable ground. They selected a position 
 within five hundred yards of the Mexican intrench- 
 ments, and awaited for day. At sunrise they 
 charged, carrying the works in a rush. Cadwallader 
 not only successfully diverted the enemy as directed, 
 but simultaneous with the attack in the rear, assailed 
 with a part of his force under Colonel Ransom, con 
 ducted by Lee, the enemy s front, pouring destruc 
 tive volleys into their works. The enemy attacked 
 in front and rear at the same time was completely 
 routed. The Americans had 4,500 engaged; their 
 loss did not exceed fifty. 1 The Mexican loss was 
 placed at 800, and about that number of prisoners. 
 The enemy s reinforcements were unable to inter 
 vene, being held in check by General Shields, who 
 had remained at Contreras ; they retreated towards 
 the city after the repulse. The manoeuvring of the 
 American army at Contreras has been remarked 
 
 1 Scott s Memoirs." 
 
102 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 upon as probably the best example of the art of strat 
 egy occurring throughout the campaign, combined 
 with indefatigable energy and perseverance, and 
 which was supplemented with a cheerful and ready 
 response from the soldiery. When all was in readi 
 ness the work was undertaken and completed within 
 a remarkably short time. The Mexicans were given 
 no respite ; they were pressed incessantly, and kept 
 on the run, all joining in the pursuit. General Scott 
 after giving the necessary orders went forward with 
 General Pillow s column. Among the captures were 
 two six-pounders previously taken by the Mexicans 
 from the fourth artillery at Buena Vista. Santa 
 Anna, realizing that his communications between 
 San Antonio and the city were in immediate danger, 
 ordered that post to be abandoned and the garrison 
 to fall back to Churubusco, towards which strong 
 hold the Mexicans were being hotly pursued. 
 
 At the hacienda of Churubusco was the strongly 
 fortified church or convent of San Pablo, which 
 Twiggs with a brigade and battery was ordered to 
 attack. Pierce at the same time was sent to attack 
 the right and rear in order to aid the movement 
 against the convent and cut off retreat. Shields 
 was directed to follow Pierce. The Americans as 
 sailed the position in force before the Mexicans could 
 gain time to rally from the confusion incident to their 
 retreat. After a hot fight of several hours, in which 
 the artillery played a conspicuous part, the Mexicans 
 having been beaten back in a sortie, a general as 
 sault was ordered along the whole line, resulting so 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 103 
 
 successfully that signals of surrender were displayed 
 from the convent, and the defeat of the entire army 
 effected, which was followed by their precipitate 
 flight to the city, with the Americans in close pursuit, 
 their cavalry in the lead, with drawn sabres assailing 
 the demoralized soldiery, almost to the gates of the 
 city. The Mexican loss was 3,000 prisoners, 3,250 
 killed and wounded, thirty-seven guns and a large 
 supply of ammunition. The American loss was 
 1,053. I* 1 tne two days fighting Jackson s section of 
 three guns, to the command of which he had suc 
 ceeded in the .first day s battle at Contreras, when 
 Lieutenant Johnston fell, had been handled with such 
 skill as to command the highest admiration of his 
 immediate commander. Magruder in his official re 
 port states, 1 " In a few moments Lieutenant Jackson, 
 commanding the second section of the battery, who 
 had opened fire upon the enemy s works from a posi 
 tion on the right, hearing our fire still further in 
 front, advanced in handsome style, and kept up the 
 fire with great briskness and effect. His conduct 
 was ^equally conspicuous during the whole day, and 
 I cannot too highly commend him to the major- 
 general s favorable consideration." For his gal 
 lantry on this occasion young Jackson was honored 
 with the brevet rank of captain of artillery. 
 
 It would seem that the American vim had been 
 expended, and that they were now to experience a 
 reaction. In the two days fighting of August igth 
 and 20th, the Mexicans had met with two disastrous 
 
 1 Referring to Contreras. 
 
104: EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 defeats, in each of which they had sustained heavy 
 losses in men and munitions of war. Both the army 
 and civilians were panic stricken. Yet General Scott 
 knowing that the larger portion of his army had 
 been in constant marching or hard fighting for two 
 consecutive days, and had passed the intervening 
 night without rest, drenched with rain, executing a 
 difficult flank march between the hours of three 
 o clock in the night and break of day, resulting in 
 the victory of Contreras, the immediate pursuit of 
 the enemy without rest or intermission to Churu- 
 busco, and had there, after a most stubborn resist 
 ance, defeated the entire army of Santa Anna, were 
 absolutely exhausted and required rest. He further 
 fully realized what an accident or mistake would 
 mean to a small army of some 8,000 at the gates of 
 the capital of a hostile country, virtually cut off from 
 any line of retreat. Instead of pressing forward and 
 possibly encompassing the immediate downfall of 
 the city, he adopted the more prudent and safe 
 course. He believed with sound reason that with 
 such an experience the enemy was in a condition to 
 sue for peace, and thus avert unnecessary bloodshed. 
 With this very natural conclusion he proposed an 
 armistice with the purpose of negotiating a peace. 
 He had not, however, in doing this reckoned with 
 Santa Anna s personal ambition. The armistice was 
 agreed to, and of which it is claimed that Santa 
 Anna availed himself to reorganize his demoralized 
 soldiery and strengthen his fortifications. When 
 this was attained, he felt in a position to confront the 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 105 
 
 Americans. Scott s terms were rejected. The city 
 was still to be won only by much hard fighting. On 
 September 5th the contest was renewed. In the 
 early morning of the 8th the fortifications of Molino 
 del Rey, consisting of a massive series of buildings, 
 originally a flour mill, afterwards converted into a 
 foundry for the manufacture of arms, but now gar 
 risoned by the most seasoned veteran Mexican 
 troops, was assaulted. The fighting was desperate ; 
 800 Americans were killed or wounded before the 
 intrenchments were finally carried. The Mexicans 
 lost 3,000 and two generals. In this affair Jackson 
 was assigned to protect the flank of the force en 
 gaged from the Mexican cavalry, which he did with 
 good effect in some well-directed shots. Although 
 driven from their outworks, the enemy had fallen 
 back to the more formidable palace of Chapultepec, 
 a half mile distant, located on an isolated eminence 
 some one hundred and fifty feet high, being a 
 strongly fortified citadel crowning the hill, designed 
 so as to command the highway leading to the city. 
 Its approaches were protected by outworks both at 
 its base and on its acclivities. This castle was the 
 National Military School ; and in addition to the 
 cadets then in attendance, was strongly garrisoned 
 with their choicest soldiery. The occupancy of 
 Chapultepec was considered indispensable to the 
 capture of the city. It was regarded as being well- 
 nigh impregnable. Scott determined to carry it by 
 storm. To make the attack a brigade of infantry 
 supported by batteries was placed near the southern 
 
106 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 gates of the city and kept up a continuous fire 
 throughout the I2th and to the afternoon of the I3th 
 of September, forcing the enemy to remain within 
 the walls of the city, and thus holding a large part 
 of the Mexican army on the defensive. The night 
 of the nth four batteries of heavy guns were placed 
 within easy range. Throughout the I2th and the 
 morning of the I3th a heavy fire was directed 
 against the castle and outworks. Covered by this 
 fire, Pillow shortly after eight o clock, supported by 
 Worth, assailed the fortress on the west and north. 
 Simultaneously Quitman, supported by part of 
 Twiggs division, attacked from the southeast, the 
 batteries throwing shot and shell upon the enemy 
 over the heads of the attacking columns. The four 
 teenth infantry, under Colonel Trousdale, was sta 
 tioned so as to form a connecting link between 
 Pillow and Worth, and to do so occupied a road 
 skirting the base of the hill. While at Molino del 
 Rey Jackson s duty consisted in holding off the 
 cavalry while the fight was in progress, Magruder s 
 battery being under Pillow. At Chapultepec, how 
 ever, Jackson s section was segregated from the bat 
 tery and he was ordered to support this connecting 
 link. He had been pushed forward with his section 
 by Colonel Trousdale into a position of great danger. 
 And now quoting from Colonel Henderson s " Stone 
 wall Jackson " : 
 
 " The ground was so marshy that the guns were 
 unable to leave the road. A Mexican field-piece, 
 covered by a breastwork, raked the causeway from 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 107 
 
 end to end, while from the heights of Chapultepec 
 cannon of large calibre poured down a destructive 
 fire. The infantry suffered terribly. It was impos 
 sible to advance along the narrow track ; and when 
 the guns under Jackson were ordered up, the situ 
 ation was in no way bettered. Nearly every horse 
 was killed or wounded. A deep ditch, cut across 
 the road, hindered effective action, and the only 
 position where reply to the enemy s fire was pos 
 sible lay beyond this obstacle. Despite the losses 
 of his command, Jackson managed to lift one gun 
 across by hand, but his men became demoralized. 
 They left their posts. The example of their lieuten 
 ant walking up and down on the shot-swept road, 
 and exclaiming calmly, There is no danger ; see, 
 I am not hit, failed to inspire them with confidence. 
 Many had already fallen. The infantry with the 
 exception of a small escort, which held its ground 
 with difficulty, had disappeared ; and General 
 Worth, observing Jackson s perilous situation, sent 
 him orders to retire. He replied it was more dan 
 gerous to withdraw than to stand fast, and if they 
 would give him fifty veterans, he would rather at 
 tempt the capture of the breastwork. 1 At this junc 
 ture Magruder, losing his horse as he galloped for 
 ward, reached the road. The ditch was crowded 
 with soldiers ; many wounded, many already dead, 
 many whose hearts had failed them. Beyond, on 
 
 1 Jackson says he asked for a company of regulars. Upon which 
 Worth moved forward a whole brigade. See letter of October 26, 1847, 
 p. 130. 
 
108 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 the narrow causeway, the one gun which Jackson 
 had brought across the ditch was still in action. 
 Deserted by his gunners, and abandoned by the 
 escort which had been ordered to support him, the 
 young subaltern still held his ground. With the 
 sole assistance of a sergeant, of stauncher mettle 
 than the rest, he was loading and firing his solitary 
 field-piece, rejoicing, as became the son of a warrior 
 race, in the hot breath of battle, and still more in 
 the isolation of his perilous position. To stand 
 alone, in the foreground of the fight, defying the 
 terrors from which others shrank, was the situation 
 which of all others he most coveted ; and under the 
 walls of Chapultepec, answering shot for shot and 
 plying sponge and hand-spike with desperate 
 energy, the fierce instincts of the soldier were fully 
 gratified. Nor was Magruder the man to proffer 
 prudent counsels. A second gun was hoisted 
 across the ditch ; the men rallied, the Mexican ar 
 tillery was gradually overpowered, and the breast 
 work stormed," The enemy were driven from their 
 intrenchments at the foot of the hill and a charge 
 was ordered. " A redoubt which stood midway up 
 the height was carried ; the Mexicans fell back from 
 shelter to shelter." The scaling ladders were 
 brought into use. The enemy assailed in front and 
 flank drew back and after a short struggle the 
 American flag was displayed from the castle. " The 
 greater portion of the garrison had fled from their 
 intrenchments before the castle had been stormed. 
 Infantry, cavalry and artillery were crowding in 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 109 
 
 panic on the causeways. But their numbers were 
 formidable, and the city, should the army be rallied, 
 was capable of a protracted defense." " Many of 
 the stormers had dispersed in search of plunder, 
 and regiments and brigades had become hopelessly 
 intermingled. Still the pursuit was prompt towards 
 the San Cosme gate." " Jackson s guns were soon 
 abreast of the fighting line. His teams had been 
 destroyed by the fire of the Mexican batteries ; those 
 of his ammunition waggons further to the rear had 
 partially escaped." "To disengage the dead ani 
 mals from the limbers and replace them by others 
 would have wasted many minutes, and he had ea 
 gerly suggested to Magruder that the guns should 
 be attached to the wagon limbers instead of to 
 their own. Permission was given, and in a few 
 moments his section was thundering past the cliffs 
 of Chapultepec. Coming into action within close 
 range of the flying Mexicans, every shot told on 
 their demoralized masses. 1 But before the San 
 Cosme gate the enemy made a last effort to avert 
 defeat. Fresh troops were brought up to man the 
 outworks ; the houses and gardens which lined the 
 road were filled with skirmishers ; from the high 
 parapets of the flat housetops a hail of bullets struck 
 the head of the pursuing column. Again and again 
 the American infantry, without cover, and with little 
 space for movement, recoiled from the attack." 2 
 The assaulting column at Chapultepec consisted 
 
 1 See letter of Mr. Sylvanus White, p. 177. 
 
 2 Henderson s " Jackson." 
 
110 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 of two hundred and sixty regulars under Captain 
 McKenzie, second artillery, assigned to General 
 Pillow ; Twiggs supplied a like number to General 
 Quit man under Captain Casey, second infantry, 
 all of whom volunteered for the work. The officers 
 were promised promotion, the men pecuniary re 
 ward. 1 Pillow upon emerging from a grove filled 
 with sharp-shooters was seriously wounded, General 
 Cadwallader taking his place. The scaling of the 
 heights was done with such a rush that the enemy 
 was not given time to fire a single mine without en 
 dangering the lives of their own men. General D. 
 H. Hill, who was then a lieutenant, and in the pur 
 suit from Chapultepec to the gate of San Cosme, 
 relates the following incident : That in the chase he 
 and Lieutenant Barnard E. Bee were overtaken by 
 Jackson with two pieces of artillery. Captain Ma- 
 gruder soon after overtook them with caissons and 
 men, but no additional guns. Magruder expressed 
 a fear of losing the two guns, as the division of 
 Worth was far in the rear ; but he yielded to the 
 solicitations of the young men, and continued the 
 pursuit. General Amphidia with a brigade of cav 
 alry threatened a charge. The guns were immedi 
 ately unlimbered and opened a rapid fire which 
 speedily dispersed them. In reading the above ac 
 count it is somewhat amusing to think of these three 
 ambitious young subalterns, each in quest of fame, 
 seeking all the glory to be gleaned on that field, 
 jointly imploring a hothead like Magruder not to 
 
 1 On the authority of General D. H. Hill. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 111 
 
 hold back Jackson s guns from the pursuit. From 
 all accounts of Magruder, as given by his intimate 
 personal friends, it certainly would be a reckless, 
 haphazard venture where it would be found at all 
 necessary to importune him to be not over-cautious. 
 Of the three young lieutenants named, each was 
 brevetted twice for gallantry in Mexico, an unusual 
 distinction. Jackson and Hill afterwards became 
 brothers-in-law, and each lived to attain the rank of 
 lieutenant-general in the Confederate army. Of the 
 lamented Bee, who fell at the first great battle of 
 the Civil War while in the act of rallying his 
 brigade, and just before receiving the mortal 
 wound, he conferred upon Jackson the sobriquet 
 " Stonewall," by which he has become known the 
 world over. During the day of Chapultepec Lieu 
 tenant Hill remarked to Bee : " If all turns out well 
 to-day, the old state will remember us." The pre 
 diction was fulfilled when later, by a resolution of 
 the Legislature, South Carolina presented to each, 
 Hill and Bee, for their conspicuous gallantry on this 
 occasion beautiful gold mounted swords of honor. 
 Notwithstanding the brilliant victory of Chapul 
 tepec, the army was not yet safe. Since leaving 
 Puebla General Scott had lost nearly 3,000 officers 
 and men; deducting the losses and the unfit for 
 duty, his army aggregated only some 7,000 effect 
 ives. 1 
 
 The greater portion of the Mexican army was still 
 with Santa Anna. The city could be easily de- 
 
 1 Scott reports loss of 862 at Chapultepec. 
 
112 EAKLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 fended. All of the numerous public edifices, 
 churches, etc., were of that massive construction so 
 common in all Spanish American countries. The 
 city, containing some 180,000 population, was en 
 circled with walls, and beyond the walls, ditches and a 
 deep canal. A defeat to the American army would 
 mean ruin. The only possible hope in such an event 
 would be to cut their way through to Puebla, a dis 
 tance of eighty-five miles. The defense was so ob 
 stinate that the pioneers were ordered up, and a 
 passage forced from house to house with picks and 
 crowbars. The guns battered the masonry at close 
 range. By eight o clock in the evening the Americans 
 had succeeded in entering both the San Cosme and 
 the Belen gates. The Mexican troops retreated dur 
 ing the night, and the white flag was displayed from 
 the citadel at dawn. There was a sharp conflict the 
 morning of the I4th with some 2,000 convicts whom 
 Santa Anna had released from prison. These were 
 suppressed and the war was virtually ended. 
 
VII 
 MEXICO Continued (1846-1848) 
 
 THE successful invasion of Mexico by the 
 small army of Americans, their forcing the 
 capitulation of a large and strongly fortified 
 capital in the very heart of the country and compelling 
 substantially unconditional terms of surrender, is some 
 thing little short of marvellous when the character of 
 civilization and the population of that country are 
 considered. The Americans were confronted in 
 every battle with artillery superior in both number 
 and weight of metal, and with equally effective small 
 arms, with the single exception of the primitive re 
 volver, 1 with cavalry largely in excess of their own, 
 and, as is well known, the natives of that country 
 are unexcelled in horsemanship. Furthermore, it is 
 admitted without question that the Mexicans were a 
 brave and courageous people, that in many of the 
 battles herein described they fought gallantly, as at 
 Contreras, Churubusco, Molino del Rey, Chapulte- 
 
 1 General D. H. Hill in a conversation stated to me that many of the 
 Americans carried revolvers; they were of a crude pattern; that the 
 Mexicans were not at all familiar with this arm and that many of them 
 exhibited a very perceptible dread of the man who could continue firing 
 without having to stop to load ; that the revolver was what was known as 
 the pepper box pattern. T. J. A. 
 
 "3 
 
114 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 pec and at the gate San Cosme. The only expla 
 nation would seem to be in the fact that they were 
 untrained masses. Their leaders were undoubtedly 
 inefficient. They were outmanoeuvred on every 
 occasion. Not one battle had been fought, save the 
 siege of Vera Cruz, on ground of their own choos 
 ing, in the manner anticipated. And they had been 
 taken by surprise in every important battle. The 
 most casual glance at what had taken place in the 
 campaign will impress the reader with the fact that 
 young Jackson had allowed no opportunity to dis 
 tinguish himself to pass unheeded, but that he had 
 availed himself of each opening as fortune had pre 
 sented it. He had eagerly sought the vacancy in 
 Magruder s company of field artillery. When the 
 command of a section of the battery unexpectedly 
 devolved upon him in the midst of the battle of Con- 
 treras, he almost immediately, without waiting for 
 orders, exercised the initiative of moving his guns 
 farther to the front, within more effective range of 
 the enemy. Then later he had welcomed the order 
 assigning him to the independent command of his 
 section at Chapultepec. Colonel Henderson in re 
 ferring to this writes : " It was a small charge, but 
 he had utilized it to the utmost, and it had filled the 
 cup of his ambition to the brim. Ambitious he cer 
 tainly was." l Dr. Dabney says, " He confessed to an 
 intimate friend that the order of General Pillow, sep 
 arating his section, for the day, from his captain, had 
 excited his abiding gratitude ; so that, while the reg- 
 
 1 Henderson s " Jackson." 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 115 
 
 ular officers were rather inclined to depreciate that 
 general as an unprofessional soldier, he loved him 
 because he gave him an opportunity to win distinc 
 tion." His friends asked him if he felt no trepida 
 tion when so many were falling around him. He 
 replied, no ; the only anxiety of which he was con 
 scious in any of these engagements was a fear lest 
 he should not meet danger enough to make his con 
 duct under it as conspicuous as he desired ; and as 
 the fire grew hotter, he rejoiced in it as his coveted 
 opportunity. He also declared to those who were 
 surmising the effect of the dangers of battle upon 
 their spirits that to him it was always exalting, and 
 that he was conscious of a more perfect command 
 of all his faculties, and of their more clear and 
 rapid action when under fire than at any other 
 time. Dr. Dabney then says, "This, it will be re 
 membered, was a distinguishing feature in the char 
 acter of Napoleon s celebrated lieutenant, Marshal 
 Ney." 
 
 As to the recognition which Jackson s conduct, in 
 the preceding battles, had attracted from his superi 
 ors, it is only necessary to quote from their official 
 reports. The Commander-in-Chief says, " To the 
 north, and at the base of the mound (Chapultepec), 
 inaccessible on that side, the Eleventh Infantry, un 
 der Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert, and the fourteenth 
 under Colonel Trousdale, and Captain Magruder s 
 field-battery, First Artillery (one section advanced 
 under Lieutenant Jackson), all of Pillow s division, 
 had at the same time some spirited affairs against 
 
116 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 superior numbers, driving the enemy from a battery 
 in the road, and capturing a gun. In these the 
 officers and corps named gained merited praise. 
 Having turned the forest on the west, and arriving 
 opposite to the north centre of Chapultepec, Worth 
 came up with the troops in the road under Colonel 
 Trousdale, and aided by a flank movement of a part 
 of Garland s brigade in taking the one-gun breast 
 work, then under fire of Lieutenant Jackson s sec 
 tion of Magruder s battery." General Pillow says, 
 " Colonel Trousdale s command, consisting of the 
 Eleventh and Fourteenth Regiments of Infantry, and 
 Magruder s field-battery, engaged a battery and 
 large force in the road, immediately on the west of 
 Chapultepec. The advanced section of the battery, 
 under command of the brave Lieutenant Jackson, 
 was dreadfully cut up, and almost disabled. Though 
 the command of Colonel Trousdale sustained a 
 severe loss, still he drove the enemy from his battery 
 and turned his guns upon his retreating forces. 
 Captain Magruder s battery, one section of which 
 was served with great gallantry by himself, and the 
 other by his brave Lieutenant Jackson, in the face 
 of a galling fire from the enemy s position } did in 
 valuable service preparatory to the general assault." 
 General Worth, though commanding a different di 
 vision of troops, says, " After advancing some four 
 hundred yards, we came to a battery which had 
 been assailed by a portion of Magruder s field guns, 
 particularly the section under the gallant Jackson, 
 who, although he had lost most of his horses and 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 117 
 
 many of his men, continued chivalrously at his post, 
 combating with noble courage." And Magruder 
 thus compliments and recommends him for promo 
 tion : " I beg leave to call the attention of the major- 
 general commanding the division to the conduct of 
 Lieutenant Jackson of the First Artillery. If devo 
 tion, industry, talent, and gallantry are the highest 
 qualities of a soldier, then is he entitled to the distinc 
 tion which their possession confers. I have been 
 ably seconded in all the operations of the battery by 
 him ; and upon this occasion, 1 when circumstances 
 placed him in command for a short time of an inde 
 pendent section, he proved himself eminently worthy 
 of it." It is significant that the above report of 
 Magruder was received by Captain Joe Hooker, at 
 the time acting as adjutant to General Pillow, after 
 wards a major-general in the Federal army and com 
 mander at Chancellorsville. Dr. Dabney after recit 
 ing that for his conduct at Chapultepec Jackson 
 received the brevet rank of major of artillery says, 
 " To this he had risen, purely by the force of his 
 merit, within seven months, from the insignificant 
 position of brevet second lieutenant. No other 
 officer in the whole army in Mexico was promoted 
 so often for meritorious conduct, or made so great a 
 stride in rank. If the conduct which has been de 
 tailed be examined, it will be found to contain every 
 evidence of bravery, thirst for distinction, coolness, 
 and military talent. We see the young lieutenant, 
 the moment the fall of his immediate superior placed 
 
 1 Referring to Chapultepec. 
 
118 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 him in command of a detachment at Churubusco 1 
 (Contreras), awaiting no orders, but guided by the 
 sound of his captain s guns on his left, emulously 
 pressing forward towards the enemy. At Chapul- 
 tepec he is assigned to the post of honor and danger, 
 and advanced with alacrity. When Colonel Trous- 
 dale, to whom he owed merely a momentary sub 
 ordination, thrust him into a position almost desper 
 ate, and he was well-nigh deserted by his men, he 
 refused to retire without orders. 2 Comprehending 
 all the advantages and perils of his situation at once, 
 he proposed rather to exercise the further audacity 
 of storming the battery before him than to attempt 
 a disastrous retreat exposed to its fire. And when 
 the arrival of reinforcements relieved him of his 
 danger, he displayed his ready resource in pursuing 
 the defeated foe, where any other officer would have 
 felt fully justified in busying himself only with carry 
 ing the shattered remains of his command to the 
 rear." And from the same, "Upon being asked, 
 Major, why did you not run when your command 
 was thus disabled ? he answered with a quiet smile, 
 I was not ordered to do so. If I had been ordered 
 to run, I should have done so. But I was directed 
 to hold my position, and I had no right to abandon 
 it* " Colonel Henderson, in commenting upon 
 Jackson s participation in the campaign, says, " His 
 share of glory was more than ample. Contreras 
 
 1 Lieutenant Johnstone was killed at Contreras. 
 
 8 General Worth sent him orders to retire. See letter of date October 
 26, 1 847, p. 130. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 119 
 
 gave him the brevet rank of captain. For his con 
 duct at Chapultepec he was mentioned in the Com- 
 mander-in-Chief s dispatches, and publicly compli 
 mented on his courage. * The same author then 
 relates the following incident which came to him in 
 a personal letter from General Gibbon of the United 
 States Army : " Shortly after the capture of the city 
 General Scott held a levee, and amongst others 
 presented to him was Lieutenant Jackson. When 
 he heard the name, the general drew himself up to 
 his full height, and, placing his hands behind him, 
 said with affected sternness, I don t know that I 
 shall shake hands with Mr. Jackson. Jackson, blush 
 ing like a girl, was overwhelmed with confusion. 
 General Scott, seeing that he had called the attention 
 of every one in the room, said, If you can forgive 
 yourself for the way in which you slaughtered those 
 poor Mexicans with your guns, I am not sure that I 
 can, and then held out his hand." " No greater 
 compliment," says General Gibbon, " could have 
 been paid a young officer, and Jackson apparently 
 did not know he had done anything remarkable till 
 his general told him so." It may be here stated as 
 indicating the innate modesty of Jackson, and as 
 truly illustrative of the man, that the incident above 
 described was never repeated by him to his most 
 intimate relatives and friends, so far as is known. 
 Not even did he relate this to his sister. The pre 
 sumption is that it was not mentioned to his wife, as 
 there is no allusion to it in her " Life of Jackson." 
 Colonel Henderson further says, " Such promotion 
 
120 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 was phenomenal even in the Mexican war, and none 
 of his West Point comrades made so great a stride 
 in rank." 
 
 The siege of Vera Cruz, the subsequent battles, 
 the long marches, and rough roads afforded excep 
 tional training to a young officer for the difficulties 
 incident to war : Observation of men under fire in 
 battle ; knowing one s self under such conditions, the 
 excitement, the long and seemingly inexhaustible 
 patience necessary when on the march, when exposed 
 to fire, often without opportunity to reply ; the causes 
 that produce panics ; the panic itself ; the control that 
 can possibly be exercised to prevent it ; also, to 
 check it, how to deal with it when once it gains 
 ascendency over troops ; the different effects observ 
 able upon the recruit and the regular ; the many 
 points arising in the practical, that never occur, nor 
 of which a knowledge can be had in the theoretical 
 school of war ; to know and measure the ability, the 
 energy, the prudence, the promptness, and dilatori- 
 ness of action, the mental attainments, the capabili 
 ties of comrades ; the knowledge of what may be 
 gained by availing one s self of every opening for a 
 wedge, to promptly grasp every chance, to profit at 
 once by every slight mistake of an adversary ; the 
 advantage of surprise ; the mode of successfully 
 executing a manoeuvre to effect such a result ; the 
 increased gain from it when accomplished, if followed 
 up by incessant pressing and driving the adversary 
 without respite or rest, with the strong probability 
 of thereby creating a panic in his ranks and the 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 121 
 
 not allowing him time in which to repair it. These 
 were some of the lessons that were no doubt care 
 fully conned and as carefully stored away for pos 
 sible future use, we may feel assured, by one 
 possessing the eager, active mind of young Jackson, 
 coupled with an unquenchable desire or ambition to 
 attain still further knowledge in the art of war. To 
 be able to know and fully realize what he himself 
 would be capable of accomplishing under like condi 
 tions ; to discern the mistakes of others, and to 
 formulate opinion as to how they could have been 
 avoided or remedied ; all this made for profitable 
 knowledge for the student of arms. 
 
 Young Jackson had witnessed the winning of the 
 strongly fortified intrenchments of Cerro Gordo by a 
 flank march, accompanied by an insignificant loss. 
 He had witnessed the success of the flank march 
 from Ayotla to San Augustin, rendering useless the 
 strongly fortified position of Santa Anna at El 
 Pefion and Mexicalcingo, and which resulted in com 
 pelling the enemy to abandon his intrenchments and 
 concentrate his force at San Antonio in order to 
 protect the capital, and then the flank march across 
 the Pedregal, then the battle of Contreras, supple 
 mented by the flank march in the night, the complete 
 surprise and unexpected assault on the wing and 
 rear, and the capture of the seemingly impregnable 
 works in a few minutes time, resulting in the utter 
 discomfiture and rout of the enemy. One can hardly 
 estimate the value of this experience following im 
 mediately upon four full years of instruction and 
 
122 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 training at the foremost military school of the 
 world. 1 
 
 Jackson was ever industrious. He could not 
 countenance idleness. It is but fair to suppose that 
 throughout the whole course of his life he earnestly 
 tried to make the most of every opportunity. He 
 seemed alive to every opening. What Mexico was 
 worth to him in his later career can only be matter 
 of conjecture. All such experience, however, is 
 worth but little to him who has not the ability to 
 apply and utilize its teachings. He had known, and 
 probably most of them well, almost every one who 
 later attained prominence on one side or the other 
 in the Civil War. Aside from those heretofore 
 named, Magruder, Hooker, McDowell and A. P. 
 Hill, the latter a classmate, belonged to his own 
 regiment. Then there were those of Scott s staff 
 that have been named. Shields commanded a 
 brigade ; Pope was a staff officer. He had served 
 alongside of Bee and D. H. Hill in the onward rush 
 towards the city gate of San Cosme ; Lieutenants 
 Pickett, Longstreet and Edward Johnston were con 
 spicuous at Chapultepec. Huger, Porter and Reno 
 were also with the artillery. Ewell had two horses 
 killed under him at Churubusco ; and Joseph E. 
 Johnston, wounded on two occasions, made a most 
 enviable record in the Dragoons. Early, another 
 
 1 The well-known English authority on matters military, Dr. T. Miller 
 Maguire, in one of his text-books, viz., " Jackson s Campaigns in Virginia," 
 at page 55 refers to West Point Military Academy (of about the period 
 of Jackson s graduation) as the best army school in, the world, 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 123 
 
 graduate of West Point, served as major of a Vir 
 ginia regiment. The initiative and resourcefulness 
 displayed by young Jackson on each occasion when 
 opportunity presented, as at the first day s battle at 
 Contreras, and again at Chapultepec, when viewed 
 in retrospect, would seem to have been sufficient 
 upon which to forecast the possibilities of a subse 
 quent brilliant career should opportunity offer, as it 
 later did in the Civil War. 
 
VIII 
 MEXICO Continued (1846-1848) 
 
 FOLLOWING the occupation of the city of 
 Mexico General Smith was designated as 
 military governor thereof. Jackson resumed 
 his duties as first lieutenant with his old company 
 under Captain Taylor, and which formed a part of 
 General Smith s brigade. They were domiciled in 
 the city as the garrison ; Jackson with others was 
 assigned quarters in the National Palace. It was 
 claimed that many Mexicans regarded with favor 
 the American rule. The downfall of Spanish author 
 ity administered under a viceroy had been succeeded 
 by frequent revolutions and governmental changes, 
 following the accession of each new party to power 
 a most unstable government for the law-abiding 
 element of citizens. Under such conditions it was 
 but natural that there should soon be established 
 friendly and cordial relations between many of the 
 more prominent Mexican families and the officers of 
 the American army. The places of amusement were 
 thrown open, and Mexicans and Americans inter 
 mingled. Dr. Dabney says: "To qualify himself 
 for enjoying this society more freely, Jackson, with 
 a young comrade, addressed himself to the study of 
 
 124 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 125 
 
 the Spanish language." l His active mind was, be 
 sides, incapable of absolute repose, and he wished to 
 improve his leisure by acquiring knowledge. He was 
 ignorant of Latin, which is not taught at West Point, 
 and the only grammar of Spanish he could find was 
 written in that ancient tongue. Yet he bought it, 
 and nothing daunted, set himself to learn the para 
 digms of the language from it ; and by the help of 
 reading and constant conversation with the people, 
 became in a few months a good Spanish scholar. 2 
 " He ever took pleasure in testifying to the cultiva 
 tion, hospitality and flowing courtesy of the Spanish 
 gentry in Mexico, and, like Napier, among their 
 kindred in their mother country, acknowledged the 
 fascination of their accomplished manners, and their 
 noble and sonorous tongue, and the indescribable 
 grace and beauty of their women." That he enjoyed 
 greatly the society to which he was admitted in the 
 city may be readily inferred from his letters. That 
 there was no probability of its leading to a serious 
 turn is equally certain, and he so writes his sister, 
 " I have no tie in this country equal to you," al 
 though at one time he had a strong inclination to 
 remain in Mexico. Whether he saw a prospect of 
 business opportunities, or a political opening in a 
 much distracted and unsettled country is mere con 
 jecture. 
 
 In acquiring a knowledge of the language of the 
 
 1 Lieutenant Jackson had previously been studying the language. See 
 letter from Jalapa of May 25, 1847, P- 9 2 - 
 
 2 See in this connection letter of March 23, 1848, p. 136. 
 
126 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 country the subject of this sketch without doubt was 
 the recipient of much valuable aid from his fair Se- 
 fiorita friends ; and such help would be likely to add 
 interest to the lessons, making of them very pleas 
 ant tasks. And with the musical intonation in its 
 pronunciation as given by these charming instruct 
 ors, the Spanish language would become a delight 
 ful study far more so than it seemed to the writer 
 some years later with Major Jackson as his in 
 structor. Colonel Henderson says, " Jackson learned 
 to dance," and referring to his acquisition of Spanish, 
 remarks, " And it is significant that to the end of his 
 life he retained a copious vocabulary of those tender 
 diminutives which fall so gracefully from Spanish 
 lips." " Having formed the acquaintance of some ed 
 ucated ecclesiastics of the Church of Rome, he went 
 by their invitation to reside with them. He found 
 their bachelor abode the perfection of luxurious com 
 fort. Upon awaking in the morning, the servants 
 brought him, before he arose from bed, a light re 
 past, consisting of a few diminutive spiced cakes, 
 and a single cup of that delicious chocolate which is 
 found only in Spanish houses. He then dressed, 
 went out, and attended to the drill of his company. 
 Later in the morning, when the sun began to dis 
 play his power, he returned to a breakfast of coffee, 
 fruits and game. The greater part of the day was 
 then spent in study or visiting ; and it closed with a 
 dinner in which Parisian art vied with the tropical 
 fruits native to the climate in conferring enjoyment." 
 But during his stay in Mexico, amid all this pleas- 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 127 
 
 ure Jackson s serious nature was also at work. Dr. 
 Dabney says, " All the information which can now be 
 gathered points to the devout Colonel Frank Taylor, 1 
 commanding his regiment of artillery, as his first of 
 ficial spiritual guide. This good man was accustomed 
 to labor as a father for the religious welfare of his 
 young officers, and Jackson s manly nature seems 
 to have awakened his especial interest. During the 
 campaign of the summer his instruction and prayers 
 had produced so much effect as to awaken an abid 
 ing anxiety and spirit of inquiry in Jackson s mind." 
 " It seems to have been almost a law of his na 
 ture . . . to be convinced in his understanding 
 of a duty was to set straightway about its perform 
 ance. He resolved to make the Bible his study, and 
 with a characteristic independence of mind, to take 
 nothing as to his own religious duties, from prej 
 udice, or from the claims of the various denomina 
 tions into which he saw the religious world divided. 
 His attitude towards all creeds and sects was at this 
 time singularly unbiased. His later education was 
 obtained among a great company of young men, as 
 sembled from every church, under the slender in 
 structions of an army chaplain. His own religious 
 knowledge was extremely scanty. He resolved to 
 examine for himself and decide conscientiously. 
 Through his monastic friends he was introduced to 
 the Archbishop of Mexico, with whom he had a 
 number of interviews. Jackson found him affable, 
 
 1 Colonel Francis Taylor of Virginia, a graduate of the United States 
 Military Academy of the class of 1821. 
 
128 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 able and learned, and was deeply impressed with his 
 sincerity and honesty ; and he further asserted that 
 the doctrines of the Church of Rome as expounded 
 by intelligent Catholics were by no means gross or 
 obnoxious to common sense as is represented by 
 many Protestants. In this matter Jackson moved 
 with slowness and caution. He was conscientious and 
 careful about the purity of his life. He evidently 
 continued his researches, and had no settled convic 
 tion as to what branch of the church he should choose." 
 On March 5, 1848, an armistice for two months 
 was concluded between General Scott and the Mexi 
 can authorities, and on the 26th of May following a 
 treaty of peace was finally ratified ; and on the i2th 
 of the ensuing June, the last of the United States 
 forces vacated the capital. Young Jackson s corre 
 spondence from the time of his arrival in the city of 
 Mexico will now be resumed. In his first letter fol 
 lowing he fully acknowledges the protecting care of 
 the Almighty One over him in the recent battles 
 through which he had passed. 
 
 City of Mexico, October 26 f 
 DEAR SISTER : 
 
 On a blank commission captured in the National 
 Palace of Mexico, I again am favored with the agreeable 
 duty of saying that yourself, husband and family still live 
 in my memory and heart. I have since my entry into 
 this land seen sights that would melt the heart of the 
 most inhuman of beings : my friends dying around me 
 and my brave soldiers breathing their last on the bloody 
 fields of battle, deprived of every human comfort, and 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 129 
 
 even now I can hardly open my eyes after entering a 
 hospital, the atmosphere of which is generally so vitiated 
 as to make the healthy sick. I would not live in one a 
 week, under the circumstances in which I have seen 
 them, for the whole of Mexico. To die on the battle 
 field is relief when compared to the death in a contami 
 nated hospital. There are no important changes here. 
 A train is going to Vera Cruz in a few days. I am try 
 ing to make myself contented as I see but feeble pros 
 pects for peace. I have bought a fine horse for one 
 hundred and eighty dollars. As I believe that this 
 country is destined to be reformed by ours, I think that 
 probably I shall spend many years here and may possibly 
 conclude (though I have not yet) to make my life more 
 natural by sharing it with some amiable Senorita. I am 
 only induced in this event from not inviting you to live 
 with me by the fact of your having one of the best of 
 husbands. This country offers more inducements for me 
 than the United States, inasmuch as there is more room 
 for improvement in everything that is good and com 
 mendable. The term corruption expresses the state of 
 this unfortunate people better than any other in the 
 English language. They have one of the best of climates 
 and countries. ... To you I have written letter 
 after letter, but no answer comes to tell me that yourself, 
 husband, Thomas and all are well. Your last was dated, 
 I think, in March. Seven long months have elapsed. I 
 wish to know many things which are at your command, 
 among which, . . . the given name of Uncle Rich 
 ard Neale s eldest daughter, and Wirt s address, as I wish 
 to write to both. As I was coming from Jalapa I was 
 detached with a few men in the vicinity of LaHoya and 
 succeeded in killing four of the enemy and taking three 
 
130 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 prisoners, together with a beautiful sabre and some other 
 equipment. I have been exposed to many dangers in 
 the battles of this valley but have escaped unhurt. I was 
 once reported killed and nothing but the strong and 
 powerful hand of Almighty God could have brought me 
 through unhurt. Imagine, for instance, my situation at 
 Chapultepec, within full range, and in a road which was 
 swept with grape and canister, and at the same time 
 thousands of muskets from the Castle itself above pour 
 ing down like hail upon you. General Pillow has spoken 
 in high terms of me, and General Worth has even gone 
 out of his own division in his report in order to pay me 
 a compliment. During the battle General Worth or 
 dered me to retire, but I sent him back word that, with 
 one company of regulars as a support, I could carry the 
 work, upon which he moved forward a whole brigade. I 
 feel proud of the source from which such praise comes. 
 I had written you a long letter, but I have concluded not 
 to send it. Give to all friends and relatives the love of 
 your affectionate brother. 
 
 THOMAS. 
 Mrs. L. A. Arnold and family. 
 
 The next letter also discloses Jackson s earnest and 
 devout religious tendency. His sister had been very 
 ill and he had been evidently much concerned as to 
 
 her condition. 
 
 City of Mexico, February 28, 184.8. 
 DEAREST SISTER : 
 
 The mail came on the 26th, and in vain I searched 
 the post-office thrice for a line from you, and conse 
 quently sorrowfully I commenced my letter to you ; but 
 on leaving my desk for a few hours on business, was 
 agreeably surprised, on my return, to find your lettef 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 131 
 
 mysteriously placed on my table. And now while I 
 recommence, with joy inexpressible for tongue or pen at 
 hearing of your life still being prolonged, I also am most 
 deeply affected with heartfelt sorrow at the words which 
 say, " I may not live to receive your answer," but I hope 
 that these words imply nothing beyond what they liter 
 ally state. This is the earnest prayer to God of your 
 brother. But if He in His great wisdom has afflicted 
 you with disease incurable, then may He in His infinite 
 goodness receive you into His heavenly abode where, 
 though I should be deprived of you here in this world of 
 cares, yet I should hope to meet with you in a land where 
 care and sorrow are unknown ; there with a mother, a 
 brother, a sister and yourself, and, I hope, a father, to 
 live in a state of felicity, uncontaminated by mortality. 
 Let not this letter trouble you, dearest sister, for I could 
 not write one of a different cast with a clear conscience 
 when you speak to me so ominously. But do not be 
 deterred by any cause from saying to me plainly, " that 
 I am sick," or " that I am well." You appear to think 
 hard of my not writing more frequently, but I have not 
 only written by every mail but on one occasion sent by 
 a Spanish friend. In fine, I have embraced every oppor 
 tunity to write you. For the future, the intention is to 
 send the mail by escorts twice a month on the 1st and 
 1 5th, so that you may expect to hear from me by 
 every mail until I am ordered from this city, which may 
 or may not be at all, as I am in General Smith s brigade, 
 and he is governor of the city. I am first lieutenant and 
 belong to Captain Taylor s battery. 1 I hope the war 
 
 1 Had been transferred back from Magruder s battery, or what is more 
 likely Magruder s independent battery, had been discontinued and he also 
 resumed his place in the first regiment. 
 
132 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 may soon terminate, but do not entertain much hope, 
 although the terms of a treaty have been sent to Wash 
 ington. At present an armistice is being made or has 
 been concluded, but as yet is not public. Santa Anna 
 has asked of his government a passport for the purpose 
 of leaving the country, and it was granted to him on the 
 1 3th instant ; but it is doubtful whether he will go, as 
 several of the states have expressed themselves favorably 
 to him. And Guanojuato has offered him an asylum. 
 If we both live I expect to see you. Do not allow my 
 words about marrying in Mexico to disturb you. I have 
 sometimes thought of staying here, and again of going 
 home. I have no tie in this country equal to you. You 
 speak of my fine horse as being in your opinion rather 
 extravagant, but if an officer wishes to appear best, he 
 should appear well in everything. I bought the horse, 
 having plenty of money and need of him, and have since 
 been offered three hundred and fifty dollars for him ; that 
 is one hundred and seventy more than I gave, and can 
 at any time get more than I gave. My pay while with 
 Captain Magruder was one hundred and four dollars per 
 month, and I expect it will soon be the same here : but 
 at present it is only about ninety ; yet I have plenty of 
 money, and am in the long run economical, although it 
 would not appear so to you, as here everything is dear 
 and with you cheap. I dress as a gentleman should who 
 wishes to be received as such. I do not gamble, nor 
 spend my money, as I think, foolishly. I am very de 
 sirous of peace, as it may be better for the United States, 
 and it may give me an opportunity of again entering 
 your hospitable house and having that sight most de 
 lightful of all earthly ones, that is, of my sister. My 
 health, I think, is improving in this country, and at all 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 133 
 
 events my knowledge of Spanish is. ... Remem 
 ber me to Mr. Arnold and friends in the warmest terms. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 The next letter is to his brother-in-law, Mr. Jon 
 athan Arnold. 
 
 City of Mexico, March 21, 184.8. 
 DEAR SIR: 
 
 Though I have not had the pleasure of your com 
 pany for nearly two years, yet that which I then enjoyed 
 still continues in memory and I have hopes of again pre 
 senting myself at your hospitable door. After parting 
 from you and enduring a long and tedious march, I 
 reached what has been termed the republic of Mexico, 
 but which I fear it will never be again. Would to God 
 it could be such a republic as ours. Then would this 
 unhappy people be the most favored of all others. Their 
 country possesses nearly every diversity of climate, soil 
 and production. From the burning temperature of Vera 
 Cruz you can pass to the snow-capped summit of Orizaba 
 without transcending one hundred miles, and within this 
 limit you have every climate desirable for man, and soil 
 of nearly every grade, producing fruits of the most deli 
 cious character for the daily market. Its intermediate 
 inhabitants, as those of Jalapa, do not know the distinc 
 tion of seasons, except nominally. Among its produc 
 tions, in addition to those common to our happy country, 
 may be mentioned coffee, cinnamon, pepper, pineapple 
 and almost any other except tea, which, as in our country, 
 has to be obtained from China. After passing Jalapa, 
 which is only about four or five thousand feet above the 
 level of the sea, you continue to ascend to Las Vegas r 
 
134: EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 which is about eight thousand feet altitude. From this 
 point the road descends to Perote, which is warmer than 
 Las Vegas but is still too cold to be comfortable, and so 
 high that comparatively little rain reaches it, when com 
 pared to other points. I remember that whilst on my 
 way to this place I saw the clouds below me and the 
 rain descending from them, and above them all clear and 
 calm. Perote is about midway between Vera Cruz and 
 the city of Mexico. It is but a small town, but is pro 
 tected by a strong and magnificent fortification of the 
 same name constructed during the Spanish reign and 
 which could only be taken, if well manned, by regular 
 approaches. The next place of importance on the na 
 tional road is Puebla, which is, from its manufacturing 
 character, the Lowell of Mexico, but to an American 
 the place is extremely uninteresting ; but sixty odd miles 
 further west is situated the ancient city of the Aztecs 
 which contains people of most every clime. In it is to 
 be found mirth, beauty, fine manners, variety and in fine 
 all that man can reasonably want. . . . With care 
 this city is very healthy, but attention to the health must 
 be paid as the air is so very rarified that it appears to 
 penetrate the pores in a moment, and a cold may be the 
 consequence and a speedy death the final result. A cold 
 in this climate is very different from what it is in ours. 
 Here it can by care generally be cured in thirty-six 
 hours. Consumption is almost unknown, and in its rare 
 cases it generally takes a chronic form. I have not seen, 
 to my recollection, a single case since my entrance in the 
 city ; and Dr. Martinez, a Spanish physician of note, who 
 has been educated in England and Paris, has told me 
 that this fact is not generally known, but a few months 
 since he communicated it to the Parisian Medical Insti- 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 135 
 
 tute. So that after tranquillity shall have been established 
 here, I think that invalids, instead of visiting Cuba, will 
 select Mexico. The peace is now viewed by many as 
 very improbable, as it is thought the article in reference 
 to the Texan lands will not be admitted by the United 
 States, and that the owners of those lands will have con 
 siderable influence with the treaty making power of this 
 country. Remember me to my sister in the warmest 
 terms. Tell Thomas that his uncle wants to see him 
 very much, and that when he comes to see him he will 
 bring him a pretty present, provided that he should be a 
 good boy. Remember me to all of my friends and do 
 me the favor to write frequently and be assured of the 
 best wishes of a brother. 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 Then two days later to his sister : 
 
 City of Mexico, March 23, 184.8. 
 DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I have written a letter to Mr. Arnold and re 
 quested to be remembered to you in it, but since finish 
 ing it I have concluded to send you one also. I received 
 your letter of January 1 4th, but the paper from Mr. 
 Arnold did not come to hand ; but still I am as much 
 obliged to him as though it had, and trust that he will 
 send others as they may have better success. I thought 
 at one time of writing a journal, but I cannot find the 
 time, as although I am usually up at six o clock and retire 
 to bed at ten and eleven, still the day is not long enough. 
 The morning hours I occupy in studies and business, and 
 the evening in a similar manner, but generally taking a 
 walk after dinner, and sometimes a ride on the Paseo or 
 elsewhere in the evening. The Paseo is a wide road on 
 
136 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 the southwest of the city and about half a mile in length, 
 with a beautiful fountain in the centre, and is a place of 
 fashionable resort. Families of wealth appear there in 
 their carriages at sunset, partly if not entirely for show. 
 There is also a place of morning resort between the city 
 and the Paseo called the Almeda, which is a beautiful 
 grove of about four hundred by six hundred yards and 
 containing, I think, eight fountains. The central one is 
 to commemorate the anniversary of Mexican independ 
 ence, and from this, which is the largest, beautiful walks 
 diverge to the different outlets, the grove being sur 
 rounded by a wall. I purpose on riding to both these 
 places this evening hoping to see something there more 
 attractive than at home. When not on duty I generally 
 pay a visit after supper or tea. Among those families 
 which I visit are some of the first in the republic, as Don 
 Lucas Alleman, Martinez del Rio, and I also have the 
 acquaintance of others of some distinction. . . . The 
 book which I am now studying is Lord Chesterfield s 
 letters to his son translated into Spanish ; so that whilst 
 I am obtaining his thoughts, I am also acquiring a 
 knowledge of the Spanish tongue. I have also purchased 
 the work in English. I then purpose on reading it in 
 English. Subsequent to this I shall study Shakespeare s 
 works, which I purchased a few days since ; and then if 
 I can obtain good histories, I wish to devote some time 
 to them. If Uncle Cummins and Uncle Edward l should 
 leave Lewis (County) I wish you would get Uncle Edward 
 to box up my books which are in his possession and send 
 them to you. I hope that you will try and write me a 
 letter once a week. I should write more frequently to 
 you if an opportunity offered of sending letters more 
 
 i Cummins E. and Edward Jackson. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 137 
 
 than twice a month. Owing to my knowledge of the 
 language of the country, and the acquaintances which I 
 have made, I think that I pass my time more agreeably 
 than the greater portion of the officers of the army ; but 
 if your company could also be had, I would spend my 
 hours still more agreeably. My love to all inquiring 
 friends. My health is as good, if not better, than usual. 
 General Scott s case has been investigated. The charges 
 against Colonel Duncan were withdrawn. Also General 
 Worth withdrew his against General Scott. General Pil 
 low s case is now being investigated. 
 
 National Palace, Mexico, April /o, 184.8. 
 {Postmarked Vera Cruz, Mexico, April 1 2th.) 
 DEAR SISTER : 
 
 As three successive mails have arrived without 
 bringing a single letter from you, I am, and I think not 
 without reason, uneasy about your health, as I do not 
 know of any other reason but bad health which could 
 have prevented your writing to a brother, who is inter 
 ested in everything that interests you. And I hope if 
 you have any regard for my peace of mind that you will 
 write at least once every fortnight. If your health for 
 bids your writing at any time, then get some one to write 
 for you, if it should be but a dozen lines. I do not think 
 that a regular mail has left this city without carrying a 
 letter for you from me. The treaty has arrived from 
 Washington with its amendments. Many think that it 
 will receive the ratification of this government, but some 
 think that it will not. For my own part I hope it will. 
 Mr. Sevier, I presume, will be here in a few days. At 
 last dates from Queretaro there were wanting fifteen 
 Congressmen and three Senators to complete the quorum. 
 
