South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1891-07-24
LEES GREAT LIEUTENANT
sketch Of the Brilliant Career of General
Thomas ]. Jackson.

W D
january 81. 1924, and died near
Guinea's Station, Caroline county
Va. May 10. 1863. His great grand.
father emigra,ed from London 10 l748
to Maryland. Here he married
Elizabeth Cummins, and shortly af-
terward removed to Harrison county,
FL Va, (now West Virginia) where he
4 founded large family. At seven
years of aga Thomas Jonathan,
r. whose father had been lawyer. be.
came an orphan, and he Was brought
up by bachelor uncle. Cummins
jackson. Young Jacksoa's consti-
tuition was weak, bu, the rough life
q OF West Virginia farm strengthened
it and he became q constable for the
county. He was appointed q cadet
) at the United Sta;es Military Acad,
emy at tue age of eighteen. HE
preparation was poor and he never
reached high grade. On his grad
uation iu 1916. be was ordered 10
Mexico. became Lieutenant In Ma
grudef's battery aud took part in
General Sc0tts Campaign from Vera
Cruz TO the City OF Mexico. He was
twice breveted for good conduct at
CherubuSco and Charultepec.
After tue Mexican war he was for a
long time on duty at Fort Hamil ton,
New York harbor aud was subsequently,
SAINT to Fort Meade Florida. He re-
signed from the srmy,in 1851, on his
election az professor .of philosophy
and artillery tactics in the Virginia
Military Institute at Lexington.
He was noted for the faithfulness
with which he performed his duties
ard bis earncsiAess In matters Of
religion (be was member and officer
CT The Presbyte rian church.) He
took much interest in tie
Improvement of the slaves and con-
Quoted Sun0ay.schooi for their
benefit. which continues In opel alton.
A few days after the secession Of
Virginia lie took command OF the
troops that were. collecting at Har-
per's Ferry and when Virginia joined
the Confederaey q few weeks later he
was relieved by General Joseph T..
Johnsto and then became command.
or OF q brigade in Johnston's army,
which rank he he'd at the first battle
OF ManassAs In that action the
left Of the Confederate line had been
turned and the troops holding i,
driven back for some distance. Dis.
aster to the CoHfederates was immi-
ent and johnston WAS hurryiug NJ
troops to support his left. Jaeksou's
brigade was the first to get into posi-
tion and checked the progress OF the
Federal forces The broken troops
rallied upon Bis line; other re en-.
forcements reached the left. The
CoEfederates teok the aggressive and
In a short time gained Victory. In
The crisis of The fight Gen. Bernard
+ Bee, OF South Carolina. in rally-
ing his men said: See there is
Jackson standing like stone wall
rally on the Virginians. Bee fell q
few moments after, but his exclama-
ton gave Jackson a new name. Fol-
his conduct in this engagement Jack
son was made Major-General and in
November. 1891, was assigned to the
command Of the district that included
the Shenandoah Valley and the pora
tion Of Virgina northwest of 1t, In
the course Of the winter he drove the
Federal troops from his district but
the weather compelled him ia
return to winter quarters at Winohes.
ter. Early IN March he was at Win.
chester with 5000 men, while Gener.
al Nathaniel 2. Banks was advancing
FgAinst him from the Potomac. Jack
sons instructions were to cetain az
large hostile force ss possible in the
valley without Tisking the destruction
OF bis own troops. lie fell back
forty miles before Banks, but as soon
as the latter returned to Winchester
and began to send bis troops away
Jackson, with $500 men. made a
forced march toward Winchester and
on March % attacked the troops still
left in The vslley with great vigor al
KeI nstoWn. This Was drawn bat.
tie, Tut so fierce and unexpected was
Jackson's attack thSt Banks, with al
The troops within reach returned "a
the valley. Jackson retire yd NJ
the Shenandoah Valley and took po-
silion in Swift Run Gap, in the Blu,
Ridge Mountain.
A. the end Of April, 1862, he en-
tered upon q new campaign in tie
valley. While McClellsn's great
army was pushing up the peninsul6
toward Richmond. General Irwin Nc
DOWell With 10000 men lay on Tie
RsppAhannOCk and threatened kich
mOnd from the north. Banks, will
10000 men occupied HarrisonburG
and was watching Jackson, while
Fremont was gathering a column 81
$4,000 men onthe upper POtomsc an
moving toward stanton. Jackson
wss given control Of all the ConIeder.
ate troops in Ner,hern Virginia, with
instructions 10 do The best he could
TO hamper the operations Of the Fed
sral armies in that region. file troops
consisted Of his own division Of about
5000 men, General Richard s.
EWell 3 division Of about The same
number. & Edward Johnstob's brigade
Of 5000 men which was ia FTemOnC'
front. Jackson having united his Own
division TO Jobnson's brigade by q
Circuitous march and struck The head
OF Bremonts column Of The village oil
Bic -oWell on May and damaged IL
so as 70 paralyz II for some weeks.
lie then returned Tap.dly TO the
sNenaDdosh Valley and concentrated
~ 10