Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-06-13
THE
civil, WAR
FIfTY YEARS AGO TO-DAY
May a, 1861 - Col. Thomas J. "StonewaN" Jackson
Was at Harpers Ferry Organizing Regiments From Vir-
uina MIitia-The Great Commanders First Appearance

Fifty years ago today, Col Thomas j..
jackson, Of the Virginia volunteer
forces was at Harpers Ferry, drilling
troops, organizing them into regiments
and making out of the high-spirited but
undisciplined body of militia and vol
unteers the splendid, efficient army of
the Shenandoah"
This was the first appearance upon
the stage of war of the man who as
"Stonewalr Jackson was presently to
become one of the greatest OF the south
ern generals, famous the length and
breadth of the land.
Jackson, then 81 years old, was well
fitted for the task assigned him. From
West Point, where he had been grad
uated in 1S46, he had gone with Gem
eral Scott to Mexico, and by his gallan-
try had won successfully the brevet
rank of captain and of major.
In 1851 he had been appointed pro-
lessor of artillery tactics and natural
and experimental philosophy at the Vir-
ginia military institute at Lexington,
Va. There he had remained quietly for
10 years until early on Sunday morn
ing, April 81, 1851, there had como the
summons to bring his cadets Immediate
4 ly to Richmond.
| WHO is JACKSON?"
At Richmond he had found a great
disorganized mass of troops, many of
whom, even among the officers, knew
virtually nothing of the practical work
IF war. His days at the capital, there
fore. mad been passed in drilling and
disciplining the men and in instructing
their Officers.
II had been planned to make him a
major OF engineers, but he desired a
more active post, and the commission
was replaced by that of colonel Of vol
unteers.
When his name was presented to the
state convention there went with it the
suggestion that he should be placed in
command of Harpers Ferry, where Maj.
Gen. Kenton Harper of the state militia
was then commanding.
Jackson's services at the institute had
not been such as to bring him into gem
eral prominence, and Immediately the
question was asked, Who is this Major
Jackson?
"He is one" was the reply. who if
you order him to hold post, viii never
leave it alive
His colonels commission was prompt
| " approved, and on April q he received
1t with instructions from General Lee to
go at once to Harpers Ferry. to COM
Il
there assembled and to secure such ma
chinery and arms as had been saved
from the arsenal
HARPER'S FERRY.
Since April IS. when the federal arrnory
/ and arsenal had been burned by their
garrison, Harper's Ferry had been oeeu-
pied by force of Virginia militia and
volunteers which at the time of Jackson's
arrival amounted to perhaps $500 officers
and men.
In command Of them all was Major
General Harper, assisted by three briga-
der generals, each with his authority
l over this OF that company or organiza-
ton and each surrounded with a numer-
Gus and imposing staff.
When Brig. Gen. w. s. Harvey, of the
United States army. captured on his way
to washington from st. Louis, was be-
/ ing taken from headquarters to the train,
he smiled at the sight of the swarm Of
stan officers and with merry twinkle
in his eye asked General Harper, Where
Is your army encamped, general?"
with the arrival of Jackson all this
was changed. The militia generals and
! their glittering STATS were no more. and
their authority and functions devolved
on the simply uniformed colonel and
James w Massie, major and assistant
4 adjutant general, who shortly followed
him.
Strategica1ly the position at Harper
Ferry was a highly important one At
the junction of the Potomac and Shen-
andoah rivers. it looked up into the
Shenandoah and Page valleys, the ia
nous valley Of Virginia." between the
Blue Ridge and the Allegheny noun
tains.
Moreover, through it passed the Balti-
more and Ohio railroad, connecting Bal
tlmore and Frederick city on the one
side with Mart sburg. Cumberland, the
towns of northwest Virginia and the
whole valley of the Ohio, on the other
The village itself was on the slope
of a ridge called Bolivar heights, which
runs along the point between the two
rivers. East of the Shenandoah was a
still higher ridge, called Loudoun
heights, and across the Potomac was an
other, Maryland heights, both of which
commanded Harper's Ferry.