138 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 We have received news here of a battle at Chihuahua in 
 which we took fourteen pieces of artillery from the enemy. 
 I am at present studying Humboldt s " History of Mex 
 ico " in Spanish. The rain is quite abundant here at 
 present, and interferes somewhat with my evening visits. 
 It is believed that our presence here is destroying the ex 
 treme superstition of the country. But notwithstanding 
 the influence of our presence, the natives still, with un 
 covered heads, drop on their knees at the approach of the 
 Archbishop s carriage, which is recognized by its being 
 drawn by two spotted mules. General Pillow s trial is 
 not yet finished, and the general opinion is that it will be 
 terminated in the United States. We are told here that 
 our people at home think that the army does not wish to 
 return from Mexico ; but if such is the truth, they are 
 much mistaken. An expedition started a few days since 
 for Popocatepetl, which is a volcanic mountain to the 
 southeast of, and in full view of, this city, and from which 
 still issue clouds of smoke at times. I should probably 
 have gone myself, but as the temperature is so extremely 
 low, resulting from the crest being capped with snow, I 
 feared that my health might suffer. 1 In conformity with 
 the armistice, the Mexicans have taken possession of 
 their archives, and have resumed the civil administration 
 of their government. Santa Anna, at last news, was at 
 his hacienda near Jalapa, " Encerro," again bidding adieu 
 to his country. Whilst at his hacienda, he received the 
 visits of Colonel Hews, and several other American of 
 ficers. General Valencia 2 died a few days since in this 
 
 1 Seventeen thousand seven hundred and eighty-two feet altitude. 
 Some time prior to this young Jackson had made the ascent of Orizaba, 
 which although not of so great altitude yet the rarified air had caused 
 bleeding from his ears and nostrils. 
 
 1 Commanded the Mexicans at Contreras. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 139 
 
 city, the news of which proved fatal to his daughter, who 
 died a few hours subsequent to its reception. I have 
 heard of no others who mourn his fate. The general 
 hospital is ordered to be moved to Jalapa ; and General Pat 
 terson, I believe, will go down, at the same time, to take 
 command of that station. This movement appears to in 
 dicate an anticipation of leaving the country. Remem 
 ber me to Mr. Arnold, Thomas and other friends. 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
IX 
 
 GOVERNOR S ISLAND (1848) 
 
 THE period of Major Jackson s stay in the 
 city of Mexico, and the many courtesies ex 
 tended to him while there by its attractive 
 and hospitable people, marked a bright page in his 
 memory. It is to be regretted that there is no more 
 data extant bearing on the charming life that he led 
 there. It was ever afterwards a pleasant subject of 
 conversation with him. There is nothing of his cor 
 respondence preserved to indicate the exact date of 
 his departure from that city and leave-taking from 
 these friends, nor incidents of his march from there 
 to the coast and final embarkation. All that is known 
 is that the voyage was made from Vera Cruz to New 
 Orleans ; that there was a pleasant stop over of sev 
 eral days in that city ; and that from there he pro 
 ceeded to New York. The next letter in the collec 
 tion bears the postmark of the latter city, and was 
 written from Governor s Island. It is dated : 
 
 August 26, 1848. 
 DEAR SISTER: 
 
 Finally I have arrived at this station which is in sight 
 of the city of New York. I have had some hopes of vis 
 iting you this fall, but I have not been able to arrange 
 
 140 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON Ul 
 
 my affairs here for that purpose, and consequently I can 
 not say when I will be able to visit those of whom I so 
 frequently think, and so much desire to be with. I pre 
 sume that I could get home this winter by making sacri 
 fices which I ought not to make. For instance, if I should 
 leave, some other officer might be attached during my 
 absence who would rank me in case of his remaining with 
 the company after my return. I do not believe that 
 Captain Taylor would give his sanction to any officer s 
 coming to the company who would rank me so long as 
 I remain with the company, or so long as there are officers 
 enough with it ; but my absence might reduce the number 
 of officers so much as to render another officer necessary 
 to the company. But I am in hopes that next summer 
 I shall be able to see you ; and if so, I purpose on visit 
 ing the Springs at several places, and visiting those parts 
 of Virginia most remarkable, such as the Natural Bridge. 
 You will please let me know the distance from Beverley 
 to Staunton, and the time in which the stage makes the 
 run, and also the distance from Beverley to the White 
 Sulphur Springs. As yet I do not know where I will be 
 stationed. I hope that ere this your eyes are perfectly 
 recovered. I am still getting better. I have been bre- 
 vetted a captain, though as yet it is not published. Write 
 frequently to your brother. 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 Notwithstanding the reasons assigned in the above 
 letter for not visiting his sister the current year, she 
 evidently, from what appears in the following letter, 
 had been able to induce him to change his mind and 
 take the necessary steps towards obtaining a leave 
 of absence. The letter was written from 
 
142 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 Carlisle Barracks, Penna., September 5, 1848. 
 DEAR SISTER: 
 
 I had the pleasure of receiving your letter directed 
 to New York. But the same day I received orders to 
 attend as a member of a general court martial at this 
 place, which is about a hundred miles distant (from and) 
 east of Pittsburgh. I observe that you wish me to make 
 you one proposal. 1 In reply I propose to see you in 
 your own house on the loth of October, which is earlier 
 than you even requested. As I have already given you 
 my reasons for not coming this fall, it is unnecessary to 
 state that I may make sacrifices in visiting you. But on 
 reading your letter I concluded that I would use my in 
 fluence to do that which I so much desire to do, to visit 
 you. But as yet the court has not adjourned, and I 
 have not yet got my leave of absence granted. But Cap 
 tain Taylor told me that he would not only approve of 
 it, but recommend it. But before I can get it I must ob 
 tain the permission of the colonel of my regiment and of 
 the Secretary of War. But should I not arrive by the 
 time specified, do not have anxiety about it. If it be un 
 successful, the fault shall not be mine. There are many 
 very interesting ladies here, and there has been a soiree 
 almost every day since my arrival, and at which I have 
 enjoyed myself well. When I obtain my leave, should I 
 get it, you must not expect me to stay with you more 
 than a month. And I hope that your health will be 
 much improved by that time. You need not write me 
 until you receive another letter from me, as I cannot say 
 where I may be at any coming day. Remember me to 
 
 1 His sister was contemplating making a visit to some of her relatives 
 residing at a distance, and had intimated in her letter to him that he 
 might join her while on this visit and accompany her home instead of 
 coming direct to Beverley and thus preventing her visit. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 143 
 
 Mr. Arnold, your family, and my other friends. My 
 health, I think, is still improving. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 Mrs. L. A. Arnold. 
 
 As expected, Major Jackson was enabled to ar 
 range his affairs and obtain a furlough for a short ab 
 sence, but not at as early a date nor for as extended 
 a time as he had contemplated, as the following brief 
 note would indicate. It was written December 2, 
 1848, and follows some correspondence with his sis 
 ter in regard to the visit they were to make together 
 to their relatives in Lewis County, at and in the 
 vicinity of his former home, also to Clarksburg, the 
 place of their nativity, and possibly thence to their 
 relatives residing in and about Parkersburg. 
 
 DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I expect to be with you on Monday night, but 
 possibly not much before the following morning. As I 
 will have to go on immediately, I wish you to be in 
 readiness, if you purpose on accompanying me. . . . 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 In accordance with the above notice Major Jack 
 son arrived by stage-coach at my father s home in 
 Beverley. My impression is that my mother was not 
 able to accompany him on the prearranged visit, 
 and that he continued the journey alone, and after a 
 brief stay at the places named, returned to Beverley, 
 and remained with my parents until it was time for 
 
144 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 his return to Fort Hamilton. The first letter subse 
 quent to this visit was written soon after his arrival 
 at that post, and would indicate that exposure in his 
 recent travels through the mountains of Virginia in 
 the winter season had seriously affected his health. 
 It is dated : 
 
 Fort Hamilton, New York Harbor, 
 
 January /, 184.9. 
 DEAR SISTER: 
 
 I suppose that you begin to think it time that I 
 should write, but I am not certain that my physician 
 agrees with you about that ; . . . but at all events I 
 shall venture to say that I am still living, and, with the 
 blessing of God, hope to live for some years to come. 
 My physician has pronounced my lungs and liver sound, 
 and that the liver has only been sympathetically affected. 
 Whilst in Richmond I called on Mr. Carlisle, 1 and was 
 received by him in a very cordial manner ; and during 
 my stay there he allowed no opportunity to pass unim 
 proved in which he could manifest his kindness. The 
 night after I left your house I passed out at the head of 
 the Valley River, and the next morning was in about 
 seventeen miles of Huntersville ; but notwithstanding, I 
 reached the Hot Springs too late for the Wednesday s 
 stage, and consequently had to wait until Friday. I am, 
 as you have observed, at Fort Hamilton, which is on 
 Long Island, about ten miles below the city of New 
 York, and on the east bank of the Hudson River. Re 
 member me to Mr. Arnold, the children, etc. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 1 Hon. John S. Carlisle, at the time a member of the Virginia Legis 
 lature ; afterwards a member of Congress and of the United States Senate. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 145 
 
 The preceding letter recalls to my mind an amus 
 ing episode that occurred in the course of the jour 
 ney therein described, as I heard it related years 
 afterwards by my father, much to the merriment of 
 our family. It was very important for Major Jack 
 son to arrive at the Hot Springs in Bath County, 
 Virginia, in time to enable him to take passage in 
 the tri-weekly stage-coach from that point, on the 
 ensuing Wednesday. In order that he might do 
 this my father mounted him on his favorite horse, 
 and which, it may be remarked, was well known 
 throughout the Valley. He left our home in Bever- 
 ley late in the afternoon, and stopped for the night, 
 long after dark, with an old German named Peter 
 Conrad, who resided some twenty miles south of 
 Beverley. Upon retiring he requested that he be 
 called in time to resume his journey about three 
 o clock the next morning, and as characteristic with 
 Major Jackson, gave no intimation as to who he 
 was, or his reason for wishing to depart at such an 
 unusual hour. Major Jackson arose in time, without 
 waiting to be called, and ordered his horse to be fed 
 and brought out that he might resume his journey. 
 Much to his consternation he was informed by old 
 Peter that the horse would not be forthcoming, and 
 furthermore, that he would not be allowed to con 
 tinue his journey. He assigned as his reason that 
 that horse belonged to Jonathan Arnold of Beverley, 
 and that he intended to keep it there for him. A 
 stranger, arriving in the night and proposing to 
 leave before daylight the next morning, had evi- 
 
146 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 dently, in the time intervening, given Peter food for 
 thought with the result that he had reached the con 
 clusion that this fine looking stranger was getting 
 away with a horse, the property of his friend, Jona 
 than Arnold, and in which proceeding he had de 
 termined to take a hand then and there. Peter was 
 fearless, and a more obstinate specimen of the genus 
 homo never lived. Having once made up his mind 
 it was a finality ; to change his opinion was a task 
 about equal to a new creation. One can well im 
 agine the warfare of argument that ensued, supple 
 mented by much and repeated explanation, accom 
 panied with no little very natural indignation. 
 Greatly to the surprise of those who ever knew Peter 
 Conrad, the young army officer, in fine uniform, 
 finally convinced Peter that he was the brother-in-law 
 of the owner of the horse, and that it was all impor 
 tant for him to arrive at the Hot Springs in time for 
 the Wednesday stage-coach, and he was allowed to 
 proceed on his journey. Whether this delay caused 
 him to miss the connection, as related in his letter, I do 
 not now remember to have heard, but it is not at all 
 improbable. The next letter presents Major Jackson 
 in an entirely new r61e. It will be remembered that 
 his boyhood was passed in the home of bachelor un 
 cles, and where there were no females other than the 
 negro slaves. It was written from Fort Hamilton. 
 
 February /, 1849. 
 DEAR SISTER: 
 
 I have more than once thought of your request, 
 to write you and give you the fashions ; but such would 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 147 
 
 be a difficult thing for me to do, as I do not know even 
 so much as the names of the different parts of a lady s 
 apparel. I, in the matter of dress, agree perfectly with 
 the Parisians, who not only give the fashions for New 
 York but for the civilized world, that a person ought to 
 adopt such a style of dress as is most becoming the par 
 ticular individual ; and not that which is adopted by the 
 greater portion of mankind, unless it should be at least 
 reasonably suited to your complexion, height, figure, etc. 
 I have begun my historical studies, having read about 
 one-fourth of Rollin s " Ancient History." If Mr. Ar 
 nold can prevail on the wagoner who may bring my 
 books to Cumberland to put the box in the office of 
 Adams & Co., who have an office in Cumberland, and 
 their cars running from there to New York, he will se 
 cure them to me more effectually than in any other way. 
 Let the man take a receipt for them and forward it to 
 me at this place. The box should be marked as follows : 
 Captain T. J. Jackson, care of the Quartermaster in 
 New York City, N. Y. The manner in which the com 
 pany does business is to give a receipt when anything 
 is delivered at the office, and then to turn over the ar 
 ticle when the receipt is presented ; and if the article 
 should get lost to pay the owner for it. The cholera 
 has entirely disappeared from this place (Quarantine). 
 The weather is quite disagreeable. I caught the rheu 
 matism in your salubrious mountain air, which is har 
 assing me no little. I am gaining strength and flesh. 
 If Mr. Gibson will write to Captain Arnold, who is at 
 Fort Monroe, Va., I am of the opinion that he will get 
 some information in relation to the ammunition which 
 was charged to his brother, as he was a lieutenant in 
 Arnold s company. I am well fixed here, having my 
 
148 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 rooms both carpeted and decently furnished. Remem 
 ber me to Mr. Arnold, the family, Aunt White, uncle 
 and our other relatives. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 A postscript to the above letter relative to the 
 California gold excitement prevailing at the period 
 is given on page 5 7, and then quoting further from 
 his informant, he writes of California : 
 
 " The climate is most delightful, the thermometer 
 standing at from sixty to seventy degrees. As you may 
 not know much about thermometers (it is well to remem 
 ber that thermometers were not in common use at this 
 period), it may not be amiss for me to state that Fahren 
 heit s thermometer, which is the one commonly used in 
 this country, and the one referred to above, stands at 
 thirty-two degrees when water freezes ; at fifty-five de 
 grees the air is temperate, at seventy-five degrees the air 
 is at summer heat, at ninety -five degrees the air is at blood- 
 heat, and two hundred and twelve degrees the air would be 
 at the temperature of boiling water ; from the foregoing, 
 you observe, the climate referred to must be charming." 
 
 T. J. J. 
 
 The next letter reveals more of Major Jackson s 
 devout religious nature at this early period of his life. 
 
 Fort Hamilton, New York Harbor, 
 
 March /, 184.9. 
 DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Yours has come safe to hand, and I regret to 
 learn from its contents that death has made such havoc 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON U9 
 
 among your neighbors ; yet all must pay the same final 
 debt, and my sincere desire and thrice daily prayer 1 is, 
 that when your exit comes that your previous prepa 
 ration will have been made. How glorious will it be in 
 that august and heaven-ordained day to meet with 
 mother, brother, sister and father around the shining 
 throne of Omnipotence ; there I wish and hope to meet 
 you, with a joy that shall never be alloyed by separation. 
 I have not as yet visited the city, but my health is so 
 improved, that I expect to do so before long ; and then 
 I shall take pleasure in obtaining and forwarding to Mr. 
 Arnold catalogues from the two most celebrated book 
 firms in the United States. One is that of Harper & 
 Brothers ; the other Appleton s. The former has the 
 largest assortment in the United States, and the latter 
 the best in quality, but high in price ; and as the former 
 are the cheaper, I prefer them for my own use ; but 
 when Mr. Arnold receives the catalogues he can judge 
 for himself, and if he wishes me to make any purchases 
 for him it will give me pleasure to do so. And by in 
 forming me what works to get, and where to direct them, 
 I will be enabled to send them safely to any designated 
 point between New York City and Cumberland. 1 fear 
 that I shall find some difficulty in selecting you an ap 
 propriate work, as I know of none at this time, but I 
 shall make an effort. It would be a source of gratifica 
 tion to write to you every fortnight ; but writing, as I may 
 have told you, gives me pain in the right side, and which 
 I am by no means free from at this moment. . . . 
 Remember me kindly to the family and my relatives. 
 
 Your brother, 
 Mrs. L. A. Arnold. THOMAS. 
 
 1 Italics added. 
 
150 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 Fort Hamilton , New York Harbor t 
 
 April 7, 1849. 
 DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Owing to a desire to secure some catalogues for 
 Mr. Arnold, I have not written earlier. Yesterday I 
 went to Harper & Brothers bookstore, but they had 
 none on hand, but said that they would have in a few 
 days. I obtained one from Appleton s establishment, 
 and shall forward it by the same mail as this letter. It 
 does not contain all his books. When I shall have ob 
 tained one from Harper s I shall also forward it. And 
 if Mr. Arnold shall want any books that may not be 
 found in either of them, let me know what ones they 
 are, and I believe that I can find them in some part of 
 the city. Your request has not yet been complied with, 
 but I rely on your generosity of character, as my strength 
 forbids much exercise, and especially walking on the 
 hard pavements of the city. But I am improving in 
 both flesh and strength and I hope in health also. I am 
 now under the care of one of the first medical men of 
 New York City. I have lately commenced visiting 
 more frequently, and every few evenings receive an in 
 vitation to some social party. Yesterday, whilst walking 
 through the city, I thought of the pleasure which I 
 would derive from sharing the contemplation of its 
 beauties and wonders with you. Naturally I recalled 
 to mind, and applied to New York, what the French 
 man asserted of Paris when he said that when a man 
 had seen Paris, that he had seen all the world. In 
 New York may be found almost anything which the 
 inclination may desire but peaceful quiet. Everything 
 is in motion, everything alive with animation. In its 
 busy throng none feel the long and tedious hour ; even 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 161 
 
 the invalid for the time forgets his infirmities and with 
 wondering admiration contemplates the surrounding 
 scenes. Frequently you are the subject of my thoughts, 
 and if you were only within the reach of rapid communi 
 cation would receive more frequent visits. The weather 
 is moderating here. 
 
 Fort Hamilton, New York Harbor t June 12, 184.9. 
 DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Doubtless you are expecting an answer to your 
 last, and in truth not without reason, as I have not writ 
 ten for more than two months. But my silence has not 
 originated from your not replying to my former letters, 
 but is due to other causes, such as weak eyes and pres 
 sure of business, as I have to discharge the duties of 
 quartermaster and commissary, in addition to my other 
 company duties, and from such causes I have now a 
 number of unanswered letters on hand. I wish when 
 practicable to write to you once every month, and I do 
 not wish you to reply unless your eyes will admit of it 
 without pain, because I prefer that your health should be 
 preserved to any other earthly consideration. And I 
 hope that you will not strain your eyes on any account 
 whatever. We cannot appreciate our blessings until de 
 prived of them. My health is improving. I forwarded 
 to Mr. Arnold a catalogue of Harper s publications. If 
 there is anything in it which he wishes I hope that he 
 will not fail to let me know. When you get possession 
 of my books, I wish that you would retain them until I 
 see you, or write relative to them. I have not subscribed 
 for Graham s Magazine, but will do so if you desire. I 
 merely sent you a copy in order to see how you would 
 like it. I hope to send you a copy or number of the 
 
152 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 Lady s Book, 1 which some prefer to Graham s, though I 
 cannot say which is best ; but when you shall have re 
 ceived it, you can judge for yourself. I have received 
 my commission as brevet major. I am gratified that you 
 had an opportunity of doing Judge Lee a favor. I sent 
 
 a fifty dollar bank draft to S W , with a request 
 
 that he would pay Miss C N a small sum, I 
 
 think $2.50, $3.00 or $3.50, which she let me have for 
 the purpose of making a small purchase, which I did not 
 make ; and as I have heard nothing of him since (a rela 
 tive who at the time was on his way across the plains to 
 California) and as some months have elapsed, I fear that 
 something may be wrong. I wish that you would ask 
 
 Miss Eliza N about it and if S has not settled 
 
 it, I wish that you would. If at any time you should not 
 receive an expected letter, try and make yourself easy, as 
 in case of any accident happening to me, I have friends 
 who would not fail to give the necessary information. 
 The cholera in the city is on the decline. I have no 
 dread of it, as I believe that those who keep their sys 
 tems in a healthy state have but little to fear. 
 
 Your sincere brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 Mrs. L. A. Arnold. 
 
 1 Godey s Lady s Book. 
 
FORT HAMILTON (1848-1850) 
 
 MAJOR JACKSON was seriously handi 
 capped at times in his studies and work in 
 consequence of weak eyes. It was his in 
 variable custom in reading or writing to wear a 
 shade for their protection, and never to use them for 
 such purposes by artificial light. He had to exer 
 cise the greatest care with them in order to be able 
 to discharge his daily duties. By the observance of 
 strict rules in their use, his eyes in time were much 
 improved. In the letter following he refers to this 
 infirmity, and from his experience is able to impart 
 some excellent advice to his sister for the care of her 
 eyes, which at intervals gave her more or less pain. 
 Also, his health was so impaired as to necessitate the 
 strictest attention on his part, at times, to the char 
 acter of food that he used ; and from a study of his 
 own dietary, he was enabled to give some valuable 
 advice on this subject. His life while at Fort Ham 
 ilton seems to have been interspersed with various 
 official calls to distant points. The social festivities 
 on these occasions evidently were greatly enjoyed 
 by him. And while he writes of the life at Fort 
 Hamilton as being rather dull, yet it is evident that 
 it was not entirely devoid of the usual pleasures of 
 society in which he participated. 
 
 53 
 
154: EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 Fort Hamilton, New York Harbor, 
 
 Monday i July 2, 184.9. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 The morning duties are ended, and through the 
 blessings of that All Ruling Being I am allowed the 
 privilege and pleasure of communing with you. I re 
 ceived some days since a letter from Uncle John White, 
 informing me of your visit to him, and of the news of 
 his vicinity, but which it is not necessary to mention as 
 I presume that all is probably already known to you. 
 
 . . . I also received a letter from Cousin E 
 
 C , informing me of the marriage of Cousin I , 
 
 her sister, of her own recovered health, and of the pros 
 pects of her promising brothers, B and W . She 
 
 also stated that the health of Aunt and Uncle Williams 
 was good. But she had not heard from you since my 
 visit. If your eyes should become so as to allow of your 
 writing without pain, then try and drop her a note, for 
 truly she is one of your friends. But I hope that you 
 will not strain your eyes for the purpose of writing to 
 any one. You can at least send her your card and an 
 occasional message by some of the lawyers. (The rela 
 tive referred to lived in Clarksburg, Virginia. The more 
 prominent lawyers of that place attended the courts held 
 at Beverley.) I feel much concern about your eyes, for 
 fear that you will strain them. Remember that the best 
 physicians are opposed to straining that important organ ; 
 and when it fails, or begins to fail, naturally, that they 
 recommend spectacles. But this should be the last 
 resort, and should only be used when necessary. For 
 instance, some persons can walk about out-of-doors and 
 indoors without the light hurting their eyes, but must use 
 the auxiliary in reading. The great objection to spec- 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 155 
 
 tacles is that when their use is once commenced, it must 
 be generally continued through life. A person in pur 
 chasing a pair should select the lowest number which 
 will answer the proposed end ; and then, as circumstances 
 require, increase it. But I would advise you not to use 
 them as long as you can do without them, at the same 
 time avoiding pain. My eyes were so weak some months 
 since that I could not look long at objects through the 
 window ; and to look out-of-doors was frequently painful, 
 though but for a moment ; and I was reduced to the 
 necessity of masking my looking glass, on account of its 
 reflection. I could not look at a candle, not even for a 
 second, without pain. I consulted my physician, and he 
 told me not to use them, and at the same time to avoid 
 spectacles. I did so, and at present I can read a letter of 
 three or four pages without feeling any inconvenience of 
 consequence. My health is improving, and my strength 
 is returning. I have so strictly adhered to my whole 
 some diet of stale bread and plainly dressed meat (having 
 nothing on it but salt) that I prefer it now to almost any 
 thing else. The other evening I tasted a piece of bread 
 with butter on it, and then the bread without it, and 
 rather gave my preference to the unbuttered bread ; and 
 hence I may never taste any more of this once much 
 relished seasoning. And I think if you would adopt for 
 your breakfast a cup of moderately strong black tea, stale 
 wheat bread (wheat bread raised, and not less than twenty- 
 four hours old), fresh meat broiled or roasted is best the 
 yolk of one or two eggs the white is hardly worth eating 
 as it requires digestion and affords but little nutrition. For 
 dinner the same kind of bread and meat, one vegetable 
 only, say peas, beans or this year s potatoes, and for 
 drink, plain water. For tea, the same kind of bread and 
 
156 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 drink as for breakfast, and nothing else, unless you 
 choose a little butter. The great beauty of the foregoing 
 is that it furnishes all the nutrition which food can give, 
 and at the same time does not interfere in the digestive 
 process like other substances, such as salt meats, cabbage, 
 lettuce, desserts, such as pies, preserves, nuts and all kinds 
 of sweetmeats. Of what I have recommended, you can 
 eat as much as your appetite craves, provided that you 
 take regular meals and plenty of exercise, say, not less 
 than three hours per day. I presume that your daily 
 duties require you to be moving probably that much. 
 Salt meats may be eaten, but fresh is preferable. And I 
 regard green tea and coffee so injurious to the nerves 
 that you should always prefer water to either. Now if 
 you can make up your mind to adopt the foregoing for 
 one year, I think that you will probably never wish to 
 change it; and that, after using such diet for two or 
 three months, you may experience marked advantage 
 from it. But you must bear in mind that your meals 
 must be at fixed hours. If you arise at five or six o clock, 
 and go to bed at nine or ten, then seven would be a good 
 hour for breakfast, one for dinner, and seven for tea. 
 And you ought always to retire to bed before eleven. If 
 you should conclude to adopt the foregoing, do not taste 
 other things of which you are fond, unless it be fruits, 
 and they should be ripe. I think that a small quantity 
 of fruit, eaten when ripe, and in the fore part of the day, 
 is advantageous. You should try and forget that you 
 are infirm, and pay no attention to your symptoms, as 
 most any person can, by being too attentive to every 
 little pain. Remember that good wholesome food taken 
 at proper times is one of the best of medicines. I shall 
 have hopes of your improvement when you have resolved 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 157 
 
 to taste nothing of which you are fond except such things 
 as I have mentioned. If you commence on this diet, 
 remember that it is like a man joining the temperance 
 society : if he afterwards tastes liquor he is gone. 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 Fort Hamilton, December j, 184.9. 
 MY DEAR SISTER ; 
 
 With much pleasure I received your letter a few 
 days since. I am not certain as to the amount due Miss 
 
 N , but I believe it to be two dollars and fifty cents ; 
 
 but if she says three or three dollars and fifty cents, I am 
 satisfied to take her word for it. Keep my books in your 
 care. I hope to come next fall. I should be much 
 pleased could I spend with you the present winter. My 
 disease is improving, for which I feel thankful to Omnip 
 otent God, from whom every blessing cometh. I believe 
 that my infirmity is dyspepsia, not of a dangerous charac 
 ter, but of a nervous one. ... I sympathize with 
 you in your late bereavement. 1 Remember me very 
 kindly to Mr. Arnold and family. The weather here is 
 at present disagreeable and the place rather dull. I re 
 turned a few days since from Carlisle, where I had a 
 pleasant week among its amiable and I might say lovely 
 ladies. This is my third trip there on courts martial. 
 
 Your brother, 
 Mrs. L. A. Arnold. THOMAS. 
 
 Fort Hamilton, January 7, 1850. 
 Mr DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Again I am permitted by an indulgent Providence 
 to say that I am still among the living, and continue able 
 to correspond with an endeared and only sister. My 
 1 Death of a sister of her husband, resulting from an accident. 
 
158 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 health I believe is still improving. My strength certainly 
 is. I cannot take so much exercise as desirable, owing 
 to a sore foot. I can sympathize with you in such be 
 reavements as you speak of. Uncle Cummins is in Cali 
 fornia. I received from Cousin Mary H- a letter a 
 
 few days since, in which she states that uncle had written 
 to her from near Sacramento City. When I return home 
 I shall want to take considerable exercise, and expect that 
 by continuing it, with the mountain air, to receive great 
 benefit. The winter here has been quite mild ; it is snow 
 ing slightly to-day. I should like very much to spend 
 this winter with you ; certainly it would be more con 
 genial to my feelings. Do you ever see Judge Lee, S. L. 
 Hayes, J. S. Carlisle, Dr. McCally and Jos. Johnston P 1 
 If so, please give them my kindest regards. Does the 
 stage run from Staunton to Beverley ? How can I get to 
 Beverley from Baltimore ? Remember me very kindly to 
 Mr. Arnold, to the balance of the family, and to my other 
 friends and relatives. Let me hear from you soon. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 Fort Hamilton, New York Harbor, 
 
 March 8, 1850. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I regret that circumstances prevented my writing 
 at the first of the month, but I suppose you will not feel 
 much offended when you receive this of the 8th. I re- 
 
 1 The persons named were friends of the family, Judge Lee, later of the 
 Supreme Court of Virginia, Hon. Samuel L. Hayes, Member of Congress, 
 John S. Carlisle, later Member of Congress and United States Senator, 
 and Joseph Johnston, afterwards Governor of Virginia ; Dr. James Mc 
 Cally had been his father s family physician each of whom had shown 
 Major Jackson personal kindness. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 159 
 
 ceived yours, and also the National Intelligencer contain 
 ing the speech of Mr. Clay. Your letter was read with 
 pleasure, and the speech should have met with a like re 
 ception, but I feared to use my eyes to that extent, though 
 they have improved greatly as well as my general health. 
 When I was in your town my weight was about one 
 hundred and thirty- three pounds, and a few days since it 
 was one hundred and sixty-six pounds, being two pounds 
 more than I remember of having ever weighed be 
 fore. When circumstances admit of it, my exercise par 
 takes of the most active kind, such as running, leaping, 
 swinging, etc. My diet is, as formerly, of a plain char 
 acter, but wholesome and nutritious. I hope that my 
 dear little niece has entirely recovered her health, but do 
 you not think, my dear sister, that her illness has been 
 the result of a Divine decree ? Within the past few years 
 I have endeavored to live more nearly unto God. And 
 now nothing earthly could induce me to return to the 
 world again. My life is not one of privation, as you 
 sometimes see among Christians, but I enjoy the pleas 
 ures of the world, but endeavor to restrict them within 
 the limits which Nature s God has assigned to them. Do 
 you not remember that I told you that I believed that 
 God would restore me to perfect health, and such con 
 tinues to be my belief. . . . For my part, I am 
 willing to go hence when it shall be His great will to ter 
 minate my earthly career. Hence you, knowing His will 
 as set forth in His holy Word, easily observe how strictly 
 I will adhere to your advice, given some time since ; and 
 truly it was good advice, and such as I would not violate 
 to save my head. Yes, my dear sister, rather than wil 
 fully violate the known will of God I would forfeit my 
 life ; it may seem strange to you, yet nevertheless such a 
 
160 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 resolution I have taken, and I will by it abide. My daily 
 prayers are for your salvation, and some of my prayerful 
 petitions have been answered. Remember me kindly to 
 Mr. Arnold, to my relatives, and speak to the little chil 
 dren of their Uncle Thomas. 
 
 Sincerely your much attached brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 P. S. We have just received Mr. Webster s speech, 
 delivered yesterday in the Senate, and it is truly rioble, 
 and I am of the opinion that Mr. Arnold will be much 
 pleased with it. T. J. J. 
 
 In the following letter mention is made of the 
 probability of Major Jackson being transferred from 
 Fort Hamilton to Fort Washington opposite Mount 
 Vernon. From some cause this order was not is 
 sued, and the transfer did not take place, as he was 
 evidently at no time stationed at that military post. 
 
 Fort Hamilton, April I, 1850. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your letter came safe to hand, and with pleasure 
 its contents were read. During the past month our sta 
 bles were burnt. All the horses were saved, though 
 mine, with several others, were injured a little. The 
 damage was near four thousand dollars. I regret to say 
 that circumstances will prevent my return home this sum 
 mer, but on the 1st of October I expect to be ordered 
 to Fort Washington, opposite Mount Vernon, when I ex 
 pect to get a leave and visit you during some portion of 
 that month, or of the succeeding one. My health con 
 tinues to improve. My muscles have become quite solid. 
 My exercises are of a violent character, when the chil- 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 161 
 
 blains on my feet do not prevent it. I hope that little 
 Ann l has entirely recovered. When I make my pro 
 posed visit I shall endeavor to take with me such things 
 as your letter has specified, provided that they are attain 
 able. Some of them may be difficult to get. My past 
 winter has been much more pleasant than the preceding. 
 The weather here is at present delightful ; but in a few 
 days it may be the reverse, as it is much influenced here 
 on the seaboard by the direction of the winds. On 
 Thursday last I, in company with eighteen others, had a 
 grand sleigh ride. It was the best snow of the season, 
 but in twenty-four hours there was hardly a trace of it to 
 be found. 
 
 Sincerely your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 P. S. Remember me to Mr. A and family. 
 
 Plattsburg Barracks, N. Y., May 10, 1850. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 You observe that I "am now on the borders of 
 Canada. It is for the purpose of trying some prisoners. 
 My health is still improving and in a short time I expect 
 to return to Fort Hamilton. In coming here I have passed 
 some charming scenery. This place is on the western 
 shore of Lake Champlain. I should like very much to 
 visit Montreal and Quebec before returning south, but 
 want of time and money will prevent it. On my way 
 here I saw the old Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point ; 
 and in front of this garrison was fought the great naval 
 action of the late war (1812). Remember me very kindly 
 
 to Mr. A and family. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 1 The writer s sister, Anna Grace. 
 
162 EAELY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 Fort Hamilton, New York Harbor, July 6, 1850. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I have received yours, and in reply can say that 
 my health is still improving. Your request shall be at 
 tended to, but it will be necessary to wait until my arrival, 
 as I know of no safe mode of conveyance. You speak 
 of your fruit and flowers. I cannot indulge in the luxury 
 of the former, but in the latter I take great interest, and 
 I hope that you may always cultivate them. It shows a 
 refined taste to abound in admiration for the beautiful, 
 and it has the additional advantage of endearing children 
 to their homes. With pleasure they must, through the 
 different periods of their lives, look back to their garden, 
 filled with beautiful flowers, and when they see the same 
 flowers, even in distant countries, how vividly will it re 
 call to mind their home, their mother, father, brothers, 
 sisters and all their early associations. I will not get 
 home this summer, but have some hopes of coming 
 in October; but I cannot say what the result will be. 
 How can I get through those mountains during the 
 winter season ? I wish that I could come and spend the 
 entire winter with you, but such, I fear, will be impracti 
 cable. Do not make any calculations, but expect me 
 when circumstances will best admit of my taking a leave. 
 I have recently received a letter from Uncle John White, 
 and Aunt Catharine. The family are well. Uncle Jack 
 and Aunt Nancy are dead. (Uncle Jack Robinson and 
 Aunt Nancy, colored slaves.) Uncle (John White) had 
 recently received a letter from our cousins in California, 
 and they say that Uncle Cummins is dead. This is news 
 that goes to my heart. Uncle was a father to me. (This 
 is the uncle, Cummins E. Jackson, with whom he had 
 made his boyhood home.) I want to bring Thomas a 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 163 
 
 good violin, if neither you nor Mr. A has any objec 
 tion to his learning to play on one. Remember me kindly 
 
 to Mr. A and family. Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 The concluding sentence in the above letter pos 
 sibly calls for some explanation which would not 
 at that time have been deemed necessary. In the 
 period in which it was written the violin, or fiddle, 
 was in very many communities regarded by a ma 
 jority of the devout as Satan s own instrument, in 
 vented by him for the one and sole purpose of 
 luring the youthful from the narrow path, and entic 
 ing them within his realms. In more enlightened 
 communities this prejudice was disappearing, but a 
 number of years subsequent to the date referred to, 
 while on a visit in a distant county I recall the omi 
 nous shake of the head, accompanied with dispar 
 aging remarks of surprise, at the grown-up son of a 
 very pious Methodist class-leader being allowed by 
 his parents to own a fiddle, and to keep it at his 
 father s home. No objection on any such grounds 
 would have had influence in the home of my parents, 
 however. I remember having had such an instru 
 ment, and it is more than probable the above letter 
 explains the manner in which it was obtained. The 
 next letter was written from Fort Ontario, New York, 
 and bears date : 
 
 August 10, 1850. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 You are probably surprised at hearing from me so 
 frequently at different points as a member of courts mar- 
 
164 EAELY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 tial. I am now about twelve hours travel from Niagara 
 Falls, and consequently intend visiting there before re 
 turning home. I will leave here in the evening, and be 
 at the Falls next morning. The court will probably 
 remain in session for several days. Fort Ontario is situ 
 ated on the lake of the same name, and in view of the 
 city of Oswego. If circumstances permit me to return 
 home to Virginia this coming fall, how can I get to your 
 town most conveniently from Washington City? My 
 health is still improving, but is as yet so delicate as to 
 render much regularity necessary, and it is probable that 
 I am more particular in my rules than any person of your 
 acquaintance. I fear that I will be a good deal exposed 
 in crossing the mountains, unless there is a stage line 
 through from eastern Virginia. When you write let me 
 know what kind of flowers, plants, etc., are in your 
 gardens, and what kind you would like for me to bring. 
 I expect that I can obtain almost every description in 
 New York. I am to commence staying at a water cure 
 establishment this evening, where I expect to remain 
 during my stay here. I have great faith in them for such 
 infirmities as mine. I have been for some months adopt 
 ing it to a certain extent, and with advantage. Remem 
 ber me very kindly to Mr. A and the family. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 In the following letter he describes an official visit 
 to West Point, the first since his graduation from the 
 academy. 
 
 West Point, N. Y. t September j, 1850. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I am again at my first military station, and a very 
 pleasant visit it is. Here I see objects which recall many 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 165 
 
 pleasant and agreeable associations of my youth ; but it 
 is my lot to meet but few of my comrades of those bygone 
 days. All other things are visible, though changed. One 
 of my former barracks is torn down, and another con 
 structed. But among the existing and unaltered objects 
 are the garden of Kosciusko, his monument, 1 Fort Put 
 nam, in which Andre was confined, and from which 
 Arnold escaped after his unsuccessful attempt to sell his 
 command. Here too is the Plain, the military works, 
 and, above all, the grand and lofty mountains. I am on 
 a general court martial which will soon adjourn. I have 
 been quite unwell, and had it not been for my judicious 
 application of water, I cannot say what would have been 
 the consequence. Remember me very kindly to Mr. 
 Arnold and family. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 1 In 1828 a monument to the Polish hero, General Thaddeus Kosciusko, 
 was erected at the northeast angle of Fort Clinton* overlooking the river. 
 The monument had been designed by Mr. J. H. Latrobe, a talented and 
 distinguished member of the class of 1822. Each cadet contributed 
 twenty-five cents from his monthly pay towards the erection, and the 
 small surplus which remained from the fund was appropriated to the 
 marble basin in the grotto known as Kosciusko s garden. " Reminiscences 
 of West Point in the olden time, etc." 
 
XI 
 FORT MEADE (1850-1851) 
 
 ABOUT this period Major Jackson was trans 
 ferred from Fort Hamilton to Fort Meade, 
 Florida, located some fifty miles inland from 
 Tampa. Before proceeding to Florida he made the 
 expected visit to my parents at Beverley. I recall 
 distinctly his stay with us on this occasion, and have 
 a very vivid recollection of some of the articles he 
 brought with him. Among these was his artillery 
 sabre which he had carried in the campaign in Mexico. 
 It was the first sword I had ever seen, and I was 
 greatly impressed with it. I was also much inter 
 ested in a large tablespoon ; there was a small oblong 
 block of some metallic composition, soldered to the 
 centre of the bowl, about one-fourth by one-half inch 
 in size. It was claimed that in using it one would 
 be enabled to detect any poison that might be placed 
 in food by its appearance on this metal block. He 
 also had a beautiful ink-stand, with a pair of doves 
 mounted on it, of Mexican manufacture, presumably 
 a remembrance from some fair Senorita friend of the 
 city of Mexico ; also a pair of large Mexican spurs 
 with beautifully engraved leather straps. 1 I think it 
 
 1 The artillery sabre referred to has since come into my possession and 
 with the ink-stand and one of the spurs mentioned are among my most 
 highly prized relics. T. J. A. 
 
 1 66 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 167 
 
 was on the occasion of this visit to us that he brought 
 me a small brass cannon mounted on wheels, a musket 
 with tin barrel and bayonet, a tin sword with scabbard, 
 belt straps, cap, etc. ; so that, when fully equipped in 
 all of this military paraphernalia, I felt very fine. 
 
 Just how long Major Jackson remained with my 
 parents at this time, or the date of his departure, I 
 do not remember, but probably for one or two 
 months. There is nothing saved from his corre 
 spondence covering the period intervening between 
 his departure and arrival at his new post at Fort 
 Meade. It would seem from Major Jackson s let 
 ters, written to his sister while at Fort Meade, that 
 he had undergone quite a change of opinion from his 
 former expressed preference for a civil pursuit in 
 life, such as the profession of law ; l and he expresses 
 a very decided preference for the pursuit of arms. 
 Whether such change was brought about by his ex 
 periences and success in the Mexican campaign, and 
 an unquenchable longing for a repetition of that ex 
 perience, or whether his life and associations at Fort 
 Hamilton, and the numerous courts martial held at 
 different points which he attended, being detailed as 
 a member of such courts, were so congenial to his 
 temperament, does not appear. But it would seem 
 probable that the excitement of battle had left its im 
 press, when one reads, " I like scouting very much, 
 . . . but it would be still more desirable if I could 
 have an occasional encounter with Indian parties." 
 There would seem to be ever afterwards some over- 
 
 1 See letters of date January 28, 1844, and August 2, 1845, PP- 62, 71. 
 
168 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 whelming attraction or lure hidden within the breast 
 of him who has at any period of his life engaged in 
 the hot fire of battle. He not only never forgets, 
 but seems to long for the excitement that is only to 
 be found in the midst of the conflict. It is astonish 
 ing how many men long past the meridian of life, 
 who had been in active service throughout the Civil 
 War, immediately following the declaration of war 
 against Spain eagerly tendered to the government 
 their services, and not from patriotism alone ; and 
 were greatly disappointed when such offer was not 
 accepted. A large proportion of the persons so de 
 scribed were not only men of family, but settled in 
 business, and in many instances in comfortable cir 
 cumstances, some holding important and lucrative 
 offices : as illustrations, one was Chief Justice of the 
 Supreme Court of his state ; one an elderly and 
 dearly beloved clergyman, in active work. Other 
 instances were known to me among my personal 
 friends. The large majority of these gentlemen 
 were ever afterwards very reticent about the fact of 
 having made offer of their services, and exhibited 
 little disposition to discuss the matter, the subject 
 presumably having become somewhat worn in their 
 family circles. The first letter of those preserved 
 written from Major Jackson s new post is dated: 
 
 Fort Meade, Fla., March /, 1851. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your very sister-like letter has been received and 
 its contents read with much pleasure, although the writ 
 ing was in rather a small hand. You must not suppose 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 169 
 
 that I would like to see profess religion without 
 
 possessing it. A hypocrite is, in my judgment, one of 
 the most detestable of beings. My opinion is that every 
 one should honestly and carefully investigate the Bible, 
 and then if he can believe it to be the word of God, to 
 follow its teachings. . . . My pay is seventy dollars 
 per month, but as I receive fourteen dollars for extra 
 duties, it amounts to eighty-four dollars per month. You 
 are very kind in offering me assistance in case that I 
 should enter civil life. It is doubtful whether I shall re 
 linquish the military profession, as I am very partial to it. 
 Should I do so, however, I hope that I will never stand 
 in need of any pecuniary assistance. All the aid which 
 will be desired will be in obtaining fame. You say that 
 I must live on it for the present. I say not only for the 
 present, but during life. What do you mean by the 
 sword, and of my friend Hayes turning Whig ? Remem 
 ber me very kindly to Mr. A . Florida, so far as I 
 
 have seen it, is a vast plain, with occasional slight eleva 
 tions. It is covered with beautiful forests of pine the 
 yellow pine growing on the elevations, and the pitch pine 
 on the lowlands. The country is filled with lakes and 
 swamps. The soil is very sandy and generally very thin. 
 It produces corn and most northern productions, with the 
 exceptions of wheat, rye, oats and barley, where the soil 
 is good. It produces most excellent sugar and cotton, 
 but is peculiarly adapted to the growth of the sweet po 
 tato, which sometimes grows more than two feet in 
 length and eighteen inches in circumference. 1 But the 
 most profitable occupation here is raising cattle. Here 
 a cow and calf will cost ten dollars. All that is necessary 
 
 1 1 have been informed by residents of Central Florida that sweet po 
 tatoes of this size are not unusual. T. J. A. 
 
1TO EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 is to buy a sufficient number, and turn them into the 
 woods, hunt them up every year, mark and brand them. 
 The owner neither feeds nor salts them. When the steers 
 become three, four, five, six and seven years old, they are 
 sold at from seven to sixteen dollars, and carried by sea 
 to Nassau, Key West, or elsewhere for consumption. 
 There is plenty of game here, such as deer and turkey ; 
 also some bear, tigers 1 and panther. I have just re 
 turned from an eight days scout, in which I saw about 
 twenty deer in one forenoon. I could find no Indians. I 
 travelled more than one hundred miles without seeing a 
 house. I like scouting very much, as it gives me a relish 
 for everything ; but it would be still more desirable if I 
 could have an occasional encounter with Indian parties. 
 I have been on several sugar plantations in Florida. 
 They present the appearance of a large farm covered with 
 luxuriant corn. Eatables here are very dear ; eggs are 
 from thirty-seven to fifty cents per dozen ; corn between 
 one and two dollars per bushel ; hens fifty cents each, 
 etc. I wish that I could not only see you every year but 
 every day. Give my thanks to Mr. A for his kind 
 ness. Any attentions shown to Mr. Hayes or to Mr. Car 
 lisle by you will be considered as personal favors to my 
 self, for they have both rendered me great services, and 
 
 are my warm friends. How far does Mr. C live 
 
 from you, for when I visit Beverley I must see him. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 Fort Meade, Fla. t April 2, 1851. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your affectionate letter has been received and read 
 
 1 The local name for the catamount and which is also called puma in 
 that state. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 171 
 
 with much pleasure. I should think from the tone of 
 them the last few that your health has improved very 
 much, although you do not say so in so many words. I 
 have hopes of being able to live near you for a while. I 
 received a letter from Colonel Smith, the superintendent 
 of the Virginia Military Institute at Lexington (Va.), in 
 which he kindly offers to present my name to the Board 
 of Visitors, in June next, as a candidate for the Professor 
 ship in Natural and Experimental Philosophy in the In 
 stitute. I have accepted his offer, but am unable to say 
 whether I shall be elected. If I knew who would com 
 pose the Board, then I could form a better idea. If I 
 have a few friends on it, my chance will probably be 
 good. I consider the position both conspicuous and de 
 sirable. I will be in about one hundred and fifty or one 
 hundred and sixty miles from you, will have quarters, and 
 receive twelve hundred dollars per year. Philosophy is my 
 favorite subject. I hope through the blessings of Provi 
 dence to succeed in securing the post. I have heard that 
 the Hon. Joseph Johnson is to be our governor. Is it 
 Joseph Johnson of Harrison (County) ? If so, I am much 
 pleased, as he has befriended me on more than one occa 
 sion. I believe that John Stringer (of Lewis County, 
 and friend of the family) will probably be on the Board 
 of Visitors in June next. This information I received by 
 yesterday s mail. Where does he live ? I see that Mr. 
 Carlisle has been making two speeches in the convention. 
 I look upon him as one of the promising sons of Virginia. 
 I hope before long to see him in Congress. 1 I am much 
 pleased at seeing Cousin Wm. L. Jackson also in the 
 convention. Indeed I have some hopes that our ancient 
 
 1 Hon. Jno. S. Carlisle of Harrison County, Va. Afterwards served in 
 Congress and the United States Senate. 
 
172 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 reputation may be revived. 1 I might have sent this letter 
 sooner, but I designedly delayed it to see if yesterday s 
 mail (6th of April) would not enable me to give you some 
 good news, but I did not receive the information which I 
 was waiting for ; but in my next I hope to be in posses 
 sion of agreeable tidings for you, but I am not over- 
 sanguine. I received a few days since a very kind and 
 well wishing letter from General John J. Jackson. 2 When 
 I visit you I want also to visit him. I find that I have 
 many friends. Indeed I have found that all to whom I 
 apply for assistance are ready to give me a helping hand. 
 The general s letter was particularly gratifying to me. I 
 shall not attempt a theological discussion with you at 
 present, hoping to see you during the present year, when 
 I hope that you will have all of your questions and ideas 
 prepared for the investigation of your brother. Remem 
 ber me very kindly to Mr. A , to Aunt White, to 
 
 Uncle, Cousin John, Uncle S , Colonel Goff and other 
 
 friends. Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 The following brief note was evidently written at 
 Major ) Jackson s dictation, as it is not in his hand 
 writing. 
 
 Fort Meade, Florida, April 22, 1851. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Good news. I have been elected Professor of 
 Natural and Experimental Philosophy in the Virginia 
 Military Institute, and you may expect me home in the 
 latter part of June. YOUR BROTHER. 
 
 1 Wm. L. Jackson and John S. Carlisle were members of the Virginia 
 Constitutional Convention then in session in Richmond. 
 
 2 A very distinguished relative. A graduate of the United States Mili 
 tary Academy at West Point of the class of 1815. Later served on 
 Andrew Jackson s staff in Florida. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 173 
 
 P. S. I am recovering from a recent attack of sickness 
 and owing to the weakness of my eyes do not like to 
 write myself. 
 
 Fort Meade t Florida, May 16, 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I expect to leave for home next week or the week 
 after. My health is better than it has been for years, 
 except my eyes, which are still weak. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 The vacant professorship at the Virginia Military 
 Institute would seem to have been a position much 
 coveted by young army officers, if the names that 
 were before the Board of Visitors in connection with 
 the position are any criterion. Among other appli 
 cants were George B. McClellan, 1 Jesse L. Reno, 2 
 W. S. Rosecrans, later distinguished generals of the 
 Federal army, and General G. W. Smith of the Con 
 federate army all of them noted for high scholar 
 ship and for gallant services in Mexico. Judging 
 from the expressions in Major Jackson s letters, he 
 was extremely anxious to get the appointment. It 
 not only promised a continuance in a semi-military 
 life, at a most desirable location, within accessible 
 
 1 McClellan, who had served on Scott s staff with Lee in Mexico, and 
 of whom Lee, after the close of the Civil War, said, " He was by all odds 
 the ablest general the Federals had." See " Recollections of General 
 Lee," by his son, Captain R. E. Lee, Jr., page 416. General Lee made 
 substantially the same statement as that above quoted in reply to a remark 
 on my part that many persons regarded McClellan as the ablest general 
 the Federals had in the war. T. J. A. 
 
