The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-07-11
StOneWall Jackson.
WHO AND WHAT HE IS.

WHO AND WHAT HE IS.
The Martinsburg correspondent of
New York paper gives some items relative
to the history of General Thomas Jefferson
Jackson, the rebel chiettain who has given
our eastern Generals more trouble than all
the other rebel commanders combined:
Thomas Jefferson jackson was born in
Lewis county, Virginia, in 1925. He is,
therefore, just thirty,seven years old-the
fatal age for men of genius-an argument
against me. His family, though by no
means wealthy, was one Of extensive and in
auential ramGcations; socially and politi-
cally their status has always been high, even
in aristocratic Virginia, and it was this ad-
vantage, perhaps, which saved our hero
from neglect when he was turned upon the
world very poor young orphan for it
was by family influence, exsrted 10 behalf
of bis intellectual and moral promise. that
he was made a West Point cadet at the age
of seventeen. 1t was his own cousin, Judge
jackson, of the United States Court, who
skedaddied from Winchester last month on
the approach of the scamp, Thomas Jeffer-
son, recently petrified into Stonewall."
His pertinacity in procuring his cadetship
shows the man. Being then resident of
Clarksburg, in Western Virginia, be walked
from that place to Washington, bearing
with him letters of recommendation to the
Congressional Representative of bis district,
urging the claims of jackson to a cadetship
at West Point Academy. After some de-
lay at the capital, his application was sue
cessful, and, with his commission in his
pocket, be travelled on foot all the way from
the capital to West Point, there to receive
the rudiments of the science of "St0ne-
wall"
He was graduated with high honors in
the same class, with McClellaD, just as the
Mexican war broke out, Immediately en-.
tered service with General Scott as Bre-
vet Lieutenant, and was made full Lieuten.
ant for gallant conduct in the memorable
campaign from Vera Cruz to Mexico. For
the same su6cing reason he received Cap'
tain's shoulder-straps at Cerro Gordo, and
was breveted Major at Chapultepec for dis
tinguished services On his return home
with impaired health after the war, he re-
signed his commission, and was elected Pro~
fessor of Natural and Experimental Philos.
ophy in the Military Institute of Virginia.
In connection with his Mexican career,
by.the-by, recall an anecdote character
istic of the man, which l first heard in
Winchester, but which I fpd we'll repro
daced in the Philadelphia Inquirer of late
date
During the battle of Chapultepec, where
be commanded section of Magruder's bat
terry attached to Pillows division, be was
ordered by that pitifal commander to with.
draw his section, as, according to Pillows
craven idea. it was too much exposed. Civ
ing no heed whatever to the Generals order,
he rapidly limbered up and moved his Sec
tion hundred yards nearer the enemy's
works, where he did great execution"
From the tranquility of his professorship
be was called by Governor Letcher, when
this Internal rebellion broke out, to the
head of regiment, and was assigned the
command at Harper's Ferry, "by the unan>
imous recommendation of the Council, and
the unanimous confirmation of the conven.
tion."
jackson, who had superseded several Vir.
GINA militia Generals there, was in turn
superseded by General 10. Johnston. He
was then made Brigader by JEFF. Davis,
and it was at the battle of Manassas, in
command of the "Stonewall Brigade $50
called because recruited from stonewall
country, that he acquired bis now famous
sobriquet.
The rebel account Of Jackson's early op.
erations at Winchester, if not veracious
enough for history, will at least not fatigue
you it has not been reproduced in this sec.
tioD, believe.
"In March" they say, Winchester was
again threatened by such overwhelming
forces, under Gen. Banks, that every ar
raugement was made for an evacuation.
The government stores and hospitals were
removed the various clothing and cooking
societies were disbanded. and nothing left
pertaining to an army but the men compos.
ing it. Jackson's whole force, including
cavalry and militia, did not amount to 5000
men nevertheless, he twice offered battle to
the Union troops, on the 9TH and 11th of
March. On the night of the 1lth, he with
drew without an engagement, and on the
morning of the 18th the enemy marched
into Winchester, a squadron of Ashby's
cavalry retiring about one square in advance
of them. According to Gen. Shields ac=
count, there was Union force of $4,000 in
the town at the time of the battle fought on
the 23d of March. jackson with only
$500 men returned to Winchester from
Newmarket, and fought the battle of Kearns.
town-Union loss not less than 1000, Con~
federate loss 4l5." Barring the imagina-
tive element in this account, it is not with.
out interest.
Stonewall jackson is everywhere describ
ed as "slow man intellectually even dull.
Some say he was tedious professor, and all
agree that be has creeping look. And yet,