 8 A native of Wheeling, (W.) Virginia, Jackson s own state. 
 
174: EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 distance of his sister and his former home and 
 friends ; it offered better compensation, an oppor 
 tunity to continue his studies in his favorite branch of 
 science, a more settled life, a regular annual vacation 
 for the summer months, instead of the uncertain 
 frequent change of service from one military post to 
 another, at distant inaccessible points, and this with 
 little opportunity afforded for promotion, or for dis 
 tinguishing one s self the service being confined to 
 occasional skirmishes with Indians and routine daily 
 duties incident of army-post life. In other words, as 
 expressed years afterwards by a distinguished Con 
 federate general, who had seen much of such service, 
 " He had learned all about commanding a squadron 
 of cavalry, but he had forgotten everything else he 
 knew." 
 
 Major Jackson had taken active steps at once 
 upon being informed of the vacancy to enlist such 
 influence as he and his friends could possibly exer 
 cise towards securing his appointment to the pro 
 fessorship. Among his relatives and friends were a 
 number who were quite influential, and loyal and 
 untiring in their devotion to whatever cause they 
 espoused. So notwithstanding the efforts before the 
 Board of Visitors in behalf of his distinguished com 
 petitors, he, on the 28th of March, 1851, received the 
 appointment to fill the chair of Natural and Experi 
 mental Philosophy and Artillery. 
 
 From Fort Meade he went to New York, and 
 from there to Western Virginia, where he remained 
 quite a while visiting his sister and other relatives, 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 175 
 
 in the time intervening before the date for entry 
 upon his new duties. I can recall this visit very 
 distinctly, as I was then large enough to accompany 
 Major Jackson in his daily walks. I remember 
 upon one of these occasions in returning home 
 we passed the residence of Rev. Thomas Collett, a 
 short distance north of town. We were walking in 
 the road. When we were nearly opposite the resi 
 dence, which stood some sixty yards back, a large 
 savage dog came running towards us from the house. 
 I was a good deal alarmed, as I knew the reputation 
 of the dog was bad. My uncle told me not to be 
 afraid, but to keep close to him. He did not carry 
 a stick, and as I had no idea that he knew how sav 
 age the dog was, his remark did not relieve my 
 apprehension. I, however, observed his injunction 
 to keep close to him. I noticed that Major Jackson 
 looked steadily at the face of the dog. The dog 
 came bounding directly towards us ; he was very 
 ferocious in appearance. When within about thirty 
 feet, he stopped suddenly, turned and ran from us 
 towards the house as fast as he could go, as I 
 thought, completely cowed and scared. My uncle 
 told me he looked the dog steadily in the eye. I 
 have never since seen any one do this with such 
 success. It made a deep impression upon my mind 
 at the time, and I thought he certainly was a won 
 derful man. 1 
 
 l ln the "Life of Thomas J. Jackson" by an ex-cadet (Mr. James 
 Dabney McCabe) the following incident is related : that Jackson had, in 
 the line of duty, preferred charges against a cadet which resulted in the 
 
176 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 In this connection the following quotation from 
 the letter from Mr. Sylvanus White addressed to 
 me and heretofore mentioned is given : "In the 
 spring of 1851 I returned temporarily from Califor 
 nia, and was at home (residence of his parents in 
 Lewis County, (W.) Va.), when Thomas (Major 
 Jackson) came from Florida to fill his position at 
 Lexington, Virginia. I was with him nearly two 
 days. We stayed over night at the old mill place 
 (Cummins E. Jackson s former home). There were 
 no other whites there that night, only the negroes 
 (slaves). He and I slept in the same bed. In talk 
 ing of Mexico, he was telling me of the heroism of 
 other officers. I said, * I want you to tell me of 
 your own. He replied, Oh, if I have to blow my 
 own horn, it will be a long time before it is blown. 
 He finally consented to tell me something about the 
 capture of the city and what a difficult time he had 
 going up to the heights of Chapultepec. He said 
 there was a concealed battery opened on him which 
 cut down half of his men and horses. He said he 
 had great difficulty in getting his men to take a 
 position to go up. I said in that case I should have 
 dropped back for reinforcements. Oh, never/ he re- 
 
 latter s dismissal from the Institute. The cadet stated to his friends that 
 he had armed himself and intended to kill Jackson. A friend of Jack 
 son met the latter on his way from the village to the Institute and warned 
 him that this cadet was awaiting him on the road for that purpose, and 
 advised Jackson to turn back. Jackson refused to do so, remarking, 
 " Let the assassin murder me if he will." When he reached the place 
 where the young man was waiting for him, he turned to him and gazed 
 calmly at him. The young man turned away in silence, and Major Jack 
 son continued his walk. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 177 
 
 plied. It would have been no disgrace to have died 
 there, but to have failed to gain my point it would/ 
 He said when assailing the city when he fired he 
 could see a lane cut through the enemy. He said 
 he always aimed or sighted his own gun. He was 
 expecting to go right into the city, but was ordered 
 to halt at an outer gate for a time. The next day 
 after that night we separated, to meet no more. 
 The following occurrence made an impression on 
 me. We met with an old acquaintance. After 
 some exchange of words, Thomas remarked, Rich 
 ard, you ought to have been a topographical engi 
 neer. * Yes, he replied, * but the great misfortune was 
 my father was born first/ When we rode on, I said, 
 4 What did Dick mean by that expression ? He re 
 plied, That he had always been tied down at 
 home. 1 He (Thomas) said he always donated one- 
 tenth of his income to some charitable object or in 
 stitution ; that the government was liberal with him 
 and he could afford it." Immediately following the 
 summer vacation, he visited for a short time several 
 of the Virginia medicinal springs, which were quite 
 noted for their curative qualities, and were at that 
 period very largely patronized by visitors from all 
 sections of the South. From there he proceeded to 
 Lexington to enter upon his new duties as a pro 
 fessor at the Virginia Military Institute. 
 
XII 
 VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE (1851-1852) 
 
 MAJOR JACKSON reached Lexington the 
 latter part of September in time to enter 
 upon his new duties at the opening ses 
 sion of the Institute. The first letter written after 
 his arrival bears date : 
 
 Lexington, Va. } October 8, 1851. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I have had the pleasure of receiving your letter, 
 and the articles which you sent to me. I have seen Mr. 
 Cowen and requested him to call on you, and have made 
 a similar request of Mr. Henderson. He is the brother- 
 in-law of Colonel Smith. I am much obliged for the 
 articles. An opportunity will hardly be offered for visit 
 ing you this winter. I have received a letter from Cousin 
 
 Margaret N ; she as well as our other relatives 
 
 are well. The academic duties commenced on yesterday 
 a week. My health has through the blessings of Provi 
 dence been so much improved as to enable me to enter 
 on my duties, with which I am delighted. Remember 
 me very kindly to Mr. Arnold and the family, and to all 
 
 inquiring relatives and friends. And say to Mr. A 
 
 that I hope to be able by his assistance to get some fine 
 fossil specimens from his farm when I next visit Beverley. 
 I remember having seen some beautiful specimens of 
 
 178 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 179 
 
 shells near the (Beaver Creek) bridge, above Mrs. B s. 
 
 These he showed me in 1848. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 And then he writes : 
 
 Lexington, Va., November /, 1851. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Again I am blessed with the privilege of com 
 muning with you. My duties are ended for the week, I 
 may say, as in my department there will be no more 
 recitations this week. But at four o clock the faculty 
 have a weekly meeting at the superintendent s. I have 
 an invitation to a party this evening, but must decline 
 going. I admire the citizens of this place very much. 
 Accept of my thanks for the present. How is Thomas 
 and all the family ? I hope to see you next summer. I 
 had a pleasant time at the Springs, but only visited the 
 Rockbridge Alum, the Bath Alum and the Warm 
 Springs. I saw the blowing cave; it is a remarkable 
 curiosity. There is at one time a strong current of air 
 rushing out, and at another time a strong current rushing 
 in. There has never been but one opening found to the 
 cave. It is in Bath County, and about eight miles from 
 the Bath Alum Springs. My love to all. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Virginia Military Institute, 
 
 Lexington, Va.,Jan. io t 1852. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your letter has, like almost every other good, 
 brought with it pain, But I hope that your health will 
 
180 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 again return among the blessings of Providence to 
 brighten the remainder of your days, as well as those of 
 mine. I have been desirous of writing at an earlier day, 
 but our examinations and other duties have prevented my 
 doing so ; and even now this pleasing task is performed 
 during the height of the examination. It could be de 
 layed no longer without a degree of pain, which your 
 brother is unwilling to experience on this subject. This 
 trying ordeal will close about Thursday next. . . . 
 The best plan that I can conceive for an unbeliever in 
 God, as presented to us in the Bible, is to first consider 
 things with reference merely to expediency. Now con 
 sidering the subject with reference to expediency only, 
 let us examine whether it is safer to be a Christian or an 
 infidel. Suppose that two persons, one a Christian, and 
 the other an infidel, to be closing their earthly existences. 
 And suppose that the infidel is right, and the Christian is 
 wrong ; they will then after death be upon an equality. 
 But instead of the infidel being right, suppose him to be 
 wrong, and the Christian right ; then will the state of the 
 latter after death be inestimably superior to that of the 
 other. And if you will examine the history of mankind, 
 it will be plain that Christianity contributes much more 
 to happiness in this life than that of infidelity. Now 
 having briefly glanced at this subject, to what decision 
 are we forced on the mere ground of expediency ; cer 
 tainly it is to the adoption of Christianity. Having made 
 our selection of Christianity, the next point is to consider 
 whether we can believe the teachings of the sacred vol 
 ume ; if so, then its adoption should of necessity follow. 
 I have examined the subject maturely, and the evidence 
 is very conclusive ; and if we do not receive the Bible as 
 being authentic and credible, we must reject every other 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 181 
 
 ancient work, as there is no other in favor of which so 
 much evidence can be adduced. ... I have not yet 
 been able to procure the peaches of which I spoke in my 
 
 former letter. Cousin H has returned from her visit 
 
 to Point Pleasant, which was to her very pleasant. Uncle 
 Minor Neale s daughter has returned home (Vicksburg, 
 Miss.) with her grandfather, who came north for her. 
 Talk to Thomas and Grace for me, and tell them that 
 their uncle is very much obliged to them, and that they 
 must continue to be good children, and do what their 
 mother and father may require of them. Remember me 
 very kindly to all inquiring friends and relatives. I 
 should be pleased to see a literary institution in Beverley, 
 but I cannot see how to be serviceable to it. If you will 
 state in your next letter what I would have to do here, I 
 would be enabled to give you a more definite answer. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Virginia Military Institute, 
 
 Lexington, Va. y Feb. 7, 1852. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Though much pressed with business and far be- 
 hind in my correspondence, I cannot defer any longer a 
 letter to you. Our examination has closed, and academic 
 duties have been resumed. Next week I hope to take 
 up the subject of optics. The approaching summer is 
 looked forward to by me with no small degree of interest, 
 as our vacation will commence after the 4th of July. 
 Your health I hope is completely restored before this 
 time. Mine is still delicate. When did you last hear 
 from Parkersburg, and how are our relatives and friends ? 
 Do you see anything of Uncle John White s family ? 
 The weather here has been extremely cold, but at the 
 
182 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 present it is lovely. I have not heard from you for 
 weeks upon weeks. Remember me very kindly to Mr. 
 
 A and the family, and to all inquiring friends. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Virginia Military Institute, 
 
 Lexington, Va., Feb. 21, 1852. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your welcome letter, inclosing that of our cousin, 
 has been received, and with no small regret do I con 
 sider your past afflictions, but we are all the children of 
 suffering and sorrow in this world. Whilst it has many 
 pleasures, it is not nor will not be divested of its cares. 
 Amid affliction let us hope for happiness. But divest us 
 of hope, and how miserable would we be. It has never 
 forsaken me, nor in my humble opinion ever will. 
 However dark the night, I am cheered with an antici 
 pated glorious and luminous morrow. May such ever be 
 your happy lot. No earthly calamity can shake my hope 
 in the future so long as God is my friend. And on this 
 subject I expect to have a long conversation with you 
 next summer. I feel ashamed of not having written to 
 you earlier ; but even now I am debtor a number of 
 letters in other quarters, which, in time, have the prefer 
 ence ; but my conscience will not be troubled at this 
 
 species of fraud. I am glad that Cousin stopped 
 
 with you. I received a letter from Cousin Sylvanus 
 White 1 recently, in which he states that his location is in 
 Missouri ; but for the future he cannot say to what quar 
 ter his steps will be directed. My health has improved. 
 What do you propose doing next summer during my 
 1 The relative whose letters have been quoted from several times herein. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 183 
 
 visit ? I suppose that plans you have in abundance. 
 How are the family ? Give my regards to all indi 
 vidually. Tell Thomas that I should like to have him 
 with me sometimes very much, and that he must be at 
 home the next time I visit him. Remember me to all 
 inquiring friends and relatives. How is Cousin John 
 White, and Aunt White ? 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 The next letter is dated : 
 
 Virginia Military Institute, 
 
 Lexington, Va., April zo, 1852. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I have nothing which can call for a letter from me 
 at this time except the pleasure of writing to you, and 
 to say a word in reference to your mentioned garden 
 seed, etc. Tell me the precise kind of seed which are 
 desirable, and, if you can, the mode of conveyance for 
 them to Beverley. I might possibly procure some grafts 
 of apricots and prunes, if they could only be sent to you. 
 I sent for my box some time since, but have not yet ob 
 tained possession of it. This is a beautiful day, though 
 the preceding few have been cold and have injured the 
 fruit prospects, particularly of the apricots and other 
 early fruit. The plank road from Staunton to Buchanan, 
 which latter place is about twenty-five miles distant from 
 here, is now under construction through our town. The 
 stage travels about one-third faster on it than on the dirt 
 road. I am anxiously looking forward to July. When 
 
 did you last hear from Cousin M ? She appears to 
 
 have dropped me as a correspondent. I certainly gave 
 her ostensible reason for so doing by not answering her 
 
184: EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 letter more promptly. But this was occasioned by pres 
 sure of other things. Remember me very kindly to Mr. 
 Arnold, the family, and to all inquiring friends and rela 
 tives. Tell Thomas and Grace that I am not going to 
 allow them to see their Aunt Nancy 1 until they both 
 agree to love me more than her. Tell them their aunt 
 does not care about them half as much as I do. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 At the period when the above letter was written, 
 it may be stated in explanation, garden seed and 
 nursery stock were much more difficult to procure 
 than at the present day ; at least this was true as to 
 persons residing in the country and the smaller vil 
 lages. The reference in the letter to the plank road 
 would indicate this as the era of this supposed im 
 provement in road building ; it was made of two 
 inch boards, securely spiked down to stringers, 
 though this did not prevent their warping. It was 
 quite expensive. For the first few years of use it 
 was a great improvement over the common dirt 
 road ; after that, as the boards warped and became 
 loose, it was anything but a pleasure to drive over. 
 
 Virginia Military Institute, 
 
 Lexington, Va., May 14., 1852. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your welcome letter has been received, but you 
 do not give me definite instructions about garden seed, 
 
 1 Some maiden acquaintance about whom the family had been teasing 
 him. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 185 
 
 grafts, etc. I should think it would be useless to get any 
 for you unless they are such as I can convey in person ; 
 for you may judge of the difficulty of getting anything 
 from Lexington to Beverley from the fact that though I 
 have used effort upon effort to procure the box which 
 you sent to me, and have told the stage driver to spare 
 no expense in procuring it, yet from his negligence, or 
 from some other cause, it has not yet come to hand. I 
 
 wish that you would either get Miss H to take it 
 
 back to Beverley on her return, or else send a servant 
 with it to the stage office at Staunton, and have it put on 
 the way-bill and directed to me at Lexington, Va., to the 
 care of E. Porter. I have recently received a letter from 
 
 Cousin Margaret N , which states that she is engaged 
 
 in teaching a school, and that all of our relatives are well, 
 
 and that Cousin Lizzie N , daughter of Uncle Minor 
 
 (Mr. Minor Neale of Vicksburg, Miss.), is on a visit and 
 that she will probably remain north all summer. I hope 
 that by this time your health is entirely restored. Though 
 my manner of living is very abstemious, yet health has 
 not returned with all its blessings. However, I am much 
 better than when I last bid you good-bye. Remember 
 
 me very kindly to Mr. A and the family. Tell 
 
 Thomas and Grace that their aunt does not say a single 
 word about either of them. 1 The weather has been very 
 pleasant for the past two days, but to-day is part sun 
 shine, part rain, and then a mixture of both. In Beverley 
 there is probably snow to be seen, even this late in May. 
 This evening we are to be favored with a vocal concert. 
 I wish that you could accompany me. For my daily 
 exercise I have to walk about a mile and a half for each 
 meal three-quarters to and three-quarters from it and 
 
 1 See note, page 184. 
 
186 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 in the morning I usually walk about a mile and a half 
 before breakfast, and in the afternoon about two miles or 
 more before tea. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Virginia Military Institute, 
 
 Lexington, Va. y June 5, 1852. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your welcome letter has come safe to hand. I 
 regret that your health is not restored. Though im 
 paired at present, let us hope to see the day when you 
 will again enjoy that greatest of earthly blessings in per 
 fection. Do not begin to look for me until the latter 
 part of July. I may be with you in the first part, but of 
 that I cannot speak definitely at present. My box has 
 not yet arrived, but I have spoken to a friend, whose 
 family lives in Staunton, to endeavor to have them for 
 ward it. I shall try to get some grafts to take with me. 
 Is it a fur hat which I am to get for Thomas ? If so, it 
 would be desirable to have the measure of his head. The 
 weather is quite cool here this morning, though for 
 some time back it has been very warm. The people are 
 beginning to visit the Alum Springs. I wish that you 
 could see our Institute, for I consider that it is the most 
 tasty edifice in the state. We have had green peas for 
 some time, and the strawberries are, I believe, beginning 
 to disappear, but the cherries are just coming in season. 
 . . . I am enjoying myself more than I have done for 
 some years, but still my health requires much care and 
 rigid regard to diet. I hope that the news may be true 
 that Uncle Cummins has returned ; to meet him will be 
 a proud day of my life. He has certainly been a good 
 friend to me. Have you heard anything from Cousin 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 187 
 
 E. J. Jackson ? A bill has recently passed our State 
 Legislature which appropriates $30,000 for the purpose 
 of completing our barracks. We expect during the 
 coming session to have about eighteen or twenty more 
 cadets than at any previous one, and when the buildings 
 shall be completed the accommodations will admit of 
 upwards of two hundred. This past year we had to re 
 fuse admission to a large number. Remember me very 
 kindly to Mr. Arnold and the family, and to all inquiring 
 friends and relatives. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 P. S. I hope that you will not make any calculations 
 as to the manner of passing the present summer until 
 after my arrival at Beverley. T. 
 
 In explanation of the reference in the preceding 
 letter to his uncle, Cummins E. Jackson, it may be 
 stated that Major Jackson had heard that this uncle, 
 who had gone to California in 1849, and whose death 
 had subsequently been reported, had returned. Un 
 fortunately the first information was correct, as he 
 had died in the year 1850, as elsewhere stated herein. 
 
 The next letter was written and mailed from 
 
 Alum Springs, Rockbridge County, 
 
 July 12, 1852. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I arrived here yesterday in as good health as 
 usual, . and am delighted with the waters so far. The 
 place is crowded, there being about four hundred visitors, 
 and the accommodations being only adequate tor two 
 
188 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 hundred and seventy-five or three hundred. I succeeded 
 in procuring half a bed, there being one room for four 
 occupants. In a few days I hope to be better off. 
 Though we have had but two beds to four persons in my 
 quarters, yet the beds are good, and the servants and 
 proprietors and their assistants are attentive. Boarding 
 is ten dollars per week. This water I consider is the 
 water of waters. This place is more crowded than any 
 other in the mountains, and I have not heard of a single 
 person who is dissatisfied, though my inquiries have been 
 many. My appetite and digestion have already improved, 
 and I indulge rather freely. My dinner was principally 
 bread, which was rather fresh, potatoes and green corn, 
 which is by no means digestible ; my supper rich corn 
 bread, and the same for breakfast, using butter freely at 
 each meal. Remember me very kindly to all inquiring 
 relatives and friends. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 P. S. This establishment was sold a few days since 
 for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. 
 
 T. J. J. 
 
 From the Rockbridge Alum Springs Major Jack 
 son came to Beverley, and after a short time spent at 
 the home of my parents he, accompanied by my 
 mother, visited their relatives in Parkersburg and 
 vicinity, and from which visit they evidently derived 
 a great deal of pleasure ; and after spending a week 
 or more at the Mineral Wells near that place they 
 returned to our home, having included in the return 
 joumey a brief visit with relatives in Weston and its 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 189 
 
 vicinity among his boyhood friends. After remain 
 ing some time at Beverley, he returned to Lexington, 
 but in time, before resuming his duties at the Insti 
 tute, to again make some stay at the Rockbridge 
 Alum Springs, in the curative properties of which 
 water he seemed to have great confidence. 
 
XIII 
 
 VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE Continued 
 (1852-1853) 
 
 THE first letter from Major Jackson to his 
 sister upon his return to the Military Insti 
 tute following the visit described in the last 
 chapter is dated : 
 
 Lexington, Va. t September 7, 1852. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I have not had even a line from you as yet. I 
 hope that this is not the result of ill health. An im 
 provement of health began to reward me for my visit to 
 the Alum Springs within, as I believe, less than twenty- 
 four hours after my arrival there. I remained at the 
 Springs for three weeks, and then left with regret. The 
 checks have not yet come to hand. Has the letter con 
 taining them been received by you ? Our duties at the 
 Institute have been resumed, and things promise well. 
 I have for months back admired Lexington ; but now, 
 for the first time, have I truly and fully appreciated it. 
 Of all places which have come under my observation in 
 the United States, this little village is the most beautiful. 
 
 In a few days I hope to write a letter to Cousin H . 
 
 She is a lovely lady, and I am proud of her as a cousin. 
 
 I wrote to Richard C and to Dr. B , requesting 
 
 them to join me at the Alum (Springs), but have heard 
 
 190 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 191 
 
 nothing from either of them. I hope that the baby * has 
 entirely recovered, and that your health continues to im 
 prove. Remember me very kindly to the family and to 
 all inquiring friends and relatives. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 P. S. Has Cousin Nancy returned home ? How is 
 Miss Eliza and Mrs. H - ? 
 
 T. J. J. 
 
 Lexington, Va. y October 9, 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your kind letter has finally come safely to its place 
 of destination. I felt much concerned about your long 
 silence for fear that your health was bad. I have found 
 on my return home that the peaches here were not so 
 abundant as I had supposed, but there are great quanti 
 ties of apples. Though peaches are not so plentiful, yet 
 I have spoken to a person to secure me two or three 
 bushels, and if he fails I will endeavor to obtain them by 
 sending to Lynchburg, which is some forty miles distant ; 
 through that section, I have been informed, there is no 
 scarcity. I hope that by this time the baby is entirely 
 well, and that health and prosperity are among the num 
 ber of your domestic blessings. My health has been 
 much improved by visiting the Alum Springs. I have 
 been and am still using the water, but its effects are not 
 so good as when used at the Springs. Cousin H - has 
 written me a letter. . . . Cousin M - is married, 
 though of this you have probably already been informed. 
 The weather is very warm and the ground is quite dry. 
 What news have you from the letter containing the 
 
 1 My brother Stark, who had been seriously ill. T. J. A. ^ 
 
192 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 drafts ? I wish you would let me know as soon as con 
 venient whether there is any hope of getting possession 
 of them. John Gittings * is doing very well. Remember 
 me kindly to each member of the family, and to all in 
 quiring relatives and friends. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington, Va., October 25, 1852. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your very kind letter has come safe to hand, and 
 I am glad to learn that you are enjoying as many bless 
 ings as still fall to your lot. I hope that by the time of 
 the receipt of this that the children will all be in perfect 
 
 health. George L 2 has been here for about two 
 
 weeks ; he and Mr. Harrison, 3 son of Judge Wm. Harri 
 son of Clarksburg, purpose taking a course of law lectures 
 this winter under Judge Brockenbrough. George is a 
 young man of very fine mind, and I hope that he will 
 acquit himself with much credit this winter. A young 
 Mr. Stribling from Point Pleasant is also here. He is 
 
 brother to the Miss S of whom I presume you have 
 
 heard Cousin H speak. I hope that Cousin H 
 
 will make a visit next summer to this most beautiful of 
 places. I wish that you would forward me the checks 
 by the first mail, as I am in need of them. The peaches 
 have not yet come to hand, but as soon as they do I will 
 forward them without delay. I weighed yesterday one 
 hundred and seventy-two pounds and a fraction. This is 
 six pounds more than any former weight. My health 
 has much improved, and I hope that through the bless- 
 
 1 A relative attending the Military Institute. 
 3 A relative from Harrison County, (W.) Va. 
 3 Mr. Charles Harrison. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 193 
 
 ings of God I will ultimately enjoy perfect health. Re 
 member me very kindly to Mr. Arnold and the family, 
 and to all inquiring friends. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington > Va. t November //, 1852. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your letter has been received with its enclosures, 
 but it has brought sorrow to my heart to learn that your 
 health is unusually delicate. My dear sister, my concern 
 for you is great. ... I fear that you give your 
 thoughts too much to the things of this life. I expect 
 that you have probably been devoting too great care to 
 the articles which you spoke of forwarding to me. Now 
 do not think any more about me in relation to them, but 
 bear in mind that I have plenty of everything, except 
 health, and that this has much improved. I hope that 
 health will return to you with all of its blessings. . . . 
 We have had a lovely fall in this portion of the state. 
 My kindest regards to Mr. Arnold, the family and all in 
 quiring friends. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 P. S. This morning I fired ten guns from the battery 
 of artillery in commemoration of the origin of the Insti 
 tute. This day thirteen years it went into operation, 1 
 and it is now in a very flourishing condition ; so much so 
 that we cannot accommodate all the applicants. 
 
 T. J. J. 
 
 1 November II, 1858, I was present when a salute of nineteen guns 
 was fired, which would correspond with the thirteen years mentioned in 
 the letter. The fact that but ten guns were fired at that time would indi 
 cate a change in the salute at some subsequent period. T. J. A. 
 
194 EAELY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 Lexington, Va., December //, 1852. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your kind letter has received the perusal of a 
 brother, and I hope that though ill health is your present 
 lot, that, notwithstanding, you will continue a buoyancy 
 of spirits, and not give way to surrounding troubles. I 
 too am a man of trouble. Yet, let the oppressing load 
 be ever so great, it never sinks me beneath its weight. I 
 trust that this will find you improving, if not well. Our 
 session will have its semi-annual examination in the early 
 part of the coming January. When did you last hear 
 
 from Cousin ? A cadet from Point Pleasant tells 
 
 me that she has been there on a visit, but that she has 
 returned home. Lexington has been very gay for some 
 time back, owing to the marriage of one of the daughters 
 of the late Governor McDowell. The weather is quite 
 inclement at present. You must talk to Thomas and 
 Grace for me, and tell them that their uncle frequently 
 thinks of them, and that he would be very glad to have 
 them with him. But that he does not like bad children. 
 And always talk to them for me in such a manner as to 
 make them better. I suppose that you have heard of 
 Cousin Margaret s marriage. I am very busy this winter 
 with studying and hearing recitations, having not only 
 to prepare on natural philosophy and artillery, but to be 
 in the section room three and four hours per day addi 
 tional. My spare time is given to reading and to other 
 sources of improvement. Your brother, THOMAS. 
 
 Virginia Military Institute, 
 
 Lexington, Va., Feb. /, 1853. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I hope that ere this your health has improved, 
 and that the returning spring will reanimate your feelings 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 195 
 
 and suggest the idea that it is but the symbol of the end 
 less beauties and enjoyments of the world to come. The 
 passage of Scripture from which I have derived sufficient 
 support, whenever applied, is in the following words, 
 " Acknowledge God in all thy ways, and He shall direct 
 thy paths/ What a comfort is this ! My dear sister, it 
 is useless for men to tell me that there is no God, and 
 that His benign influence is not to be experienced in 
 prayer, when it is offered in conformity to the Bible. For 
 some time past not a single day has passed by without 
 my feeling His hallowing presence whilst at my morning 
 prayers. I endeavor to live in accordance with the above 
 passage, which means, as I understand it, in all thy ways 
 acknowledge God and He shall take care of you in all 
 respects. What better Protector can we desire than One 
 who is Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent, and 
 who hath promised that He will take care of us in all 
 things, and in addition to all this, the pledge coming 
 from One who cannot lie. Our weather here has been 
 quite cold for some time back, but at present it is very 
 beautiful, too much so to be of long duration, I fear. 
 Persons, I believe, have generally filled their ice houses. 
 I rather begin to despair of the peaches, as I have not 
 seen a dried one, to my recollection, since returning 
 home. You remember that during the past summer I 
 was very much reduced in flesh ; at present I have more 
 than desirable, and sometimes endeavor to reduce it ; 
 but the nervousness with which I have been so much 
 troubled, and the disagreeableness of cold feet induce me 
 to adhere to the indulgence of the palate ; but my dishes 
 are very plain ; generally brown bread is the principal 
 article for breakfast and tea ; and sometimes I probably 
 do not taste meat for more than a month ; and I have 
 
196 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 not to my recollection used any other drink than cold 
 water since my return home, and hope that such may 
 always continue to be the case. I have heard from Judge 
 Allen s (member of the Supreme Court of Virginia and 
 whose wife was a relative) a few days since; Cousin 
 Mary is well. One of her daughters is rather ill. I met 
 the daughter at the Alum Springs during the past sum 
 mer ; she is a beautiful girl. Though I desire to hear 
 from you frequently, yet I never wish to when doing so 
 requires that your eyes should be taxed. To know that 
 you are destroying or endangering the happiness of 
 yourself and those around you produces more pain than 
 the receipt of a letter can compensate for. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 In the preceding letter allusion is made by Major 
 Jackson to his nervousness. In this connection it 
 may be mentioned that General D. H. Hill, a 
 brother-in-lajv of Jackson, and who was well ac 
 quainted with him, in writing of him, says Jackson 
 was a very nervous man ; " that the muscles of his 
 face would twitch convulsively when a battle was 
 about to open, and his hand would tremble so that 
 he could not write. This only indicated weak nerves 
 and not timidity. I think that he loved danger for 
 its own sake, and though his nervous system was 
 weak, he gloried in battle and never shrank from its 
 dangers or its responsibilities." Similar nervous 
 ness to that described by General Hill is common 
 
 1 " The Real Stonewall Jackson," Centttry Magazine, February, 1894. 
 By permission. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 197 
 
 with sportsmen in the excitement of deer and fox 
 chasing, etc., and has no relation whatever to fear or 
 timidity. Your common bully is not a nervous man, 
 and yet nothing is better attested, as is well known, 
 than to find him the shirker in battle. He was often 
 the coward, and his personal safety was his predom 
 inating thought. An excellent article on "Stone 
 wall " Jackson recently appeared in the Press over 
 the signature of Mr. I. C. Haas, of Washington, 
 D. C., wherein he mentions Jackson s lips quivering 
 when giving his terse command, " Push forward, 
 men. Push forward." 
 
 Lexington^ Va. t April /, 1853. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Time as it passes brings me to the renewal of the 
 pleasant duty of writing to my sister. Though there is 
 nothing here of which I am aware that can be of interest 
 to you, beyond what may be felt in an only brother, yet 
 pleasure results from the mere act of writing to you. 
 Our lives have been checkered in a most marked manner, 
 and we are still, notwithstanding all the ill omens of our 
 youth, living even beyond the usual period of human 
 life, and I trust that before us are the brightest of our 
 days. In taking a retrospective view of my own life, 
 each year has opened, as I consider, with increased 
 promise. And with my present views, the future is hold 
 ing richer stores in reserve. ... I too have crosses, 
 and am at times deeply afflicted, but however sore may 
 be the trials, they lose their poignancy, and instead of 
 producing injury, I feel that I am but improved by the 
 ordeal. But how is this accomplished? By throwing 
 
198 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 myself upon the protection of Him whose law book is 
 the wonderful Bible. My dear sister, I would not part 
 with this book for countless universes. I feel ready to 
 make every sacrifice to carry out the will of Him who so 
 loved us as to give His only begotten son to die for me. 
 How exceeding great must have been that love. The 
 more I learn, the more dear does the precious volume ap 
 pear to be to me. ... I derive much pleasure from 
 morning walks, in which is to be enjoyed the pure sweet 
 ness of carolling birds. The weather is delightful at pres 
 ent ; our peach trees are beginning to bloom, and in the 
 course of a few more weeks the forests will be clad with 
 verdure. Judge Brockenbrough s law school has closed 
 its session, and George Lurty has returned home, after 
 having passed a profitable winter. If he will only make 
 the best of his faculties, a brilliant career may be ex 
 pected as his reward. He possesses talents of a high 
 
 order. I have not heard from Cousin H for a long 
 
 time ; it appears that she has forgotten me. Some time 
 since Cousin Sylvanus (White) wrote to me, and stated 
 that he was at home, visiting his parents, but expected in 
 a few days to leave for the West. 1 Talk to the children 
 for me as I would were I with you. Remember me 
 very kindly to the whole family, and to all inquiring rela 
 tives and friends. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 1 A cousin who resided in California, and whose letters have been 
 quoted from herein. 
 
XIV 
 HOME LIFE (1853-1854) 
 
 ABOUT this period Major Jackson s admi 
 ration for a young lady of Lexington 
 developed into an attachment which was 
 evidently reciprocated, for their engagement soon 
 followed. While this fact is not disclosed in his 
 correspondence, yet in the light of subsequent events 
 a number of incidents are mentioned upon which to 
 have based such a conclusion. The next letter is 
 dated : 
 
 Lexington, Rockbridge County, Va. t 
 
 April 15, 1853. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Our spring is opening beautifully, though it is 
 said to be late. I wish that I could only be with you 
 this evening. Ah ! Not this evening only, but many 
 evenings. I am invited to a large party to-night, and 
 among the scramble, expect to come in for my share of 
 fun. I wish that you would send me by return mail the 
 daguerreotype which I had taken in New York after 
 having shaved. The one with the beard on was taken at 
 New Orleans soon after my return from Mexico. This 
 last one I wish you to keep safely, as I prize it highly. 
 If you remember I gave you two others, one being taken 
 with a stern countenance, and the other with a smile. It 
 is the smiling one which I want ; and don t fail to send it 
 
 199 
 
200 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 well enveloped by the first mail. If you wish it to be 
 returned, I will try and do so in a few months, or else a 
 better one in its stead, as I think that your brother is a 
 better looking man than he was when that was taken. It 
 may be that you have not got the one which I had taken 
 with the beard on ; if not, it is lost. I am anxious to get 
 father s miniature in order to have a fac-simile of it taken ; 
 but do not trust it to the mail. I believe that you let 
 
 Cousin have the grum looking one which I gave 
 
 you. Ungrateful girl that she is, I am going to write her 
 in a few days such a letter as such conduct in a pretty 
 cousin merits. I hope that you are out of bed and able 
 to enjoy the comforts of domestic life. Kiss the children 
 and tell them a great many things, such as their uncle 
 would tell them were he in their company. Remember 
 me very kindly to Mr. Arnold, and to all the family and 
 to all inquiring relatives and friends. Should any person 
 be coming here, I would be glad to get my Blair s 
 " Rhetoric." Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 The expression in the preceding letter, following 
 the statement that he was invited to a large party 
 to-night, " and among the scramble expect to come 
 in for my share of fun," will doubtless astonish those 
 who knew General Jackson in later years, but not 
 any more so than it would myself, did it not recall to 
 memory some recollections from my early childhood, 
 and also certain incidents that were related to me by 
 his boyhood companions. The inquiry about the 
 daguerreotype, coupled with the request for the 
 early forwarding of the same, and the exuberance of 
 spirit manifest in the letter, would indicate the en- 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 201 
 
 gagement referred to. The miniature mentioned in 
 this letter is a very beautiful portrait of General 
 Jackson s father, on ivory, two and a half by three 
 inches in size, mounted in a plain gold frame, and 
 was the bridal present from his father, Jonathan 
 Jackson, to his mother, Julia Beckwith Neale, and 
 which at her death she bequeathed to her infant 
 daughter Laura, afterwards my mother. Just before 
 the latter s death, within the last few years, she ex 
 pressly requested that this miniature be placed in a 
 public museum, and which request has been com 
 plied with, Miss Grace Arnold, her granddaughter, 
 having placed it in the Confederate Museum in 
 Richmond, Virginia. The next letter was written 
 from Lexington under date of June 6, 1853. 
 
 MY DEAREST AND ONLY SlST^R I 
 
 Your melancholy letter has brought tears to my 
 eyes. Yet I would never have you conceal anything 
 from me because of the pain which it may cause me. If 
 your health is really as you state, I would rather know it. 
 . . . What, my dear sister, is this life, and all its joys, 
 compared with that which is to come? How happy 
 would I be did I but know that beyond this probationary 
 life we should be together forever more ; there with those 
 who have gone before us, to enjoy endless happiness. 
 . . . I shall leave here as soon as my vacation will 
 permit, and hope to be with you by the I2th of July, 
 if not before. I had designed making you a visit this 
 summer, but did not know whether it would be before or 
 after my return from the North. I have business which 
 calls me to New York City this summer, and I was 
 
202 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 desirous of going to some more distant places. You 
 
 speak of Dr. B s son. I wish that it was in my 
 
 power to do him a service, but being here as a professor, 
 I ought not to abuse my trust in any way. I wrote to 
 the doctor in reference to his son, but I believe omitted 
 to state that in his letter to the superintendent of the In 
 stitute he should state that he was unable to educate his 
 son himself. When he calls to see you I wish that you 
 would mention this to him, and also tell him that Col. 
 Samuel L. Hayes is on the new Board of Visitors for 
 your place. I most sincerely hope that his son will get 
 the appointment ; and if there is anything which I can do 
 for him consistently with my duty as professor, it shall be 
 done with a great deal of pleasure. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Major Jackson visited my parents in accordance 
 with his intention as expressed in the preceding 
 letter, but his sojourn with us was for but a brief 
 period of time as compared with previous visits, 
 probably not extending beyond a fortnight. His de 
 parture late in July was a great disappointment to 
 all, as his visits to us invariably were happy oc 
 casions, and as much so for the children as for the 
 other members of the household, as we were all very 
 fond of him ; and in his walks and visits in the neigh 
 boring vicinity he almost always, to my great pleasure, 
 had me accompany him. My impression is that dur 
 ing this visit the family inferred that he was much 
 interested in some lady, but who the particular one 
 was he did not disclose, nor was there any intimation 
 of anything of so serious a nature as matrimony con- 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 203 
 
 templated. The first letter to my mother after leav 
 ing" our home was written from the Rockbridge Alum 
 Springs of date : 
 
 August 3, 1853. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I arrived here yesterday in good health and expect 
 to leave for the North this evening via Lexington. There 
 are about five hundred visitors here at present, and the 
 accommodations are nearly exhausted ; and in a few days 
 it is quite probable that persons will from necessity be 
 turned off. I hope that Stark 1 has quite recovered. 
 Remember me very kindly to all the family, and to all 
 other inquiring relatives and friends. ... I am 
 scarce of paper. Tell Miss Eliza 2 that she must be on 
 the lookout for something in relation to me, and in 
 reference to which she called my attention. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 P. S. Say to Dr. B that I did not hand in the 
 
 list for John because of its having already been done. 
 
 As remarked in the opening sentence of the last 
 letter, " I expect to leave for the North this evening 
 via Lexington." This, taken in connection with the 
 message for the maiden friend contained in the clos 
 ing paragraph, was not sufficient to give intimation 
 to the sister of what was in contemplation. His stop 
 over in Lexington was of short duration, long enough, 
 however, for the ceremony uniting him in marriage 
 to Miss Eleanor Junkin, the attractive and highly 
 cultured daughter of the Reverend Dr. George Junkin, 
 
 1 My brother. T. J. A. 2 A maiden friend of the family. 
 
204: EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 president of Washington College, located at Lexing 
 ton. The bride was a most lovely, amiable and ac 
 complished lady, who won the hearts of all with 
 whom she came in contact. I distinctly remember 
 the visit of the uncle and his wife the following 
 summer of 1854 to the home of my parents, and 
 how all the family were delighted and charmed with 
 the uncle s bride. It would seem that Miss Junkin 
 had exacted a promise from Major Jackson to dis 
 close to no one the fact of the contemplated mar 
 riage, which she intended should be a surprise to all 
 except her immediate family ; and in his strict con 
 ception of the sanctity of his word he extended the 
 obligation to include his sister, and the failure to in 
 form her of the expected event proved a sore wound 
 to her feelings, and one that was slow in the healing. 
 Mrs. Elizabeth Preston Allan, in writing of Major 
 Jackson s first wife, thus describes her : " Eleanor 
 was only a few years younger than Margaret (her 
 sister, Mrs. Preston, the poetess) and the two sisters 
 had be*en devoted and inseparable friends, dressing 
 alike, walking and riding together, sharing the same 
 room, the same duties, the same recreations. Elea 
 nor was less shy than Margaret. . . . She also 
 had more pretensions to beauty, and was of a mer 
 rier, more social disposition. . . . Her religious 
 faith, having the simplicity of a trustful child, . * . 
 made her one of the sunniest, happiest of beings. 
 This brightness of temper, and a calm, clear judg 
 ment, Eleanor inherited from her lovely mother ; and 
 these gracious qualities made Margaret the more de- 
 
MISS ELEANOR JUNKIN, 
 Jackson s first wife. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 205 
 
 pendent upon her sister." l A number of letters of 
 this period are evidently missing, as the first one 
 following his marriage was written several weeks 
 after his return to Lexington and bears date Oc 
 tober 19, 1853. 
 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Some time since, when Mr. Tanner, the daguer- 
 rean, was passing through here on his way to Beverley, I 
 availed myself of his kindness to send you and Grace and 
 Thomas the little purchases which I made last summer, 
 and I hope that they reached you safely. I should have 
 sent father s miniature also, but upon reflection thought 
 it would be better to defer doing so until a more favor 
 able opportunity should present itself. I hope that Mr. 
 Tanner called to see you ; he is a very worthy person 
 and one in whose integrity I have much confidence. 
 The weather here is beautiful, and I am enjoying life. 
 To me my wife is a great source of happiness. She has 
 those requisites of which I used to speak to you, and 
 sends her love to you. Tell Mrs. Hille that I have not 
 yet learned the result of the application, but that it shall 
 be followed up until some answer shall be obtained. In 
 my last letter I spoke of being in Philadelphia. We re 
 mained there from Saturday until Monday, when we 
 proceeded to West Point, where I was delighted with my 
 early associations ; the beautiful plain, the frowning ruins 
 of Fort Putnam, the majestic river, and magnificent 
 scenery all conspired to enhance my happiness, which 
 had already been of a high order. The ladies 2 also 
 
 1 " Margaret Junkin Preston, Life and Letters." 
 
 * His wife and her sister, Miss Maggie Junkin, afterwards Mrs. J. T. L. 
 Preston, who accompanied the newly weds on their bridal trip. T. J. A, 
 
206 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 were much pleased with it. After remaining there until 
 about twelve o clock next day, we resumed our route for 
 Niagara Falls. This of all natural curiosities is the most 
 sublime and imposing which has ever come under my 
 observation. We put up at the Cataract House, which 
 is on the American side, and the next morning crossed 
 over to Goat s Island which separates the Falls into two 
 parts ; that part on the east of the island is called the 
 American Falls, and that on the west side the Canadian. 
 The latter is much the larger, by reason of the greater 
 quantity of water which passes down on this side of the 
 island. The Canadian Falls are called the horseshoe, 
 the toe being up-stream. When looking at this wonder 
 of nature I desired to be left to my own uninterrupted 
 thoughts. It lulls the mind and forbids interruption. It 
 calls for its entire and undivided contemplation. More 
 of this in my next. Remember me very kindly to Mr. 
 Arnold, the family and all inquiring relatives and friends. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Le&ington, Va. t November 30, 1853. 
 MY DEAR SISTER . 
 
 I hope that upon the receipt of this you will be 
 induced to break your long silence. Do not think that 
 because I am married that I would not be glad to re 
 ceive a letter from you. I am going to the wedding of 
 one of my old bachelor friends this evening ; his name 
 is Massie, a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute. 
 The lady is Miss Sophonisba B. McDowell, daughter 
 of the late Governor McDowell. At present my health 
 is affected by a cold in the head ; but to such things in 
 my own case I attach but little importance, for with care 
 they are broken up in a few days. My wife is in goodi 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 207 
 
 health, and sends her love to you and the family. 
 Things here are working smoothly ; the weather is fine, 
 and I am much pleased with the coming prospects. Give 
 my love to Mr. Arnold and the rest of the family. Tell 
 
 Mrs. H that I saw the gentleman to whom I made 
 
 application in her case but a few days since, and that he 
 said he had not been able to do anything for her as yet. 
 . . . Tell her not to be too sanguine about success 
 for fear that she may be disappointed. In my opinion 
 something will be done. I believe at the close of my 
 last letter I was making some remarks upon Niagara, 
 and had probably finished them. After leaving there 
 we proceeded in a carriage down, and in view of, the 
 Niagara River for a few miles to Lewiston, where we 
 took a steamer and crossed to Lake Ontario, on our way 
 to the St. Lawrence River ; and at dawn next morning 
 we were amid a cluster of islands, called The Thousand 
 Islands, which present an extremely beautiful aspect. 
 And they are probably a thousand in number, some 
 almost covered by bare and rugged rocks and crags, 
 and others beautifully varied with forests of northern 
 growth. I enjoyed the scene very much. During the 
 day we passed through the perilous rapids of that re 
 markable river. In passing one of them we took on 
 board a special pilot of large and athletic dimensions. 
 After thus passing a very pleasant day, we arrived safely 
 at Montreal. To be remembered to all inquiring rel 
 atives and friends is the request of your only brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 P. S. You may form some idea of one of the rapids 
 from the circumstance that though we were on a high 
 decked steamer, yet the spray was thrown entirely over 
 her prow so as to fall upon her deck. T. J. J. 
 
208 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 Lexington , Va. t February 14, 1853. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your long-looked-for letter arrived at last. I 
 hope that you may not have a return of the sore mouth, 
 but that you may be blessed with better health than in 
 
 past years. It is very singular that Mr. T neglected 
 
 to give the things intrusted to him ; possibly he changed 
 his route after having seen me and did not pass through 
 Beverley. I wish that I could get Tom some suitable 
 books here. I may have an opportunity of getting some 
 by the time that any person from this place goes to 
 Beverley. I send you a lock of Ellie s hair ; this she 
 reluctantly parts with because of its color, which she 
 hopes may prove more acceptable to your taste than it 
 has ever been to hers. My message to you is that you 
 must prize it very highly as being the token of a sister s 
 love and from a brother s wife. Send us a lock of your 
 hair, and also one from Grace. Tell her to give me the 
 prettiest she has, so that I may look at it when I am so 
 far off that I cannot see her pretty face. Tell her 
 furthermore that I have told her aunt that Grace is very 
 pretty, and her conduct must be as good as her face. 
 Ellie joins me in love to you and the family. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington, Va. t March 4, 1854. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your kind letter was gladly received and read. 
 Permit me to congratulate myself upon being the uncle 
 of another niece whom I hope will be as pretty as 
 Grace. I hope that you will accept of my kindest con 
 gratulations and give the same to Mr. Arnold. As yet 
 I have heard nothing of Mr. Tanner. I hope that Mrs, 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 209 
 
 Hille is improving in health. I am anxious about her 
 claim ; no recent account has been given me in reference 
 to it. Should nothing be reported to me before summer 
 I shall go to Staunton in person and see about it. Until 
 that time my occupation requires me to be at the Insti 
 tute. We have recently been called to mourn the death 
 of my mother-in-law. She, without any apparent un 
 easy concern, passed into that unseen world, where the 
 weary are at rest. Her life was such as to attract around 
 her many warm friends, and if she had any enemy in this 
 world, it was and continues to be a secret to me. Hers 
 was a Christian life, and hers was a Christian death. 
 She had been afflicted with rheumatism for several 
 months previous to the close of her life, and on Saturday 
 preceding her death she had the return of a malady 
 which had formerly afflicted her. On the 23d of Feb 
 ruary, about three o clock P. M., her husband told her 
 that her end had come ; she asked how long she could 
 live ; he told her that probably two or three hours, and 
 although the physicians had the same day pronounced 
 her symptoms favorable, she appeared perfectly recon 
 ciled. She said that she was not afraid to die, and that 
 she found Jesus precious to her soul. When asked by 
 one of her daughters what they should do without her, 
 she replied that the Lord -would provide. She was 
 strongly attached to her family and they to her ; yet she 
 appeared to have no concern about what would become 
 of herself or family, such was her complete confidence 
 in the promises of the Bible. She felt assured that God 
 would provide for her family, and she felt that she was 
 going to her Saviour, with whom she expected to enjoy 
 unending happiness. She asked us to kiss her and told 
 her children to live near to Jesus and to be kind to one 
 
210 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 another. Her death was no leaping into the dark. She 
 died in the bright hope of an unending immortality of 
 happiness. . . . Remember me very kindly to each 
 member of the family. My wife sends her love also. 
 Remember me to all inquiring relatives and friends. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington , Va. t April 7, 1854.. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 As I received your letter day before yesterday 
 and was desirous of answering it by the return mail I 
 could only say a few words. I am not certain whether 
 the physician mentioned in your letter was the same 
 whom I have heard of as the lecturer in the north or 
 not ; if he is, as I before stated, I should not much ad 
 mire his character ; though he might be a good doctor 
 notwithstanding. Yet I would not like such a man for 
 my physician if I could get a good one whose moral 
 character would receive my approbation. If this is not 
 the lecturer I know nothing about him. I hope that by 
 the time you receive this that your health will have 
 much improved. ... I received a letter a few days 
 since from Aunt Clementine Neale ; she and Uncle 
 Alfred 1 had been south to see Uncle Thornton 2 and 
 Wirt ; 3 but a short time before they reached Uncle Thorn 
 ton s, Wirt had gone to California. She tells me that 
 Wirt is a very tall man and Uncle Thornton has a very 
 high opinion of him. Uncle Minor s 4 wife lost her last 
 husband in New Orleans some months since, and she is 
 
 1 Mr. Alfred Neale, a brother of his mother. 
 
 3 Mr. Thornton Neale, residing in Indiana, a brother of his mother. 
 
 3 Wirt Woodson, his half-brother. 
 
 4 Mr. Minor Neale, a deceased brother of his mother. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 211 
 
 consequently again thrown upon her father s protection. 
 I have also received a letter from Uncle John White ; 
 his health has improved, and that of his family is gen 
 erally good. Uncle George White s family at last ac 
 counts was well. . . . Let me hear from you soon. 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington, Va. t May 2, 1854.. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I chanced to be at the hotel yesterday when 
 Dr. White was passing through town and was much 
 pleased at meeting him. It served to some extent the 
 purpose of seeing you, as I thereby had an opportunity 
 of seeing some one who had recently been with my sister. 
 He told me that you had written to me, and after the 
 post-office had opened I received the letter. The Mass l 
 of which you speak I would send to you had the doctor 
 not have procured it before seeing me ; he told me that 
 he had found it in the shop of some doctor as he was 
 coming to Lexington. Should you wish any more at any 
 time let me know, and I will procure it for you. I do 
 hope that little Tom is free from that dreadful disease, 
 the scrofula. I trust that your apprehensions may prove 
 groundless ; but it is always best to be wide awake and 
 not permit ourselves to be taken by surprise. I hope 
 that your health may continue to improve. The poor 
 little babe what can be the matter with it ? I suppose 
 that is difficult to decide in so young a child, but let us 
 hope for the best while we continue to be prepared for 
 the worst. Ellie s face has not entirely recovered, but I 
 
 1 Rock strongly impregnated with alum which, placed in a vessel con 
 taining water, soon imparts that property to the water. At the period in 
 which this letter was written it was much used by invalids. 
 
212 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 am of the opinion that time will effect a perfect restora 
 tion. Remember me very kindly to Mr. Arnold and all 
 the inquiring relatives and friends. Tell Thomas and the 
 other children that I love them and that they must be 
 good children. Ellie joins me in love to you all. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 P. S. Tell Thomas that I am sorry that he is sick and 
 that I wish that I could do something for him. 
 
 T. J. J. 
 
 Lexington, Va. t june 12, 1854.. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your sorrowful letter came safe. Your loss is one 
 which I have never been called upon to bear up under ; 
 I can well conceive of the tender union which is thus 
 sundered. You have my sympathy. ... I have 
 committed the hair to Ellie s keeping. I am not certain 
 that we will come to Beverley this summer, though, 
 should we do so, I will write to you beforehand. I am 
 glad to hear that the other children are doing so well. 
 Enclosed is the ribbon. I hope that it will please you. 
 It was the prettiest that Ellie could find. Should there 
 be any other articles that I can procure you, it will give 
 me pleasure to do so. I am not certain about my elec 
 tion, but be the result as it may, my friends have acted 
 nobly in my cause. I am very much pressed at this time 
 with studies and letter writing, though a few more weeks 
 
 will close our session. Tell Dr. B that his son is in 
 
 good health. All of my wife s family are at home now, 
 with the exception of one brother, who is in Pennsyl 
 vania. . . . One of her brothers who is a lawyer in 
 Philadelphia has brought home his bride, having married 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 213 
 
 last Thursday. I am endeavoring to get an answer 
 
 about Mrs. H s money, and if I do not get it soon, I 
 
 shall go and see about it in person, and will have the 
 matter settled either one way or the other. Remember 
 me to her and to all my other friends. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 P. S. Remember me very kindly to each member 
 of the family and my other relatives. 
 
XV 
 HOME LIFE Continued (1854-1855) 
 
 THE last preceding letter to his sister, one of 
 consolation, was written by Major Jackson 
 in reply to a letter received by him from 
 her conveying the intelligence of the death of her 
 youngest child, in infancy. The election mentioned 
 in the same letter has reference to a vacancy which 
 had occurred in the Chair of Mathematics at the 
 University of Virginia in consequence of the death 
 of Professor Courtenay. Major Jackson was an 
 applicant for the vacant professorship. Whether for 
 the reason that the position sought was more re 
 munerative than the one he then filled, or for 
 other reasons not disclosed, be that as it may, the 
 efforts of his friends, though they forcefully presented 
 and urged his election, were unsuccessful, as will 
 appear later, and he continued to occupy his chair at 
 the Institute. There can be little doubt that the 
 failure to obtain this professorship at the university 
 had quite a bearing on his subsequent career. A 
 transfer at that date to an institution entirely the 
 opposite of anything military, and a continuance in 
 that position for the years intervening between that 
 time and the commencement of the Civil War, would 
 have so completely eliminated Major Jackson from 
 the military arm of the state that it is not at all likely 
 
 214 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 215 
 
 that his name would have been as much to the fore 
 as it was when hostilities commenced. As the situ 
 ation was, he was identified with the Military Depart 
 ment of his state, the Virginia Military Institute. 
 He had been ordered to Harper s Ferry and Charles- 
 town, in command of the cadets, in the John Brown 
 affair. This had aided in keeping him in the public 
 mind as a military man ; and wherever his name was 
 mentioned, it caused to be revived the very creditable 
 and flattering reputation gained by him in Mexico ; 
 so that when the Civil War came, so soon following 
 the John Brown insurrection, he was ordered to the 
 capital at Richmond with the cadets. And there in 
 the excitement of the times he appeared on the scene 
 as one of the prominent military men of the state, 
 one who had not only a most thorough military 
 education, but actual experience in war ; and who 
 had been in constant training and study in this, his 
 chosen profession, ever since. 
 
 He was at once selected and assigned to an im 
 portant independent command. It is hardly con 
 ceivable that such action would have been taken in 
 the case of a quiet reticent professor at an institution 
 of the character of the University of Virginia. Un 
 questionably, his services would have been placed at 
 the disposal of his state, and have been accepted, 
 and he without doubt would ultimately have gained 
 distinction. But with equal certainty one may feel 
 assured there would have been no such opportunity 
 as was in fact presented. Major Jackson doubtless 
 saw in the result if not at the time, later on in life 
 
216 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 another manifestation of Divine Providence in his 
 behalf. His defeat was received cheerfully and with 
 out question but that it was for his good. 
 
 In connection with the application of Major Jack 
 son for the vacant chair of mathematics at the 
 University of Virginia, the name of General Robert 
 E. Lee appears for the first time as associated in any 
 way with Jackson s career. Lee, who was ever care 
 ful and prudent in whatever he did, recommended 
 Jackson for election to this position. This would in 
 dicate that they had known a good deal of each 
 other, most probably in Mexico. And later as evinc 
 ing a like confidence in Lee and high estimate of his 
 ability, Jackson in a letter from Richmond of date 
 April 23, 1861, when it became known that General 
 Scott would remain with the United States army, 
 wrote, " It is understood that General Lee is to be com- 
 mander-in-chief ; I regard him as a better officer than 
 General Scott." l And then, at a still later period, 
 " That Lee was the only man he would be willing to 
 follow blindfold." In the above estimate of Lee Jack 
 son was only voicing what was later public sentiment. 
 
 Lee, who has been so aptly compared to Marcus 
 Aurelius, will, for all future time, or as long as civili 
 zation exists, be held up to the human race as a 
 model for mankind, in ability, in grace of person, 2 
 in poise and in purity and nobility of character. 
 
 1(1 Margaret Junkin Preston, Life, etc." 
 
 9 General Robert E. Lee was by far the handsomest man I ever saw. 
 I have heard many persons express a similar opinion. I have never heard 
 any one say that they ever saw as handsome a man. T. J. A. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 217 
 
 In tracing Lee s lineage one cannot but wonder 
 what manner of man was William Randolph of Tur 
 key Island, Virginia, the progenitor of such a trio as 
 Chief Justice Marshall, Thomas Jefferson and Robert 
 E. Lee. 1 What a combination and what a diversifi 
 cation of intellect. 
 
 To the delight of our family Major Jackson and 
 his wife concluded to spend the summer vacation 
 with my parents, as will appear from the following 
 note: 
 
 Lexington, Va.,July /, 1854.. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Ellie and myself hope to be with you this day week 
 
 Saturday. I wish you would say to Mrs. H that 
 
 I have failed in my efforts to procure her any assistance. 
 I much regret this. I do not know of any person belong 
 ing to the Staunton Lodge who would have been more 
 likely of success than Mr. Watts, the gentleman to whom 
 I entrusted it. Excuse this hasty note as I am much 
 pressed with business. Mr. Bledsoe, of Kentucky, was 
 elected at the university to the chair for which I was a 
 candidate. Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 P. S. MY DEAR LAURA : 
 
 The Major is so busy with his duties at the Insti 
 tute that he has commissioned me to finish this letter for 
 him ; indeed I have scarcely seen him to-day. He wishes 
 me to say to you that he hopes you will not exert your 
 self by making any preparations to receive us ; he does 
 
 1 On the authority of the late Hon. J. Ran. Tucker, of Virginia. After 
 wards confirmed by the well-known genealogist, the late Mr. Wilson 
 Miles Carey, of Baltimore. 
 
218 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 not want you to weary yourself or injure your health on 
 our account. The weather is so extremely warm just 
 now that we quite fear the ride in the stage, but we hope 
 to find it cooler further among the mountains. 
 
 Yours affectionately, 
 
 ELLIE J. JACKSON. 
 
 The uncle and aunt arrived at our home in Bever- 
 ley as indicated, and remained, as I now recall, until 
 sometime in August. A period now came in Major 
 Jackson s life where his faith and trust in God was 
 subjected to its strongest tension. To a man of his 
 temperament and nature, his love was intense. To 
 have the object of this love torn from him without 
 warning was a death blow to him, save for his im 
 plicit childlike trust in his God. No one will ever 
 know the weight of that blow, and the veil should 
 not be lifted that concealed the wound. He met and 
 bore this great affliction with his accustomed forti 
 tude, and was nearer, as a result, could that be 
 possible, to his Creator. It is related " That his grief 
 was so great as to seriously alarm his friends. Yet 
 even then he was most anxious not to sin by ques 
 tioning in his heart the wisdom and rectitude of God s 
 dealings with him. For a long time his taste for 
 secular occupations and pleasures was lost, and his 
 only aspirations pointed to the other world." 1 His 
 subsequent letters to his sister and other relatives 
 fully confirm the above statement. As illustrative of 
 his complete resignation, the following quotation is 
 
 i Dabney. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 219 
 
 given from a letter written by him to his wife s sister 
 (later Mrs. Preston), of date February 14, 1855 : " My 
 dear sister, from my heart I thank God that though 
 He has left me to mourn in human desolation He has 
 taken dear Ellie to Himself. I am well assured that 
 He left her with us to the latest moment consistent 
 with His glory, hers, yours, and my happiness. For 
 no good thing will He withhold from His children." l 
 Several of the letters written following the return 
 of Major Jackson and his wife to Lexington have 
 been lost. The first of those preserved is dated : 
 
 Lexington, Va. t November 14, 1854.. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 You must excuse this short letter and also my 
 not having written to you at an earlier day, for my eyes 
 have become so bad as to make me very careful with 
 them. You wrote to me that should your health not 
 prevent your coming to see me, that I might have ex 
 pected your arrival several days since. I went to the 
 hotel to see whether you had attempted such a journey. 
 Though I would like to see you and appreciate your 
 very sisterly affection, yet I would not like for you to 
 attempt coming over such a road, with all its harass- 
 ments ; so do not attempt it. When my next vacation 
 will enable me to leave (which I cannot do now without 
 neglecting my duties) I trust that God will again permit 
 me to see your face. My dear Ellie thought to pass 
 over the stage route from here to Beverley was a hard 
 undertaking for her ; after she had returned home, she 
 was pleased with her visit. She has now gone on a 
 
 l " Margaret Junkin Preston, Life and Letters," page 74, 
 
220 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 glorious visit, though through a gloomy portal. Her 
 companions are of the Glorified Host. I look forward 
 with delight to the day when I shall join her. 
 
 Religion is all that I desire it to be. I am reconciled 
 for my loss and have joy and hope of a future reunion 
 where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary 
 are at rest. I am much obliged to you for your kind 
 desire to come and stay with Ellie. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington^ Va., February 20, 1855. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I have learned with pleasure that your health has 
 improved and I hope that you may not for many a day 
 to come have to take any more medicine. I have gone 
 to both of our bookstores but in neither one could be 
 found the books which you require. If you desire it 
 and will let me know I will get one of our merchants, 
 when in Philadelphia next month, to get them if they 
 are to be had. The spelling book is here, but the others 
 I doubt whether they will ever be here, unless spe 
 cially ordered. I have just written to Wirt ; I ought to 
 have done so some time since, but have been prevented 
 by my eyes. He is at Mount Vernon, Ind., where he 
 recently returned from California. He saw hard times 
 and was glad to get back even with his life, though he 
 brought some money. My eyes are improving, but still 
 I have to be careful with them ; the spots continue to 
 float before them. I am obliged to you for your kind 
 suggestion not to hurt them even in writing to you. 
 Maggie has been in Philadelphia for about three months 
 
 i His half-brother. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 221 
 
 for her health. 1 Is there anything of dear Ellie s which 
 you would like to have her pencil, her glasses, or any 
 thing else ? 
 
 Love to all, your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington, Va. t March 20, 1855. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I some time since received a letter from Wirt in 
 which he stated that he was at Uncle Alfred Neale s, 
 and that he intended going to your house as soon as the 
 weather should settle. He requested me to answer him 
 immediately, directing my letter to him at Beverley. I 
 at once replied, and I suppose that the letter has reached 
 its destination ere this. He writes a good hand and a 
 sensible letter. He expresses his intention of going to 
 California, or his desire to do so. This I hope he will 
 relinquish. I am inclined to the belief that he would 
 probably do as well by making civil engineering his pro 
 fession as at anything else to which he could turn his 
 attention under present circumstances. But of this I 
 cannot speak definitely. He must judge of this for him 
 self. Try and get him to stay with you if you can until 
 I come. And get him to study arithmetic, geography 
 and history ; and for this purpose lend him Rollin s 
 "Ancient History." If Wirt will study Latin I will 
 give him lessons during the summer, and put him in the 
 way of learning it, so that he can teach Thomas. I will 
 also, if he will consent to do so, give him instruction in 
 the different sciences of algebra, geometry, and in en 
 gineering and other branches of education, and bring 
 
 *Miss Margaret Junkin, later Mrs. Preston, the poetess, and sister of 
 his late wife. 
 
222 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 with me the necessary books. If he thinks that it will 
 take up too much time for this kind of an education he 
 can take enough for an engineer in the course of a few 
 months. He can then commence the practice on some 
 of our internal improvements. I have an idea that he 
 might succeed well in this sphere of life. He could, 
 whilst practising his profession, make himself a good 
 historian, but it would be the safer plan to get a good 
 education before he commences. I hope that for the 
 present Wirt will conclude to teach, and then he can, 
 as he progresses with his education, decide on his pro 
 fession. I am anxious to know as soon as practicable 
 his determination. I think that the plan of staying in 
 Beverley and taking up a school is the proper one for 
 him, if all things are favorable to it, so far as obtaining 
 Mr. Arnold s approbation and a moderate school. I 
 send you two styles of writing but I would not advise 
 the use of but one. If you would let me know which 
 you have selected I can send you on others when 
 wanted. I bought four papers of seed but can only 
 find three. If you will name the kind of seed you want 
 I think that I can probably get them, for there is a 
 variety here, but I am unable to select for fear that you 
 may have them or that they will not suit your taste. 
 Remember me very kindly to Wirt when he arrives, 
 to Mr. A - , to all the family and to all inquiring 
 friends and relatives. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington^ Va., April 4, 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your letter of the 3<Dth ult. and Thomas s came 
 by this day s mail. . . . Wirt told me in his letter 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 223 
 
 that he was not qualified for any occupation except farm 
 ing and that he did not have the means for this. I 
 therefore make two offers to him : one is to purchase a 
 farm worth a thousand dollars and let him go on it and 
 have all that he can make ; the other is a system of edu 
 cation which I have already stated to you. Now, if you 
 could let him know this in such a manner as to be ac 
 ceptable to him, I wish you to do so. If you think that 
 such cannot be done then let me know it. He ought not 
 to feel hurt at any assistance which I offer to give him, 
 because he is my brother. Should he conclude to go on 
 the farm I want him to read during his spare time, and 
 having a good memory he can become a good historian. 
 Should he prefer going on a farm I think it would be 
 well to select one in such a location as will enable him 
 easily to dispose of his produce. He might in a few 
 years be able to refund the money and I would not 
 charge him any interest. I have not got a thousand 
 dollars on hand now, but expect to have in a few months. 
 Wirt might be looking him out a suitable farm so that 
 when I come West we could go together and see it. I 
 am sorry that your eyes are so much impaired, but hope 
 that they will be better before this reaches you. I will 
 recommend you to fill a basin full of water, and put your 
 face under the water, and hold your eyes open in it as 
 long as you can hold your breath. Just do this once 
 whenever your eyes are very painful. This is the course 
 which I am now pursuing. I do it about six times a day 
 in cold water ; and the water should be as cold as when 
 just drawn from the well or taken from the river. My 
 eyes are quite bad at present. Don t write, but make 
 Thomas do it for you. I will be glad if Wirt would 
 write to me. Tell Thomas that I shall answer his letter 
 
224 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 in a few days. And that I am very thankful to him for 
 it. Tell him that I am much pleased with his good 
 spelling. I sent the primer and reader by the last mail. 
 Give my love to all the family and to Wirt. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington, Va. t june /, 1855. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Day before yesterday I received a letter from 
 Wirt written at Uncle Alfred s. 1 He says that his 
 health has improved and that he plowed nearly all the 
 preceding day. He also states that there is a school a 
 short distance below the island and that he wants to go 
 to school there when his health is sufficiently reestab 
 lished. He says that he likes Mr. Arnold very much 
 and that you treated him like a brother. I am pleased 
 with his letter and if he continues at Uncle Alfred s I 
 want to visit him this summer. He writes plainly and 
 sensibly. I hope that before this you have recovered at 
 least the usual use of your eyes, and that all things are 
 moving on pleasantly. How is Thomas getting along 
 with his studies ? This is a rainy day here, but is rather 
 brighter than it was early in the morning. I have re 
 ceived the railing for dear Ellie s grave, and this summer 
 expect to take steps for the tombstones to be brought 
 from Philadelphia. I intend to have them of Italian 
 marble. The iron railing is neat and when put up it will 
 be about three feet high. Pure and lovely companion of 
 my happier days, I feel that she has entered upon the 
 blissful enjoyment of which the human mind cannot have 
 a clear conception. Ere many long years roll by I hope 
 
 1 His Uncle Alfred Neale of near Parkersburg. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 225 
 
 to be with her, where there will be no more separation. 
 We loved each other on earth ; and shall that love be dimin 
 ished in eternity ? I do not believe it, but on the con 
 trary will be greatly enhanced. Had I one request on 
 earth to ask in accordance with my own feelings and 
 apart from duty, it would be that I might join her before 
 the close of another day after this. I have many pleas 
 ures here, but I believe that there are greater in reserve 
 beyond this life. If you want me to bring anything in 
 July, let me know in your next. Give my love to all the 
 family, and to all inquiring relatives and friends. 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 Lexington, Va., June //, 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I wrote to Wirt a few days since and expressed 
 my intention of visiting him this summer, if he continues 
 at Uncle Alfred s, which appeared to be his intention 
 when he last wrote to me, unless his health should 
 sufficiently recover to justify him in going to school. 
 From his daguerreotype which he sent me I think that I 
 can observe a likeness to Warren. 1 I want you to secure 
 the services of some one for fixing me up some shirts, 
 and to commence about the loth of July. I do not want 
 anything done before I come home, as I want to have 
 them fixed after a certain way. And I do not know 
 whether I will want any new ones or not until I see you 
 about the ones which I already have. I expect to leave 
 here on the 5th of July ; and if the arrangements are the 
 same as when dear Ellie and I visited you, I shall try and 
 be with you before the close of the week. My visit does 
 
 1 Warren Jackson, his deceased elder brother. 
 
226 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 not promise the pleasure of former ones. I shall see so 
 many things which I enjoyed in participation with Her. 
 I hope that you are all perfectly well. Tell Dr. B - 
 that I saw his son very recently and that he looks quite 
 well. Remember me very kindly to all the family, and 
 to all inquiring relatives and friends. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 The following letter represents Major Jackson en 
 gaged in a pursuit requiring wisdom of a different 
 order from that of his usual routine duty, and one 
 from which the ordinary man would be supposed to 
 shrink with a feeling akin to fear and trembling. 
 Whether he carried out his avowed intentions in the 
 matter of the purchase of a lady s bonnet is not 
 known. One can only form a conjecture from the 
 course ordinarily pursued by him in other matters, 
 viz., that he usually did whatever he said he was 
 going to do. He seems to have had no fear as to 
 the proposed purchase giving satisfaction, his only 
 uneasiness being that it might get broken in trans 
 portation. The letter bears date : 
 
 Lexington, Va.,June 18, 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your letter postmarked loth instant came a few 
 days ago. . . . Julia 1 last week purchased two 
 collars for you, but she could not find a suitable belt. I 
 afterwards went in search of one, but with a similar re 
 sult. There are plenty of them but not such as pleases 
 me, so I intend postponing the purchase until I reach 
 
 1 His deceased wife s sister, afterwards Mrs. Fishburn. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 227 
 
 Staunton. I could get a bonnet, but I am afraid that it 
 would get broken. I shall think it over when I am in 
 Staunton. The shawl I have had no opportunity as yet 
 of sending for. I shall try and bring you some slips or 
 cuttings from dear Ellie s flowers. It will give me much 
 pleasure to teach Thomas while I am with you. . . . 
 I am much obliged for your kindness in reference to 
 shirts, but don t let anything be touched until I see you. 
 Wirt has not written since your last. Remember me 
 very kindly to Mrs. Hille and Miss Eliza and to other 
 inquiring friends. Give my love to all the family. I 
 hope that Aunt s and Cousin John s health have im 
 proved. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
XVI 
 LEXINGTON, VA. (1855-1856) 
 
 AT the close of the session at the Military In 
 stitute for the academic year, 1855, Major 
 Jackson came by stage-coach through the 
 mountains to our home. I well recall his visit at 
 this time. He was more serious in manner than I 
 had ever known him. I was too young to fully 
 realize that this was a result of his late bereavement. 
 He spent the greater part of his vacation with our 
 family. Going from Beverley, he made a short visit 
 in the neighborhood of his old home in Lewis 
 County, among his boyhood friends and relatives ; 
 he visited also at Clarksburg and, later, with his 
 relatives at Parkersburg, and in that vicinity. The 
 following letter is written from the home of his Uncle 
 Alfred Neale, on Neale s Island in the Ohio River, 
 located some four miles above Parkersburg, and is 
 dated : 
 
 Uncle Alfred s, August io t 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 The object of this note is to state that I was pre 
 vented from going on the Hall-place. But I learn that 
 there are six hundred, thirty-seven and a half acres to be 
 sold on the 2Oth of this month. This land is composed 
 of the Hall-place, the Schoolcraft place, and the Thorpe 
 
 228 
 
JACKSON THE PROFESSOR AT THE VIRGINIA MILI 
 TARY INSTITUTE. 
 
 " I would not part with the Bible for countless 
 universes." Page 198. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 229 
 
 place, none of which I wish to purchase. It is estimated 
 that it will go at from three to five thousand dollars, and 
 is by all regarded as valuable property. As my eyes 
 continue weak you must excuse this brief letter. Wirt 
 sends his love and thanks for the articles of clothing, and 
 says that he wants you to write to him ; that he has only 
 received one short note from you, though he has written 
 several letters. Uncle s family are in usual health. 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 From Parkersburg Major Jackson travelled down 
 the Ohio River by steamboat to Point Pleasant, 
 thence up the Kanawha River, including in his jour 
 ney the last home of his mother in Fayette County, 
 recalling no doubt to his mind the former sad visit 
 of himself and sister in their childhood to their 
 mother s dying bed. From this point he continued 
 by stage-coach to Lexington. The first letter ad 
 dressed to his sister after his return to his duties at 
 the Institute is dated : 
 
 Lexington, Va., September 3, 1855. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 As my eyes are still troubling me, you must ex 
 cuse this brief note. I left Wirt on Thursday, of week 
 before last, with the understanding that he would start 
 for Missouri on the following Monday. There he de 
 signed going to farming on some land which I expect to 
 purchase. He is to have some more schooling after he 
 gets located, and I hope that he will do well. He was 
 troubled about the promise which he made you of paying 
 you a visit. I advised him to go at once and select some 
 
230 EAKLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 place where he would like to live, and that I would write 
 to you. It was important that he should as soon as prac 
 ticable get fixed in some pursuit. His mind was unset 
 tled and flying from thing to thing. And it appears that 
 the course he was prevailed on to take is the best for 
 him. He had learned but very little at school previous 
 to my going to the river. But with the start I gave him 
 in grammar I hope that he will become a good gram 
 marian. I want him to study spelling, writing and 
 grammar. I hope that you will write to me soon ap 
 proving his course and excusing him from his promise. 
 I felt well satisfied that you would do so when I coun 
 selled him to at once locate himself. Give my love to all 
 the family. 
 
 Your affectionate brother. 
 
 I 
 
 Major Jackson was very much concerned about 
 his younger half-brother Wirt. The latter upon the 
 death of their mother, which occurred at or near the 
 time of his birth, was received into the home of his 
 mother s brother, Mr. Alfred Neale, of whom there 
 has been previous mention, and made his home with 
 him until manhood. In his early childhood he got 
 possession of some buckeyes or horse-chestnuts, con 
 sidered quite poisonous, and of which there were a 
 great quantity growing in a wild state on the island 
 where his uncle resided. The child ate of these be 
 fore the family were aware of what he was doing. 
 He was badly poisoned and his life was despaired 
 of ; and although he recovered, the effects therefrom 
 were apparent for many years. Whether his consti 
 tution was permanently impaired thereby or not is 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 231 
 
 unknown. Major Jackson was anxious to aid him 
 in every way possible. This half-brother later set 
 tled in southern Indiana, and became a successful 
 business man and respected citizen, but died at a 
 premature age. 
 
 In the introduction mention is made that as far 
 back as the years 1855-1856 Major Jackson in his 
 letters to his sister forecasted the war between the 
 states. The reader will find in the next several let 
 ters the expressions to which the allusion was made. 
 
 Lexington, Va. t October 6, 1855. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your letter of the 2/th of September came safely 
 and am obliged to you for your advice relative to Wirt. 
 I agree with you in regard to the course to be pursued. 
 . . . My arrangement as to the purchase of land is 
 this : That he should go out and make a selection of 
 such a farm as would fulfill certain conditions; and 
 previous to the purchase, the transaction must be ap 
 proved by Uncle Alfred Neale, in the event of his being 
 in Missouri at the time; if not, then Cousin William 
 Neale 1 must approve of it. I have received a letter from 
 Wirt dated September ipth in which he states that he 
 had reached William Neale s, but in going up the Mis 
 sissippi River the boat was snagged, and he left his berth 
 to go forward, leaving his purse under his pillow, and 
 when he returned it was gone. He says that the coun 
 try is very healthy, but that improved land is worth from 
 twenty-five to thirty dollars per acre. Cousin William 
 has advised him to go elsewhere, and he is going to look 
 
 1 A resident of the state of Missouri, 
 
EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 at the lands of Johnson County. He expressed himself 
 pleased with the country, and I hope that he may do 
 well. / do not want him to go into a free state if it can 
 be avoided , for he would probably become an abolitionist ; 
 and then in the event of trouble between North and South 
 he would stand on one side, and we on the opposite? Tell 
 Mr. Arnold that next year I want to go West and make 
 investments in land and would be glad could he go along 
 and make some purchases for himself if he desires to 
 make such. . . . Cousin William Neale has advised 
 Wirt to do as you recommended, namely, to raise stock ; 
 and I suppose that he will do so. When Wirt shall have 
 purchased land, then I expect to furnish him some 
 money to enable him to work it. ... I agree with 
 him that land in a free state rises most rapidly. But I 
 have a scheme on hand which I think you will approve 
 of and which I will give in my next. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington, Va., October, 1855. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your letter to Wirt appears to have had a good 
 influence on him, such as to relinquish his idea of return 
 ing to Indiana ; yet he has gone beyond what I author 
 ized him to do by purchasing a farm at eight dollars per 
 acre. I restricted him to seven at most. But, notwith 
 standing, if Cousin William Neale will approve of the 
 bargain, I have determined to advance eleven hundred 
 dollars. I well know that there is a risk, but it appears 
 to me that I ought to run this risk for him. He made 
 the purchase without consulting Cousin William, and it 
 1 Italics supplied. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 233 
 
 may be that he has been cheated. I have written to 
 Uncle Alfred to forward between seven and eight hun 
 dred dollars if he thinks it should be done, but with the 
 condition that the contract is to be approved by Cousin 
 William and the deed to be made out in my name. Wirt 
 says that he has paid ninety-five dollars on the purchase 
 money by selling his horse to the person from whom he 
 purchased. Mr. Thomas 1 left for home yesterday, and I 
 left at the house where he was staying a testament for 
 him to carry to Mrs. Hille. It may possibly be that it 
 was not delivered to him. Please let me know whether 
 
 Mrs. H gets it. He was not in when I left the 
 
 book, and he told me afterwards that he had not received 
 it ; but I requested him to ask for it before leaving. Tell 
 Mr. Arnold that I want to get about two thousand acres 
 of land warrant ; and ask him whether he could purchase 
 me any if I were to forward the money, and at about 
 what price does he think it can be procured ? I do not 
 want to make any purchases until after Christmas, as 
 the general impression, I believe, is that the price will be 
 lower about that time ; but I would like to know what it 
 is worth now. Tell him that my intention is to let the 
 land lie after purchasing it for a number of years without 
 selling it ; and that as the lands in Kansas 2 are less culled 
 over than those in the free states, I will for the same 
 amount of money get better land ; and that Kansas will 
 almost certainly be a free state, and this will give the ad 
 vantage of a free state in selling should I years hence 
 wish to dispose of them. Ask him what he thinks of 
 these views. Tell him that I have been told that there 
 is considerable good land in Illinois still unappropriated, 
 
 1 Rev. Enoch Thomas, who resided at Beverley. 
 
 2 Kansas, at the time of the writing of this letter, was a territory. 
 
234 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 and if so, I want to lay warrants on some of it, as it 
 must ultimately command a high price. I hope Mr. 
 Campbell * will come on and that you will be able to keep 
 him. Aunt Clem told me in a recent letter that soon 
 after my leaving she was laid up from exhausted strength, 
 but that she intends answering your letter. She was 
 very kind to me. At their last commencement Charley 
 and Julia took prizes. 2 William Junkin, my youngest 
 brother-in-law, is to be married to-morrow to Miss Anna 
 Anderson, a lovely and pretty girl. Our Synod was a 
 delightful assembly. 
 
 Your affectionate brother. 
 
 P. S. I have received dear Ellie s tombstone to-day. 
 Enclosed is a draft of the headstone ; it has a full blown 
 rose and a rosebud on the top. 
 
 Lexington, Va. t November j, 1855. 
 
 1 wish that you would not omit to let me know Mr. 
 Arnold s views in your next, and whether he thinks that 
 he will go with me, and the prospects of buying say one 
 thousand acres of land warrant, and the price per acre. 
 I wrote to James Dix 3 a few days since, and in reference 
 to his putting up stones at brother Warren s grave ; and 
 I wish that you would drop him a line as soon as con 
 venient, giving the days of his birth and death. If you 
 have my letter upon the subject of his death you may 
 find one of the dates from it. I got Aunt Katy Will 
 iams 4 to go with me to father s and our sister s graves, 
 and made arrangements with her for having the graves 
 fixed up, so far as renewing the earth over them ; and I 
 hope that before a great while we shall be able to erect 
 
 1 A gentleman engaged to teach a private school in Beverley. 
 
 2 Children of Alfred Neale. A relative. 
 4 An elderly lady, first cousin of his father. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 235 
 
 stones. The cadets have been absent at Petersburg and 
 Richmond but are expected home to-day. 
 
 T. J. J. 
 
 Lexington^ Va. y December 6, 1855. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I have been rather anxiously looking for a letter 
 from you for quite a while, and am somewhat apprehen 
 sive that something, as ill health, has prevented your thus 
 appropriating a few minutes to my gratification. . . . 
 William Junkin 1 returned home with his wife about a 
 week since. I received a letter from Aunt Clementine a 
 few days ago about Wirt, and I have written him another 
 letter stating that if Cousin William Neale would ap 
 prove of the contract that I would forward the money to 
 Cousin William for the purchase, with the understanding 
 that it should not exceed eleven hundred dollars. I see 
 that land warrants in New York have fallen about twelve 
 cents on the acre. Mr. Arnold must not inconvenience 
 himself in order to get warrants for me, because I can 
 get as many as I want by sending to the North ; but I 
 thought they might be purchased cheaper in Beverley, if 
 there were any for sale. And it may be that Mr. Arnold 
 wants to purchase for himself all that he can. The indi 
 cations in New York are that they will fall rapidly 
 Have you any teacher as yet ? Love to all. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington, Va., January 18, 1856. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I regret not having answered your letter earlier, 
 but our examination and other causes have prevented it, 
 
 1 A. brother of Major Jackson s late wife. 
 
236 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 and now I must give but a short answer. I answered 
 Thomas s letter, and tell him that I want him to write 
 to me often, and to tell me of all my errors in spell 
 ing. 1 
 
 January 2ist. My eyes so troubled me on Saturday 
 as to cause me to postpone the finishing of my letter un 
 til to-day. I have not heard from Wirt directly for a 
 number of weeks ; but a few days ago I received a letter 
 which was written by him to Aunt Clem ; he was, he 
 stated, going to school. I wrote to him a few weeks 
 since. I have recently heard of Cousin Hardin s death. 
 He died in New Orleans, where he had gone for his 
 health. I am much pleased with the idea of your getting 
 up an academy, and hope that you may be successful in 
 your noble effort. I trust that you will succeed in giv 
 ing each of the children a good education. Tell Thomas 
 that I want to see him well acquainted with the Latin 
 grammar when I make my next visit. I believe that I 
 stated in my last letter that Mr. Arnold need not buy me 
 any land warrant unless he had already done so. I think 
 that in New York it will be bought for less than a dollar 
 before long. Tell Cousin John 2 that I am glad to hear 
 of his brightening hopes, and that I trust that before 
 long I shall be able to write to him, and that I would be 
 glad to hear from him if he should at any time feel able. 
 Remember me very kindly to him and to all inquiring 
 relatives and friends, and tell the children that I hope 
 that they will be very good, and get as pretty presents 
 every year as they have just gotten. Much love to all 
 the family. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 1 See letter to T. J. A., p. 300. 
 
 2 A relative, who died soon afterwards. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 237 
 
 The mention of the academy made by Major 
 Jackson in the preceding letter has reference to an 
 effort on the part of the citizens of the town of Bev- 
 erley to establish an academy there, and which was 
 so far successful that a substantial brick building was 
 erected and just completed at the commencement of 
 the Civil War. There was never an opportunity, 
 however, to use it for the purpose for which it was 
 intended. It was taken possession of and occupied 
 by Federal soldiers shortly after their arrival at Bev- 
 erley in the summer of 1861, and was subsequently 
 destroyed by them, and was never rebuilt. The 
 next letter was written from Lexington, under date of 
 
 February i8 t 1856. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I expect that you have been looking for a letter for 
 quite a while as I am several mails behind my time. And 
 acting upon the principle that late is better than never, I 
 have concluded to appropriate a portion of this afternoon 
 to a little talk with you. My paper, you see, is varie 
 gated with colors, but obviously not much beautified by 
 such acquisition. This varied appearance has resulted, 
 not from color, but from the absence of color, produced 
 by spilling some nitric acid on it ; and it has given me 
 about a quire of the same stamp. Tell Thomas he must 
 never give up his Latin grammar, nor his English either ; 
 that if he perseveres that he may expect to find both of 
 great use after a while. Tell him that his uncle had to 
 study hard for years at more difficult things than Latin 
 grammar, and that after he learns it, it will all be very 
 easy. Tell him also that I want a letter from him when he 
 finds time to write. But he must make himself perfect mas- 
 
238 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 ter of his spelling book and then he may expect to write 
 correct letters ; but without knowing these two books, 
 he can hardly ever expect to write correctly, because all 
 correct writing must have the words spelled correctly, 
 and written grammatically. How is Cousin John White? 
 I have not yet written to him, but if your next letter 
 brings the news of his life being prolonged, I think that 
 I will try and write very soon after. My time is much 
 taken up during the day, and I am afraid to write at 
 night. But my eyes are improving. I have no recent 
 news of Wirt, at least for several weeks, and I do not 
 know where he is. The last I heard from him was 
 through a letter written to Aunt Clem. 1 Cousin Hardin 
 appointed Uncle Alfred his administrator. If Cousin 
 John is still living, give him my warm remembrances 
 and hopes that the visions of the future may grow 
 brighter until faith is lost in reality of those joys which 
 passeth all understanding. Much love to all. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 The next letter is dated : 
 
 Lexington, Va., March 31, 1856. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your letter has come safely and I am glad to 
 learn that you are in such an exuberant flow of spirits, 
 and hope that such may long continue. I received and 
 answered your other letter in regard to the tombstones at 
 brother Warren s grave. But I usually answer letters 
 from recollection, thus saving my eyes from re-reading. 
 I forgot to answer that particular inquiry, but remem- 
 
 Mrs. Alfred Neale. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 239 
 
 bered it afterwards, and should have answered it ere this. 
 I wish to put stones to his grave, and also to father s and 
 sister s, and also to mother s if I knew certainly the spot. 
 But it appears to me that it would be best to put all up 
 at the same time during the coming year. But if you 
 would prefer having Warren s put up now, write to 
 James Dix and get him to do so, and pay him. And 
 
 ask Dr. B if it will not suit him to let you have my 
 
 part of the expense, and let me pay over to Colonel 
 Smith here the same amount for him. It will save him 
 the risk of losing it in the event of his sending his money 
 by mail. But should it not be convenient for the doctor 
 to do so, and you can spare the money until I shall have 
 an opportunity of getting a check, I will forward it to 
 you ; and should there be other expenses I will share 
 them with you. The congregation here to which I be 
 long have objects, to which they subscribe, of much 
 more importance to them than your academy can be ; I 
 am well satisfied that your application would meet with lit 
 tle or no favor here, and I would advise that no effort should 
 be made. We have six annual contributions, and then 
 certain others, which are first recommended by our ses 
 sion ; and I am certain that the session would consider 
 other objects as more demanding their recommendation 
 than the academy. You need not be afraid of the oppos 
 ing party doing anything here ; if they were to do so, it 
 would give me an opportunity which I would embrace, 
 if at home, of urging your claims. Thomas need not 
 repeat his English verb when he is conjugating his Latin 
 verb, but ask him sometimes what his Latin verb is in 
 English. I have heard from Wirt and have written to 
 him like what I wrote to you. Much love to all of you. 
 
 THOMAS. & 
 
240 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 P. S. You say nothing of my letter to Cousin John 
 having been received. I am very glad to hear that he 
 died so happily. Give my kindest sympathy to Cousin 
 Mary and the family, and to aunt and uncle. Tell 
 Thomas that I expect to write to him soon. My eyes 
 are troubling me much. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Referring to the desire expressed by Major Jack 
 son in the above letter to place stones at his mother s 
 grave, if he knew certainly the spot, it may be here 
 stated that he made a special trip to Fayette County, 
 (West) Virginia, where his mother s remains had 
 been interred at the time of her decease, for the pur 
 pose of identifying and locating her grave, as he and 
 his sister were anxious to erect a tombstone on the 
 spot in her memory. After some time spent there in 
 the effort to find it, with the assistance of such persons 
 of the vicinity as had been present at her burial, they 
 were unable to identify her grave, and greatly to his 
 disappointment. But he was entirely satisfied that 
 in the erection of a stone it would be a matter of 
 mere conjecture as to the location for which it would 
 be intended ; and for this reason he reluctantly aban 
 doned the idea of doing so. Some years subsequent 
 to the Civil War a gentleman, an ex-Confederate 
 soldier, who had great veneration for General Jack 
 son s name, in his admiration and generosity erected 
 a stone to commemorate the memory of the mother 
 of General Jackson at a spot pointed out to him as 
 the location of her grave. While the members of 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 241 
 
 General Jackson s family and his other relatives fully 
 appreciated the motive that prompted this act, yet 
 in view of the unsuccessful effort of General Jackson 
 himself to identify the particular spot, a number of 
 years prior to the visit of this gentleman, and when 
 one would naturally suppose the location of the grave 
 could be more readily identified than at a much later 
 period, they have very little idea that the exact loca 
 tion will ever be known ; and for this reason they 
 have pursued the same course as did General Jack 
 son. Had the gentleman referred to communicated 
 to General Jackson s family his intentions, before act 
 ing in the matter, he would have been informed of 
 the above facts. 
 
 In explanation of the difficulty in transmitting 
 money from one place to another, appearing in the 
 above letter, and elsewhere in Major Jackson s cor 
 respondence, it may be mentioned that at that period, 
 and for some years later, there were no banks in 
 small towns and country districts ; and in the trans 
 ference of money from one locality to another there 
 was a good deal of risk of losing it. Also, the resi 
 dents of such sections were unfamiliar with banking 
 methods. It was not an uncommon practice to cut 
 bills of large denomination into two equal parts and 
 transmit one part by one mail and the other part 
 by a subsequent mail ; the person receiving the 
 several installments would paste the parts together 
 and so use them. A prominent citizen of Beverley, 
 who for many years acted as a quasi-banker for the 
 entire county and without remuneration, was accus- 
 
242 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 tomed to send his money to the bank at Clarksburg, 
 some sixty miles distant, by persons travelling 
 through to that point, not infrequently by strangers 
 whom he had never known or seen before. He so 
 informed me ; he said he could judge of a man s 
 honesty pretty well by his appearance, and that he 
 had never lost any money by this method. 
 
 Lexington, Va., May 12, 1856. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Thanks for your letter, and excuse me for not 
 having answered it sooner. I have been unsuccessful in 
 procuring seed, as our seed seller of last year did not 
 bring them on this year. But the apothecary chanced 
 to have a few on hand from which I have selected 
 two papers; the assortment is very poor and small. 
 I wish you would drop a note to Mr. Criss or to 
 Cousin Elizabeth and ascertain whether he could not see 
 to putting up the stones at the graves of father and sister, 
 and ask what they will come to, including the cost of 
 putting them up. And if you can get it attended to, I 
 will advance the money at any time for the purpose; 
 but before closing the terms let me know, because if they 
 are not as good as 1 can get elsewhere, I had better have 
 it done. But it appears to me that all the probabilities 
 are in favor of getting it done cheaper through Mr. Criss, 
 at Clarksburg, than I could get it done abroad. I have 
 not been able to ascertain the cost of railing for you, but 
 intend writing to Philadelphia about it. Maggie * left for 
 Philadelphia last Saturday. I received a letter from 
 Wirt in which he expresses his probable intention of 
 
 1 Major Jackson s sister-in-law, Mrs. Preston. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 243 
 
 going West again, and I understand from his language 
 that he means California, as he speaks of going over the 
 plains, or some such phraseology. I have been trying to 
 find his letter, but have not succeeded at this time. I 
 fear that I will not get to Beverley this summer as I am 
 very anxious to go direct to Washington City, and begin 
 my work of finding out and locating land. And as I may 
 have much to do in the West in endeavoring to find out 
 the best land, all my time may be absorbed ; but I hope 
 not, and trust that I shall get through in time to visit 
 you. Let me hear from you soon. I hope that Thomas 
 has received my letter. 
 
 Your much attached brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 P. S. We have had a great revival of religion here. 
 
 June 6, 1856. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your letter came safely, and I begin my reply 
 now, though I shall not mail it until Monday. 1 As yet I 
 have not heard from Philadelphia in regard to the railing, 
 but I may do so by the time of forwarding this. In re 
 gard to the tombstones, I wish as soon as you receive an 
 answer in reference to them, and shall have determined 
 on the price, and the time that they are to be put up, 
 you would let me know, because in the event of their 
 being put up before September, I must make my ar 
 rangements before starting West. And I wish to know 
 the amount, as I desire to employ all my spare funds in 
 the purchase of lands. Dr. B will pay you fifteen 
 
 1 As is well known Major Jackson never mailed letters on the Sabbath 
 day, and always when possible sufficiently early in the week to reach their 
 destination before that day. * 
 
EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 dollars for me in return for money which he wrote to me 
 to give his son this coming summer, but it will not be due 
 until some time in July, as he proposed returning it to me 
 in Beverley, supposing that I would visit there this va 
 cation. If the man comes to Beverley, as I suppose he 
 does, from his furnishing stones for Cousin John s grave, 
 had I not better send the money to you and get you to 
 pay him, getting Cousin Criss to see that he does the 
 work properly. I expect Colonel Augustus Smith here 
 this month from Clarksburg, and if you can t arrange the 
 matter otherwise, I may be able to arrange it through 
 him. In reference to Wirt, I am interested in his welfare, 
 and had he followed my advice I feel that he would most 
 certainly have been benefited by it. I wrote to him not 
 long since in answer to a letter from him. Ask Mr. 
 Arnold if there is anything I can do for him this summer 
 in the way of locating land warrants, or otherwise. Tell 
 him that my present purpose is to go to Washington 
 from here, and after finding out all that I can there in 
 reference to Western lands, to pass into Illinois, Iowa, 
 Missouri and probably Arkansas. And say to him that I 
 design following out his idea of locating some land in 
 a Northern state, but that I am a little afraid to put much 
 there for fear that in the event of a dissolution of the 
 Union that the property of Southerners may be confiscated? 
 I want to locate about three thousand acres, maybe a little 
 more ; and if I can please myself, will probably put about 
 one-half of it in a Northern state. I would be thankful 
 for suggestions from Mr. Arnold if he has any to make. 
 As yet I have not purchased land warrants. They have 
 fallen recently to less than a dollar per acre in New York. 
 This is Monday afternoon and no news as yet in regard 
 
 1 Italics not in original letter* 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 245 
 
 to the railing. By my next letter you may, expect to 
 hear about the cost. Remember me very kindly to Mr. 
 Arnold and all the family. I hope that Thomas is doing 
 well in his Latin and English grammars. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
XVII 
 EUROPE (1856) 
 
 ALL thought of the Western trip and the in 
 vestment in lands, either in free or slave- 
 holding states, seems to have been com 
 pletely and suddenly abandoned by Major Jackson. 
 The full explanation of such action will appear in 
 his letters later. Greatly to the surprise of his 
 sister s family, the next letter she received from her 
 brother reads as follows : 
 
 New York City, July g y 1856. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I sail in the steamship Asia for Europe at twelve 
 o clock to-day for Liverpool. The reasons for doing so 
 
 I will give in my next. I gave John B an order on 
 
 the Lexington bank for thirty dollars and requested that 
 the money should be returned to you. You can apply 
 it towards father s and sister s graves. 
 With much love to all, 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 Ship "Asia " at sea, July i8 t 1856. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 You have doubtless been surprised at my sudden 
 leaving for Europe instead of going West to purchase or 
 
 246 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 
 
 locate land. You may remember that in 1851 I had a 
 nine months leave of absence for the purpose of visiting 
 Europe, but that Colonel Smith induced me to relinquish 
 the idea for the time, holding out to me an opportunity 
 at some future time, and that I accordingly did postpone 
 my contemplated trip. This year, as the time for going 
 West drew near, I became more and more discouraged 
 in regard to investing money in such distant lands, and a 
 gentleman with whom I conversed, and who has had 
 much experience, told me that he did not think it a safe 
 and profitable investment. Another friend told me that 
 he had come very near losing a part of his in consequence 
 of his being so far off as to interfere with his giving suf 
 ficient attention to it. And I have rather concluded to 
 keep my money invested in stocks of different kinds, 
 and thus get my dividends regularly, and trust to the 
 blessing of Providence for gradually increasing my worldly 
 goods. Thus circumstanced, I, in a few days before start 
 ing, concluded that an opportunity was now offered of 
 going to Europe which would probably never again be 
 presented to me. What should I do with the two months 
 before me was a question which I did not know how to 
 answer satisfactorily. You are a very kind and affection 
 ate sister, yet even with you I would be reminded of the 
 loss of that happiness which I once enjoyed with dear 
 Elite. So I have to some extent torn myself away from 
 that state of mind which I feared, should my summer 
 have been passed at home, or in the United States. I 
 hope that you will be able to get up the tombstones by 
 the aid of the money I have sent you. . . . When I 
 return I will let you have whatever may be wanting, 
 should you not be able to get along with what you have. 
 . . . I wish you would write me a letter to New York 
 
248 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 City during the first week of October. Remember me 
 very kindly to Mr. Arnold and to all the family. Kindest 
 regards to all inquiring relatives and friends. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 The earliest intelligence of Major Jackson after his 
 arrival in Europe is the following letter written from 
 Naples : 
 
 Naples, September p, 1856. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 You must excuse my long silence, as I have been 
 much pressed for time, and hasten to drop you a line. 
 Since landing at Liverpool I have been at Glasgow, 
 Stirling Castle and Edinburgh in Scotland; York, 
 London and other places in England ; Antwerp, Brus 
 sels, Waterloo and other places in Belgium. Since then 
 I have passed through Aix La Chapelle, Bonn, Frank 
 fort on the Main, having ascended the Rhine. From 
 Frankfort I proceeded to Heidelberg and thence on to 
 Baden Baden in Germany, Strasburg, Basle, Lakes Lu 
 cerne, Brienz and Thum, Berne, Freiburg and the city 
 of Geneva in Switzerland, and so on to the great Glacier 
 called Mer de Glace, that is, sea of ice. I continued in 
 Switzerland for about a week and crossed the Alps by 
 the Simplon Pass, as it is called, through which Napoleon 
 entered Italy. The scenery of Switzerland is very grand. 
 After entering Italy I visited the cities of Milan, Venice, 
 Mantua, Modena, Florence, Pisa, Leghorn, and finally 
 to this place. With Venice, Florence and Naples I have 
 been very much gratified. I was at the volcano of 
 Vesuvius on last Friday and went about half-way down 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 249 
 
 one of the active craters. The scene was truly grand. 
 This evening I leave for Rome. Much love. 
 
 Your attached brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Whether there were any other letters written from 
 Europe does not appear, as the next in the collection 
 was mailed from Lexington after he had resumed his 
 duties at the Institute. It is dated : 
 
 October 25, 1856. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I forwarded to you after returning home a few 
 lines, and with pleasure I now appropriate a little while 
 to say where I have been during my absence. As to 
 telling what I saw, a volume of several hundred pages 
 would be required. But should I ever be permitted to 
 see you, I trust that I will be able to pass several hours 
 in narrating my travels. I was unable to come through 
 Beverley and see you. I was several days later in re 
 turning home than I had designed. After reaching 
 Liverpool I passed down to the old town of Chester, 
 and then out to the residence of the Marquis of West 
 minster ; his house is called Eaton Hall. Afterwards I 
 returned to Liverpool and proceeded north into Scot 
 land, passing through Glasgow, Stirling and Edinburgh. 
 After leaving Edinburgh I returned to England, visiting 
 York, the residence of Oliver Cromwell, the University 
 of Cambridge and London. From London I took a 
 steamer to the continent, landing at Antwerp, and pass 
 ing on to Brussels, Waterloo (the several places named 
 in a former letter are omitted), Naples, Rome, Genoa, 
 Marseilles, Lyons, Paris, Calais, London, Liverpool, New 
 York, home. ... I could talk to you with much 
 
250 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 pleasure about very many things of great interest. Tell 
 Thomas that I intend answering his letter in a few days. 
 I am very much gratified that you are putting up the 
 gravestones. Should you want any more funds let me 
 know. I found two letters from Wirt awaiting me at 
 
 home. I shall send him a check for dollars if I 
 
 can get one on New York for that amount. Much love 
 to all. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington, Va. y December 6, 1856. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I am glad to learn that you have secured a teacher, 
 and that she has been with you for some time, and I hope 
 that she is such as you desire she should be. We have just 
 been having in our village a series of lectures by Mr. O. P 
 Baldwin of Richmond. They were four in number, viz. : 
 " Better Times Coming," " Humbugs," " Spirit Rap- 
 pings," and " Yankees and Southerners." As you may 
 judge from their titles, they were more amusing than 
 instructive. I heard the first three. You would prob 
 ably like to hear a little of my whereabouts during the 
 past summer, and I purpose giving you a kind of jour 
 nal, should you so desire. But should you get tired at 
 any time, just let me know. I believe I said something 
 to you in my last, 1 but as I failed to take a note of my 
 stopping point, I shall again commence at Liverpool. 
 Leaving Liverpool the same day of my landing I pro 
 ceeded to the city of Chester, which is about eighteen 
 miles from Liverpool, and on entering the hotel I was 
 met by a lady instead of a landlord, as I had been ac 
 customed to at home, and she wished to know whether 
 
 1 Evidently refers to a letter now lost. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 251 
 
 I would have a room, etc. After having secured my 
 quarters, I proceeded to the cathedral, which is a large 
 edifice, formerly occupied by the Roman Catholics. At 
 the door I was met by a man who, upon learning where 
 I was from, inquired after the Fairfax family, stating that 
 the representative of that house lived in America, and 
 that he was entitled to the succession. It was about the 
 hour of evening service. They have two services there 
 per day, and this was about four o clock p. M. He turned 
 me over to the sexton, who showed me to a seat upon 
 the condition that I should not leave it until after service 
 was over. After service he showed me through the 
 building, which was quite interesting. Among other 
 things were the seats for the friars or monks, which 
 were so constructed that, should they become drowsy 
 and forgetful of their duty, their seats suddenly dropped 
 them on the floor and recalled their wandering thoughts. 
 I walked around the wall and saw the tower on which 
 King Charles the First stood and saw the defeat of his 
 army at Rowton Moor. Much love to all the family, 
 and kind regards to all inquiring friends. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 In reading the preceding letter, one cannot but 
 conjecture as to what were Major Jackson s thoughts 
 upon having exhibited to his inspection the ingenious 
 arrangement of seats for the monks, nor what per 
 sonal application of its use may possibly have oc 
 curred to him at the time, or afforded food for thought 
 subsequently, when it is recalled that several of his 
 biographers and others have asserted that he almost 
 invariably dozed off to sleep during church service. 
 
252 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 Whether such was the fact I am unable to say, al 
 though I sat in the same pew with him at church 
 regularly for almost a year, as I also did upon other 
 occasions. I can state that to all appearances he 
 would go to sleep ; but afterwards he always seemed 
 to know something of every topic that was intro 
 duced in the sermon, and so much more about it 
 than I did that I would not like to vouch for his 
 slumbers. 
 
 Lexington, Va., February 26, i8$j. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your letter of the 8th came safely. I regret that you 
 should have been the loser of so many teeth. I don t like 
 the idea of your being toothless ; but, as you say, another 
 set can be furnished by the dentist. I received a letter 
 from Aunt Clem requesting me to lend Uncle Alfred two 
 or four hundred dollars for Wirt to buy stock to drive to 
 California. I did not have the money, and even if I had, 
 should not have lent it ; for one reason among others is 
 that I do not approve of Wirt going to California. I 
 have recently heard from him and he asks me to lend him 
 dollars, but says nothing about going to Cali 
 fornia. I think that next month when our bank gets in 
 operation that I will send him a small amount. I am un 
 able to say whether I will first visit Beverley or North 
 Carolina. 1 Our winter has been very severe, but for near 
 a fortnight we have had beautiful weather. The aspen is 
 in bloom, and the weeping willow is beginning to look 
 green. I am still at Dr. Junkin s. Tell Miss Eliza 2 that 
 
 1 It was about this period that there was quite an attraction for Major 
 Jackson in the latter state of which more in the next letter. 
 8 A maiden lady and friend of the family. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 253 
 
 if I should bring her a beau that she must not tell on me, 
 lest the old bachelors about Beverley should mob me for 
 tramping on their toes. I infer from your letter that when 
 I dropped my narrative I was at the Cathedral of Chester. 
 After leaving Chester I passed to a beautiful estate of an 
 English nobleman, the Marquis of Westminster ; he lives 
 about three miles from the city ; but after driving about 
 half a mile I came to a beautiful gateway, somewhat re 
 sembling the front of a fine building ; here the porter who 
 had charge of it admitted me, and I drove through a 
 park containing about fifteen hundred deer, the race 
 course on which he tries his horses, etc., the fences being 
 of iron, and the ground containing a variety of luxuriant 
 trees. After passing on thus for near two and a half 
 miles, I came to a magnificent palace covered with 
 pinnacles. Here, after ringing the bell, a servant, of 
 quite a gentlemanly appearance, came to the door and 
 admitted me by my giving him my ticket of admission, 
 which I had procured before leaving Chester. The 
 interior of the building is magnificent. One of the rooms 
 is copied from the celebrated Alhambra of Granada in 
 Spain, which was built by the Moors. . . . Much 
 love to all. Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
XVIII 
 HOME LIFE (1857-1859) 
 
 THE next letter is without date, but was written 
 probably the latter part of May, 1857. It 
 discloses a trait in General Jackson s char 
 acter, the possession of which has seldom been at 
 tributed to him except by his intimate friends ; for 
 in the minds of many the impression has been formed 
 that a sense of humor was foreign to his whole nature. 
 This letter further discloses the approaching time of 
 a very important and happy event in Major Jackson s 
 career, and which certainly became a large factor 
 towards his happiness for the remainder of his life. 
 The bright, sunny nature and cheerful disposition of 
 his future bride was just what one of his temperament 
 needed. The kind Providence that he always ap 
 pealed to for guidance surely directed him in this 
 most important decision. 
 
 Lexington % Va. 
 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I don t know whether you have yet returned from 
 your visit to aunt s, but I will write to you now, as I 
 have the time, and might not have so much leisure in a 
 few days hence. And I will begin by stating that I have 
 an invitation for you; and what do you think it is? and 
 who from ? For it is not often that I am authorized to 
 send you invitations, and especially pressing ones. And 
 
 254 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 255 
 
 I suppose you begin to think, or may think, Well, what 
 does he mean ? Why doesn t he tell me at once and be 
 done with it? Well, you see I have finished the first 
 page of my letter, ... so that if I don t tell you 
 soon, you will hardly get it at all from this sheet. Well, 
 now, having cultivated your patience a little, as all women 
 are said to have curiosity, I will tell you that Miss Mary 
 Anna Morrison, a friend of mine, in the western part of 
 North Carolina, and in the southern part of the state, is 
 engaged to be married to an acquaintance of yours living 
 in this village, and she has requested me to urge you to 
 attend her wedding in July next. To use her own words, 
 she says, " I hope your sister will come. You must 
 urge her to do so. I should be very glad if she could 
 come." The wedding is not to be large. I told her that 
 I would give the invitation, and having done so, feel that 
 I am free from all further responsibility in the matter. 
 I told her that I didn t think that you would be able to 
 accept it, and if you can t, just let me know in your next, 
 and transfer the invitation to your humble servant, and 
 he will not decline ; for he is very anxious to go, as he is 
 much interested in the ceremony and the occasion, and 
 the young lady is a very special friend of mine. I hope 
 that you have had a very pleasant trip to the river. 1 I 
 
 deposited in our bank a few days since dollars, 
 
 and transferred the evidence of deposit to Wirt, and for- 
 ~ warded it to him, stating that he might expect more next 
 July. Our weather is beautiful at present, and I suppose 
 that spring will rapidly advance now. Give much love 
 to all. Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 1 Ohio River. His sister had been visiting her relatives and friends at 
 Parkersburg and vicinity. 
 
256 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 Immediately following the close of the session at 
 the Military Institute for the year 1857, Major Jackson 
 came directly to our home for a brief visit. Just how 
 long he was with us upon this occasion I do not re 
 member, but it could not have extended much be 
 yond a week, as his marriage to Miss Mary Anna 
 Morrison took place at the home of her father, Dr. R. 
 H. Morrison, in Mecklenburg County, N. C., on the 
 i6th of July. This visit of Major Jackson s is dis 
 tinctly recalled by the truly beautiful presents that he 
 had brought from Italy the preceding autumn for my 
 sister and myself, this being the first opportunity that 
 presented for their delivery. His intention, as is evi 
 dent from his correspondence, was to make a visit to 
 us at Beverley with his bride to be, followed by a 
 tour of some of the Northern states, but he was pre 
 vented from so doing for the reason assigned in the 
 next letter. The letter conveying intelligence of his 
 marriage has been lost, as probably several others 
 immediately following. The first of those preserved 
 was written after his return to Lexington and is 
 dated : 
 
 Rockbridge Alum Springs, August //, 1857. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Since my last we have visited Niagara, Saratoga 
 and intermediate places. As stated in my Richmond 
 letter, I had expected to proceed from that point to 
 your house ; but an enlargement of one of the glands of 
 Anna s neck induced me to consult a physician, and my 
 concern was so great as to induce me to take her to 
 Philadelphia, where she consulted Dr. Jackson of the 
 
MRS. MARY ANNA (MORRISON) JACKSON. 
 From a photograph taken about 1880. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 257 
 
 university, and he was unable to decide as to the true 
 character of the case. But whilst there I met with 
 Dr. Graham of Lexington, in whom I have great con 
 fidence, and he advised me to bring her here, after mak 
 ing a short tour. We reached here last Wednesday 
 evening, and the enlargement has apparently diminished 
 considerably since that time. We expect to remain here 
 till near the close of my vacation, and then to return to 
 Lexington. I regret that we have been unable to visit 
 you this summer ; but I felt that under the circumstances 
 it was my duty to make Anna s health the first object of 
 concern. In coming from Staunton here I fell in with 
 Cousin Floride * and her little boy, on their way to the 
 Healing Springs. Let me hear from you soon, and if 
 you can write before the 25th of this month, direct to 
 this place ; otherwise, direct to Lexington. Give love to 
 all. Anna joins me in love to you. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington, Va., December ip, 1857. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 You have probably been expecting a letter from 
 me for some days. Owing to an inflammation of the 
 tube leading to the ear, and also inflammation of the 
 throat (chronic), and very painful neuralgia, I have been 
 constrained to give up my correspondence for a while. 
 I never remember having suffered so much as within the 
 last three weeks ; and now I am compelled to use a vial 
 of chloroform liniment per day externally, and am also 
 using internally a preparation of ammonia. The hearing 
 of my right ear is impaired, but I trust not permanently, 
 
 1 Mrs. Floride Duncan of Clarksburg. 
 
258 EAELY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 I have continued to attend to my recitations, notwith 
 standing my sufferings. In a few days I hope to be free 
 from pain. The eye medicine helped me for a while, I 
 think, but I can t say that I have been permanently 
 benefited, and I would advise you not to try the medi 
 cine. Anna is quite robust again. She joins me in love 
 to you all. I wrote to Wirt advising him to go to some 
 active occupation, and to read standard books, and thus 
 endeavor to apply his knowledge of grammar, and become 
 acquainted with the construction of the language ; use is 
 of great importance. . . , Let me hear from you 
 soon. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 In the following letter Major Jackson gives his 
 views as to the plan of salvation. 
 
 Lexington, Va., February 8, 1858. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your very welcome letter of last week reached me 
 this morning, and I am rejoiced to learn that you are so 
 much concerned about " the one thing needful" I have 
 borne in mind that our sainted mother s prayers would 
 not be forgotten by our heavenly Father. Though dead, 
 her prayers, I trusted, would be precious in the sight of 
 the Lord. The Saviour says in Mark, sixteenth chapter, 
 sixteenth verse : " He that believeth and is baptized 
 shall be saved." But you may ask, What is it to believe ? 
 To explain this I will quote from an able theologian, and 
 a devoted servant of God. To believe, in the sense in 
 which the word is used here, is feeling and acting as if 
 there were a God, a heaven, a hell ; as if we were sinners 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 259 
 
 and must die ; as if we deserved eternal death, and were 
 in danger of it. And in view of all, casting our eternal 
 interests on the mercy of God, in Christ Jesus. To do 
 all this is to be a Christian. You speak of having done 
 all that you know in order to be accepted. This is too 
 apt to be our error. We must not depend on making 
 ourselves holy, but just come to the Father and ask, for 
 the sake of Jesus, and rely entirely on the merits of Christ 
 for our prayer being answered. The Father loves the 
 Son, and for His sake pardons those who plead the Son s 
 merits. We should never think of presenting any merits 
 of our own, for we are all sinners. Do not trouble your 
 self too much about not having repented enough for your 
 sins, for your letter shows that you have much concern 
 about the subject. But let me advise you simply to do 
 as God enabled me to do : that is, to resolve to spend the 
 remaining part of life in His service, to obey the teachings 
 of the Bible until death, and to rely entirely on the mercy 
 of God for being saved. And though the future looked 
 dark, it has become very bright. Never despair ; even 
 old Christians sometimes have dark moments. Never 
 omit to pray at regular times. For years your salvation 
 has been my daily prayer and shall continue so. Write 
 to me often, and tell me all your trials, that I may be 
 able as an instrument in the hands of God of doing some 
 thing for your eternal welfare. I have nearly, if not 
 entirely, lost the use of one ear, 1 and my throat has to be 
 cauterized about twice a week, but it is improving. 
 Were it not for my throat Anna and myself would like 
 very much to pay you a visit this winter. My throat and 
 
 1 Fortunately he was later greatly relieved of this deafness. Though 
 for the remainder of his life he was partially deaf, so much so that he was 
 unable to locate the direction of sound. T. J. A, 
 
260 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 the sale of a neighbor s property next week are the two 
 obstacles. Anna is anxious to go next week. She joins 
 me in love to you all. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington, Va. t March 8, 1858. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I thank our heavenly Father for having given you 
 that peace which passeth all understanding, and which 
 the world can neither give nor take away. The world 
 may wrong us and deceive us, but it never can take from 
 us that joy resulting from an assurance of God s love. 
 You may expect dark hours, but never for one moment 
 permit yourself to despond. The followers of Christ are 
 expressly told in the Bible that in this life they shall have 
 tribulation; but our Saviour has also told us to be of 
 good cheer, for He has overcome the world ; which 
 teaches us that if we but persevere in the ways of well 
 doing that we also shall overcome the world. I am glad 
 that you called in Mr. Thomas. 1 Tell him that I am 
 much obliged to him for sending the prescription. You 
 say that you don t understand my letter. My throat, to 
 which I alluded, has been inflamed, and I have lost the 
 use of one ear, or nearly so, in consequence of the in 
 flammation extending along the tube leading to the ear ; 
 and the other ear is also affected. But we know that all 
 things work together for good. This is my great con 
 solation. Anna has been desirous of visiting you this 
 winter, and I even went so far as to try to engage a 
 carriage and horses ; but having failed, and receiving a 
 letter from a friend in North Carolina, requesting me to 
 join him in an enterprise, and having a few days leisure, 
 
 1 Rev. Enoch Thomas, Presbyterian clergyman residing at Beverley. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 261 
 
 I concluded to go South, the doctor having told me 
 that I could do so. But I fear that I caught a cold re 
 turning home which has made my throat worse. Nearly 
 all the way I was in the cars with a comfortable fire. 
 Pray for Wirt. I wrote to him some time since. Anna 
 joins me in love to you all. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 P. S. Cadet Chenoweth desires to be remembered to 
 you. 
 
 Lexington, Va., March /, 1858. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I am very much pressed with business, but I must 
 drop you a line to say that yesterday God blessed us 
 with a charming little daughter, and we have named her 
 after Mrs. Morrison, Mary Graham. My eyes have been 
 troubling me a great deal lately. I regret that you have 
 had so much suffering. It appears to have resembled 
 my attack. I am now using glycerine which is the es 
 sence of oil. I take it through the nostrils for the pur 
 pose of curing the inflammation at the entrance of the 
 nasal tubes into the mouth, and I find it of great service. 
 God has blessed its use to me. I tried caustic or nitrate 
 of silver, but with much less effect. I hope that you will 
 soon be well. I ascertained to-day that I can get a copy 
 of " Silver-wood " in town, so you may expect one when 
 Mr. Chenoweth goes home, if not before. Anna and the 
 little one are both doing very well, for which we are very 
 thankful to our heavenly Father. I received a letter 
 from Wirt a few days since ; his health, I think, is just 
 tolerable from what he says. I have been wanting to 
 write to Thomas for some time, and hope to do so before 
 long. May the blessings of our heavenly Father rest 
 
262 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 upon you richly is the prayer of your affectionate brother. 
 Anna joins me in love to you and the children. Re 
 member me very kindly to Mr. Arnold. 
 
 Your brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington, Va., May 22, 1858. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your welcome letter came safely, but finds our 
 little daughter very ill of jaundice ; and she may at any 
 hour take her place among the redeemed in Paradise. 
 Anna is doing well. My intention has been, and still is, 
 to visit you this summer, but I learned a lesson from last 
 summer not to make a promise ; for no one can tell 
 what a day may bring forth. But I trust that if our little 
 daughter lives that God will bless us all in a visit to see 
 you, and all the family. It seems like a long time since 
 I was at your house. The children, I suppose, have 
 grown a great deal. Give my thanks to my darling little 
 niece 1 for her letter, and tell her I expect to answer it in 
 a few days. Give much love to all the children from 
 myself and Anna. She joins me in love to you. I re 
 ceived a letter from Wirt this morning, stating that he is 
 well, but that he lost his horse by his straying off, and 
 that he wants me to forward him one hundred and five 
 dollars New York draft, which I want to try and do, 
 though it will cost a premium here. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 The next letter is one written to his niece, Anna 
 Grace Arnold, then some ten years of age, to whom 
 
 1 My sister, Anna Grace Arnold T. J. A. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 263 
 
 he was always greatly attached, and whose subse 
 quent pure Christian life and character, and her un 
 wavering faith in her Saviour, would have more than 
 won his unbounded admiration had he lived to have 
 known it. In this letter he conveys the first news 
 of the death of his own little daughter. 
 
 Lexington, Va.^June 7, 1858. 
 MY DEAR LITTLE NIECE : 
 
 Your very interesting letter reached me a short 
 time before your sweet little cousin and my little 
 daughter was called from this world of sin to enjoy the 
 heavenly happiness of Paradise. She died of jaundice on 
 the 25th of May. Whilst your Aunt Anna and myself 
 feel our loss, yet we know that God has taken her away 
 in love. Jesus says, " Suffer little children to come unto 
 me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of 
 heaven." Did you ever think, my dear Grace, that the 
 most persons who have died and gone to heaven are little 
 children ? * Your aunt is doing very well ; she is out vis 
 iting. We hope to go and see you all this summer, but 
 my health is so delicate that I am disposed to go North 
 first. I think this will give us more time to stay with 
 you. Should we go to see you first I may have to hasten 
 on North without staying more than two or three days. 
 I wish you would write to me at once and let me know 
 which you would rather I should do. I hope that you 
 have enjoyed your school and your vacation both a great 
 deal. Remember your aunt and uncle to your father, 
 
 1 What consolation and comfort the niece derived from reading this let. 
 ter many years later when she was bereft of her own two little children, 
 her all, within a few days of each other, T. J. A. 
 
264: EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 mother, Thomas and Stark, and accept much love for 
 yourself. 
 
 Your affectionate uncle, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington, Va. y June /p, 1858. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your letter and that of Grace reached me this 
 morning, and for a while I thought that I might be able 
 to visit you previous to going North ; but after more ma 
 turely considering my case, and all the circumstances, I 
 am disposed to think that I had better go North first. 
 My disease is not understood by my physicians here, 
 and I have nearly, if not entirely, lost my hearing in my 
 right ear, and my left ear is diseased, and my nose is also 
 internally affected. The first thing it appears to me 
 should be to seek relief if it is to be had. Write to me 
 to New York City, and tell Tom and Grace that they 
 must write to me this summer, also, as soon as I let you 
 all know where my letters will reach me after leaving 
 New York City. Tell Grace that I am much obliged to 
 her for her letter, and that she may expect me to answer 
 it before a great while. As to Thomas s examination, I 
 think that Mr. Thomas l can judge better of his qualifica 
 tions than myself, though I wish that I could be with 
 you all before his teacher leaves. I hope to be with you 
 in the latter part of August. I forwarded a check to 
 Wirt for one hundred and five dollars on New York. I 
 had to pay a premium of one per cent, for it, and urged 
 him to refund the money on the first of September ac 
 cording to promise. If I had known that he had found 
 his horse, I don t know that I should have sent him so 
 much. I have need of all the money that I can com- 
 
 1 Rev. Enoch Thomas. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 265 
 
 mand. When you write to him, tell him that he had 
 better sell one of his horses. Anna joins me in much 
 love to you and the children. Remember me very kindly 
 to Mr. Thomas and his wife, and to all inquiring friends. 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 New York City July 21, 1858. 
 MY DEAR NIECE : 
 
 I have been desiring to write to you for some 
 time, but have been prevented. I am now under the 
 care of a physician by the name of Carnochan, who is 
 one of the professors in a medical college here. I hope 
 that I am improving, but do not know how long I will 
 remain here probably ten days longer. Afterwards I 
 expect to start on my visit to you, but will delay some 
 time on the way, I expect, in Philadelphia, Baltimore, 
 the Glades, 1 etc. Your Aunt Anna is quite well, and we 
 are seeing many pretty things here. Give my love and 
 your aunt s to all the family, and write to me as soon as 
 you receive this. Direct your letter to New York City. 
 Your affectionate uncle, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 New York City, August 18, 1858. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I have been detained here longer than I expected, 
 and this morning my physician told me that my right 
 tonsil is inflamed, and the inflammation extends some dis 
 tance down towards the lungs. He thinks that by par 
 ing off part of the tonsil, which is to be done to-morrow, 
 
 1 In the vicinity of the more recent summer resorts of Deer Park and 
 Oakland, Maryland. 
 
266 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 that I will get well of the pulmonary trouble. He told 
 me some time ago that I would get well, but that some 
 change of treatment might be required. I have long 
 thought that something more was troubling my throat 
 than physicians had discovered. As I feel it necessary to 
 remain a short time after the surgical operation, you 
 must not look for me for ten or twelve days. I have 
 attended to getting Harper s book-list, so that I can 
 answer Thomas s questions ; and if I cannot get Long- 
 worth s wine, which I have been trying to do, I will get 
 you Park s best Ohio wine. I was at his store yesterday. 
 Anna joins me in love to you and the children. May 
 God bless you spiritually and temporally is the prayer 
 of your brother, THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington, Va., October 23, 1858. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your letter of the iQth inst was received this 
 morning. Thomas reached here, as you expected, on 
 last Saturday, and has been a very good boy. 1 And we 
 are all much pleased with him. He commenced going 
 to school on Tuesday last to Mr. McFarland, and is 
 studying the English and Latin languages. His teacher 
 wishes him to study arithmetic also ; but I am unwilling 
 for him to undertake any more at present, until I see 
 what success will attend his present studies, and also 
 what kind of health he will have. I don t wish him to 
 go over anything without his understanding it thor 
 oughly ; and hence he must not have too much to study. 
 I regard it as a great error to require a child to study 
 what his mind is not capable of appreciating. The tend- 
 
 1 The allusion is to the writer, then a lad of thirteen years, who evi 
 dently was on his good behavior. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 267 
 
 ency is to diminish his fondness for study ; to give him 
 a vague way of thinking, since he is not accustomed to 
 see the precise point ; and by overtasking the mind, his 
 health both of body and mind are endangered. . . . 
 I will attend to the directions of your letter, and I am 
 glad to see that your views with regard to Thomas s edu 
 cation and my views on the same subject are so alike. 
 I don t think that Thomas will get very homesick. I 
 regret that I have not got some occupation for him ; and 
 also regret not having some good companion for him to 
 always associate with. I wrote to you about pocket 
 money for him, but, as I stated, that probably he had 
 reserved enough for that purpose ; I find such to be the 
 
 case, as he since gave me dollars to keep for him. 
 
 . . . My greatest concern about him is his eating ; 
 when he first came he would use neither milk nor coffee. 
 Since then he drinks a little coffee, but I am afraid of his 
 doing so, as he has not been accustomed, he says, to its 
 use. I don t wish him to change his home habits in any 
 respect, unless there is necessity for so doing. I wish 
 you would let me know how he lived at home. He gets 
 his lessons well. Anna joins me in love to yourself and 
 the children. Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington, Va., February 19, 1859. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your letter reached me this morning. . . . 
 Next week Thomas will commence studying geography 
 again, as I have found that whilst he knows a good deal 
 about geography, yet there are some parts of it with 
 which he is not well acquainted, and every person should 
 be familiar with it, and the earlier with him the better. 
 As with his present knowledge his geographical lesson 
 
268 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 will not take much time, I may be able to give him some 
 lessons in Spanish. I had him in my room this morning 
 reciting in Latin and hearing his catechism. I don t 
 know much about Latin myself. I shall hear him more 
 frequently on his English grammar. I hope that you 
 and Mr. Arnold will both soon be well. With the bless 
 ing of Providence we will visit you in July, though this 
 need not prevent you from visiting us before then. And 
 I hope you will do so, as something may prevent our 
 visiting you in July. Thomas says his health is much 
 better than it was at home, but it has not been so good, 
 in my opinion, since he received his box of eatables. I 
 never knew him until since that time to complain of de 
 ranged stomach or of its effects. Yesterday, this being 
 Monday the 2ist, he had his lesson very well for the 
 Sabbath school. My dear sister, do not permit yourself 
 to be over-anxious about Thomas. Remember that God 
 withholds no good thing from them who love Him. 
 Commit all things into His gracious hands. May He 
 bless you with every needful blessing is the prayer of 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington, Va. t March 14, 1859. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 . . . I hope that you will not permit your 
 self to be anxious about him (Thomas). He is making 
 some progress in Spanish, though I have not required 
 him to give it much attention. I hope that by the end 
 of the session he will be able to continue it without any 
 assistance from a teacher. Come and see us if you can, 
 for as Anna is not well I am afraid for her to travel over 
 the road from here to Beverley. I expect to visit you 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 269 
 
 in the summer if God in His providence will permit it. 
 Anna joins me in love to you all. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington, Va. t May 9, 1859. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I omitted in my last to answer your question as 
 to when I design visiting Beverley. I hope to do so in 
 July, but you must not give yourself any trouble about 
 the vegetables you spoke of, as I am, through the bless 
 ing of our heavenly Father, enabled now to live on most 
 anything. Don t get brown bread for me, as I have 
 ceased to use it. But when I drop in I will just eat 
 such things as are convenient. I heard from Anna Sat 
 urday ; she sends love to you. Thomas was very anx 
 ious to go with his teacher and a number of the scholars 
 to the Peaks of Otter, but I felt it was too great a re 
 sponsibility for me to take to let him go. Some of the 
 boys might have guns with them, and some accident 
 might occur to him. Accordingly he remains at home, 
 and I hope that he will make considerable progress in 
 Spanish} In consequence of the irritation of my throat 
 I have not been hearing him much in the last few days. 
 But he is far enough advanced now to study considerably 
 by himself. I hope to have a fine supply of vegetables 
 for you when you come. You must try and bring some 
 other members of the family with you. Give my love to 
 the children. Thomas is well. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 1 Italicized by the writer who was far from being pleased at having to 
 remain and study Spanish while his schoolmates were off on a holiday 
 trip.T. J. A. 
 
XIX 
 HOME LIFE- Continued (1859-1860) 
 
 AS indicated in the last preceding letter, Major 
 Jackson s sister visited him at his home in 
 Lexington in June of that year, accompanied 
 by her two younger children, and remained until 
 after the commencement exercises of the Virginia 
 Military Institute, when we returned home by stage 
 through the mountains. Major Jackson s friends in 
 that charming town extended a most cordial welcome 
 to his sister ; and the many attentions of which she 
 and her children were the recipients were ever after 
 wards a pleasant memory ; and their kindness was 
 no doubt very gratifying to Major Jackson. Years 
 subsequent to this visit, it may be here mentioned, 
 the same cordial welcome and kindness have been 
 experienced by the writer and his family in this most 
 hospitable of Virginia towns. In the period referred 
 to in the last several preceding letters, I was a mem 
 ber of Major Jackson s household with the exception 
 of the first few weeks, when we lodged and boarded 
 at the same house, and for the entire time was under 
 his daily supervision. While there I was with him 
 more or less daily, frequently reciting my lessons to 
 him, often accompanying him in his walks, almost 
 always with him for Saturday and other holiday out- 
 
 270 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 271 
 
 ings covering several miles, going with him to his 
 farm and elsewhere. Always at the same table, I 
 invariably went with him to church. He would 
 take me with him to an occasional entertainment or 
 lecture. During our walks Major Jackson s conver 
 sation was interesting and instructive, the instruction 
 being imparted in an entertaining and attractive 
 manner. His attitude might be aptly compared to 
 that of a careful and painstaking tutor. 
 
 I recall upon one occasion, when I had been at 
 Major Jackson s home but a few weeks, I was in 
 formed by him one evening that if I would arise early 
 the following morning I might accompany him to 
 the Institute ; that there was to be a salute fired at 
 sunrise my recollection is of nineteen guns to 
 commemorate the anniversary of the founding of that 
 institution. I had never heard the report of artillery 
 fire, and very naturally was inquisitive regarding it. 
 I remember he corrected me in the use of the word 
 " cannon," suggesting " ordnance " as a better word. 
 As I was eager to be present, I was ready at the time 
 designated and accompanied him. We arrived at 
 the Institute probably five or ten minutes before the 
 battery of four guns were hauled on the parade ground 
 by the cadets ; horses were not used. After the salute 
 was fired, and the guns had been removed, I observed 
 Major Jackson examining the ground carefully in 
 front of the position from which one of the guns had 
 been fired. In explanation he asked me whether I 
 thought that particular gun had made a louder re 
 port than the others ; that it had seemed so to him, 
 
272 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 but that he was somewhat deaf in his right ear and 
 might be mistaken ; that he was examining to see 
 whether there were any pieces of rags scattered on 
 the ground that sometimes rags were stuffed in to 
 make a louder report. On this occasion he gave me 
 a good deal of information about artillery. 
 
 As to the character of the entertainments referred 
 to, the following instance may be cited. He in 
 formed me that I might go with him to an enter 
 tainment one night, explaining in advance that he 
 thought it would be interesting that it was to be a 
 representation of ancient Jewish priests in costume, 
 blowing horns ram s horns. The performance was 
 quite attractive to me. In returning home he re 
 marked that he thought it rather poor, that he was 
 disappointed in it. 
 
 Perfect system and regularity prevailed in Major 
 Jackson s household. The moment the beat of the 
 drum at the Institute was heard, distant some three- 
 fourths of a mile from his residence, to summon the 
 cadets to fall into line to march to the mess hall, the 
 family repaired to the dining-room, taking their 
 seats at the table. I do not remember an occasion 
 when the meal was not in readiness. Following the 
 blessing, the ordinary conversation of the family was 
 indulged in while the repast was in progress. Major 
 Jackson took part in the usual conversation in the 
 home, as much so as any one ordinarily would. 
 When there was company, which was not infrequent, 
 he talked freely, and was entertaining in conversa 
 tion, and seemed perfectly at ease. I do not recall 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 273 
 
 a single circumstance during my residence there, or 
 in fact at any other time, that could be termed ec 
 centric upon his part. I do not think he was so. 
 The next letter to his sister was written just after 
 Major Jackson s return from the Sulphur Springs 
 and is dated : 
 
 Lexington, Va., August 27, 1859. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I returned last Tuesday evening from the White 
 Sulphur Springs, and under the blessing of Providence 
 my health has much improved, and if I only had a week 
 more before the commencing of the session, I would visit 
 you ; but I would barely have had time to ride to your 
 house and back, which would not have answered our pur 
 pose, as my desire is to make a visit But I hope that in 
 November I will be with you. The first visit that I pay 
 is to be to you. I feel that a disordered liver had probably 
 much to do with my affected throat, and if I can only keep 
 the secretions right I hope that my throat will soon be well. 
 Anna s health, I fear, has not improved much, though 
 she gained some flesh during her stay at the baths. 
 Major Preston has just returned and given me an ac 
 count of you all. I am much gratified that Mr. Arnold 
 invited him to stay with you. I regret that Mr. Arnold s 
 arm continues to trouble him. I trust that you will suc 
 ceed in securing a competent teacher for the children. 
 Tell them that their aunt and I were wishing this week 
 that we could see them. Sulphur water appears to suit 
 my disease better than any other remedy which I have 
 met with, and yesterday evening Anna and myself took 
 a ride to one of these springs about eight miles from 
 town. I never knew of its existence until within a, few 
 
EARLY LIFE AND LETTEES 
 
 weeks. The water is very pleasant, yet very weak, and 
 I fear not of much benefit. I send you by the same 
 mail with this letter one of our catalogues. Anna joins 
 me in love to you all. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Home, September ij, 1859. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your last reached me safely, and Anna delivered 
 the articles to the servants according to your request. I 
 regret to learn that your health continues so infirm. I am, 
 with yourself, glad that you visited us last summer with 
 the children, and hope that you may be spared to visit us 
 again, and I hope that at your next visit we may be able 
 to make you more comfortable than you were at your 
 last. Anna s health has become such as to render it 
 necessary to send her to a physician. And she left last 
 Friday for Hampden Sidney, to be under the care of Dr. 
 Watkins. Give my love to Mr. Arnold and to all the 
 children. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 P. S. I fear that I will not get to see you in Novem 
 ber. But my first visit, as I said before, is to you. May 
 our kind heavenly Father bless you richly is my constant 
 repeated prayer. 
 
 Home, October /, 1859. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Last week I mailed a letter to Mr. Arnold re 
 questing him to visit me, and among other inducements 
 told him that we were to have a county agricultural fair, 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 275 
 
 but didn t mention the day, as I had not yet ascertained 
 it; but it is to be on the 23d of the month. Urge Mr. 
 Arnold to come, if you think that he can do so safely. 
 And during his stay I will try and interest him in our 
 schools and country, and see if he can be induced to lo 
 cate here. I found that the cadets designed being absent 
 so short a time that I concluded that I had better post 
 pone my visit to you until next summer. I feel that we 
 are now very greatly blessed with a good teacher for boys ; 
 he is the very man, I think, whom Thomas would do 
 well under. We have a number of good schools for 
 Grace and Stark. I heard from Anna on Saturday. She 
 hoped to be at Hampden Sidney to-day. She feels much 
 improved, and is bringing Laura, her youngest sister, 
 home with her. I hope that they will soon be here. 
 Let me hear from you soon. And tell me what Mr. 
 Arnold says. Love to all, and trust God unreservedly in 
 all things is my sincere prayer. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 P. S. You had better get Thomas to write to the edi 
 tor of The Little Pilgrim, and tell him to send his paper 
 to Beverley. 
 
 Lexington, Va., December 12, 1859. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your letter stating that you are teaching the chil 
 dren yourself has given me concern, and I write this let 
 ter for the purpose of saying that you must never hesi 
 tate a single moment about sending the children to me. 
 I stated in my letter to you the conditions upon which I 
 was ready to do for them what I could, because I felt 
 that it would prevent any disappointment to you and 
 
276 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 Mr. Arnold in the event of their coming. And I feel 
 that I can make them comfortable, and enable them to 
 acquire a good education, and to move in that sphere of 
 life where I desire to see them move. Without a good 
 education they must ever fall short of that position in 
 life which they ought to occupy. And their early edu 
 cation consisting of spelling and reading is of great im 
 portance. If either is defective, the education must 
 necessarily be defective. But if insuperable objections 
 lie in the way of getting a good teacher, or of sending 
 them abroad, don t give yourself anxiety, but trust in our 
 most kind and merciful Father, who withholds no good 
 thing from His children. I am very thankful to see you 
 bear up under your trials with such Christian fortitude, 
 and as long as we lean on His Almighty arm, all shall be 
 well. I reached home on last Friday night about three 
 o clock in the morning. Anna is an invalid still, but I 
 trust that better health is in store for her. My throat 
 has been troubling me again in consequence of a cold 
 contracted during my military excursion. 1 I am thankful 
 to you for engaging the pigs, but I don t know when I 
 will be able to bring them home. You must give my 
 love to Aunt and Uncle White. Remember me very 
 kindly to Mr. Arnold. Anna joins me in love to the 
 children. Should you see any of Mr. Chenoweth s 2 
 friends, say to them that I saw him to-day, and that he 
 is well. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 1 The reference is to the return of Major Jackson from Charlestown, 
 Virginia, whither he had been ordered by the governor of the state, with 
 the corps of cadets, to be present as an escort at the execution of John 
 Brown, December 2, 1859. 
 
 2 A sub-professor at the Institute. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 
 
 Lexington, Va., January 28, 1860. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your last very welcome letter came safe to hand, 
 and I am glad that you have succeeded in procuring a 
 teacher. And I hope that the children will learn well 
 under his instruction. I am glad to hear of Mr. Arnold s 
 improved health, and trust that it may continue to im 
 prove. Through the blessing of our heavenly Father 
 we have been spared from the smallpox thus far, and I 
 hope that we may entirely escape it. There are few 
 cases now amongst the whites. The servants have taken 
 it, though it has not spread much. As soon as a servant 
 takes the disease he is carried to the hospital. And they 
 appear to be greatly afraid of the disease in consequence 
 of their being sent there. ... I hope that Anna s 
 health is improving, but very little throws her back 
 again. I wrote to Aunt Clem l a few days since. On 
 my return from Harper s Ferry I came through Rich 
 mond and saw Wm. L. J and his wife, Jonathan 
 
 B and his wife, and Wm. E. A , Ben. B , 
 
 John S. H , and other friends. I wish you would write 
 
 to me what are the given names of Wm. L. J s wife 
 
 and B s wife and what relationship there is between 
 
 them and us, and give me a letter full of such things, as 
 I am asked from time to time what is the relationship 
 between me and such and such persons. I think Mr. 
 Arnold knows a good deal about the subject. For 
 example, I think he knows who were grandfather s 
 brothers. I remember having a talk with him once 
 on the subject, and I found he appeared better ac 
 quainted with such things than myself. Who was Dr. 
 Edward Jackson ? Anna joins me in love to you 
 
 Mrs. Alfred Neale. 
 
278 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 all. I hope that your health is better than when you 
 last wrote. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 A want of knowledge on the part of Major Jack 
 son as to the degree of relationship existing between 
 himself and his kindred as expressed in the preced 
 ing letter is easily explained when it is remembered 
 that he left his uncle s home in boyhood to enter the 
 Military Academy at West Point. And while he per 
 sonally knew many of his very numerous relatives 
 and their relationship, yet there were many others 
 less closely related, and some of them residing at a 
 distance from his home, whom he would meet with 
 occasionally, and at that early age he would not be 
 likely to give much thought or attention to the de 
 gree of relationship. Subsequent to the time of his 
 admission to the academy at West Point he had 
 made but few and hurried visits to his former home. 
 The next letter in the collection is dated : 
 
 Lexington, Va. y April 16, 1860. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I have been desiring to write to you for some 
 time, but have been prevented from doing so. I am 
 sorry to learn that your eyes trouble you so much. I 
 wish you would try the simple remedy of washing them 
 with cold water, lifting the water to the face in both 
 hands, and washing the face until a little water gets into 
 the eyes and they commence smarting. Do this at night 
 just before going to bed, and again immediately after 
 getting up. I hope that you are improving, and that 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 279 
 
 Mr. Arnold is likewise. Anna is suffering from a very 
 bad cold. She has been confined to her bed for nearly a 
 week, but is up this afternoon. I don t know how Mr. 
 Arnold thinks Wm. L. Jackson * would do for a judge, 
 
 but if he would like to see him elected over E and 
 
 can do anything for him, I hope that he will do so. I 
 thought that probably there might be some person or 
 persons living near his father s old place beyond Weston 
 with whom he might have influence. If such is not the 
 case, do not say anything to him about it. And prob 
 ably you had better say nothing anyway to him upon 
 the subject. 2 From what I have heard, William will 
 very probably be elected. I hope that the children are 
 all doing well. Anna joins me in love to you all. 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS, 
 
 The following letter is in regard to his niece s 
 education. 
 
 April 23, 1860. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I intended writing to you to-day, but as Anna 
 has done so, I will only say a few words, and these with 
 respect to Grace. I have not mentioned the matter to 
 
 Major P and I don t think it necessary to consult 
 
 him upon the subject ; but if you still desire me to do 
 so, let me know in your next letter and I will give you 
 his opinion. My mind is clearly in favor of making 
 
 1 A relative of whom mention has been made before. 
 
 2 My father did not reside in the circuit referred to and consequently 
 could not vote there. Jackson was a Democrat and was on that ticket. 
 My father was a staunch Whig ; hence, I suppose, the caution manifested 
 as to approaching him on the subject. T. J. A. 
 
280 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 Grace familiar with the English grammar as soon as 
 practicable ; let her commence it at once. Let her not 
 only study the principles of the language, but require 
 her to parse a great deal, so as to make her familiar with 
 the application of the principles. Let all her studies be 
 English until she shall become a finished English scholar. 
 I don t attach much importance to Latin for females. 
 It is of value to every educated person, but mostly to 
 professional men. I am glad that Mr. Arnold is re 
 taining Mr. McC . You may expect another line 
 
 from me in a week or so. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Home, May i, 1860. 
 MY DEAR SISTER ; 
 
 Tell Grace that I have received her letter, and 
 that I am glad to see her spelling so good. I will write 
 to her in a few days and will send her the patterns de 
 sired. Whenever you desire furniture from New York 
 let me know, and I can order it from either of two es 
 tablishments. One of them makes first-class furniture, 
 but I think that his prices are too high for you. I pur 
 chased nothing of him but half a dozen parlor chairs. 
 The rest of my furniture, omitting piano and a few other 
 articles, was furnished by another house, and I was very 
 well pleased with the articles ; but when I was last in 
 New York I purchased a few more articles of the same 
 house, but am not pleased with them so well. So I would 
 advise you to order but a few articles at first, in the 
 event of your intending to purchase much. I am writ 
 ing in great haste, holding the paper in one hand and 
 
 1 Mr. R. A. McCutcheon employed by my father as instructor for the 
 children. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 281 
 
 writing with the other. Anna joins me in love to you 
 all. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Home, June 4, 1860. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I have not heard from you for so long a time that 
 I am fearful that you are sick ; and if so, you must make 
 the children write to me. I hope though that your 
 health is good. Anna is unusually unwell, but I trust 
 that she will soon commence improving again. My 
 eyes have improved greatly, through the blessing of Him 
 who withholds no good thing from me ; but in some re 
 spects my health is more impaired than it has been for 
 some years. If I don t improve I hope to leave for a 
 hydropathic establishment soon after our commencement 
 in July. And my plan is to send a servant with the car 
 riage to meet me at the depot nearest Beverley. What is 
 the name of the depot ? I want the servant to get to 
 your house a day or two in advance of the time, so that 
 he will be certain to meet me. Anna and I will then re 
 turn by Beverley in the carriage, and send the servant 
 home by the railroad. All this plan may be frustrated, 
 but I am resolved to pay you the first visit which I 
 make. So you may be satisfied that if I don t visit you 
 that my health is such as to render medical treatment 
 necessary. I send some early Silesia lettuce seed, which 
 I hope you will sow at once, and after it gets a few leaves 
 on each plant, set the plants in rows, so that the plants 
 shall be eight inches apart ; and water them occasionally, 
 so as to keep the ground damp. I never was fond of 
 lettuce until I tried this. I regard it as the largest, 
 tenderest and finest flavored that I have ever tasted. If 
 
282 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 you wish any more seed, let me know and I will send it. 
 I am greatly gratified at the election of Wm. L. Jackson. 
 . . . My disease gives me pain every day. I ex 
 perience unusual pain whilst riding in a carriage. Anna 
 joins me in love to you all. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington, Va., June 30, 1860. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your letter, enclosing the check, came safely, and 
 relieved my mind from apprehensions of your being seri 
 ously ill. We have closed our examinations, and I hope 
 that on Thursday next I will be able to leave. I have 
 some concern about getting from here to Goshen (the 
 nearest railroad station) but I trust that I will not ex 
 perience much pain, as I design going in my carriage. 
 I don t feel so well to-day as usual, but I have been 
 exercising probably too much, as I am at the Institute 
 for the third time. I think that my general health is 
 better than it has been for a year or two at this season 
 of the year ; but much exercise appears to bring on in 
 creased trouble and pain. If I do not improve greatly 
 between this and the time that I reach New York, I will 
 pass directly through and leave your purchases until my 
 return. Write to me at Brattleboro, Vermont, as I de 
 sign going to a hydropathic establishment there. If I 
 should not stop as I go through New York, I will write 
 to two different establishments there and find out on what 
 terms they will furnish the furniture ; so that on my re 
 turn it will only be necessary to make the purchases. In 
 your next letter tell me to whom I must direct your pur 
 chases. I expect that it will be cheaper to send them by 
 water to Baltimore, and from Baltimore by railroad. If 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 283 
 
 so, it would be necessary to send them to the care of 
 some one in Baltimore, as well as to the care of some 
 one at Webster Station on the railroad. Anna doesn t 
 know of my writing this letter, as I am at the Institute, 
 or she might have some special message. Her health is 
 much better than usual, and I trust that through the 
 blessing of God she will be restored this summer. The 
 weather is oppressively hot. Much love to all. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
XX 
 
 HOME LIFE, Continued (1860-1861) 
 
 AS stated in the last letter in the preceding 
 chapter, as early as Major Jackson was able 
 to leave Lexington, he, accompanied by his 
 wife, visited the New England States, with the view 
 of undergoing treatment at a water cure, in the 
 efficacy of which he, as is evident, had a great deal 
 of confidence. His next letter was written from one 
 of these resorts. 
 
 Round Hill Water Cure, 
 Northampton, Mass., July 21, 1860. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I have been desiring to write to you for some 
 time, but on last Friday week I was very ill with a bilious 
 attack attended with high fever ; but as I was with a 
 skillful water cure physician, he soon, through the bless 
 ing of a kind Providence, arrested the fever, and on 
 Saturday I was again outdoors, and am now better than 
 before the attack. I might have written to you last 
 week had I not have been anticipating a change from 
 Brattleboro to this place, and I feared that your letter 
 might not reach me in the event of having it directed to 
 that place should I leave there. To-day I came here, 
 and am much pleased with things so far. I think that 
 Anna s health as well as my own has improved. The 
 special object of writing to you at this time is to request 
 you to furnish me with another list of the articles you 
 
 284 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 285 
 
 wish me to get for you. I would not trouble you with 
 making out another list had I not, as it appears, put those 
 you sent me in such a special safe place of keeping that 
 when I was about leaving home I could not find them 
 myself. I don t think that I will get you anything at 
 auction. I bought our sofa there and it has turned out 
 a great cheat. I wrote to you by Mr. Chenowith, and I 
 think requested you to tell me to whom I should send 
 the purchases in Baltimore, and also at Grafton. Please 
 let me know soon after receiving this, and direct your 
 letter to Round Hill Water Cure, Northampton, Massa 
 chusetts. I wish you were here with me ; it is one of the 
 most beautiful places I have ever seen. Anna joins me 
 in love to you all. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 P. S. I am on the west side of the Connecticut River, 
 so you can find me on the map. 
 
 Round Hill, Northampton, Mass., 
 
 August 4, 1860. 
 MY DEAREST SISTER : 
 
 Your welcome letter of July 22d reached us at 
 this place. I am glad that our sweet cousins, for such 
 
 are the M s, are about paying you a visit, and I very 
 
 much desire to meet them ; but such gratification cannot 
 be indulged in at this time, as our physician says that 
 Anna will have to remain here until about the 1st of 
 October if she wishes to be cured. He says that he can 
 thoroughly cure her. He says that he could cure me of 
 all my symptoms of disease in from four to six months. 
 And as I am improving, I wish that I could remain here 
 until relieved of all my troubles, or so long as I continue 
 
286 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 to improve. He says that I have a slight distortion of 
 the spine, and that it has given rise to some of my un 
 easy symptoms. There are several ladies here who could 
 not walk when they commenced treatment, and are now 
 walking as if perfectly well. Anna and myself much 
 regret that we must again be denied the pleasure of visit 
 ing you, as we had hoped to do. But I know that at the 
 right time our heavenly Father will permit us to see you. 
 I am anxiously looking forward to some opportunity 
 during the coming session. I wrote in my last for you 
 to give me a list of furniture, etc. I will do the best I 
 can for you in New York. I will not have an opportu 
 nity of stopping in Philadelphia, as my time is so 
 precious. If you prefer the Philadelphia bedstead, I will 
 write to the same person who made ours and get you 
 one. I send a list of some of our purchases. They 
 were much lower than could have been bought in 
 Lexington. Anna joins me in love to you all. I wish 
 I could stop in Philadelphia, as I might get something 
 for you, and also attend to an important matter for our 
 selves. I much regret that you hadn t your furniture at 
 
 this time. You must give my love to H and the 
 
 others when they visit you. May you have every need 
 ful blessing, temporal and spiritual, is my habitual 
 prayer. 
 
 Your very affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 The next letter was written just after his return to 
 Lexington. 
 
 Home, September j, 1860. 
 MY DEAREST SISTER : 
 
 I have reached home safely, with my health much 
 improved. My physician said that I ought to have re- 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 287 
 
 mained a month longer, and I tried to do so, but did not 
 succeed. 1 And I am satisfied with the sweet assurance 
 that all things work together for my good. Anna s 
 health was much improved, yet it was necessary for her 
 to remain longer. I stopped in New York and went to 
 Bruner and Moore s, and also to Madden s. They are 
 persons from whom I hoped to purchase your furniture. 
 And at Madden s I have been able to get you better 
 bargains than Anna and I got of him. . . . All the 
 articles are mahogany, and I like them. 
 
 Home, September 24, 1860. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your very welcome letter reached me on Satur 
 day, and I forwarded a draft this morning in a letter to 
 Mr. Madden requesting him to purchase the carpet and 
 stair rods and to forward all by the first packet to J. Ar 
 nold, Beverley, Randolph County, Virginia, to the care of 
 R. L. Heavener and John Gephart, Jr., No. 320 Baltimore 
 St., Baltimore, Maryland. I specified green as the color 
 for the lounge, as you did not mention the color in your 
 letter. I much prefer it to ours, as I think it is more 
 serviceable, whereas ours has proved to be a great cheat ; 
 having been bought at a New York auction, I might 
 have expected it to have turned out badly. As you re 
 quest a Bible instead of the oil cloth, I conform very 
 willingly to your wishes. In order to get a new draft 
 from a bank, the person to whom the bank gave the 
 draft has to inform the bank that the draft has been lost 
 or mislaid, as the case may be, and satisfy the banking 
 officer that he is acting honestly in the matter. If our 
 bank were to give me a draft and I should lose it, all I 
 
 1 Presumably had made an effort to have his leave of absence extended. 
 
288 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 would have to do would be to go to the cashier of the 
 bank and tell him that the draft was lost, and request 
 him to give me another, which he would do ; and he 
 would then write to the bank that was to pay the draft, 
 and tell it not to pay the first draft, if he thought it nec 
 essary. So if the draft sent me was given to Colonel 
 GofT, ask him to write to the bank and request another 
 draft, stating that the first has been lost or mislaid. If 
 the cashier of the bank does not know Colonel GorT, the 
 colonel had better inclose his letter to some friend in 
 whom the bank has confidence and let this friend present 
 it to the bank, so that the bank may be satisfied that all 
 is right. I regret to give you so much trouble. When 
 your friend reaches Lexington, if she will send me her 
 card, or let me know of her being in town, it will give me 
 pleasure to gain her access to all of our schools which 
 she may desire to visit. I will try and make her stay 
 here agreeable. It may be that Anna will be at home 
 by that time, which will contribute to her enjoyment. 
 The house is very lonesome without Anna; it hardly 
 appears like home. Anna is well, so the doctor says, 
 and she will come home so soon as her strength and 
 health have been a little more tested and confirmed. 
 May our heavenly Father greatly bless you and all your 
 family, prays your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 The following letter of introduction is self-explan 
 atory. The bearer was the son of Major Jackson s 
 highly esteemed friend and townsman, Major, after 
 wards Colonel, J. T. L. Preston. The young man l 
 had but recently entered the ministry, and a call 
 
 1 Rev. Thomas L. Preston. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 289 
 
 had been extended to him by the Presbyterians of 
 Tygart s Valley, which he had accepted, and was 
 departing for the field of his labor. 
 
 Lexington , Va., November 12, 1860. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 This note will be presented to you by my much 
 esteemed friend, the Rev. Thomas L. Preston, who goes, 
 as stated in my last letter, to labor in the Lord s vine 
 yard in your section of the state. My prayer is that he 
 may have the zealous cooperation of all who love the 
 Redeemer. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 Lexington, Va. y December i, 1860. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 I received your welcome letter this morning. I 
 regret to learn that you have all been ill, but trust that 
 ere this reaches you all may again be well. If Mr. 
 Preston remains in Beverley much of his time I would 
 be glad if it could be so arranged as to have him make 
 his home with you, if your health and other circum 
 stances would justify it. But I fear^that it could not be 
 arranged so. But wherever he may stay when in Bev 
 erley, you may, through the blessing of God, derive 
 great aid from him by consulting him freely. He is re 
 served in his manners, and I think that the best way 
 to treat him is to be very cordial, and to evince a desire 
 to see a good deal of him ; but, after all, we must not de 
 pend too much on man, but look up to our heavenly 
 Father for every needed aid. If we but live near to God, 
 all things shall work together for our good. I regret to 
 
290 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 hear of Aunt White s blindness. Give my love to her 
 and uncle. I am sorry that your furniture was injured, 
 even slightly. I didn t expect that you would fancy the 
 French bedstead as much as ours, but such a one as ours 
 I have never seen in New York ; it is the Philadelphia 
 style, and besides it costs more than yours. I like the 
 French, and Anna would exchange with you if practi 
 cable, and says if you will send her yours, she will send 
 you hers. If you had been accustomed to seeing French 
 bedsteads all your life, you would probably think the 
 high ones quite clumsy affairs. I hope that William * 
 will exchange with Judge Thompson, and would be glad 
 if he would do so next term, 2 which commences the 1 2th 
 of next September. I hope if he comes that he will 
 bring his wife with him. I did not ask Mr. Preston to 
 take your Bible to you as he said that he was going on 
 horseback. Anna joins me in love to you and the chil 
 dren. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 As will appear from the letter next ensuing, Major 
 Jackson, like General Lee, Commodore Maury and 
 other Confederate leaders, in fact nearly all of the 
 Conservative population of the South, was opposed 
 to the states withdrawing from the Union as long as 
 their citizens could, consistently with honor, avoid 
 doing so. Major Jackson, as is evident, is intensely 
 concerned as to the outcome, and attaches great im 
 portance to the united prayerful appeal to be made 
 by the public at large to the Lord on a day specially 
 
 1 Judge Wm. L. Jackson, afterwards adjutant-general on Jackson s staff. 
 
 2 Term of Circuit Court. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 291 
 
 set apart for that purpose, petitioning that civil war 
 may be averted. 
 
 Lexington, Va. y December 29, 1860. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Among the things kept in mind for this Saturday 
 is the writing of a letter to you. The weather here is 
 such that any one who does not learn at the feet of Jesus 
 would pronounce dismal, as it is penetratingly damp, in 
 addition to wet falling snow bordering on sleet. How 
 different are the views of one who sees God in all things 
 from one who sees Him in nothing. This reminds me 
 of the peasant who said that the weather to-morrow will 
 be just such as pleases me, because it will be such as 
 pleases God, and that always pleases me. How do you 
 like Mr. Thomas Preston ? * What is being done for the 
 Redeemer s cause in Beverley ? How I would like to be 
 with you ! A visit to you is one of the pleasant things 
 in prospect. I hope that you are all well again. Do 
 not have too much anxiety about bringing up your 
 children; trust in God for assistance, and it will be 
 given. I think of our sainted mother, and take courage 
 from God s promise, " I will show mercy unto thousands 
 (of generations) of them that keep My commandments." 
 From this passage a parent as well as children may draw 
 great comfort. If a parent but keeps God s command 
 ments, he or she may be well assured that God s mercy 
 will rest upon the children. 
 
 I am looking forward with great interest to the 4th 
 of January when the Christian people of this land will 
 lift their united prayer as incense to the Throne of God 
 in supplication for our unhappy country. What is the 
 feeling about Beverley respecting secession ? I am anx- 
 
 1 See page 289. 
 
292 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 % 
 
 ious to hear from the native part of my state. I am 
 strong for the Union at present, and if things become no 
 worse I hope to continue so. I think that the majority 
 in this county are for the Union, but in counties border 
 ing on us there is a strong secession feeling. Anna joins 
 me in love to you and the children. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 The recent preceding letters, written late in 1860, 
 are very calm in tone, giving no indication of the 
 intense excitement prevailing at that period, and 
 which was especially true in Major Jackson s im 
 mediate surroundings : many of the cadets at the 
 Virginia Military Institute having come from the 
 states farther south, where the spirit of secession 
 was more intense, one state having already seceded, 
 and a number of others were in the very act of do 
 ing so. The patriotic ardor of these young men 
 was such as to require every effort upon the part of 
 their instructors to restrain and keep them within 
 anything approaching reasonable bounds. It may 
 be mentioned that it was upon one of these occasions 
 that Major Jackson, in addressing the cadets, made, 
 it is asserted, the most effective speech in his life ; 
 although of only a few minutes duration, it had the 
 effect of completely allaying the most intense excite 
 ment. The next letter is addressed to the writer 
 and is presumably the only expression from the pen 
 of General Jackson giving fully and clearly his views 
 upon the then threatening troubles between the 
 states, and indicating in no uncertain terms what in 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 293 
 
 his opinion was the proper course to be pursued by 
 the citizens of Virginia in the event of the invasion 
 of that state. 1 In this connection it should be borne 
 in mind that the date of this letter was but a year or 
 two subsequent to the John Brown raid, and which 
 had created such intense excitement at the time, not 
 only in the state of Virginia, but throughout the en 
 tire South ; and that the fear and unrest thereby 
 aroused had by no means subsided. It should also be 
 mentioned that in the war that followed no prisoners 
 were more kindly treated and cared for than those 
 that were surrendered to Jackson s command. 
 
 Lexington, Va. t January 26, 1861. 
 MY DEAR NEPHEW : 
 
 Your very welcome letter reached me a few days 
 since. I was apprehensive from not hearing from any of 
 you for so long a time that some of you might be sick. 
 I am glad to learn that you are progressing so well in 
 your studies, and trust that you will be able to enter the 
 desired class in the Institute. During the present aca 
 demic year the cadets have numbered between two and 
 three hundred. I was glad to learn your father s views 
 respecting the state of the country ; I agree very much 
 with him. In this county there is a strong Union feel 
 ing, and the union party have unanimously nominated 
 Samuel McDowell Moore and Jas. B. Dorman as dele 
 gates to the convention, 2 and I expect that they will be 
 
 1 1 well recall that although but a boy at the time, how completely this 
 letter influenced and definitely fixed my own political convictions. 
 _T. J. A. 
 
 2 The State Convention called to meet at the capitol in Richmond. 
 
294: EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 elected by a large majority. I am in favor of making a 
 thorough trial for peace, and if we fail in this, and the 
 state is invaded, to defend it with a terrific resistance. 
 . . . I desire to see the state use every influence she 
 possesses in order to procure an honorable adjustment of 
 our troubles, but if after having done so the free states, 
 instead of permitting us to enjoy the rights guaranteed to 
 us by the Constitution of our country, should endeavor 
 to subjugate us, and thus excite our slaves to servile 
 insurrection in which our families will be murdered with 
 out quarter or mercy, it becomes us to wage such a war 
 as will bring hostilities to a speedy close. People who 
 are anxious to bring on war don t know what they are 
 bargaining for ; they don t see all the horrors that must 
 accompany such an event. For myself I have never as 
 yet been induced to believe that Virginia will even have 
 to leave the Union. I feel pretty well satisfied that the 
 Northern people love the Union more than they do their 
 peculiar notions of slavery, and that they will prove it 
 to us when satisfied that we are in earnest about leaving 
 the Confederacy unless they do us justice. Your aunt 
 joins me in love to you all. Write often. 
 
 Your affectionate uncle, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 The next letter is to his sister. 
 
 Lexington, Va., February 23, 1861. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your kind letter reached its destination after 
 Anna had left for North Carolina to visit her parents, 
 and be present at her sister Sue s wedding. She left 
 last Monday morning. I heard from her in Richmond. 
 She wrote that Providence had greatly blessed her. She 
 
SPECIMENS OF GENERAL JACKSON S HANDWRITING. 
 Being fac-simile extracts from letter at pages 293-4. The 
 last two reduced. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 295 
 
 went as far as Richmond with a lac*/ of this place. 
 From Richmond she was to go to her destination with 
 her brother William who was to leave Washington for 
 the purpose. I feel very lonesome and greatly wish that 
 I had you as next door neighbor. To-day is rainy and 
 I stay pretty much indoors. I hope that Thomas will 
 spare no pains to get all the education practicable before 
 coming to the Institute. He will thus be enabled to 
 take our course to greater advantage, and will be in a 
 position to graduate higher in his class. Yesterday was 
 celebrated with becoming honor, due to the memory of 
 Washington. I trust that this letter will find you all in 
 usual health, at least. My throat is troubling me to-day. 
 I would be glad to hear from Thomas or from any of 
 the children. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 The last letter of those preserved from Major Jack 
 son to his sister bears date as late as April 6, 1861, 
 but two weeks preceding the day on which he 
 marched from Lexington, under orders from the 
 governor of Virginia, in command of the cadets to 
 report at Richmond. There is not a word in it indi 
 cating the approaching trouble. The reader will 
 find revealed in this letter, however, another phase 
 of General Jackson s character, an open purse in 
 the Lord s work. 
 
 Lexington, Va. t April 6, 1861. 
 MY DEAR SISTER : 
 
 Your very kind letter met with a welcome re 
 ception, and I intended answering it last Saturday, but 
 
296 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 was prevented. I am very much gratified to learn that 
 
 Mr. has consented to aid the church provided 
 
 Mr. P remains with you. From Grace s letter I saw 
 
 that he would remain if a proper salary could be raised. 
 Do what you all can to make up the amount and I will 
 be responsible for the rest. I would rather pay his whole 
 salary than have him leave Beverley at this time. I still 
 
 hope that Mr. may become a Christian. I know 
 
 that the change to effect this must be great, but who will 
 limit the power of the Holy Ghost ? Who can say but 
 that your prayers and the prayer of others may be heard 
 
 for Mr. . For years I have been praying for him 
 
 and expect to continue doing so. How great has been 
 the change in him, to agree to aid in preaching the 
 Gospel. Pray on for him, and pray for more faith. You 
 speak of your temptations. God withdraws His sensible 
 presence from us to try our faith. When a cloud comes 
 between you and the sun, do you fear that the sun will 
 never appear again ? I am well satisfied that you are a 
 child of God, and that you will be saved in heaven, there 
 forever to dwell with the ransomed of the Lord. So you 
 must not doubt. The natural sun may never return to 
 the view of the child of God, but the Son of Righteous 
 ness will. But there is one very essential thing to the 
 child of God who would enjoy the comforts of religion, 
 and that is he or she must live in accordance with the 
 law of God, must have no will but His ; knowing the path 
 of duty must not hesitate for a moment, but at once walk 
 in it. Jesus says, " My yoke is easy and My burden is 
 light," and this is true, if we but follow Him in the prompt 
 discharge of every duty ; but we mustn t hesitate a mo 
 ment about doing our duty, under all circumstances, as 
 soon as it is made known to us ; and we should always 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 297 
 
 seek by prayer to be taught our duty. If temptations 
 are presented, you must not think that you are com 
 mitting sin in consequence of having a sinful thought. 
 Even the Saviour was presented with the thought of 
 worshipping Satan. What could be more abhorrent to a 
 Christian s feelings than such a thought? But such 
 thoughts become sinful if we derive pleasure from them. 
 We must abhor them if we would prevent our sinning. 
 The devil injects sinful ideas into our minds to disturb 
 our peace, and to make us sin ; and it is our duty to see by 
 prayer and watchfulness that we are not defiled by them. 
 God has done great things, astonishing things for you 
 and your family. Don t doubt His eternal love for you. 
 
XXI 
 
 HOME UFE, Continued 
 
 GENERAL JACKSON was very fond of 
 children. He always manifested the great 
 est interest in and affection for his sister s 
 children. He seemed to ever have them in mind, 
 and when opportunity offered brought them inter 
 esting books and other presents. He frequently 
 wrote to them, encouraging them to correspond 
 with him. Some of these letters have been pre 
 served, and, with the exception of those appearing 
 elsewhere herein, are reproduced in the present 
 chapter. In these letters, and in his conversation 
 with the children, there was ever one thought upper 
 most, their instruction and improvement ; and so, 
 when in their company, there was always some in 
 teresting and useful knowledge imparted. Of these 
 letters, the one of earliest date was written to myself. 
 
 Lexington, Va. t Christman, 1855. 
 MY DEAR NEPHEW : 
 
 Your letter has given me pleasure in various 
 ways. I am glad to know that you can find time from 
 your play to write me so good a letter, and hope that you 
 will write frequently. I am sorrow 1 that your mule 
 should have been so unmannerly , as to throw you off, 
 and even after doing this should kick you ; but now since 
 
 ^Lapsus pennce, and left for nephew to correct. 
 298 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 299 
 
 your father has sold him, all such accidents, I hope, will 
 be avoided for the future. I remember having once been 
 served pretty much the same way by one of those kick 
 ing creatures. It happened in this way : I went with 
 Cousin William Brake, whom your mother can tell you 
 about, to bring some mules home one Sunday morning, 
 and as I was riding down a long hill, somehow or other I 
 not only got over the mark across his shoulders, but he 
 got me over his head, and jumped clear over me, 1 and 
 away he went ; and from that day to this I have not been 
 very fond of mule-riding. You know that they kick out 
 to one side like a cow. I have corrected your letter and 
 believing that you would understand the corrections 
 better if I would return the letter with the corrections, I 
 have concluded to return it with this. And now I am 
 not going to look over my letter, and I expect that there 
 are some mistakes in it ; and if so, I wish when you read 
 it that you would point them out to your father or mother 
 and tell me of them when you next write ; and if there 
 are many you can just correct them, and return the letter 
 thus corrected. I hope that you will get to a good school 
 this winter. I saw Dr. Bosworth this morning at the 
 hotel or tavern in town. He is up paying his son John 
 a visit during the Christmas holidays, and I wish that 
 you would go and tell Mrs. Bosworth that I saw him ; 
 and tell her also that John is well. The doctor told me 
 that he thought that you would have a good teacher in 
 town this winter. I hope that you will grow up to be a 
 good and wise man. Give much love to your father, 
 mother, Grace and Stark. 
 
 Your affectionate uncle, THOMAS. 
 
 paragraph is quoted at pages 30 and 31, and would have been 
 omitted here, but could not well be done. 
 
300 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 The next letter is to the same and is dated : 
 
 Lexington, Va. t April, 1856. 
 MY DEAR NEPHEW : 
 
 Now for a letter to you, but I would much rather 
 talk to you if you were here ; but as I can t talk with you, 
 I do not intend biting off my nose, etc., by denying my 
 self the pleasure of writing. Thanks to you for your cor 
 rection of my letter. And now let us see how many 
 errors you can find in yours. Let us read your letter 
 together, and number the wrong words. No. I means 
 to exclude ; you wished to tell me to receive ; just the re 
 verse of this, and should have said accept. No. 2 should 
 begin with the capital E because the word is an adjective 
 derived from the name of a nation. No. 3 should for 
 the same reason begin with L. No. 4 should be piece ; 
 look in your dictionary for both words piece and peace. 
 No. 5 wants an e at the end. I hope that your finger 
 has perfectly recovered. I am much pleased with your 
 letter, and want you to write often. Your little sealing 
 wax experiment has much gratified me. And now I 
 hope that you will put all the words which I corrected 
 for you down on a separate piece of paper and memorize 
 them, so that when I next visit you they can all be re 
 peated by you, Grace and Stark. 1 I am glad to see them 
 doing so well in their studies, and if you study your Latin 
 grammar well I think that you will be apt to like it after 
 you become well acquainted with it. We generally like 
 those things best which we can do the best. We usually 
 find that the little boy, who can run faster than any other 
 boy, fond of running races, and the one who can read the 
 best of any in his class fond of reading, and the man who 
 
 1 My sister and brother. T. J. A. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 301 
 
 can talk better and speak better than others fond of talk 
 ing and speaking. I want to see you a good talker, but 
 especially a good speaker; and your Latin is very im 
 portant in making you a good speaker ; and so study it 
 with all your might. Besides the correction of my let 
 ter, let us see if you can correct these words, viz. : Phila- 
 delfia, inn Pensilvania. Give my love to all the family. 
 
 Your affectionate uncle, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Again to same. 
 
 Lexington, Va., November 3, 1856. 
 MY DEAR NEPHEW : 
 
 Your kind letter reached me in New York, with 
 your mother s. . . . Yours and Grace s daguerreo 
 types, with the sugar egg, came into my possession this 
 
 morning from John B , for which kind remembrances 
 
 of me you must all accept my thanks. It was something 
 like having you and Grace with me to see your por 
 traits. ... I hope that your school-mistress has 
 come on, and that you are all much pleased with her and 
 she with you ; and that you will learn a great deal from 
 her. I wish that I could be with you all this evening ; 
 how delightfully would I pass my time. But though this 
 pleasure is denied me, yet I am permitted to look forward 
 to a coming time when we shall again meet and go to 
 gether to the Sunday-school and to other places. I am 
 in better health than I have been for a number of years. 
 Tell Mr. Thomas 1 when he comes home that the good 
 Mr. Lyle, 2 the one who kept the bookstore when he was 
 here, and was the leader of our church music, was struck 
 
 1 Presbyterian pastor of the Beverley Church. 
 
 2 One of Major Jackson s most devoted friends. 
 
302 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 with paralysis last night, so that his left side is disabled. 
 We think it not improbable that he will soon bid fare 
 well to this world. But tell Mr. Thomas that he looks 
 forward to a brighter and happier life than this. Give 
 much love to your father and mother, Stark and Grace, 
 and remember me to all inquiring friends, etc., not for 
 getting to remember me to the servants. Write to me 
 soon. 
 
 Your affectionate uncle, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 Lexington, Va., December /, 1856. 
 MY DEAR NEPHEW : 
 
 Thanks for your letter. I am glad that your 
 teacher has come on and that you are hard studying, and 
 that you came off so well at the exhibition. And I trust 
 that by the time I get to see you that you will know a 
 great deal about Latin and those books which you have 
 just purchased. Remember that this is the first day of 
 winter and that cold weather is the best time for study, 
 and also the best time for taking exercise ; and that the 
 harder one studies the more exercise he should take, for 
 it gives him a clear head and a healthy body. I am 
 much obliged to you all for sending those daguerreotypes 
 and the sugar egg. I shall have a great deal to talk 
 about when we meet ; of the fine paintings and sculpture, 
 and beautiful countries through which I passed last sum 
 mer. Tell Mr. Thomas when you have an opportunity 
 that Mr. Lyle is much better, and that he can walk about 
 some in his room. And how does your father like the 
 new President, Mr. Buch (Buchanan) ? 1 
 
 While I was gone I saw some funny things, too, as 
 well as pretty ones. I remember seeing in England, in a 
 
 1 General Jackson was a Democrat. My father was a Whig. T. J. A. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 303 
 
 town called Chester, about eighteen miles from Liverpool, 
 which I will mention presently, as soon as I tell you that 
 Chester is a town with a wall around it ; and it and the 
 city of York are about the only cities in England that are 
 still walled. And the York walls are more recent than 
 those of Chester, and hence not so interesting, as they 
 don t tell us so much about the ancient Britons. It ap 
 pears that the walls of Chester were built by the Britons, 
 in order to protect themselves from the Welch, who lived 
 a little west of Chester. But now for that funny thing, 
 and what do you think it was ? Well, I went into their 
 largest church, called a cathedral, which once belonged 
 to the Roman Catholics, and there, among other things, 
 I saw a representation of the devil in the shape of a lion 
 swallowing a man feet foremost. I never knew before 
 that old Nick lived on men. And I saw some other 
 things which I would like to talk to you about. Write 
 to me soon. Give much love to your father and mother, 
 and to Grace and Stark ; and remember me to all inquir 
 ing friends. 
 
 Your affectionate uncle, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 And again to the same : 
 
 Lexington, Va., September 13, 1858. 
 MY DEAR NEPHEW : 
 
 Your interesting letter of the 4th inst. has been 
 read with great pleasure, and I was much affected by the 
 account of your precious mother s illness ; but I am thank 
 ful for her returning health and hope that she will soon 
 be restored to at least her usual health. I have ascer 
 tained that you can get boarding in the same family with 
 your aunt and myself, and there are two good schools at 
 
304 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 a convenient distance. But your boarding will cost you 
 fifteen dollars per month ; your washing one dollar per 
 month ; and your teaching will be thirty-seven and one- 
 half dollars with one teacher, or forty-five dollars should 
 you go to the other. From what I have ascertained I 
 would prefer the teacher who charges thirty -seven and 
 one-half dollars ; either one is good. So your expenses 
 for ten months will be for board, teaching and washing 
 one hundred ninety-seven and one-half dollars at the 
 lowest estimate. As to your father s inquiry I would 
 say that it is very important that you should continue 
 your studies under a good teacher; and should you not 
 come here, I hope that he will be able to get your last 
 teacher or some other competent one for you. Should 
 you not continue your studies, you will not only get out 
 of the habit of studying, but you will also forget more or 
 less of what you already know. I hope that you are now 
 and will always continue to be a good boy ; and if so, 
 your mother need not fear that you would give me trouble. 
 And I would be glad to have you with me. I am glad 
 that you have progressed so far in your studies, and wish 
 you every success in them. I have commenced my duties 
 in the Institute ; but my hearing is much impaired, and 
 my strength a good deal reduced, although I have im 
 proved very much since returning home. As my eyes 
 are paining me, I must close by sending love to your 
 father, mother, Stark, Grace and yourself, in which your 
 Aunt Anna joins me. Mr. Chenowith called on me and 
 told me about you all. 
 
 Your affectionate uncle, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 The following letter was written from Lexington 
 by Major Jackson to my sister Grace. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 305 
 
 Home, February 25, 1860. 
 MY DEAR NIECE: 
 
 I was much pleased to hear from your mother s 
 letter that her health and your father s have been so good, 
 and to hear that you have so faithful a teacher ; and as 
 you cannot always have him, I hope that you will do all 
 you can in order to learn as much as possible whilst he 
 is with you. And first of all, I want you to learn to spell 
 well; give particular attention to spelling; for I don t 
 care how much you know about other things, if you 
 don t spell well you will be laughed at by educated peo 
 ple. I desire to see you have a good education, and the 
 first step towards a good education, after learning the 
 alphabet, is to learn to spell well. If a person commences 
 reading before learning to spell well, he will not be apt 
 to ever learn much more about spelling, because reading 
 is more pleasant than spelling. When I was young I 
 committed the blunder of learning to read before I had 
 learned to spell well, and though I am now thirty-six 
 years old, yet still I am mortified at my spelling words 
 wrong. In writing this letter I have had to look in the 
 dictionary to see how a word was spelled, and so I ex 
 pect it will be all my life because I didn t give enough 
 attention to my spelling when I was young. As your 
 memory is better now than it may ever be, you can 
 learn to spell more easily than when you become larger. 
 When we are young we can recollect much better than 
 when we are grown up. I desire to see you an educated 
 and accomplished lady, one that your father and mother 
 will be justly proud of. After learning to spell very well, 
 then I want you to read histories, and travels and bi 
 ographies, and such other books as will give you valuable 
 information. I also hope that you will learn your geog- 
 
306 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 raphy well. My father and mother died when I was 
 very young, and I had to work for my living and educa 
 tion both; but your parents are both living, and have 
 given you a kind teacher, and I trust that you will show 
 them how thankful you are to them by studying hard. 
 If you ever wish any information which I can give, you 
 must ask me. I haven t written to your mother for some 
 time, as I was afraid that I might send you the smallpox, 
 but I don t think that there is any danger now as all 
 are well here or about so. I heard a student of Washing 
 ton College make a beautiful speech on last Wednesday ; 
 and as he is of the same name and county as your teacher, 
 I expect that they are relatives. Give my love to all the 
 family, and write to me soon. 
 
 Your affectionate uncle, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 P. S. Your aunt sends love to you all and will write 
 soon. She is not well yet. 
 
 Again to the same : 
 
 Lexington, Va. t May 7, 1860. 
 MY DEAR NIECE : 
 
 Your letter came safely, and gives me much 
 pleasure to see how rapidly you progress in spelling. 
 Every word of your letter was spelled correctly, and I 
 hope that all your words may always be treated as well as 
 those contained in your letter ; for it is treating words 
 badly to steal a letter from them, or to impose on them a 
 letter which they don t want. You must look at Stark s 
 letters, when he writes them to his sweetheart especially. 
 And to be more serious, it would be a good plan for my 
 sweet niece and nephews to examine each other s letters 
 when they contain no secrets, and in that way you will 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 307 
 
 be very apt to find out all the counterfeit words which 
 may be passing themselves off on any of you. Remember 
 that there are a great many ways of spelling a word 
 wrong, but there is only one way of spelling it right. I 
 intended to send you with this letter the pattern which 
 you requested, but your aunt wrote in my last that you 
 have the required pattern at home. The weather is quite 
 warm to-day. My peas are in bloom ; they commenced 
 blooming before the end of April. I hope that you have 
 a fine garden. Write to me whenever you have leisure 
 time. I am glad to see your teacher remaining with you. 
 Your aunt joins me in love to you all. Her health is 
 much improved. 
 
 Your affectionate uncle, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 P. S. I am much obliged for the sweet flowers you 
 sent me. 
 
 The following letter is the last of the collection ; 
 it is to the same niece, and is dated nearly a year 
 later. 
 
 Lexington, Va., April 13, z86z. 
 My DEAR NIECE: 
 
 I have been desiring to answer your letter for 
 some time, but have from various causes been prevented. 
 I wish I could see you again with me in Lexington ; but 
 as I don t expect to have that pleasure this spring, I hope 
 to see you in Beverley next summer. In regard to those 
 little histories of which you spoke, I will try and get 
 Mr. Thomas to take a couple of them to you as a present ; 
 they may keep you reading until you have an opportunity 
 of purchasing yours. And I think if you will write to 
 them beforehand that they will let you have them a 
 
308 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 quarter lower than the retail price, which was sixty cents. 
 When I purchased mine, they let me have mine at forty- 
 five cents, as I purchased a number of books. And I 
 think they will do the same now. I don t like to ask 
 Mr. Preston to carry anything, as he will probably not 
 be able to take everything which he wants of his own, in 
 consequence of his being on horseback, and leaving home 
 for several months, and possibly for a year. Your aunt 
 will attend to your request. I am sorry to learn that 
 Mr. Chenowith s health has failed, but hope that he may 
 soon be restored. We have had very wet weather here 
 during the present week, but I think that it is probably 
 about over. Your aunt joins me in love to you all. She 
 spoke of writing to-day, but as I wanted to answer your 
 letter she consented to postpone hers. You must write 
 to me often. 
 
 Your affectionate uncle, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 P. S. I am gratified to see from your letter that you 
 are so much pleased with Mr. Preston as a preacher. 
 
XXII 
 IMPRESSIONS 
 
 IN the present and succeeding chapters I shall 
 endeavor to describe General Jackson as I 
 knew him, and will also give the observations 
 and impressions formed by others who were closely 
 associated with him for considerable periods of time. 
 Dr. Dabney, in writing of General Jackson, says, 
 " His person was tall, erect and muscular. Every 
 movement was quick and decisive ; his articulation 
 was not rapid, but distinct and emphatic, and ac 
 companied by that laconic and perspicuous phrase 
 to which it was so well adapted, it often made the 
 impression of curtness. He practised a military 
 exactness in all the courtesies of good society. . . . 
 His brow was exceedingly fair and expansive ; his 
 eyes were blue, large and expressive, reposing usually 
 in placid calm, but able none the less to flash light 
 ning. His nose was Roman, and exceedingly well 
 chiselled ; his cheeks ruddy and sunburnt ; his mouth 
 firm and full of meaning ; and his chin covered with 
 a beard of comely brown. The remarkable character 
 istic of his face was the contrast between its sterner 
 and its gentler moods. As he accosted a friend, or 
 dispensed the hospitalities of his own house, his 
 serious, constrained look gave place to a smile so 
 sweet and sunny in its graciousness that he was 
 
 39 
 
310 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 another man. But hearty laughter especially was a 
 complete metamorphosis. His blue eyes then danced, 
 and his countenance rippled with a glee and abandon 
 literally infantile. . . . Had there been a painter 
 with genius subtle enough to fix upon his canvas, 
 side by side, the spirit of the countenance with which 
 he caught the sudden jest of a child romping on his 
 knees, and that with which, in the crisis of battle, he 
 gave his generals the sharp and strident command, 
 * Sweep the field with the bayonet ! he would have 
 accomplished a miracle of art which the spectator 
 could scarcely credit as true to nature. In walking 
 his step was long and rapid, and at once suggested 
 the idea of the dismounted horseman. It has been 
 said that he was an awkward rider, but incorrectly. 
 It is true that on the march, when involved in 
 thought, he was heedless of the grace of his posture ; 
 but in action, or as he rode with bare head along his 
 column, acknowledging the shouts which rent the 
 skies, no figure could be nobler than his. His judg 
 ment of horses was excellent, and it was very rare 
 that he was not well mounted. . . ." 
 
 To the above description I will add my personal 
 recollection of General Jackson s appearance. He 
 was unquestionably at home in the saddle, and no 
 where did he seem to better advantage than when 
 mounted. In riding day after day continuously, 
 every experienced horseman knows the relief and 
 rest to both the rider and horse that comes from an 
 occasional shifting of one s position in the saddle. 
 No one knew this fact better than did General Jack- 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 311 
 
 son ; and he without doubt frequently gave rest both 
 to himself and his horse in this way, but which he 
 would not do when on dress parade, or similar oc 
 casions. General Jackson was about five feet eleven 
 and a half inches in height, standing in his boots ; 
 neither sparely nor heavily built ; his weight would 
 approximate one hundred and sixty-five to one hun 
 dred and seventy pounds. He was very erect in his 
 carriage, or when seated. His walk was rapid, about 
 four miles per hour, rather long stride. His com 
 plexion was blond, though his hair was quite dark, 
 might be called black, and inclined to curl ; his whisk 
 ers, which covered his face, were a very dark brown. 
 His eyes were large and decidedly blue in color. 
 He was of good features and good figure, sufficiently 
 striking in appearance to cause one in passing to 
 turn for a better look. He was a modest, quiet, 
 reserved man ; had but little to say of his personal 
 experiences at West Point, in Mexico, or elsewhere. 
 He would, of course, answer any inquiries that 
 might be made. I remember asking him whether 
 he had ever been struck with a bullet. He replied 
 that after the engagement at Chapultepec he dis 
 covered the front of his coat torn that he supposed it 
 was caused by a bullet or fragment of canister. He 
 did not mention to me the fact, which since seems 
 well authenticated, that in the same engagement a 
 cannon ball passed between his legs. I mention the 
 last incident as confirming the statement that he was 
 not given to speaking of himself. When in repose, 
 General Jackson was rather solemn, serious and digni- 
 
312 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 fied in appearance. In the care of his person and 
 dress he was unusually neat and tidy. I never knew 
 any one to be more particular in this respect than he 
 was. His bearing and demeanor were invariably 
 that of a thoughtful and polite gentleman. One 
 never heard General Jackson express unfavorable 
 criticism of others. Yet his judgment of men was 
 very apt to be correct ; this was observable by his 
 avoiding as far as possible having anything to do 
 with those of whose methods he disapproved. He 
 did nothing by word or act to injure them ; he let 
 them alone. For instance, there was a distinguished 
 clergyman in his own church who had married a 
 lady who had been divorced from a former husband. 
 Major Jackson never would attend service where 
 this clergyman officiated. If he had reason to doubt 
 the honesty of a merchant, he rarely if ever entered 
 his store if the article could be procured elsewhere. 
 If any one exhibited unfriendly feelings towards 
 him, it mattered not how high his station, Major 
 Jackson let him alone. It is related that on the oc 
 casion of his first meeting with President Davis it 
 was in General Lee s presence upon the latter intro 
 ducing him, instead of extending his hand, Jackson 
 stood erect and gave Mr. Davis the formal military 
 salute. He had learned that Mr. Davis had passed 
 some unfavorable criticisms on the valley campaign 
 presumably the only person who ever did so. 1 
 
 1 The treatment to which Mr. Davis was subjected at the close of the 
 Civil War, while a prisoner, welded public sentiment throughout the 
 Southern states into a concrete mass of sympathy ; but for this fact he, as 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 313 
 
 Dr. Dabney further says, " To an intimate friend 
 he (Jackson) once remarked that the officer should 
 always make the attainment of rank supreme, within 
 honorable bounds, over every other consideration. 
 Some sacrified advancement to Convenience, to secure 
 service in a post where residence was pleasant, or 
 to evade the authority of a harsh or unpopular 
 superior ; but his rule had been to secure promotion, 
 if possible, at the cost of all such considerations ; 
 because with the advancement in rank, the chances 
 for distinction must usually improve." And then 
 continues, " But Jackson s love of truth and rectitude 
 was too strong and instinctive to permit his thirst 
 ing for any other than deserved distinction. He 
 drew broadly the mark between notoriety and true 
 fame. . . . He had never, he said, while an un 
 godly man, been inclined to tempt Providence by 
 going in advance of his duty ; he had never seen the 
 day when he would have been likely to volunteer for 
 a forlorn hope, although indifferent to the danger of 
 
 the head of the civil government of the Confederacy, would have been 
 subjected to much severe criticism, and he would have been far from 
 popular in the South. One of Mr. Davis s strong characteristics was 
 his dislikes and prejudice this unconsciously warped and influenced his 
 better judgment. His antipathy to General Scott was so intense that he 
 could not look with favor upon any who were admirers of that general, and 
 this seemed to include many of those who served and gained distinction 
 under Scott in Mexico. It was unfortunate that his judgment was so 
 beclouded with prejudice as to prevent its measuring up to his patriotism. 
 It may never be known how far this unfriendly feeling between Mr. Davis 
 and General Scott influenced the latter, probably unconsciously, in re 
 maining with the old army. Scott s words, " Let the erring sisters depart 
 in peace," would indicate no unfriendly feeling towards the South for its 
 course in withdrawing from the Union. 
 
314 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 a service to which he was legitimately ordered? 
 " Unaffected modesty was imprinted upon his coun 
 tenance and every trait of his manners. No man 
 ever lived who was further removed from egotism. 
 Even his most intimate friend never heard him men 
 tion his own brilliant military career of his own 
 accord." " His habitual frame was a calm sunshine ; 
 he was never desponding, and never frivolous. It 
 is the testimony of his pastor (Dr. White) that he 
 was the happiest man he ever knew." " In speaking 
 in public his manner was rapid and emphatic, his 
 thoughts marked by great directness, and his dis 
 course began and ended with exceedingly little of 
 exordium and peroration. So complete was his 
 success that he was said to have made, in a popular 
 assemblage of his neighborhood, one of the most 
 effective speeches ever heard. It was but ten 
 minutes long, buj it produced unanimity in an 
 assembly before divided." " He never talked at 
 random, even in the most unguarded moment, or on 
 the most trivial subject. All his statements were well 
 considered." " He at all times preferred the sim 
 plest food, and lived absolutely without any stimulant, 
 using neither tea, coffee, tobacco nor wine. This 
 abstinence was from principle, not from insensi 
 bility. . . . He became so chilled on one occa 
 sion that his medical attendant, in real alarm for his 
 safety, urged him to take some stimulant. There 
 was nothing at hand but ardent spirits, and so he 
 consented to take some. As he experienced a diffi 
 culty in swallowing it, his friend asked if it was very 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 315 
 
 unpleasant. No, said he ; no, I like it ; I always 
 did ; and that is the reason I never use it} 
 
 There were few persons among Major Jackson s 
 friends as near to him as was Miss Maggie Junkin, 
 afterwards Mrs. J. T. L. Preston, sister of Major 
 Jackson s first wife, and with whose parents he made 
 his home the greater part of his widowerhood. 
 " She claimed that Major Jackson never revealed his 
 innermost thoughts and feelings to any human 
 being as he did to her during that period. That the 
 lonely reserve of his former life had been broken 
 up by that brief year of sweet companionship with 
 Eleanor." 1 " That it was a fixed principle with him 
 to wear the aspect of cheerfulness. And indeed his 
 nature had a side that was decidedly sportive and 
 rollicking. He would tell amusing stories, and be 
 so carried away with them himself as almost to roll 
 from bis chair in laughter. More contagious and 
 hearty laughter I have never heard. He used to 
 tell of hungry raids upon Mexican gardens, where 
 he and his brother officers would make their supper 
 on raw quinces ; of his ascent of Orizaba, going so 
 high that the rarified atmosphere forced the blood 
 from his ears and nostrils ; of his gay delightful life 
 in the city of Mexico." 2 
 
 In this connection the following incident disclosing 
 the humorous side of General Jackson s character 
 
 1 Margaret Junkin Preston, Life and Letters," Mrs. Elizabeth Preston 
 Allan, page 71, et seq. 
 
 2 A number of incidents quoted are from an article from Mrs. Preston s 
 pen published in the Century Magazine in 1886. By permission. T. J. A. 
 
316 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 may be given as it was related to me by the late Mr. 
 J. W. Barclay of Lexington, Virginia. 1 Many of the 
 young men and boys of Lexington and vicinity were 
 in General Jackson s command. Near the date of 
 the battle of McDowell, the citizens of Lexington 
 concluded that it would be an opportune time to 
 send some supplies, clothing, etc., to their sons, 
 serving under Jackson. Upon discussing the subject, 
 it was determined to send a committee composed of 
 prominent citizens to visit the army in the vicinity 
 of the place above named and take with them such 
 articles as the members of the community might 
 wish to forward. The committee selected included 
 Mr. Barclay s father, General Francis H. Smith, 
 Judge John W. Brockenbrough and several others. 
 General Jackson knew these gentlemen quite well. 
 He extended to them suitable greetings and courte 
 sies. During their stay at the camp it was suggested 
 among themselves that the occasion was a fitting 
 one to have an interview with the General in regard 
 to his proposed military operations. (It should be 
 borne in mind that this occurred at comparatively an 
 early stage in the war.) The committee felt some 
 reluctance in approaching the General on the subject. 
 After conferring together, it was finally agreed that 
 the accomplished and suave Judge Brockenbrough be 
 honored with their confidence, and he was thereupon 
 chosen as the member to approach the General and 
 make known to him the desires of the committee. 
 
 1 The incident here narrated has appeared in print heretofore, but with 
 the omission of some of the facts which justifies its republication. T. J. A. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 317 
 
 The selection of the judge for this important mission 
 is ample proof of the wisdom of his associates. 
 Upon his approaching the General and making 
 known the wishes of the visitors, General Jackson 
 asked the judge whether he could keep a secret; to 
 which the reply was made, " Why, certainly ; I think 
 so, General." To which, from the General, " Well, 
 Judge, so can I." It should be stated that General 
 Jackson had most friendly feelings for the genial 
 judge, and knew perfectly well that the latter would 
 not only take the reply good-humoredly, but would 
 have more than one hearty laugh over the incident, 
 and which he thereafter did. I remember having 
 heard him, on one occasion, describe the interview 
 in his most inimitable style. The General s reply 
 was not so pleasantly received, however, so it was 
 said, by one of the other members of the committee, 
 to whom it seemed the very height of indignity. 
 
 Another incident that may be mentioned was 
 related to the writer by Colonel Thomas M. Semmes, 
 a former graduate and later a professor at the Vir 
 ginia Military Institute. While at Harper s Ferry, 
 following the John Brown raid, Major Jackson and 
 Semmes, who was at that time a cadet, visited 
 Washington ; and being there over night occupied 
 the same room at the hotel. Semmes noticed that 
 Major Jackson placed his purse and watch in his 
 sock, and left it on the floor, remarking that he 
 always did so, as a burglar would be less likely to 
 look there for it. The next morning Cadet Semmes 
 went out early, and later met Major Jackson, and 
 
318 EAELY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 they started to go to the station. They had not 
 proceeded far when Major Jackson stated that he 
 would be compelled to return to the hotel. He did 
 so, but arrived at the station in time for the train, 
 remarking to Semmes " that he had neglected to tell 
 him that when he placed his purse and watch in his 
 sock, always to be sure to take it out the next morn 
 ing." It appeared that the Major had replaced his 
 socks with a fresh pair and left the soiled ones with 
 their contents on the floor. 
 
 Quoting again from Mrs. Preston, she says " that 
 Jackson s organism was of a singularly sensitive 
 character. . . . His revulsions at scenes of 
 horror, or even descriptions of them, was almost 
 inconsistent in one who had lived the life of a 
 soldier. He has told me that his first sight of a 
 mangled and swollen corpse on a Mexican battle 
 field, as he rode over it the morning after the conflict, 
 filled him with as much sickening dismay as if he 
 had been a woman." 1 " That he never thrust his 
 religious views upon others. The fact is, he main 
 tained a degree of reticence in the matter of alluding 
 to personal religious faith that many Christian men 
 might find fault with ; and it was only by dint of 
 urgency that the inmost springs of action were often 
 discovered. In all the intimacy of our close home 
 life, I do not recall that he ever volunteered any ex 
 pression of what is called * religious experience/ 
 " No harsh judgments or criminations were ever 
 heard from his lips. Though most discriminating in 
 
 1 Century Magazine. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 319 
 
 his estimates of men, he was reticent to the last 
 degree in passing judgment upon them. Judge 
 not that you be not judged he understood to be as 
 positive a command as * Thou shalt not steal/ Yet 
 he would say, It is quite contrary to my nature to 
 keep silence when I cannot but disapprove. Indeed 
 I may as well confess that it would often give me 
 real satisfaction to express just what I feel, but this 
 would be to disobey the divine precept, and I dare 
 not do it. " 
 
 Dr. Dabney says, "Major Jackson was a man 
 whom it was no easy matter to know ; not because 
 he sought to hide himself from scrutiny, nor because 
 he was in the slightest degree covert in what he said 
 or did, but because there was a breadth and depth 
 of character about him that would never be suspected 
 by the superficial and bigoted. He was preemi 
 nently modest, and inexpressibly opposed to self- 
 display, and equally considerate of the taste and 
 character of those with whom he held intercourse. 
 . . . His scrupulous and delicate politeness made 
 it always his aim to render others easy and comfort 
 able in his presence. . . . He never introduced 
 a subject merely because it was one with which he 
 was most at home, or on which he could best exhibit 
 his talents, or parade his information. With a 
 clergyman or lady he never introduced politics or 
 military science. Having led the conversation with 
 polite deference to that topic upon which his guest 
 seemed best fitted to shine, he became usually an 
 attentive but almost silent listener, and made no dis- 
 
320 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 closure of his own stores of knowledge, or of pro 
 found and original reflections on the same subject, 
 although they were often far more complete than 
 those of the person whom he thus accepted as an 
 instructor. And had not subsequent facts evinced 
 his superiority, his acquaintance would have felt it 
 almost incredible that one who was so well qualified 
 to speak with confidence should so entirely suppress 
 the desire to speak. Thus many a minister of the 
 Gospel has been led by him to speak on ethical, eccle 
 siastical, or theological subjects, and has carried away 
 the impression that the modest soldier, although al 
 most ignorant of the alphabet of those sciences, had 
 at least the merit of an earnest appetite for the knowl 
 edge of them, when in truth Jackson had read as much 
 upon them as he had, and with more close attention, 
 and possessed more matured opinions concerning 
 them." " In the sphere which of right belonged to 
 him, he rarely if ever asked advice. No man knew 
 his proper place better, or held it more tenaciously ; l 
 and no man ever accorded this right to others more 
 promptly or scrupulously." "As a member and 
 officer of the church, he was eminently deferential 
 to his pastor as his superior officer. But, as a com 
 mander in camp, he would no more defer to the 
 
 1 An instance of this trait may be cited. On one occasion General Lee 
 suggested to Jackson the advisability of imparting information to his lead 
 ing generals as to any proposed movements of his army and mentioned 
 A. P. Hill, remarking that anything disclosed to Hill would be kept in 
 strict confidence, and that such a course would relieve him (Jackson) of 
 much detail work. Jackson listened very respectfully, said nothing to in 
 dicate what he might do. He made no change whatever in his policy. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 321 
 
 judgment of that pastor than to that of the hum 
 blest of his own soldiers." 
 
 Dr. Dabney in writing of the period before he 
 attained distinction says, " In finding a solution of 
 the erroneous estimate of Jackson . . . some 
 thing is to be attributed to the character of the little 
 society in which he moved. It was cultivated, but 
 limited in extent ; and, accordingly, it had its own 
 closely denned standard, by comparison with which 
 every man was tried. In a society more cosmopol 
 itan, such characters as Jackson are less apt to be 
 misapprehended, because it consists not of one, but 
 of many coteries, and because contact with diversi 
 fied forms of talent and cultivation gives breadth and 
 tolerance to the views. This is but saying, in sub 
 stance, what the voice of fame has since pronounced, 
 that the wider the arena on which he acted, the 
 greater his capacity appeared. But there were al 
 ways a few, and they the most competent to under 
 stand a gifted nature, who declared Jackson to be a 
 man of mark. To these chosen intimates he un 
 bosomed himself, modestly, yet without reserve. 
 His views of public affairs were broad, and elevated 
 far above the scope of the party journals which as 
 sumed to dictate public opinion. His mind was one 
 which would have made him a subtile and profound 
 jurist. The few who attributed to him this type of 
 intellect had their estimate fully sustained by the 
 manner in which he discussed those numerous ques 
 tions of a judicial nature which claim the attention 
 of the leader of great armies. In the interpretation 
 
322 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 of orders and army regulations ; in the settlement of 
 rank between competing claimants ; in the proceed 
 ings of courts martial ; in the discrimination between 
 military and civil jurisdiction, which is often so diffi 
 cult; his mind always approached the question 
 from an original point of view, and rarely did it fail 
 to be decisive to every attentive understanding. 
 But it was especially in the discussion of military 
 affairs that the mastery of his genius appeared. 
 When these topics were introduced, his mind as 
 sumed its highest animation ; he disclosed a knowl 
 edge which surprised his auditors, and his criticisms 
 were profound." " Every fibre of Jackson s being, 
 as formed by nature and grace alike, was antago 
 nistic to fanaticism and radicalism. . . . Espe 
 cially was his character unlike Cromwell s in its free 
 dom from cant ; his correct taste abhorred it. Sin 
 cerity was his grand characteristic. With him profes 
 sion always came short of the reality ; he was incapa 
 ble of affecting what he did not feel. His action was 
 always vigorous, and at the call of justice could be 
 rigid. Duty was with him the ever-present and 
 supreme sentiment. Such was his dread of its vio 
 lation that no sin appeared to him small ; and the 
 distinction between great and little obligations 
 . . . seemed scarcely to have any place in his 
 mind. To him all duties were great." " The percep 
 tions of his mind were so vigorous and distinct, and 
 seized so exclusively on the main points of consid 
 eration, that all conclusions were with him perfectly 
 defined. Hence there was, to him, but one formula 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 323 
 
 of words which gave an exact expression to his 
 thought. If one complained that his comprehension 
 was imperfect, and asked for another statement, 
 Jackson had no answer to make save to repeat his 
 first formula. Now, to the leader whose function 
 it is to give orders to be obeyed, this trait is invalu 
 able. The very force and clearness with which 
 Jackson s mind moved along from its premises to its 
 conclusions made it improbable that it would travel 
 any second path, less plain than the one first per 
 ceived by his strong intuitions." l 
 
 1 Dabney, p. 113 tt seq. 
 
XXIII 
 IMPRESSIONS Continued 
 
 THE following extracts from an article which 
 appeared some years since in the Southern 
 Breeze from the pen of Major Geo. P. C. 
 Rumbough, entitled " An Ex-Cadet s Recollection 
 of Professor Thomas J. Jackson (Stonewall)/ gives an 
 interesting side light of Major Jackson as a professor, 
 and discloses the relations existing between him and 
 some of the cadets. To those who knew General 
 Jackson it will be evident that Major Rumbough has 
 written with the accuracy of a close observer. 
 
 "Silent, strict, precise, his very attitude in the 
 class-room was a lesson and a curb to the cadet stu 
 dent. Whether in the class-room or during the drill 
 in battery, frivolity was never countenanced or for a 
 moment tolerated. Standing upon the elevated plat 
 form of this class-room, firmly erect, and in the ex 
 act position of a soldier, his voice was firm, quick in 
 questioning or demonstration. He was quick to de 
 tect ignorance of the subject in question, and equally 
 quick to recognize and reward a thorough demon 
 stration." . . . " Frequently the recitation would 
 be so thoroughly satisfactory to the professor that 
 with consummate skill, taking the cue from his smil 
 ing face, some tactful cadet would lead the Major by 
 . . . a skillful question to a recital of personal 
 
 3 2 4 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 325 
 
 experience in Mexico, where he won his two brevets 
 in a short time by his gallantry in handling his artil 
 lery against the Mexicans. His terse and vivid de 
 scription of the climate, scenery, marches and inci 
 dents of the campaign in Mexico linger still in 
 memory and forges another link in loving remem 
 brance. It was a wonderful unbending from recita 
 tion to conversation. It was the quick spoken ques 
 tion, How s that? The firm mouth between two 
 square jaws, the flashing, penetrating eyes, all spoke 
 duty, duty, duty ; in the other, there was a joyous 
 relaxation of every lineament of his face ; the voice 
 was modulated in keeping, without an apparent ef 
 fort, and the cadets tyrant of the class-room had be 
 come the chum of the stoop. His extraordinary ob 
 servance of every rule of the institution was but in 
 keeping with every other rule of his life. There was 
 not one jot of subserviency in his whole career during 
 my stay in barracks as a cadet. His study, his ar 
 tillery drill, his church and his every duty was char 
 acteristically methodical, and strictly punctual. As 
 a professor, he knew no favorite ; he studied his pu 
 pils, weighed them, and treated them accordingly. 
 I have a distinct recollection of a friendly criticism 
 of myself, which almost paralyzed my class of 46 
 with astonishment. The entire corps of full profess 
 ors sat upon a raised platform to hear the Original 
 declamations of five or six of the contestants for 
 honors in the first or senior class. Several of the 
 speakers were palpably guilty of barefaced plagia 
 rism and should have been ruled out, but some pro- 
 
326 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 fessors, unlike Major Jackson, had their favorites, 
 and commented upon the aspirants in words of 
 praise and commendation. Knowing the status of 
 affairs, I was justly indignant, but helpless and in 
 deed hopeless. When I arose, I confess I spoke 
 with fervor, and perhaps my sentences were lurid, 
 but not so much as to call for the profound scoring 
 accorded me by the two highest officers of the insti 
 tution. It had been the rule previously, when these 
 two worthy critics got through, to call upon the re 
 maining three junior professors for their comments, 
 which in each previous case had been refused ; but 
 when in my case the superintendent s head was 
 nodded to Major Jackson, like a flash he answered, 
 * I beg leave to differ with you, gentlemen ; his 
 words are his own, his gestures not inappropriate ; 
 and as to his fervid energy, age and the man will 
 temper that, etc., and further took my part firmly 
 and stubbornly, and this, too, when he had ordered 
 me out of the section room the day before. If a 
 shell had dropped in that declamatory throng, no 
 greater astonishment would have fallen upon those 
 gaping cadets. It was the innate love of justice, 
 his religious duty which always inspired the soul of 
 this great man. No man on earth felt or taught 
 more faithfully the necessity of the faithful perform 
 ance of duties prescribed, in whatever form the ne 
 cessity arose. A man of sterling principle, by lesson 
 and example he taught it, and woe unto the in- 
 fractor ; the modest and polite Christian gentleman 
 recognized an honest and conscientious performance 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 327 
 
 of duty, to God and man, above all the riches of 
 earth. I often noticed him in extreme excitement ; 
 his cheeks, especially his ears, got as red as hot blood 
 could make them ; his eyes then were blazing. I 
 remember an incident which will, in a small degree, 
 give an idea of his nerve and self-control. Barracks 
 occupied a long front and two wings of the three 
 sides of a rectangular parallelogram ; between the 
 wings or short sides was the arsenal with tin roof. 
 The barracks was four stories high, with stoops, or 
 porches, the whole length of second, third and fourth 
 stories. The four brass field-pieces were generally 
 parked in the space in front of the arsenal, and in 
 the area included between it and the rectangular in- 
 closure. During the drill of the second class at the 
 guns, I have known cadets to throw heavy missiles 
 upon the tin roof of the arsenal, calculating to a 
 nicety where the falling object would most likely 
 strike the instructor, Major Jackson. Down it would 
 come, with a thud to startle the most wary, fre 
 quently grazing the rigid instructor and falling at his 
 very feet, but never a notice, a sign or the slightest 
 regard was visible in his face or his actions. The 
 same tone, the same precision of drill, * Ram home 
 again, Mr. Hood ; once again, Mr. Hood. Ah ! 
 that s better, and so on to the end. When the men 
 were dismissed, and the sabre of the commander 
 was returned to its scabbard, there was an eagle 
 glance bestowed upon the stoops, and woe be to the 
 suspect, with the impudence of a dare-devil ; no 
 guilty man could thwart the scrutiny of that almost 
 
328 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 savage glance. . . . Thomas J. Jackson, Prof. 
 V. M. I., was never an enthusiast, religious, moral 
 or political. ... He was slow to think, fre 
 quently pausing for an unexpected period to answer 
 a question in the class-room. But when he decided, 
 it came like a flash. No man was farther from be 
 ing a religious enthusiast, but no man was nearer to 
 God in his religion. . . . It was always a mat 
 ter of study to me how to separate the professor and 
 officer from the companion. It was seemingly like 
 two different people, receiving an order, and dwell 
 ing in conversational intercourse ; the man in 
 each was as diverse as two separate beings could 
 be. The frankness, sociability and winning smile 
 of Major Jackson in social converse was as captivat 
 ing as it was a source of joy. I have attempted, in 
 my humble way, to give an insight into the charac 
 ter, manners and moral attributes of Stonewall Jack 
 son as a preceptor, as I knew him. In the light of 
 truth and experience he looms up to my vision a 
 grand exemplar of a model teacher, just, ever polite, 
 honest, faithful, brave, pious in practise as in profes 
 sion ; he loved God first, next his fellow man, and 
 fought and died for his country. What a culmina 
 tion of glorious attributes to be possessed by one 
 soul, who in their possession was an humble follower 
 of God, as modest as a woman, and could be as 
 gentle as a little child. . . . His life was a les 
 son to the student, and an example for all man 
 kind, but an enigma alone to the heedless and 
 thoughtless. ^ 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 329 
 
 The late Captain A. Elhart, of Rockbridge County, 
 Virginia, in a letter addressed to me under date of 
 May 31, 1913, writes, "In the winter of 1862 I was 
 commissioned as captain and paymaster and assigned 
 to General G. W. Smith s command. In the spring 
 of 1862, when General Jackson was ordered to the 
 Valley, he applied to General Joseph E. Johnston, 
 who was in command at that time, to have me 
 transferred to his command. I was anxious to be 
 with him, as all or nearly all of his troops came from 
 the * Valley ; but General Smith would not consent 
 to it, so both were disappointed. I didn t see him 
 (General Jackson) until after the seven days battle 
 around Richmond. I learned where his headquarters 
 were, so one Sunday morning I rode to hunt him up, 
 and our meeting was very cordial. After talking a 
 while about home, etc., I said, * General, we are near 
 Richmond ; if you would ride in and see the secretary 
 of war, one word from you would get me transferred 
 to you. He looked up and said, Captain, this is 
 no Sunday talk. Come and see me to-morrow. I 
 excused myself and said, General, I came to-day 
 because I didn t know whether I would find you 
 here to-morrow. He asked, Who told you so ? 
 I said, No one ; and I must quote Scripture on you, 
 " by their fruits ye shall know them." He then 
 said, Come and see me to-morrow morning. So 
 Monday morning we rode together to Richmond, 
 and as stated, it didn t take five minutes, after he 
 saw the secretary, until I received the order to report 
 to General Jackson. Thus I consider that he honored 
 
330 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 me ... for he took the trouble to ride four miles 
 to see the secretary in person. Thus began my war 
 family relation with the General. I was with him 
 almost daily, usually about 4 P. M., etc. He was 
 very considerate of his army. He would see per 
 sonally that the men received their rations as 
 promptly as possible (they were very short some 
 times) ; neither would he nor any of his staff officers 
 be allowed to receive anything from the commissary 
 until all the men were supplied first. He was a man 
 of the strongest faith I ever knew. . . . All the 
 staff officers (some were no Daniels nor Pauls) ex 
 perienced a feeling of protection when, during the 
 battle, they were close to him. He would write 
 orders sitting on his sorrel, bullets flying in every 
 direction, entirely regardless of them. He was a 
 man of few words generally, but by no means 
 repellent. He would enjoy a good joke as well as 
 any one. During our winter quarters near Fred- 
 ericksburg, one afternoon when I went to see him, 
 in talking about the cruelty of the war, I told him, 
 It seems hard to reconcile for man against man to 
 take the life of each other. After a little he said, 
 Well, captain, what would you do with the Yankees 
 if you had them in a nutshell ? This rather sur 
 prised me ; after a moment I said, General, you 
 heard my opinion about taking our fellow men s 
 lives, but I think I would squeeze them hard, till they 
 holloed enough I remained at the same head 
 quarters till we gave up, and served four full years, 
 and under similar circumstances would do it again." 
 
XXIV 
 CIVIL WAR 
 
 MAJOR JACKSON was deeply concerned 
 about his native section of Western Vir 
 ginia, and it is evident from his letters 
 that he hoped and expected to be ordered there 
 upon his entering the service. In the letter to his 
 niece, as early as April 13, 1861, at page 307, he 
 writes, " I hope to see you in Beverley next summer." 
 In one week from the date of this letter he received 
 orders to report at Richmond with the cadets. 
 Within a week after Major Jackson had arrived at 
 Camp Lee (Richmond), in pursuance of the above 
 order, the council, seconded by Governor Letcher, 
 recommended his appointment as colonel of the 
 Virginia forces, and commander at Harper s Ferry. 
 The next day the appointment was sanctioned by 
 the convention. The governor handed him his com 
 mission on Saturday, April 2yth, and he departed at 
 once for his command. Colonel J. T. L. Preston, in 
 writing to his wife from Richmond, near this period, 
 says, " Jackson with the rank of colonel goes to 
 supersede General Harper at Harper s Ferry. It is 
 most flattering to him. Say to his wife that it is the 
 command of all others which he would most prefer. 
 He is a noble fellow, and I rejoice in his success." l 
 
 1 Margaret Junkin Preston, Life and Letters." 
 331 
 
332 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 In a letter written from Harper s Ferry under 
 date of June 5, 1861, by Major (Colonel) Jackson in 
 reply to a letter received by him from Hon. J. M. 
 Bennett, at the time auditor of the state of Virginia, 
 a talented and influential friend and connection, 
 wherein he had suggested that Jackson be com 
 missioned a brigadier-general and be sent into 
 Northwestern Virginia, he writes : 
 
 MY DEAR COLONEL : 
 
 Your very kind letter, proposing, if I so desire, to 
 make me a brigadier-general and send me to the North 
 west, in command of all troops of that region, has been 
 received, and meets my grateful approbation. The sooner 
 it is done the better. Have me ordered at once. That 
 country is now bleeding at every pore. I feel a deep 
 interest in it and have never appealed to its people in 
 vain, and trust it may not be so now. I agree with you 
 fully respecting the advantages named in your letter. 
 ... Believe me with lasting gratitude ever yours, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 And of same date he writes to same : 
 
 Harper s Ferry \ June 3, 1861. 
 MY DEAR COLONEL : 
 
 Lest the letter mailed this morning, and in which 
 I thankfully accepted the opportunity of being made a 
 brigadier-general and put in command of all the North 
 western troops should fail to reach you, I send this by 
 private hands. Please have me ordered forthwith. 
 
 Very gratefully yours, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 333 
 
 The above correspondence, as is evident from the 
 letter that follows, addressed to the same friend, had 
 reference to a commission to be issued from the state 
 of Virginia, but which power that state had later 
 delegated or transferred by agreement to the Con 
 federate States Government, and to which, in pur 
 suance thereof, General R. E. Lee had, on the eighth 
 day of June, 1861, turned over the command of the 
 military and naval forces of the state. 
 
 Headquarters, First Brigade, 
 
 Camp Stevens, June 24., 1861. 
 MY DEAR COLONEL : 
 
 At present I am in command of the Virginia 
 Volunteers organized into the First Brigade of the Army 
 of the Shenandoah, and have my headquarters on the 
 road from Martinsburg to Williamsport, and about four 
 miles distant from the former place. On Saturday last 
 the enemy commenced crossing at Williamsport into 
 Virginia and (I) immediately advanced with one regi 
 ment of infantry and a battery of artillery, but it amounted 
 to nothing, as the enemy recrossed the river into Mary 
 land. They are evidently afraid to advance. In your 
 last letter you stated : " I presume all commissions will 
 issue from the Confederate Government ; if so, I have no 
 pledge for any commission, but I shall never cease until 
 I get it. You will hear from me soon again." Knowing 
 your success in carrying your measures, the energy with 
 which you press them, and not having heard from you, 
 the thought struck me that there might be some obstacle 
 in the way which, if made known to me, I might be able 
 to remove. I am in command of a promising brigade, 
 and I would be greatly gratified if you could secure me a 
 
334 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 brigadier-generalcy, and if I cannot be ordered to North 
 western Virginia, of course I would be continued in my 
 present command, and as I am so far west, an oppor 
 tunity might offer of having me with my command 
 ordered into that region. Providence has greatly blessed 
 me in securing good staff officers in the quartermaster, 
 commissary and ordnance departments, which are so 
 essential to the efficiency of the troops. All are anxious 
 for active service. I feel deeply for my own section of the 
 state, and would, as a brigadier-general, willingly serve 
 under General Garnett l in its defense. I know him well. 
 There are three brigades under General Johnston, and a 
 few days since Brigadier-General Bee was assigned to 
 the command of one of them, and at any time, so far as 
 I know, another may be assigned to the command of 
 mine, unless you can induce President Davis to make the 
 appointment soon by my promotion. 2 Please let me hear 
 from you when convenient, and ever believe me your 
 grateful friend. 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 P. S. Please direct your answer to Martinsburg, 
 Berkeley County. 
 
 Dr. Dabney in writing of General Jackson while 
 at Harper s Ferry (1861) says, " He was his own en 
 gineer, and reconnoitered all the ground for himself. 
 
 1 General R. S. Garnett was killed the following month, July 14, 1861, 
 at Corricks Ford, (West) Va. 
 
 3 The letter of appointment as brigadier-general in the Provisional Army 
 was dated June 17, 1861. The promotion had been recommended by 
 General Johnston, although it had already been determined upon by the 
 Confederate Government. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 335 
 
 He constructed very few intrenchments ; and, to the 
 end of his career, it was characteristic that he made 
 almost no use of the spade and pick." " That he 
 was accustomed during the active campaigns to live 
 in a common tent, like those of the soldiers." " From 
 the beginning he manifested that reticence and se 
 crecy as to all military affairs for which he was after 
 wards so remarkable. His maxim was that * in war, 
 mystery was the key to success/ He argued that 
 no human shrewdness could foretell what item of 
 information might not give some advantage to an 
 astute adversary, and that therefore it was the part 
 of wisdom to conceal everything." 1 
 
 Dr. Hunter McGuire, late medical director of 
 Jackson s corps, relates the following incident as clearly 
 evidencing Jackson s tenderness of heart : " A short 
 time before the second Manassas battle there came 
 from Lexington a fine lad whose parents were dear 
 friends of General Jackson. 2 The General invited 
 him to stay at headquarters a few days before join 
 ing his company, and he slept and messed with us. 
 We all became much attached to the young fellow, 
 and Jackson, in his gentle, winning way, did his best 
 to make him feel at home and at his ease ; the lad s 
 manners were so gentle, kindly and diffident, and 
 his beardless, blue-eyed boyish face so manly and so 
 
 1 This same course, including exclusion of newspaper correspondents, 
 which Jackson rigidly required is, at the present writing, being, for the 
 first time in modern warfare, strictly enforced by the several warring na 
 tions of Europe. 
 
 * Willie Preston, a son of Col. J. T. L. Preston, at an earlier period of 
 Jackson s staff. 
 
336 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 handsome. Just before the battle he reported for 
 duty with his company. The night of the day of 
 the great battle I was telling the General of the 
 wounded, as we stood over the fire, where black 
 Jim, his servant, was making some coffee. . . . 
 I mentioned the name of the lad and told him he 
 was mortally wounded. . . . The General s face 
 was a study. The muscles in his face were twitch 
 ing convulsively, and his eyes were all aglow. He 
 gripped me by the shoulder till it hurt me, and in 
 a savage, threatening manner asked why I had left 
 the boy. In a few seconds he had recovered him 
 self, and turned and walked off into the woods alone. 
 He soon came back, however, and I continued my 
 report of the wounded and dead. We were still sit 
 ting by the fire drinking coffee out of our tin cups 
 when I said, We have won this battle by the hard 
 est kind of fighting/ * And he answered me very 
 gently and softly, No, no ; we have won it by the 
 blessing of Almighty God/ " 
 
 It may be mentioned that it had been the inten 
 tion of General Jackson, later on, to offer the youth 
 described a position as aide-de-camp on his staff. 
 The following letter written by General Jackson to 
 Mrs. Preston, the sister of his first wife, gives an in 
 sight into Jackson s tender feelings as evinced 
 towards his* slaves. It is written from Centreville 
 (Va.), and bears date October 23, i86i. 2 
 
 *" Stonewall Jackson." An address by Dr. Hunter McGuire. 
 3 "Margaret Junkin Preston, Life and Letters," by Elizabeth Preston 
 Allan. By permission. T. J. A. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 337 
 
 MY DEAR MAGGIE : 
 
 I am much obliged for your kind letter of the 
 1 9th, and for the arrangement respecting Amy and Emma 
 (slaves owned by Jackson). Please have the kindness to 
 go to Winny Buck s occasionally and see that Amy is well 
 cared for, and that not only she, but also Emma, is well 
 clothed. I am under special obligations for the religious 
 instruction you have given Amy, and hope that it may 
 be in your power to continue it. Remember me to her 
 very kindly on the first opportunity, and say that I hope 
 she has rich heavenly consolation. This evening I ex 
 pect our own pastor (Dr. White) and Dr. McFarland. I 
 will send some money by Dr. White for you to use as 
 occasion may require for Amy and Emma, and I will so 
 manage to keep a supply in the Rockbridge Bank, or 
 elsewhere, subject to your order. . . . 
 
 Your affectionate friend, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 
 
 And later to same on same subject : 
 
 Winchester, Va., November 16, 1861. 
 MY DEAR MAGGIE : 
 
 More than once your kind and touching letter re 
 specting the sainted Amy brought tears to my eyes. 
 For several months before leaving home I was impressed 
 with her great devotion to the cause of our beloved Re 
 deemer. She was evidently ripening rapidly for a better 
 world, where I hope that we, and the ransomed of the 
 Lord, may be privileged to join her. I am very grateful 
 to you for your Christian kindness to her. If the money 
 I sent by Dr. White is not enough to meet the little de 
 mands connected with her funeral, please let me know 
 how much more is required, and I will promptly attend 
 
338 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 to having it forwarded. I am "much gratified to know 
 that you gave her a decent burial, and that so many fol 
 lowed her remains to the grave. Though such numbers 
 cannot affect the dead, yet such demonstrations of regard 
 are gratifying to the living. . . . 
 
 Very affectionately yours, 
 
 T. J. JACKSON. 1 
 
 Dr. Dabney says Jackson was popular with the 
 slaves. " He was the black man s friend." A num 
 ber of those living in his quarter of the town peti 
 tioned to be admitted on Sabbath nights, along with 
 his own servants, to his evening domestic worship. 
 He submitted their request to his pastor and the 
 owners of the slaves and their approbation was 
 gladly given. He further says, " To his own slaves 
 he was a methodical and exact but conscientious 
 master. Absolute obedience was the rule of his 
 household ; and if he found chastisement was nec 
 essary to secure this it was faithfully administered. 
 He required all his slaves to attend the domestic 
 worship of his family morning and evening." 
 
 I remember a short time after going to Lexington 
 of being with Major Jackson, probably for a walk, 
 when a negro man approached and accosted the 
 Major. My uncle stopped and had some little con 
 versation with him. I, of course, heard the con 
 versation, and when he had passed on I made some 
 inquiries of him about the negro ; he, in answer to 
 my questions, said, " It is Albert, a negro man I 
 
 1 " Margaret Junkin Preston, Life and Letters," by Elizabeth Preston 
 Allan. By permission. T. J. A. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 339 
 
 bought some time ago, and I am letting him work 
 out and pay for himself as he makes the money." 
 He further stated that he got plenty of work and 
 good wages. My impression is that he didn t 
 charge him interest, although I am not sure of this, 
 and that the negro was getting along very well in 
 his payments. 1 
 
 Mrs. Preston says, "It was pleasant to walk 
 about the town with him (Jackson) and see the 
 veneration with which the negroes saluted him, and 
 his unfailing courtesy towards them. To the old 
 gray-headed negro who bowed before him he would 
 lift his cap as courteously as to his commander-in- 
 chief." 
 
 Dr. Dabney in describing a visit to General Jack 
 son in the autumn of 1861 by Dr. White, his Lex 
 ington pastor, accompanied by another clergyman, 2 
 and who lodged in his quarters five days and nights, 
 preaching daily, writes, " In the General s quarters 
 he found his morning and evening worship as reg 
 ularly held as it had been at home. Jackson mod 
 estly proposed to his pastor to lead in this worship, 
 which he did until the last evening of his stay, 
 when, to the usual request for prayers, he answered, 
 General, you have often prayed with and for me 
 at home ; be so kind as to do so to-night. With 
 out a word of objection, Jackson took the sacred 
 volume, and read and prayed. And never while 
 
 1 Albert was still living in 1862. General Jackson mentions him in a 
 letter to Colonel Preston. " Margaret Junkin Preston, Life and Letters." 
 Rev. Dr. McFarland. 
 
340 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 life lasts/ said the pastor, can I forget that prayer. 
 He thanked God for sending me to visit the army, 
 and prayed that He would own and bless my min 
 istrations, both to officers and privates, so that many 
 souls might be saved. He gave thanks for what it 
 had pleased God to do for the church in Lexington, 
 to which both of us belong, especially for the re 
 vivals He had mercifully granted to that church, 
 and for the many preachers of the Gospel sent forth 
 from its membership. He then prayed for the 
 pastor and every member of his family, for the 
 ruling elders, the deacons, and the private members 
 of the church, such as were at home, and especially 
 such as then belonged to the army. He then 
 pleaded, with such tenderness and fervor, that God 
 would baptize the whole army with His Holy Spirit 
 that my own hard heart was melted into penitence, 
 gratitude and praise, v . . Afterwards he said, 
 Doctor, I would be glad to learn more fully than I 
 have yet done what your views are of the prayer of 
 faith. A conversation then commenced which was 
 continued long after the hour of midnight, in which, 
 it is candidly confessed, the pastor received more 
 instruction than he imparted." 
 
 " General Jackson was always concerned for the 
 spiritual welfare of his soldiers. And as illustrating 
 the liberality of his religious views in relation to 
 securing chaplains in the army, he wrote: Each 
 branch of the church should send into the army 
 some of its most prominent ministers who are dis 
 tinguished for their piety, talents and zeal; and 
 
GENERAL JACKSON, AT WINCHESTER, VA., IN 1862. 
 
 " Send more men and fewer orders." Telegram to Con 
 federate War Department. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 341 
 
 such ministers should labor to produce concert of 
 action among chaplains and Christians in the army. 
 These ministers should give special attention to 
 preaching to regiments which are without chaplains, 
 and induce them to take steps to get chaplains, to 
 let the regiments name the denomination from which 
 they desire chaplains selected, and then to see that 
 suitable chaplains are secured. A bad selection of a 
 chaplain may prove a curse instead of a blessing. 
 If the few prominent ministers thus connected with 
 each army would cordially cooperate, I believe that 
 glorious fruits would be the result. Denominational 
 distinctions should be kept out of view and not 
 touched upon ; and, as a general rule, I do not 
 think that a chaplain who would preach denomina 
 tional sermons should be in the army. His congre 
 gation is his regiment, and it is composed of persons 
 of various denominations. I would like to see no 
 question asked in the army as to what denomination 
 a chaplain belongs, but let the question be, " Does 
 he preach the Gospel ? " The neglect of spiritual 
 interests in the army may be partially seen in the 
 fact that not half of my regiments have chaplains. " * 
 
 1 " Life of Jackson," Dabney. 
 
XXV 
 
 IMPRESSIONS DEATH 
 
 IN the opinion of the writer the person never 
 lived who could fathom the depth of General 
 Jackson s mind. This is exemplified fully and 
 frequently in his career in the Civil War. Notwith 
 standing the fact that in the war with Mexico he 
 had received a larger number of promotions than 
 any other of the young officers in the same period 
 of time, yet in the beginning of the Civil War he 
 was not generally regarded as capable of independ 
 ent command. When he was commissioned a 
 colonel of date April 27, 1861, that rank was 
 thought to equal his capacity, and there was serious 
 misgiving on the part of many as to the risk of 
 placing him in independent command of as impor 
 tant a post as Harper s Ferry, upon his being as 
 signed to that position. 
 
 When his success won for him within less than 
 two months service the commission of brigadier- 
 general, the opinion prevailed, and it was the subject 
 of common remark, that that was his limit ; and so 
 on through the several successive promotions, there 
 were many who each time believed that Jackson 
 had been advanced beyond his capacity ; and this, 
 notwithstanding every move that he had made had 
 
 34* 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 343 
 
 resulted in success. And after he had been com 
 missioned a lieutenant-general, it has been said, 
 there was great uneasiness felt on the part of many 
 during a few days absence of General Lee from the 
 army at Fredericksburg, when Jackson was the 
 ranking officer present, for fear of some occurrence 
 in Lee s absence. And now fifty years after his 
 death, and when his campaigns have been studied 
 and discussed by the military leaders and students 
 of the great nations of the world, and adopted as 
 subjects of study in their several highest military 
 colleges, including those of England and America, 
 his reputation has steadily grown a fact so univer 
 sally recognized that it might hardly be deemed 
 necessary to mention it. As indicative of the truth 
 of this, and the interest at the present day in Jack 
 son s name beyond the confines of his own country, 
 the following quotation from a letter received by me 
 from Mrs. Henderson, the widow of the late Col. G. 
 F. R. Henderson, of Lord Roberts staff, wherein, 
 in referring to her distinguished husband s " Life of 
 Jackson," she writes, " Only about one-fourth of 
 the copies that are sold every year are sold in Amer 
 ica." 
 
 Mr. Irvin S. Cobb writes l that Lord NorthclifTe, 
 John T. McCutcheon and himself spent the day at 
 Lord Roberts home in Surrey. " In speaking of the 
 American Civil War Lord Roberts 2 said, * America 
 produced some magnificent soldiers in those four 
 
 1 The Saturday Evening Post, December, 1914. 
 
 2 Commander-in-chief of the British Army. 
 
344 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 years, and the greatest of them, to my way of think 
 ing, was Stonewall Jackson. 
 
 " In my opinion Stonewall Jackson was one of the 
 greatest natural military geniuses the world ever 
 saw. I will go even further than that as a cam 
 paigner in the field he never had a superior. In 
 some respects I doubt whether he ever had an equal. 
 
 " Some of us mentioned that it was said of Jack 
 son that in the latter years of his life he read only 
 two books, the Bible and the campaigns of Napo 
 leon. Not so bad a choice, if a man had to confine 
 his library to only two ;books/ said Lord Roberts, 
 an admirable choice for a soldier, at any rate. 
 Any soldier might learn much by studying the cam 
 paigns of Napoleon, and Napoleon might have 
 learned a good deal, too, by studying the campaigns 
 of Jackson, had the order of the times in which the 
 two men lived been reversed. 
 
 " In passing through the library of the house we 
 came on a steel engraving of the Southerner, placed 
 against the wall where it faced Lord Roberts when 
 he sat at his desk." 
 
 In the Baltimore Sun of date July 2, 1913, there 
 appeared an editorial on General Jackson in connec 
 tion with the erection of an equestrian statue to his 
 memory in Richmond, from which the following ex 
 tracts are taken. " . . . Jackson is one of the 
 Civil War figures who grows larger the longer he is 
 studied, and who makes an extraordinary appeal to 
 the popular as well as to the military imagination. 
 He was as strong and singular in character as he 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 345 
 
 was unusual and masterful in genius. . . . What 
 Jackson was in character and soul innumerable writ 
 ers have tried to describe with more or less success, 
 leaving many of us still seeing him as through a 
 glass darkly. What he was in a military sense we 
 know from the almost universal belief that had he 
 not fallen at Chancellorsville the battle of Gettys 
 burg either would never have occurred, or would 
 have had a different termination. . . ." 
 
 The subjoined account of the wounding and death 
 of General Jackson is from the pen of Dr. Hunter 
 McGuire, medical director of Jackson s corps, A. N. 
 Va., who was Jackson s friend and constant attend 
 ant throughout his illness. The article appeared 
 in the Richmond Medical Journal of May, 1866, and 
 has since then been published in " The Confederate 
 Cause and Conduct in the War between the States," 
 by Hunter McGuire and George L. Christian. 1 
 
 WOUNDING AND DEATH OF JACKSON 
 Supported upon either side by his aides, Captains 
 James Smith and Joseph Morrison, the General 
 moved slowly and painfully toward the rear. Occa 
 sionally resting for a moment to shake off the ex 
 haustion which pain and the loss of blood produced, 
 he at last reached the line of battle, where most of 
 the men were lying down to escape the shell and 
 canister with which the Federals raked the road. 
 General Fender rode up here to the little party and 
 asked who was wounded, and Captain Smith, who 
 
 1 By permission. 
 
346 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 had been instructed by General Jackson to tell no 
 one of his injury, simply answered, " A Confederate 
 officer ; " but Fender recognized the General, and 
 springing from his horse, hurriedly expressed his re 
 gret, and added that his line was so much broken 
 he feared it would be necessary to fall back. At 
 this moment the scene was a fearful one. The air 
 seemed to be alive with the shrieks of shells and the 
 whistling of bullets ; horses, riderless and mad with 
 fright, dashed in every direction ; hundreds left the 
 ranks and fled to the rear, and the groans of the 
 wounded and dying mingled with the wild shouts of 
 others to be led again to the assault. Almost faint 
 ing as he was from loss of blood, fearfully wounded, 
 and, as he thought, dying, Jackson was undismayed 
 by this scene. The words of Fender seemed to 
 rouse him to life. Pushing aside the men who sup 
 ported him, he stretched himself to his full height, 
 and answered feebly, but distinctly enough to be 
 heard above the din of the battle : " General Pen- 
 der, you must hold on to the field ; you must hold 
 out to the last." It was Jackson s last order upon 
 the field of battle. Still more exhausted by this ef 
 fort, he asked to be permitted to lie down for a few 
 moments, but the danger from the fire and capture 
 by the Federal advance was too imminent, and his 
 aides hurried him on. A litter having been obtained, 
 he was placed upon it, and the bearers passed on as 
 rapidly as the thick woods and rough ground per 
 mitted. Unfortunately, one of the bearers was 
 struck down, and the litter, having been supported at 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 347 
 
 each of the four corners by a man, fell and threw the 
 General to the ground. The fall was a serious one, 
 and as he touched the earth he gave, for the first time, 
 expression to his suffering, and groaned piteously. 
 Captain Smith sprang to his side, and as he raised 
 his head a bright beam of moonlight made its way 
 through the thick foliage and rested upon the pale 
 face of the sufferer. The captain was startled by 
 its great pallor and stillness, and cried out, " Oh, 
 General, are you seriously hurt?" "No," he an 
 swered ; " don t trouble yourself, my friend, about 
 me," and presently added something about winning 
 the battle first, and attending to the wounded after 
 wards. He was placed upon the litter again, and 
 carried a few hundred yards, when I met him with 
 an ambulance. I knelt down by him, and said, " I 
 hope you are not badly hurt, General." He replied, 
 very calmly but feebly, " I am badly injured, Doc 
 tor ; I fear that I am dying." After a pause he con 
 tinued, " I am glad you have come. I think the 
 wound in my shoulder is still bleeding." His clothes 
 were saturated with blood, and hemorrhage was still 
 going on from the wound. Compression of the artery 
 with the finger arrested it, until lights being procured 
 from the ambulance, the handkerchief which had 
 slipped a little was readjusted. His calmness amidst 
 the dangers which surrounded him, and at the sup 
 posed presence of death, and his uniform polite 
 ness, which did not forsake him, even under 
 these most trying circumstances, were remark 
 able. His complete control, too, over his mind, en- 
 
348 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 feebled as it was by loss of blood, pain, etc., was 
 wonderful. His suffering at this time was intense ; 
 his hands were cold, his skin clammy, his face pale, 
 and his lips compressed and bloodless ; not a groan 
 escaped him, not a sign of suffering, except the 
 slight corrugation of his brow, the fixed, rigid face, 
 and the thin lips so tightly compressed that the im 
 pression of the teeth could be seen through them. 
 Except these, he controlled, by his iron will, all evi 
 dence of emotion, and more difficult than this even, 
 he controlled that disposition to restlessness, which 
 many of us have observed upon the field of battle, 
 attending great loss of blood. Some whiskey and 
 morphia were procured from Dr. Straith and admin 
 istered to him, and placing him in the ambulance, it 
 was started for the corps field infirmary, at the Wil 
 derness Tavern. Colonel Crutchfield, his chief of 
 artillery, was also in the ambulance. He had been 
 wounded very seriously in the leg, and was suffering 
 intensely. 
 
 The General expressed very feelingly his sym 
 pathy for Crutchfield, and once, when the latter 
 groaned aloud, he directed the ambulance to stop, 
 and requested me to see if something could not be 
 done for his relief. Torches had been provided, and 
 every means taken to carry them to the hospital as 
 safely and as easily as possible. I sat in the front of 
 the ambulance, with my finger resting upon the 
 artery, above the wound, to arrest bleeding if it 
 should occur. When I was recognized by acquaint 
 ances and asked who was wounded, the General 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 349 
 
 would tell me to say, " A Confederate officer." At 
 one time he put his right hand upon my head, and 
 pulling me down to him asked " if Crutchfield was 
 dangerously wounded?" When I answered, "No, 
 only painfully hurt," he replied, " I am glad it is no 
 worse." In a few moments after Crutchfield did 
 the same thing, and when he was told that the Gen 
 eral was very seriously wounded he groaned and 
 cried out, " Oh, my God." It was for this that the 
 General directed the ambulance to be halted, and 
 requested that something should be done for Crutch- 
 field s relief. 
 
 After reaching the hospital, he was placed in bed, 
 covered with blankets, and another drink of whiskey 
 and water given him. Two hours and a half elapsed 
 before sufficient reaction took place to warrant an 
 examination. At two o clock Sunday morning, Sur 
 geons Black, Walls, and Coleman being present, I 
 informed him that chloroform would be given him 
 and his wounds examined. I told him that ampu 
 tation would probably be required, and asked if it 
 was found necessary whether it should be done at 
 once. He replied promptly, " Yes, certainly ; Dr. 
 McGuire, do for me whatever you think best." 
 Chloroform was then administered, and as he began 
 to feel its effects, and its relief to the pain he was 
 suffering, he exclaimed, " What an infinite blessing," 
 and continued to repeat the word " blessing " until 
 he became insensible. The round ball (such as is 
 used for the smooth-bore Springfield musket), which 
 had lodged under the skin, upon the back of his 
 
350 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 right hand, was extracted first. It had entered the 
 palm, about the middle of the hand, and had frac 
 tured two of the bones. The left arm was then 
 amputated, about two inches below the shoulder, 
 very rapidly, and with slight loss of blood, the 
 ordinary circular operation having been made. 
 There were two wounds in this arm ; the first and 
 most serious was about three inches below the 
 shoulder-joint, the ball dividing the main artery and 
 fracturing the bone. The second was several inches 
 in length ; a ball having entered the outside of the 
 fore arm, an inch below the elbow, came out upon 
 the opposite side, just above the wrist. Through 
 out the whole of the operation, and until all the 
 dressings were applied, he continued insensible. 
 Two or three slight wounds of the skin on his face, 
 received from the branches of trees when his horse 
 dashed through the woods, were dressed simply 
 with isinglass-plaster. About half-past three o clock 
 Colonel (then Major) Pendleton, the assistant ad 
 jutant-general, arrived at the hospital, and asked to 
 see the General. He stated that General Hill had 
 been wounded, and that the troops were in great 
 disorder. General Stuart was in command, and 
 had sent him to see the General. At first I declined 
 to permit an interview, but the colonel urged that 
 the safety of the army and success of the cause 
 depended upon his seeing him. When he entered 
 the tent the General said, " Well, Major, I am glad 
 to see you ; I thought you were killed." Pendleton 
 briefly explained the condition of affairs, gave 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 351 
 
 Stuart s message, and asked what should be done. 
 General Jackson was at once interested, and asked 
 in his quick, rapid way several questions. When 
 they were answered he remained silent a moment, 
 evidently trying to think, contracted his brow, set 
 his mouth, and for some moments was obviously 
 endeavoring to concentrate his thoughts. For a 
 moment it was believed he had succeeded, for his 
 nostrils dilated, and his eyes flashed its old fire, but 
 it was only for a moment ; his face relaxed again, 
 and presently he answered very feebly and sadly, 
 " I don t know ; I can t tell ; say to General Stuart 
 he must do what he thinks best." Soon after this 
 he slept for several hours and seemed to be doing 
 well. The next morning he was free from pain, and 
 expressed himself sanguine of recovery. He sent 
 his aide-de-camp, Morrison, to inform his wife of his 
 injuries, and to bring her at once to see him. The 
 following note from General Lee was read to him 
 that morning by Captain Smith : " I have just re 
 ceived your note, informing me that you were 
 wounded. I cannot express my regret at the oc 
 currence. Could I have directed events, I should 
 have chosen, for the good of the country, to have 
 been disabled in your stead. I congratulate you 
 upon the victory which is due to your skill and 
 energy." He replied, " General Lee should give 
 the praise to God." About ten o clock his right 
 side began to pain him so much that he asked me 
 to examine it. He said he had injured it in falling 
 from the litter the night before, and believed that he 
 
352 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 had struck it against a stone or the stump of a sap 
 ling. No evidence of injury could be discovered by 
 examination ; the skin was not broken or bruised, 
 and the lung performed, as far as I could tell, its 
 proper functions. Some simple application was 
 recommended, in the belief that the pain would 
 soon disappear. At this time the battle was raging 
 fearfully, and the sound of the cannon and musketry 
 could be distinctly heard at the hospital. The Gen 
 eral s attention was attracted to it from the first, 
 and when the noise was at its height, and indicated 
 how fiercely the conflict was being carried on, he 
 directed all of his attendants except Captain Smith 
 to return to the battle-field, and attend to their dif 
 ferent duties. By eight o clock Sunday night the 
 pain in his side had disappeared, and in all respects 
 he seemed to be doing well. He inquired minutely 
 about the battle, and the different troops engaged, 
 and his face would light up with enthusiasm and 
 interest when told how this brigade acted, or that 
 officer displayed conspicuous courage, and his head 
 gave the peculiar shake from side to side, and he 
 uttered his usual, " Good, good," with unwonted 
 energy when the gallant behavior of the " Stonewall 
 Brigade " was alluded to. He said, " The men of 
 that brigade will be, some day, proud to say to their 
 children, I was one of the Stonewall Brigade. 
 He disclaimed any right of his own to the name 
 Stonewall. " It belongs to the brigade and not to 
 me." This night he slept well, and was free from 
 pain. A message was received from General Lee 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 353 
 
 the next morning directing me to remove the Gen 
 eral to Guinea Station as soon as his condition 
 would justify it, as there was some danger of cap 
 ture by the Federals, who were threatening to cross 
 at Ely s Ford. In the meantime, to protect the hos 
 pital, some troops were sent to this point. The 
 General objected to being moved if, in my opinion, 
 it would do him any injury. He said he had no ob 
 jection to staying in a tent, and would prefer it if his 
 wife, when she came, could find lodging in a neigh 
 boring house; "and if the enemy does come," he 
 added, " I am not afraid of them ; I have always 
 been kind to their wounded, and I am sure they will 
 be kind to me." General Lee sent word again late 
 that evening that he must be moved if possible, and 
 preparations were made to leave the next morning. 
 I was directed to accompany, and remain with him, 
 and my duties with the corps as medical director 
 were turned over to the surgeon next in rank. 
 
 General Jackson had previously declined to permit 
 me to go with him to Guinea s, because complaints 
 had so frequently been made of general officers, 
 when wounded, carrying off with them the surgeons 
 belonging to their command. When informed of 
 this order of the commanding general, he said, 
 " General Lee has always been very kind to me, and 
 I thank him." Very early Tuesday morning he was 
 placed in an ambulance and started for Guinea s 
 Station ; at about eight o clock that evening he 
 arrived at the Chandler House, where he remained 
 till he died. Captain Hotchkiss, .with a party of 
 
354: EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 engineers, was sent in front to clear the road of 
 wood, stones, etc., and to order the wagons out of 
 the track to let the ambulance pass. The rough 
 teamsters sometimes refused to move their loaded 
 wagons out of the way for an ambulance until told 
 that it contained Jackson, and then, with all possible 
 speed, they gave the way, and stood with hats off, 
 and weeping, as he went by. At Spottsylvania 
 Court-house, and along the whole route, men and 
 women rushed to the ambulance, bringing all the 
 poor delicacies they had, and with tearful eyes they 
 blessed him, and prayed for his recovery. He bore 
 the journey well, and was cheerful throughout the 
 day. He talked freely about the late battle, and 
 among other things said that he had intended to 
 endeavor to cut the Federals off from the United 
 States Ford, and taking a position between them 
 and the river, oblige them to attack him ; and he 
 added with a smile, "My men sometimes fail to 
 drive the enemy from a position, but they always 
 fail to drive us away." He spoke of Rodes, and 
 alluded in high terms to his magnificent behavior 
 on the field Saturday evening. He hoped he would 
 be promoted. He thought promotions for gallantry 
 should be made at once, upon the field, and not 
 delayed ; made very early, or upon field, they would 
 be the greatest incentives to gallantry in others. 
 He spoke of Colonel Willis, who commanded the 
 skirmishers of Rodes division, and praised him very 
 highly, and referred to the death of Paxton and 
 Boswell very feelingly. He alluded to them as 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 355 
 
 officers of great merit and promise. The day was 
 quite warm, and at one time he suffered with slight 
 nausea. At his suggestion I placed over his stomach 
 a wet towel and he expressed great relief from it. 
 After he arrived at Chandler s house, he ate some 
 bread and tea with evident relish, and slept well 
 throughout the entire night. Wednesday he was 
 thought to be doing remarkably well. He ate 
 heartily for one in his condition, and was uniformly 
 cheerful. I found his wounds to be doing very well 
 to-day. Union by the first intention had taken 
 place, to some extent, in the stump, and the rest of 
 the surface of the wound exposed was covered with 
 healthy granulations. The wound in his hand gave 
 him little pain, and the discharge was healthy. 
 Simple lime and water dressings were used both for 
 the stump and hand, and upon the palm of the latter 
 a light, short splint was applied, to assist in keeping 
 at rest the fragments of the second and third meta- 
 carpal bones. He expressed great satisfaction when 
 told that the wounds were healing, and asked if I 
 could tell from their appearance how long he would 
 probably be kept from the field. Conversing with 
 Captain Smith a few moments afterwards, he 
 alluded to his injuries, and said, " Many would 
 regard them as a great misfortune. I regard them 
 
 as one of the blessings of my life." Captain S 
 
 replied, " All things work together for good to those 
 who love God." " Yes," he answered, " that s it, 
 that s it." At my request Dr. Morrison came to-day, 
 and remained with him. 
 
356 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 About one o clock Thursday morning while I was 
 asleep upon a lounge in his room, he directed his 
 servant, Jim, to apply a wet towel to his stomach to 
 relieve an attack of nausea, with which he was again 
 troubled. The servant asked permission to first 
 consult me, but the General, knowing that I had 
 slept none for nearly three nights, refused to allow 
 the servant to disturb me, and demanded the towel. 
 About daylight I was aroused and found him suffer 
 ing great pain. An examination disclosed pleuro- 
 pneumonia of the right side. I believed, and the 
 consulting physicians concurred in the opinion, that 
 it was attributable to the fall from the litter the night 
 he was wounded. The General himself referred it to 
 this accident. I think the disease came on too soon 
 after the application of the wet cloths to admit of the 
 supposition once believed that it was induced by 
 them. The nausea, for which the cloths were ap 
 plied that night, may have been the result of inflam 
 mation already begun. Contusion of the lung, with 
 extravasation of blood in his chest, was probably 
 produced by the fall referred to, and shock and loss 
 of blood prevented any ill effects until reaction had 
 been well established, and then inflammation ensued. 
 Cups were applied and mercury, with antimony and 
 opium administered. Towards the evening he be 
 came better, and hopes were again entertained of his 
 recovery. Mrs. Jackson arrived to-day, and nursed 
 him faithfully to the end. She was a devoted wife, 
 an earnest Christian, and endeared us all to her by 
 her great kindness and gentleness. The General s 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 357 
 
 joy at the presence of his wife and child was very 
 great, and for him unusually demonstrative. Notic 
 ing the sadness of his wife, he said to her tenderly, 
 " I know you would gladly give your life for me, 
 but I am perfectly resigned. Do not be sad ; I hope 
 that I may yet recover. Pray for me, but always 
 remember in your prayers to use the petition, * Thy 
 will be done/ " Friday his wounds were again 
 dressed, and although the quantity of discharge 
 from them had diminished, the process of healing 
 was still going on. The pain in his side had dis 
 appeared, but he breathed with difficulty, and com 
 plained of a feeling of great exhaustion. When Dr. 
 Breckinridge (who with Dr. Smith had been sent for 
 in consultation) said he hoped that a blister which 
 had been applied would afford him relief, he ex 
 pressed his own confidence in it, and in his final re 
 covery. Dr. Tucker, from Richmond, arrived on 
 Saturday, and all that human skill could devise was 
 done to stay the hand of death. He suffered no pain 
 to-day, and his breathing was less difficult, but he 
 was evidently hourly growing weaker. When his 
 child was brought to him to-day, he played with it 
 for some time, frequently caressing it, and calling it 
 " his little comforter." At one time he raised his 
 wounded hand above its head, and closing his eyes, 
 was for some moments silently engaged in prayer. 
 He said to me, " I see from the number of physicians 
 that you think my condition dangerous, but I thank 
 God, if it is His will, that I am ready to go." About 
 daylight on Sunday morning Mrs. Jackson informed 
 
358 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 him that his recovery was very doubtful, and that it 
 was better that he should be prepared for the worst. 
 He was silent for a moment, and then said, " It will 
 be infinite gain to be translated to heaven." He 
 advised his wife, in the event of his death, to return 
 to her father s house, and added, " You have a kind 
 and good father, but there is no one so good and 
 kind as your heavenly Father." He still expressed 
 a hope of his recovery, but requested her, if he 
 should die, to have him buried in Lexington, in the 
 valley of Virginia. His exhaustion increased so 
 rapidly that at eleven o clock Mrs. Jackson knelt by 
 his bed and told him that before the sun went down 
 he would be with his Saviour. He replied, " Oh, 
 no ! You are frightened, my child ; death is not so 
 near ; I may yet get well." She fell over upon the 
 bed, weeping bitterly, and told him again that the 
 physicians said that there was no hope. After a 
 moment s pause he asked her to call me. " Doctor, 
 Anna informs me that you have told her that I am 
 to die to-day ; is it so?" When he was answered, 
 he turned his eyes towards the ceiling, and gazed 
 for a moment or two as if in intense thought, then 
 replied, " Very good, very good ; it is all right." 
 He then tried to comfort his almost heart-broken 
 wife, and told her he had a good deal to say to her. 
 but he was too weak. Colonel Pendleton came into 
 the room about one o clock, and he asked him, " Who 
 was preaching at headquarters to-day ? " When told 
 that the whole army was praying for him, he replied, 
 * Thank God ; they are very kind." He said, " It 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 359 
 
 is the Lord s day ; my wish is fulfilled. I have 
 always desired to die on Sunday." 
 
 His mind now began to fail and wander, and he 
 frequently talked as if in command upon the field, 
 giving orders in his old way ; then the scene shifted, 
 and he was at the mess table, in conversation with 
 members of his staff ; now with his wife and child ; 
 now at prayers with his military family. Occasional 
 intervals of return of his mind would appear, and 
 during one of them I offered him some brandy and 
 water ; but he declined it, saying, " It will only delay 
 my departure and do no good ; I want to preserve 
 my mind, if possible, to the last." About half-past 
 one he was told that he had but two hours to live, 
 and he answered again, feebly, but firmly, "Very 
 good ; it is all right." A few moments before he 
 died he cried out in his delirium, " Order A. P. Hill 
 to prepare for action ! Pass the infantry to the front 
 rapidly; tell Major Hawks " then stopped, leav 
 ing the sentence unfinished. Presently a smile of 
 ineffable sweetness spread itself over his pale face, 
 and he said quietly, and with an expression as if of 
 relief, " Let us cross over the river and rest under 
 the shade of the trees ; " and then without pain, or 
 the least struggle, his spirit passed from earth to the 
 God who gave it. 
 
 Dr. Dabney, writing of the death-bed scene and 
 the last words uttered, says, " His attendants, now 
 believing that consciousness had finally departed, 
 ceased to restrain his wife, and she was permitted to 
 
360 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 abandon herself to all the desolation of her grief. 
 But they were mistaken. Bowing down over him, 
 her eyes raining tears upon his dying face, and cov 
 ering it with kisses, she cried, Oh, doctor, cannot 
 you do something more ? That voice had power 
 to recall him once more, for a moment, from the 
 threshold of heaven s gate ; he opened his eyes fully, 
 and gazing upward at her face, with a long look of 
 full intelligence and love, closed them again forever." 
 " General Jackson s remains were shrouded by his 
 staff, Sunday evening, in his military garments, in 
 cluding his military overcoat. The governor of Vir 
 ginia sent a deputation of eminent civilians and mil 
 itary men to escort the remains to Richmond, which 
 on Monday morning were conveyed to the capital 
 by a special train, attended by the General s staff, 
 his widow and her female friends, and the Gov 
 ernor s Committee. Business had been suspended, 
 and the whole city came forth to meet the dead. 
 Amidst a solemn silence, only broken by the minute 
 guns and a military dirge, the remains were borne 
 into the governor s gates. The next day, at the ap 
 pointed hour, the hearse containing the remains, 
 preceded by two regiments of General Pickett s di 
 vision, with arms reversed, that general and his 
 staff, the Fayette Artillery and Wren s Cavalry, the 
 horse of the dead soldier, caparisoned for battle, and 
 led by a groom, his staff officers, members of the 
 * Stonewall Brigade, invalids and wounded ; and 
 then a vast array of officials, headed by the Presi 
 dent and members of his cabinet, followed by all the 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 361 
 
 general officers in Richmond, civic dignitaries and 
 citizens. The procession moved through the main 
 streets and then returned to the Capitol. Places of 
 business were closed, and every avenue thronged 
 with tearful spectators. . . . When the hearse 
 reached the Capitol, the pall-bearers, headed by Gen 
 eral Longstreet, bore the coffin into the hall of the 
 lower house of Congress where it was placed upon 
 a species of altar, the coffin enfolded in the Confed 
 erate flag. There the head was uncovered, and the 
 people were permitted to enter and view the features 
 of the dead . . . until some twenty thousand 
 persons had paid this last tribute of affection. 
 . . . No ceremonial could be so honorable to 
 him as the tears which were dropped around his 
 corpse by almost every eye, and the order and sol 
 emn quiet in which the vast crowds assembled and 
 dispersed. No such homage was ever paid to an 
 American. On Wednesday the remains, followed 
 by the widow and the General s staff, were carried 
 by way of Gordonsville to Lynchburg. At every 
 station the people were assembled in crowds, with 
 offerings of flowers. At Lynchburg the scenes of 
 Richmond were repeated, and the remains then 
 placed upon a barge in the canal to be conveyed to 
 Lexington. They reached that village Thursday 
 evening, and were borne by the cadets to the Mili 
 tary Institute where they were laid in the lecture 
 room, which Jackson had occupied as professor, and 
 guarded during the night by his former pupils. Fri 
 day, the 15th of May, they were brought forth to the 
 
362 EARLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 church where he had so much delighted to worship, 
 and committed to his venerable and weeping pastor, 
 Dr. White." 
 
 The following is an extract from the diary of Mrs. 
 Margaret Junkin Preston, written after the news of 
 Jackson s death reached Lexington. The entry is 
 under the date of May 12, 1863 : 
 
 " At five this evening the startling confirmation 
 comes, Jackson is indeed dead 1 My heart overflows 
 with sorrow. The grief in this community is in 
 tense ; everybody is in tears. . . . Never have 
 I known a holier man. Never have I seen a human 
 being as thoroughly governed by duty. He lived 
 only to please God ; his daily life was a daily offer 
 ing up of himself. In his last letter to me he spoke 
 of our precious Ellie, and of the blessedness of being 
 with her in heaven." l 
 
 And then from the same diary the following ac 
 count of Jackson s burial : 
 
 "May 1 5th, Friday; General Jackson was buried 
 to-day, amid the flowing tears of a vast concourse of 
 people. By a strange coincidence, two cavalry com 
 panies happened to be passing through Lexington 
 from the west just at the hour of the ceremonies ; 
 they stopped, procured mourning for their colors, 
 and joined the procession. . . . The exercises 
 were very appropriate ; a touching voluntary was 
 sung with subdued, sobbing voices ; a prayer from 
 Dr. Ramsay of most melting tenderness ; very true 
 and discriminating remarks from Dr. White, and a 
 
 1 Margaret Junkin Preston, Life and Letters." 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 363 
 
 beautiful prayer from W. F. J . The coffin was 
 
 draped in the first Confederate flag ever made, and 
 presented by President Davis to Mrs. Jackson ; it 
 was wrapped around the coffin, and on it were laid 
 multitudes of wreaths and flowers which had been 
 piled upon it all along the sad journey to Richmond 
 and thence to Lexington. The grave too was heaped 
 with flowers. And now it is all over, and the hero 
 is left alone in his glory/ Not many better men 
 have lived and died. . . . Sincerer mourning 
 was never manifested for any one, I do think." 
 
 In conclusion it may not seem inappropriate to 
 allude to the sentiment felt for General Jackson, and 
 the esteem which was entertained for him by some 
 among his opponents in the Civil War. Upon the 
 occasion of what is known as the Hunter Raid to 
 Lynchburg, Virginia, little more than a year subse 
 quent to Jackson s death, when the Federal troops 
 had penetrated as far as Lexington, where Jackson s 
 remains had been interred, Colonel J. M. Schoon- 
 maker, commanding the Eighth Pennsylvania Cav 
 alry Regiment, formed his command in line at Jack 
 son s grave and fired a salute to his memory. 1 
 
 1 This incident was related to the writer by Colonel Schoonmaker sev 
 eral years ago. It is a pleasure to be able to state that this gentleman is 
 still living, at his home, in Pittsburgh, being vice-president of the P. and 
 L. E. R. R. It should be further stated in this connection, to the credit 
 of this worthy gentleman, who is not only an honor to his state, but to the 
 army in which he served, that at the time of this raid, and while at this 
 same town of Lexington, he was ordered by the commanding general, a 
 native of Virginia, to set fire to and burn the Virginia Military Institute ; 
 
364 EARLY LIFE AND LETTEES 
 
 In the Press of date May 18, 1863, the following 
 item appeared : 
 
 " On Saturday the military authorities arrested 
 Colonel Charles S. K. Sumwalt, of the I38th Pennsyl 
 vania Infantry, on the charge of disloyalty. He is 
 charged with having worn a crape in the button 
 hole of his coat out of respect to the memory of the 
 late Major (Lieutenant) General Jackson of the Con 
 federate army. He is held for examination." 
 
 It may be stated that Colonel Sumwalt was a few 
 days later released on his parole, on condition that 
 he would not visit his regiment and that he would in 
 all things conduct himself as a loyal citizen of the 
 United States. 
 
 Upon the occasion of the capture of Harper s 
 Ferry by Jackson s forces when there were more 
 than twelve thousand prisoners surrendered by the 
 Federal officer in command, it has been authorita 
 tively stated that the whole line of prisoners, as 
 Jackson passed along, cheered him loudly. 1 
 
 that he positively refused to carry out the order, assigning as a reason 
 that he had not enlisted in the army for that purpose. He, in consequence 
 of such refusal, was placed under arrest for disobeying orders, but was 
 subsequently honorably acquitted. It may be further noted that within 
 recent date Colonel Schoonmaker has had conferred upon him honorary 
 membership in the alumni of the Virginia Military Institute, the buildings 
 of which he had refused to burn. T. J. A. 
 
 1 This well authenticated incident is related by General D. H. Hill in 
 an article on General Jackson published in The Century Magazine of 
 February, 1894. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 365 
 
 Note 
 
 Mrs. Jackson joins her husband : It seems a singu 
 lar coincidence that while the last page of my tribute 
 to General Jackson was being finished, and the sten 
 ographer was transcribing his death-bed scene as 
 described by Dr. McGuire, a telegram was brought 
 to the door conveying the intelligence of the death of 
 Mrs. Jackson the morning of that day, March 24, 
 1915, at her home in Charlotte, N. C. Her lovely 
 character endeared all persons to her. As an in 
 stance of her though tfulness of others it may be men 
 tioned that her last words were, " When we go to 
 Lexington (for her burial) be sure the children are 
 left in safe hands," referring to her two infant great 
 grandchildren. Mrs. Jackson had visited at my 
 home in West Virginia some two and a half years be 
 fore, and while there, learning of the data that I had 
 been for years collecting relative to her husband, 
 strongly urged my preparation of it for publication, 
 and from that time encouraged and was deeply inter 
 ested in its completion. Upon returning to her home 
 from the visit mentioned, she forwarded to me a 
 number of photographs, including a daguerreotype of 
 General Jackson, taken immediately following his 
 return from the Mexican War, for illustrations in this 
 volume. T. J. A. 
 
366 EAKLY LIFE AND LETTERS 
 
 In the preparation of this volume the following pub 
 lications, among others, have been consulted^ and in 
 some instances quoted from : 
 
 Life and Campaigns of Lieutenant-General Thomas J. Jackson. 
 Prof. R. L. Dabney, D. D. 
 
 Life of General Thomas J. Jackson. By .his wife, Mary Anna 
 Jackson. 
 
 Stonewall Jackson and The American Civil War. Lieutenant- 
 Colonel G. F. R. Henderson. 
 
 Life of Thomas J. Jackson. James Dabney McCabe. 
 The Life of Stonewall Jackson. By a Virginian. 
 Stonewall Jackson. John Esten Cook. 
 Stone wall, Jackson. Henry Alexander White. 
 
 The Life of General Thomas J. Jackson. Sarah Nicholas Ran 
 dolph. 
 
 Stonewall Jackson. Markenfield Addey. 
 Stonewall Jackson. Charles Hallock. 
 Story of Stonewall Jackson. William Chase. 
 Life of Stonewall Jackson. Michael Doolady. 
 Jackson s Valley Campaign. Colonel William Allan. 
 
 Jackson s Campaigns, etc. Thomas Miller Maguire, M. A., 
 LL. D., F. R. H. S. 
 
 Stonewall Jackson. Carl Hovey. 
 
 Margaret Junkin Preston, Life and Letters. Mrs. Elizabeth 
 Preston Allan. 
 
 The Century Magazine. 
 
 " The Monongahela of Old." James Veech. 
 
 "Reminiscences of West Point in the Olden Time," etc. 
 History of Harrison County, West Virginia. Haymond. 
 History of Randolph County, West Virginia. Maxwell. 
 
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON 367 
 
 The Confederate Cause and Conduct in the War Between the 
 States. Hunter McGuire, M. D., LL. D., late Medical 
 Director Jackson s Corps, A. N. V., and Hon. Geo. L. 
 Christian. 
 
 Personal Recollections of Stonewall Jackson. Major John G. 
 Gittings. 
 
 Discourses on the Life and Character of Lieutenant-General 
 Thomas J. Jackson. General Francis H. Smith, A. M. 
 
 Scott s Memoirs. 
 
 The Several Standard Encyclopaedias. 
 
Index 
 
 ADAMS & Co., 147 
 
 Adjutant-General (Dabney), 24,52 
 
 Aix La Chapelle, 248 
 
 Albert, slave, 338, 339 
 
 Alburtis, Captain, 85 
 
 Aldie, Va., 47 
 
 Alhambra, Granada, 253 
 
 Allan, Mrs. Elizabeth Preston, 315, 
 
 33 6 338 
 
 Alleghany Mountain, 40 
 Alleman, Don Lucas, 136 
 Allen, Judge John J., 196 
 Allen, Mrs. John J., 42, 196 
 Almeda, 136 
 Alps, 248 
 Alum Springs, 179, 186-7, I 9- I 
 
 196 
 
 America, 251, 343 
 American army, 87, 94-7, 99, IOO- 
 
 3, 105, 109, 112-13, 119, 124, 
 
 128 
 
 Amphidia, General, no 
 Amy and Emma, slaves, 337 
 Ancient Jewish Priests, 272 
 Anderson, Miss Anna, 234 
 Antwerp, 248-9 
 Appletons, 149, 150 
 Archbishop s carriage, 138 
 Argonauts of 49, 32 
 Arkansas, 244 
 Arnold, Anna Grace, 159, 161, 
 
 181, 184-5, J 94 20 5 2o8 2 62- 
 
 5 2 75 2 79-8o, 296, 299, 300-7, 
 
 33 1 
 
 Arnold, Captain, 147 
 
 Arnold, Grace, 201 
 
 Arnold, Jonathan (brother-in-law 
 of General T. J. Jackson), 38, 
 42, 68, 73, 85, 92, 128, 132, 
 135, 139, 143-9, 1 5- 1 , I 57~8, 
 160-1, 163-5, 169, 170, 172, 
 178, 181-2, 184-5, I8 7 *93 
 
 200, 206-8, 212, 222, 224, 2 3 2 - 
 
 6, 244-5, 248, 262-3, 268, 273-7, 
 
 279-80, 287, 293, 299, 302-5 
 
 Arnold, Mrs. Laura A. (sister of 
 General T. J. Jackson), 68-72, 
 74, 78-9, 83, 87, 91-2, 119, 125, 
 128, 130-1, 135, 137, 140, 142- 
 4, 146, 148-51, 153-4, 157-8, 
 160-4, 167-8, 170, 172-3, 178- 
 9, 181-3, 186-7, 190-4, 197, 
 
 199, 201, 203-6, 208, 210-12, 
 
 217, 219-22, 224-6, 228-9, 2 3 I - 
 2 > 2 35. i 2 37-8, 242-3, 246, 249- 
 50, 252, 254, 256-7, 260-2, 264- 
 9, 273-5, 2 77-82, 284-9, 2 9i, 
 294-5, 299, 302-5 
 Arnold, Stark W., 191, 203, 264, 
 
 2 75 2 99, 3 3 02 -4 306 
 Arnold, Thomas J., 30, 34, 41-2, 
 46, 52, 92, 113, 126, 129, 135, 
 139, 162, 166, 169, 173, 179, 181, 
 183-6, 191, 193-4, 203, 205, 
 
 212, 2l6, 221-4, 227, 236-7, 
 239-40, 243, 245, 250, 259, 26l- 
 
 4, 266-9, 2 75> 2 79, 292-5> 2 98, 
 300-3, 315-16, 336, 338, 364-5 
 
 Arnold, Wm. E., 277 
 
 Artillery, 78-9, 8l, 95, 113, 115, 
 272 
 
 Asbury, Bishop, 44 
 
 Auditor of Virginia, 52 
 
 Ayotla, 97-8, 121 
 
 BADEN BADEN, 248 
 Baldwin, Mr. O. P., 250 
 Baltimore, 158, 217, 265, 282-3, 
 
 285 
 
 Baltimore Sun, 344 
 Baptist Church, Brad Run, 66 
 Barclay, Mr. J. W., 316 
 Basle, 248 
 Bassel, Benjamin, 277 
 
 3 6 9 
 
370 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Bath Alurii Springs, 179 
 Beauregard, P. G. T. (General, 
 
 C. S. A.), 97. "oi. "22 
 Beaver Creek Bridge, 179 
 Bee, Barnard E. (General, C. S. A.), 
 
 no-ii, 122, 334 
 Belen gate, 112 
 Belgium, 248 
 Belleville, 32 
 Bennett, Hon. J. M., 52, 277, 
 
 332-3 
 
 Berne, 248 
 
 Beverley, (W.) Va., 65, 78, 81, 92, 
 141-3, 145, 154, 158, 166, 170, 
 178, 181, 183, 185, 187-9, 205, 
 
 212, 2l8, 221-2, 228, 233-7, 
 
 241, 243-4, 252-3, 256, 268-9, 
 
 275,281,289,291,296,307,331 
 
 Black, Dr., 349 
 
 Bledsoe, Mr., 217 
 
 Blowing Cave, 179 
 
 Board of Visitors, V. M. I., 171, 
 
 173-4, 202 
 Bonn, 248 
 
 Boswell, Captain, 354 
 Bosworth, Mr. J. B., 301 
 Bos worth, Dr., Squire, 203, 212, 
 
 226, 239, 243, 299 
 Bragg, Braxton (General, C. S. A.), 
 
 85 
 
 Brake, Mr. A. (uncle by mar 
 riage of General T. J. Jackson), 
 28-30 
 
 Brake, William, 30, 299 
 
 Brannon, Hon. Henry, 59 
 
 Brattleboro, Vt., 282, 284 
 
 Breckinridge, Dr., 357 
 
 Brienz, 248 
 
 Britons, 303 
 
 Britton, Forbes, 70 
 
 Brockenbrough, Judge John W., 
 192, 198, 316-17 
 
 Brown, John, raid, 215, 293 
 
 Brussels, 248-9 
 
 Buchanan, Va., 183 
 
 Buckhannon River, (W.) Va., 40 
 
 Buckhannon, 39, 40, 44 
 
 Buena Vista, Battle of, 82, 84, 90, 
 95, 102 
 
 Buftalo, 40 
 
 CADWALLADER, GENERAL, 100-1, 
 no 
 
 Calais, 249 
 
 California, 32-3, 53, 57-60, 79, 
 148, 152, 162, 176, 187, 198, 
 
 210, 220-1, 243, 252 
 
 California gold excitement, 57-8 
 Camargo, 82-3 
 Campbell, Mr., 134 
 Camp Lee, Richmond, 331 
 Camp Stevens, (W.) Va., 333 
 Canada, 161 
 
 Capitol, Richmond, Va., 360 
 Carey, Mr. Wilson Miles, 217 
 Carlisle Barracks, 142, 157 
 Carlisle, Hon. John S., 144, 158, 
 
 170-2 
 
 Carnochan, Dr., 265 
 Casey, Captain, 1 10 
 Cataract House, 206 
 Cathedral of Chester, 253, 303 
 Catholic ecclesiastics and Church, 
 
 126-8 
 
 Cecil County, Md., 39 
 Centreville, 336 
 Cerro Gordo, 86, 89, 121 
 Chair of Mathematics, 214 
 Chancellorsville, 117,345 
 Chandler House, 353, 355 
 Chaplains, 340-1 
 Chapultepec, Castle of, 105-11, 
 
 113-19, 122-3, 1 3> J 7 6 3"" 
 Charles I, 251 
 Charlestown, 215, 276 
 Charlotte, N. C., 365 
 Chenowith, Major Joseph H., 261, 
 
 276, 285, 304, 308 
 Chester, England, 249-50, 253, 303 
 Chihuahua, 138 
 Childs, Colonel, 91 
 Cholera, 147, 152 
 Christian, Colonel George L., 345 
 Churubusco, 102, 104, 113, 118, 122 
 Civil War, 24, 42, 52, 56, 76, ill, 
 
 122-3, "68, 173, 214-15, 232, 
 
 236, 240, 244, 312, 342, 344,3 6 3 
 Clarksburg, 25-9, 38-9, 44, 47, 53, 
 
 70, 143, 154, 192, 228, 242, 244, 
 
 2 57 
 Clay, Henry, 159 
 
INDEX 
 
 371 
 
 Cobb, Mr. Irvin S., 343 
 Coleman, Dr., 349 
 Collector U. S. Excise Tax, 26 
 Collett, Rev. Thomas, 175 
 Confederacy, Southern, 313 
 Confederate army, 61, III 
 Confederate flag, 363 
 Confederate Government, 333-4 
 Confederate Museum, Richmond, 
 
 201 
 
 Congress, 40-2, 144, 171 
 Congressional Directory, 41 
 Connecticut River, 285 
 Conrad, Peter, 145, 146 
 Constable, 35, 52 
 Constitution of the U. S., 41, 294 
 Contreras, 99-101, 104, 113-14, 
 
 118, 121, 123, 138 
 Convention, Virginia State, 41, 77, 
 
 171-2, 293 
 
 Convicts, Mexican, 112 
 Couch, General, 61 
 Court, Lewis County, (W.) Va., 
 
 Courtenay, Professor, 214 
 
 Courts Martial, 142, 157, 161, 163, 
 
 165, 167 
 
 Cowen, Mr., 178 
 
 Criss, Mr. and Mrs. Aaron, 242-4 
 Cromwell, Oliver, 249, 322 
 Crown Point, 161 
 Crutchfield, Colonel, 348-9 
 Cuba, 135 
 Cumberland, 147, 149 
 
 DABNEY, REV. DR. (Major C. S. A.) 
 24, 29, 30, 53-4, 56, 58, 67, 
 76, 95, 114-15, 117, 124, 127, 
 218, 309, 313, 319, 321, 323, 
 
 334, 338-9, 341, 359 
 Davis, President Jefferson, 312-13, 
 
 334, 363 
 
 Democratic newspaper, 70 
 Dennis, Mr., 37 
 
 Denominational distinction, 341 
 Dix, James, 234, 239 
 Dorman, Hon. James B., 293 
 Duel, 42 
 
 Duncan, Captain, 85, 137 
 Duncan, Mrs. Floride, 257 
 
 EARLY, JUBAL A. (General, C. S. 
 
 A.), 122 
 
 Early settlements, 48 
 Eaton Hall, 249 
 Edinburgh, 248-9 
 Elhart, Captain A., 329 
 El Penon, 97-8, 1 21 
 Ely s Ford, 353 
 " Encerro," 138 
 England, 39, 134, 249, 302-3 
 English army, 45 
 English grammar, 66, 237, 239, 
 
 245, 266, 268, 280 
 Ewell, R. S. (General, C. S. A.), 
 
 122 
 
 Europe, 246-8 
 
 FAIRFAX family, 25 1 
 
 Fauquier County, Va., 73 
 
 Fayette artillery, 360 
 
 Fayette County, (W.) Va., 27, 229, 
 
 240 
 Federal army, 61, 117, 173, 236, 
 
 First Brigade of the Army of the 
 
 Shenandoah, 333 
 Fishburn, Mrs. Julia Junkin, 226 
 Florence, 248 
 
 Florida, 166, 169-70, 172, 176 
 Fort Clinton, N. Y., 165 
 Fort Columbus, N. Y., 80 
 Fort Hamilton, N. Y., 57, 59, 80, 
 
 144, 146, 148, 150-1, 153-4, 
 
 160-2, 166-7 
 
 Fort Meade, Fla., 77, 166-8, 172-4 
 Fort Monroe, Va., 147 
 Fort Ontario, N. Y., 163-4 
 Fort Putnam, N. Y., 165, 205 
 Fort Ticonderoga, N. Y., 163 
 Fort Washington, 160 
 Foster, General, 61 
 Frankfort on the Main, 248 
 Franklin, Benjamin, 46 
 Fredericksburg, 330, 343 
 Freiburg, 248 
 French language, 6 1-2 
 Furlough, 65 
 
 GARNETT, R. S., 334 
 Geneva, 248 
 
372 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Genoa, 249 
 
 Gettysburg, Battle of, 345 
 
 Gibbon, John (General, U. S. A.), 
 
 61, 119 
 
 Gibson, Mr., 147 
 Gittings, John, 192 
 Glades, The, 265 
 Glasgow, 248-9 
 Goat s Island, 206 
 Goff, Colonel David, 172, 288 
 Gordonsville, 361 
 Goshen Station, 282 
 Governor s Island, 140 
 Graduation, 74 
 Grafton, 285 
 Graham, Dr., 257 
 Guanojuato, 132 
 Guinea Station, 353 
 
 HAAS, MR. I. C, 197 
 
 Hadden, David, 43-4, 50-! 
 
 Hadden, John, 43 
 
 Hadden, Margaret (later Mrs. 
 
 Isaac White), 44, 148, 172, 183 
 Hadden, Mary (later Mrs. Edward 
 
 Jackson, and- grandmother of 
 
 General T. J. Jackson), 43 
 Hadden, William, 45 
 Hampden Sidney, Va., 274-50 
 Harper & Brothers, 149-50 
 Harper s Ferry, 215, 277, 317, 
 
 331-2, 342, 364 
 Harrison, Mr. Charles, 192 
 Harrison County, (W.) Va., 26, 36, 
 
 45>47 I 7i 
 
 Harrison, Judge William A., 192 
 Hawks, Major, 359 
 Hayes, Hon. Samuel L., 52-3, 158, 
 
 169-70, 202 
 
 Haymond, Henry, 26, 42 
 Healing Springs, Va., 257 
 Heidelberg, 248 
 Henderson, Mr., 178 
 Henderson, Mrs. G. F. R., 343 
 Henderson, Lt. Colonel G. F. R., 
 
 49, 67,76, 106, 109, 114, 118-19, 
 
 126, 343 
 
 Herbert, Lt. Colonel, 115 
 Heredity, 50 
 Herrara, President of Mexico, 92 
 
 Hews, Colonel, 138 
 Hill, D. H. (General, C. S. A.), 
 82, 94, no-ii, 113, 122, 196, 
 
 3 6 4 
 Hill, A. P (General, C. S. A.), 
 
 6 1, 122, 320, 350, 359 
 Hille, Mrs. Nancy, 205, 209, 227, 
 
 233 
 Hoffman, Colonel John S. (C. S. 
 
 A.), 277 
 Hooker, Joe (General, U. S. A.), 
 
 117, 122 
 
 Hot Springs, Va., 144-6 
 Hotchkiss, Captain Jed. (C. S. A.), 
 
 353 
 
 Hudson River, 144 
 Huger, General (C. S. A.), 122 
 Humboldt s History of Mexico, 138 
 Hunter Raid, 363 
 
 ILLINOIS, 233, 244 
 Indiana, 231-2 
 Indians, 41, 44-5, 170, 174 
 Iowa, 244 
 Ireland, 39, 40, 45 
 Italy, 248, 256 
 
 JACKSON, Ancestry, 38 
 
 Jackson, General Andrew, 39, 172 
 
 Jackson, Mrs. Anna Morrison, sec 
 ond wife of General T. J. Jack 
 son, 24, 119, 256-63, 265-6, 
 268-9, 273-7, 279, 281, 283-8, 
 290, 292, 294, 304, 306-8, 331, 
 351, 356-60, 363 ; death of, 365 
 
 Jackson, Cummins E. (uncle of 
 General T. J. Jackson), 29, 31, 
 34-6, 52-3, 55-60, 64-5, 78-80, 
 136, 158, 162, 176, 186-7, 278 
 
 Jackson, Edward (grandfather of 
 General T. J. Jackson), 29, 41, 
 
 43>45 
 
 Jackson, Edward (uncle of Gen 
 eral T. J. Jackson), 136 
 
 Jackson, Mrs. Edward (step-grand 
 mother of General T. J. Jack 
 son), 27, 29 
 
 Jackson, Dr. Edward B., 42, 277 
 
 Jackson, Mrs. Eleanor Junkin (first 
 
INDEX 
 
 373 
 
 wife of General T. J. Jackson), 
 205-6, 211-12, 217-21, 224-7, 
 234, 247, 315, 362 
 
 Jackson, Edward J., 187 
 
 Jackson, Dr., 256 
 
 Jackson, Elizabeth (deceased sister 
 of General T. J. Jackson), 25, 
 131, 149, 234, 239, 242 
 
 Jackson, Elizabeth Cummins (wife 
 of John Jackson and great-grand 
 mother of General T. J. Jackson), 
 38-9, 41, 50 
 
 Jackson, Colonel George (grand- 
 uncle of General T. J. Jackson), 
 38-42 
 
 Jackson, Captain George W., 38 
 
 Jackson, Judge James Monroe, 
 
 43 
 
 Jackson, Jonathan (father of Gen 
 eral T. J. Jackson), 25-6, 36, 
 38, 47, 13 1 * J 49 201, 205, 234, 
 239, 242, 306 
 
 Jackson, Governor Jacob B., 43 
 
 Jackson, John (paternal great 
 grandfather of General T. J. 
 Jackson), 38-41, 43, 50 
 
 Jackson, J. C., 38 
 
 Jackson, Judge John G., 26, 29, 
 30, 40-2 
 
 Jackson, Mrs. Judge John G., 29 
 
 Jackson, General John Jay, 172 
 
 Jackson, Judge John J., Jr., 43 
 
 Jackson, Julia (daughter of Gen 
 eral T. J. Jackson), 357 
 
 Jackson, Mrs. Julia Beckwith 
 Neale (wife of Jonathan Jack 
 son, mother of General T. J. 
 Jackson), 46, 50, 56-7, 131, 149, 
 201, 239-40, 258, 306 
 
 Jackson, Laura Ann (sister of 
 General T. J. Jackson and later 
 Mrs. Jonathan Arnold), 27-8, 
 31-2, 34, 37, 57, 59, 62, 65-7 
 
 Jackson, Mrs. Mary Hadden, pa 
 ternal grandmother of General 
 T. J. Jackson, 43, 50 
 
 Jackson, General T. J. (Stonewall), 
 24-31 ; youthful adventure to 
 the Mississippi River, 32-4 ; con 
 stable, 35-7, 38, 43, 45-7, 49- 
 
 51 ; appointed cadet to West 
 Point, 52-3, 55-7, 59-61 ; longs 
 for his native mountains, 63 ; 
 has no intention of remaining in 
 army, 64; has many friends, 
 64-6 ; cadet officer ; signature, 
 67-70 ; gives consideration to 
 profession ; arms and law and 
 futurity ; ambitious to acquire a 
 name, 7 13 ; graduates at West 
 Point, 74 ; assigned to the 1st 
 Artillery Regiment ; visits home ; 
 ordered to report to his company 
 for duty ; ordered to march for 
 Mexico, 75-9; Mexico, 81-2 ; 
 promoted to second and first 
 lieutenant, 83, 87, 90 ; excessive 
 ambition, 91 ; Spanish language, 
 92 ; applies for second lieuten- 
 antcy in Magruder s battery, 93 ; 
 bearer of challenge to General 
 Pierce, 94-5 ; battle of Con- 
 treras ; brevetted captain, 103 ; 
 Molino del Rey, 105-6 ; Cha- 
 pultepec, 107-11, 114; effect 
 upon when under fire, 115; 
 named in Generals Scott s, 
 Pillow s and Worth s Reports, 
 116; complimented in Magru 
 der s Report ; brevetted major 
 of artillery, 117-18; publicly 
 complimented by General Scott, 
 119, 1 2 1-2; initiative, 123-4; 
 Spanish society in Mexico, 125 ; 
 inclined to remain in Mexico, 
 1257 ; investigating religious 
 denominations, 128, 135, 138-40; 
 returns from Mexico, 140-1, 
 143-8 ; thrice daily prayer, 149 ; 
 society, 150, 152-3, 157-8; 
 would not violate God s will, 
 15960; admiration of flowers, 
 162 ; Cummins E. Jackson a 
 father to him, 162 ; water cure, 
 164-7 > encounter with Indians 
 desirable, 168 ; doubts whether 
 he will quit military life, 169; 
 philosophy favorite subject, 171 ; 
 elected Professor Natural and 
 Experimental Philosophy, V. M, 
 
374 
 
 INDEX 
 
 I., 172-5 ; incident with cadet, 
 176-8, 179, 181-2, 184, 186-8; 
 Lexington most beautiful village, 
 190, 191-4, 196-7 ; would not 
 part with Bible, 198, 199, 200, 
 202; marriage to Miss Junkin, 
 204, 206-7, 210-13; applicant 
 for chair of Mathematics at Uni 
 versity of Virginia, 214, 216-18; 
 death of wife, 219, 220-1, 224- 
 230; forecasts civil war, 231; 
 objects to half-brother locating in 
 free state, 232, 235-241, 243; 
 averse to investing money in 
 free state for fear of confiscation 
 of property, 244 ; Europe, 246, 
 248-255 ; marriage to Miss 
 Morrison, 256-7 j plan of salva 
 tion, 258, 260-1 ; death of daugh 
 ter, 262, 263-275 ; John Brown 
 execution, 276, 278-86, 288, 
 290 ; opposed to secession, 29 1- 
 2; expresses clearly his views 
 as to course to be pursued by 
 citizens of Virginia, 292-294, 
 295 ; fondness for children, 
 298-9, 301-4, 36- l 3> 3 * 5-3 2 3 J 
 estimate of as an instructor, 324, 
 326-330; deeply concerned 
 about northwestern Virginia ; 
 expected to be ordered there ; 
 ordered to report at Richmond 
 with the cadets ; appointed colo 
 nel and sent to command at Har 
 per s Ferry, 331-2; in command 
 of a promising brigade, 333; 
 good staff officers, 334 ; would 
 willingly serve under General 
 Garnett, 334; brigadier-general, 
 334 ; tenderness of heart, 335-6 ; 
 kindness and affection for his 
 slaves, 337-8 ; " the black 
 man s friend," 338, 339-40; 
 liberal in religious views, 340 ; 
 opposed to denominational dis 
 tinctions, 341-2 ; in command at 
 Fredericksburg, 343 ; campaigns 
 subject of study in leading mili 
 tary schools of Europe and 
 America, 343; Lord Roberts 
 
 opinion of, 344; wounding and 
 death, 345-353. 354-8, 360-5 
 
 Jackson, Thomas K., 69 
 
 Jackson, Warren, brother of Gen 
 eral T. J. Jackson, 27, 31-4, 
 36-7, 50, 74, 79, 131, 149, 225, 
 234, 238-9 
 
 Jackson, General William L., 42, 
 77, 171-2, 277, 279, 282, 290 
 
 Jalapa, 86-7, 89-91, 94, 125, 129, 
 
 I33 138-9 
 
 Jefferson, Thomas, President, 217 
 
 Jim (black), General Jackson s 
 servant, 336 
 
 John Brown Raid, 215, 293 
 
 Johnson County, Mo., 232 
 
 Johnson, Joseph, Governor of Vir 
 ginia, 36, 158 
 
 Johnston, Edward (General, C. S. 
 
 A.), 122 
 
 Johnston, Joseph E. (General, C. S. 
 
 A.), 122, 171,329,334 
 Johnstone, Lieutenant, 100, 118 
 Jones, D. R. (General, C. S. A.),6i 
 Junkin, Miss Eleanor (later wife of 
 
 General T. J. Jackson), 199, 
 
 203-4 
 
 Junkin, Rev. Dr. George, 203, 252 
 Junkin, Mrs. Dr. George, 209 
 Junkin, Miss Maggie (later Mrs. 
 
 Preston), 205, 219-20, 315 
 Junkin, William, 234-5 
 
 KANAWHA RIVER, 229 
 
 Kansas, 233 
 Kentucky, 33, 42, 217 
 Kosciusko, General Thaddeus, 165 
 
 LA HOY A, 87, 129 
 
 Lake Champlain, 161 
 
 Lake Lucerne, 248 
 
 Lake Ontario, 207 
 
 La Puebla, 87, 92, 96-7, III-I2, 
 
 134 
 
 Lake Thum, 248 
 
 Latin language, 221, 236, 239,245, 
 
 266, 268, 280, 300-2 
 Latrobe, Mr. J. H., 165 
 La Vega, General, 89 
 Las Vegas, 133-4 
 
INDEX 
 
 375 
 
 Lee, Judge George H., 152, 158 
 Lee, R. E. (General, C. S. A.), 
 97-8, 100-1, 122, 173, 216-17, 
 
 3 2 , 333 343 35*-3 
 
 Lee, Captain R. E., Jr., 173 
 
 Leghorn, 248 
 
 Letcher, Governor, John, 331 
 
 Letters, 83, 87, 91, 128, 133, 135, 
 137, 158-9, 197-8, 231-2, 243-4 
 
 Lewis County, (W.) Va., 27, 35, 
 37, 45, 55, 59, 60, 65-6, 70, 136, 
 143, 171, 176, 228 
 
 Lewiston, 207 
 
 Lexington, 59, 171, 176-9, 181-6, 
 189-91, 194, 197, 199, 201, 203, 
 205-6, 208, 210,212,219,221-2, 
 225-6, 229, 231-2,234-5,237-8, 
 242, 249-50, 252, 254, 256-8, 
 260-4, 266, 268, 270, 277-8, 
 282, 284, 286,288-9, 291, 293-5, 
 298, 300-4, 306-7, 316, 335, 
 
 33 8 -9, 35 8 > 3 6l ~3 3 6 5 
 " Little Pilgrim," 275 
 Liverpool, 246, 248-50, 303 
 Loesser, Mr., 57 
 London, 39, 248-9 
 Long Island, 144 
 Longstreet, General James, 122, 
 
 361 
 
 Lord Chesterfield s Letters, 136 
 Los Angeles, 37 
 Loudon County, Va., 46-7 
 Lowell, 134 
 
 Lurty, George, 192, 198 
 Lyle, John B., 301-2 
 Lynchburg, 360, 363 
 Lyons, 249 
 
 MADISON, MRS. DOLLY, 40, 42 
 
 Magdalena, 98 
 
 Magruder, John B. (General, C. 
 
 S. A.), 93-6, 99, loo, 103, 106- 
 
 n, 114-17, 122, 131-2 
 Maguire, Dr. T. Miller, 122 
 Manassas, 335 
 Mantua, 248 
 Marcus Aurelius, 216 
 Marquis of Westminster, 249, 253 
 Marseilles, 249 
 Marshall, John, Chief Justice, 217 
 
 Martinez, Dr., 134 
 
 Martinsburg, 333 
 
 Maryland, 39, 333 
 
 Massie, Professor, 206 
 
 Matamoras, 82-3 
 
 Maury, Commodore, 290 
 
 Maury, Dabney H. (General, C. 
 
 S. A.), 61, 75 
 Maxwell, Hu, 45 
 May, Captain, 85 
 McCabe, James Dabney, 175 
 McCalley, Dr. James, 25, 158 
 McClellan, George B. (General, 
 
 U. S. A.), 61, 97, 122, 173 
 McCutcheon, John T., 343 
 McCutcheon, R. A., 280 
 McDowell, Battle of, 316 
 McDowell, General (U. S. A.), 122 
 McDowell, Governor, 194, 206 
 McDowell, Miss Sophonisba B., 206 
 McFarland, Mr., 266 
 McFarland, Rev. Dr., 337, 339 
 McGuire, Dr. Hunter, 335, 345, 
 
 365 
 
 McKenzie, Captain, no 
 
 McKinley, Colonel, 78 
 
 Mecklenburg County, N. C., 256 
 
 Mer de Glace, 248 
 
 Mexicalcingo, 97, 98, 121 
 
 Mexican Guerillas, 94 
 
 Mexican manufacture, 166 
 
 Mexicans, 84, 87, 89, 90, 95, 98-9, 
 100-3, I0 5- 6 , 108-9, 111-13. 
 119, 121, 124, 128, 138, 325 
 
 Mexican War, 78, 120, 167, 365 
 
 Mexico City, 79, 86, 90-4, 97, 102, 
 104-6, 112-13, 119, 124, 128, 
 130, 133-4, 136-40, 1 66, 176 
 
 Mexico, 74, 76, 78, 81, 83-5, 87-9, 
 94, 113, 117, 122, 126, 129, 132, 
 135-6, 138, 173, 176, 199, 216, 
 3",3i3, 3i53i8, 325, 342 
 
 Milan, 248 
 
 Mineral Wells, 188 
 
 Mississippi River, 34, 79, 231 
 
 Mississippi, State, 73 
 
 Missouri, State, 182, 229, 231, 244 
 
 Modena, 248 
 
 Molino del Rey, 105-6, 113 
 
 " Monongahela of Old," 48 
 
376 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Monterey, 82-3, 88 
 Montreal, 161, 207 
 
 Moors, 253 
 i, Hon. 
 
 293 
 
 Moore, 
 
 Samuel McDowell, 
 
 Moorefield, 39 
 Morrison, Dr., 355 
 Morrison, Miss Laura, 275 
 Morrison, Miss Mary Anna, later 
 wife of General T. J. Jackson, 
 
 2 55 
 
 Morrison, Mary Graham, 261-2 
 Morrison, Captain Joseph, 345, 351 
 Morrison, Rev. Dr. R. H., 256 
 Morrison, Mrs. R. H., 261 
 Morrison, Miss Sue, 294 
 Morrison, William, 295 
 Mount Vernon, Ind., 220 
 Murdoch s, Mr. John, daughters, 
 
 285-6 
 
 NAPIER, 125 
 
 Naples, 248-9 
 
 Napoleon, Emperor, 115, 248, 344 
 
 Nassau, 170 
 
 National Intelligencer, 159 
 
 National Military School of Mexico, 
 
 I0 5 
 
 National Palace, 124, 128 
 
 Natural Bridge, 141 
 
 Natural and Experimental Phil 
 osophy and Artillery, Chair of, 
 174 
 
 Neale, Alfred, 27, 32, 34, 210, 221, 
 
 224-5, 228 2 3 2 3* 2 33 2 3 8 
 252 
 
 Neale, Mrs. Alfred, 46, 210, 234-6, 
 238, 252, 277 
 
 Neale ancestry, 46 
 
 Neale, Charles, 234 
 
 Neale, Daniel, 45-6 
 
 Neale, George, uncle of Mrs. Jon 
 athan Jackson, 46 
 
 Neale, Hardin, 236, 238 
 
 Neale, James, uncle of Mrs. Jon 
 athan Jackson, 46 
 
 Neale, Julia, 234 
 
 Neale, Julia Beckwith (Mrs. Jon 
 athan Jackson, and mother of 
 General T. J. Jackson), 46 
 
 Neale, Margaret Wynne (maternal 
 grandmother of General T. J. 
 Jackson), 46 
 
 Neale, Minor, 181, 185 
 
 Neale, Mrs. Minor, 210 
 
 Neale, Richard, 46 
 
 Neale, Richard, uncle of Mrs. Jon 
 athan Jackson, 46 
 
 Neale, Richard, 129 
 
 Neale s Island, 228 
 
 Neale, Thomas, Postmaster Gen 
 eral of Virginia, 46 
 
 Neale, Thomas, maternal grand 
 father of General T. J. Jackson, 
 
 2 5> 4&-7 5 
 
 Neale, Thornton, 210 
 
 Neale, William, uncle of Mrs. Jon 
 athan Jackson, 46 
 
 Neale, William (of Missouri), 231- 
 
 XT 3 2 T 35 
 
 New Jersey, 43 
 
 New Orleans, 79, 80, 140, 199, 
 
 236 
 New York, 39, 88, 140, 142, 144, 
 
 147, 149-5. I6 4 174. 199, 2 oi 
 235-6, 244, 246-7, 249, 250, 262, 
 264, 265, 280, 282, 286-7, 290, 
 301 
 
 Ney, Marshal, 115 
 
 Niagara Falls, 164, 206-7, 2 5^ 
 
 Norris, Miss Eliza, 227, 252 
 
 Northampton, 284-5 
 
 North Carolina, 252, 255-6, 260, 
 294 
 
 Northcliffe, Lord, 343 
 
 Northern people, 294 
 
 Northumberland County, Va., 45 
 
 Northwestern Virginia, 334 
 
 OFFICIAL REPORTS, 115-16 
 
 Ohio Legislature, 41 
 
 Ohio River, 32, 41, 79, 228-9, 255 
 
 Ohio, State Senate, 41 
 
 Orizaba, 92, 133, 315 
 
 Oswego, 164 
 
 PALO ALTO, 95 
 Paris, 134, 147, 150, 249 
 Parkersburg, 27-8, 31, 46, 143, 1 8 1, 
 1 88, 228-9 
 
INDEX 
 
 377 
 
 Paseo, 135-6 
 
 Patterson, R. (General, U. S. A.), 
 
 139 
 
 Paxton, General (C. S. A.), 354 
 Payne, Miss Mary (Mrs. John G. 
 
 Jackson), 42 
 
 " Peach Orchard " Farm, 47 
 Peaks of Otter, 269 
 Pearson, Joseph (M. C.), 42 
 
 PEDREGAL, 98-9, 100, 121 
 Pender, General (C. S. A.), 345-6 
 Pendleton, Colonel, 350, 358 
 Pendleton County, (W.) Va. f 39 
 Pennsylvania, 79, 212, 363 
 Perote, 87, 90, 134 
 Petersburg, 235 
 Philadelphia, 41, 205, 212, 220, 
 
 224, 242-3, 256, 265, 286, 290 
 Pickett, Geo. E. (General, C. S. A.), 
 
 61, 122, 360 
 Pierce, Franklin (General, U. S. A.), 
 
 President, 94, 97, 102 
 Pillow, Gideon J., General, 87, 96, 
 
 99, 100, 102, 106, no, 114-17, 
 
 . 130. I37> 138 
 Pioneers, 49 
 Pisa, 248 
 
 Pittsburgh, 80, 142, 363 
 Plattsburg Barracks, 161 
 Point Isabel, 79 
 
 Point Pleasant, 181, 192, 194, 229 
 Pope, John (General, U. S. A.), 
 
 122 
 
 Popocatepetl, 138 
 
 Porter, F. (General, U. S. A.), 122 
 
 Porter, E., 185 
 
 President James Buchanan, 302 
 
 President, C. S. A., and Cabinet, 
 
 360 
 
 President of Mexico, 92 
 Preston, Colonel J. T. L., 273, 279, 
 
 288, 33i, 335 , 339 
 Preston, Mrs. Margaret Junkin, 204, 
 
 2 42, 3*5, 3!8, 33 1 * 336-9, 362 
 Preston, Rev. Dr. Thomas L., 288- 
 
 91, 296, 308 
 Preston, Willie, 335-6 
 Protestants, 128 
 Protestant families, 40 
 
 QUEBEC, 161 
 
 Queretaro, 137 
 
 Quitman, General (U. S. A.), 106, 
 
 RAMSAY, Rev. Dr., 362 
 
 Randolph Academy, 26 
 Randolph County, (W.) Va., 26, 
 
 43, 45, 47, 65 
 
 Randolph County Court, 50 
 Randolph, William, 217 
 Ransom, Colonel, 101 
 Religious Sentiment, 47 
 Reno, Jesse L. (General, U. S. A.), 
 
 6l, 122 
 
 Resaca de la Palma, 95 
 
 Revolver, primitive, 113 
 
 Richmond, 45, 80, 144, 172, 215- 
 16, 235, 250, 256, 277, 293-5, 
 329, 331, 344, 357, 36o, 363 
 
 Richmond Medical Journal, 345 
 
 Ridgely, Captain, 85 
 
 Ringold, Captain, 85 
 
 Rio Frio Mountains, 97 
 
 Rio Grande River, 8i-2 
 
 Rio, Martinez del, 136 
 
 River Rhine, 248 
 
 Roaring Creek, 44 
 
 Roberts, Lord, 343-4 
 
 Robinson (Uncle Jack and Aunt 
 Nancy), slaves owned by Cum 
 mins E. Jackson, 162 
 
 Rockbridge Alum Springs, 179, 
 186-9, 203, 256 
 
 Rockbridge Bank, 337 
 
 Rockbridge County, Va., 329 
 
 Rodes, General (C. S. A.), 354 
 
 Rollins Ancient History, 147, 221 
 
 Rome, 249 
 
 Rosecrans, W. S. (General, U. S. 
 A.), 122 
 
 Rowton Moor, 251 
 
 Rumbough, P. C. (Major, C. S. A.), 
 324 
 
 SABBATH, violation of, 48 
 Sacramento, 158 
 Saltillo, 82-4, 88 
 San Antonio, 102, 121 
 San Augustin, 98, 101, 121 
 
378 
 
 INDEX 
 
 San Cosme Gate, 109-10, 112, 114, 
 
 122 
 
 San Juan Dulloas, Castle of, 84 
 San Luis Potosi, 90 
 San Pablo, 102 
 
 Santa Anna, General, 86, 88-9, 92, 
 94,97-8, 102, 104, in, 112, 121, 
 
 132, J 3 8 
 Saratoga, 256 
 
 Schoonmaker, Colonel J. M., 363-4 
 
 Scott, General Winfield, 69, 72,82, 
 
 86, 89,91-4,96-102, 104-5, IIJ 
 
 115, 119,122, 128,137, 173,216, 
 
 313 
 
 Secession, 291-2 
 Secretary of War, 142 
 Secretary of War, C. S. A., 329 
 Seely, a slave, 64 
 Semmes, Colonel Thomas M., 
 
 317-18 
 
 Sevier, Mr., 137 
 
 Shields, General, 87, IOI-2, 122 
 Slaves, 29, 55, 64, 162, 176, 274, 
 
 2 94, 336-9 
 Smith, Captain, 85 
 Smith, Colonel Augustus, 244 
 Smith, Dr., 357 
 Smith, General Francis H., 75, 
 
 171, 178, 239, 247, 316 
 Smith, Gustavus W. (General, C. 
 
 S. A.), 97..IOI, 122, 173, 329 
 Smith, Captain James P., 345, 347, 
 
 35 I ~ 2 > 355 
 Smith, General Percifer F., 124, 
 
 3 1 
 
 Smith, General W. D., 61 
 Spanish language, 92, 125, 133, 
 
 136-7, 268-9 
 St. Lawrence River, 207 
 Staunton, 141, 158, 183, 185-6, 
 
 227, 257 
 
 Steamer Asia, 246 
 Stoneman (General, U. S. A.), 
 
 61 
 
 Stonewall Brigade," 352, 360 
 " Stonewall," soubriquet, in, 352 
 Stringer, John, 171 
 Stringer, William, 37 
 Stuart, J. E. B. (General, C. S. A.), 
 
 Sumwalt, Colonel Charles S. K. 
 
 (U. S. A.), 364 
 Switzerland, 248 
 
 TAYLOR, CAPTAIN FRANCIS, 80, 
 
 90-1, 124, 127, 131, 141-2 
 Taylor, General Zacharia, 80- 2, 
 
 84, 90, 95 
 Texas, 74, 135 
 Thomas, Rev. Enoch, 233, 260, 
 
 264-5, 3 OI -2, 37 
 Thompson, Judge, 290 
 Treaty of Peace between United 
 
 States and Mexico, 128 
 Trousdale, Colonel, 106, 115-16, 
 
 118 
 
 Tucker, Dr., 357 
 Tucker, Hon. J. Randolph, 217 
 Turkey Island, Virginia, 217 
 Turkey Run, 40 
 Twiggs, General, 85-6, 89, 90, 96, 
 
 98, 101-2, 106, no 
 Tygarts Valley, 43, 289 
 Tygarts Valley River, 144-5 
 
 " UNCLE ROBINSON," a slave, 28 
 
 Union, 290, 292-4, 313 
 
 United States, 89, 91, 129, 132, 
 
 135, 138, 149, 247 
 United States Army, 216 
 University of Cambridge, 249 
 University of Virginia, 214-16 
 Upshur County, (W.) Va., 26-7 
 
 VALENCIA, GENERAL, 99, 138 
 Valley of Virginia, 80, 317, 328-9, 
 
 361, 363-4 
 
 Veach, Hon. James, 48 
 Venice, 248 
 Vera Cruz, 82-4, 86, 88, 90, 1 14, 
 
 120, 129, 133-4, 140 
 Vesuvius, 248 
 Vicksburg, 181, 185 
 Vinton, Captain, 85 
 Virginia, 73, 123, 141, 144, 164, 
 
 171, 217, 270, 293-4, 332-3, 357 
 Virginia Convention, 46, 77, 171-2, 
 
 .293 e 
 Virginia, Governor of, 43, 295, 360 
 
INDEX 
 
 379 
 
 Virginia Legislature, 41, 43, 45, 
 144, 187 
 
 Virginia Military Institute, 171, 
 1 73> 176-8, 186, 189-90, 193, 
 202, 206, 209, 214-15, 217, 228- 
 9, 249, 255, 270-2, 283, 292-3, 
 
 295 34 
 
 Virginia Militia, 42 
 Virginia Mineral Springs, 141, 177 
 Virginia Volunteers, 333 
 
 WARM SPRINGS, VA., 179 
 Warren District, 35 
 War, Revolutionary, 41, 46 
 Washington College, Va., 204, 306 
 Washington, D. C., 53, 132, 137, 
 
 164, 197, 243-4, 295, 317 
 Washington, George W., President, 
 
 41-2, 295 
 Washington, Mrs. George Steptoe, 
 
 42 
 
 Waterloo, 248-9 
 Watkins, Dr., 274 
 Watts, Mr., 217 
 Webster, Daniel, 160 
 Webster Station, 283 \ 
 Welch, 303 
 Western Virginia, 174 
 West Fork River, 66 
 Westmoreland County, Va., 46 
 Weston, (W.) Va., 27, 37-8, 52, 
 
 60, 73, 188, 279 
 West Point, 32, 52-3, 59, 61-2, 66- 
 
 72, 74-6, 78, 120, 122-3, I2 5 
 
 164, 172, 205, 278, 311 
 Wheeling, 173 
 White, Dr. George, 21 1 
 White, George (uncle by marriage 
 
 of General T. J. Jackson), 32, 
 
 211 
 
 White, John, 183, 236, 238, 240 
 White, John (uncle by marriage of 
 
 General T. J. Jackson), 36-7, 
 
 154, l62 f iSl, 211 
 
 White, Mrs. Catharine, "Aunt 
 Katy," wife of Mr. John White, 
 162 
 
 White, Mrs. Margaret Hadden, 
 148, 172, 183, 276, 290 
 
 White, Rev. Dr., 314, 337, 339-40* 
 361-2 
 
 White Sulphur Springs, 141, 273 
 
 White, Sylvanus, 25, 36, 52, 57, 
 65, 78-9, !09, 176, 182, 198 
 
 Whiting, General, 80 
 
 Wilcox, General, 61 
 
 Wild animals, 44 
 
 Wilderness Tavern, 348 
 
 Williamsport, 333 
 
 Williams, Mrs. Catharine (a rela 
 tive of General T. J. Jackson), 
 38, 234 
 
 Willis, Colonel, 354 
 
 Wilson, John, 43 
 
 Withers, Dr., 73 
 
 Withers Ford, 66 
 
 Withers, John, 73 
 
 Wood County, (W.) Va., 46-7 
 
 Woodson, Mrs. Blake B. (mother 
 of General T. J. Jackson by 
 former marriage), 27, 230, 239- 
 40 
 
 Woodson, Captain Blake B., 27 
 
 Woodson, Wirt (half-brother of 
 General T. J. Jackson), 34, 92, 
 129, 210, 220-5, 229-33, 235-6, 
 238-9, 242, 244, 250, 252, 255, 
 258, 261-2, 264 
 
 Worth, General, 85, 87, 90, 92, 96, 
 99, 106-7, no, 116, 118, 130, 
 
 1 37 
 
 Wren s Cavalry, 360 
 Wynne, Margaret, 46 
 
 YORK, ENGLAND, 248-9, 303 
 ZANESVILLE, 41 
 
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