The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1926-02-04


breast pocket of my coat, where it
protruded and finally worked out
somewhere on the road. So the
original draft of 'Stonewall Jackson's
Way was dropped in the very midst
of the graveyard he had helped to
make, and was probably found by
those who were prepared to appreci-
ate its significance. In Baltimore
l told the story of the song to my
father, and at his request, made i'm
mediately another copy of it. This
was shown cautiously to certain mem
bers of the Maryland Club, and a
trusty printer was found who struck
off a dozen slips of it, principally for
private distribution. That first prited
copy of the song was headed, Found
on Rebel Sergeant of the Old Stone
wall Brigade Taken at Winchester
The fabulous legend was for the mis-
leading of the Federal Provost Mar
shall, as were also the address and
date: 'Martinsburg, September Is,
1862 This poem was suppressed in
the North, but its entry in the South
by the way of an underground cur
rent, together with the details of his
own work and Imprisonment in the
South during these events, complete
DR.. Palmer's interesting story of the
birth of this famous song which pic
tured the strong character of "Stone-
wall" Jackson and concluding all
doubt as to the real authorship.
Thomas Jackson was a poor boy,
born beyond the Alleghenies in
Clarksburg, w. Va, January 81, 1924,
and who managed to get to West
Point, and later a professor at the
Lexington Military School. The first
few years of the life of Stonewall
Jackson were filled with adversely.
On March 20, 1926, his father died,
his oldest sister few days before,
and the young widow left with very
meager means. In 1880 his mother
married again and removed to Fay
cite county, where she died the fol-
lowing year. The children in the
meantime had been placed with rela-
tives, Thomas going to the old home
place at Jacksons' Mills near Weston,
in Lewis county, then occupied by his
STEP grandmother and several uncles
and aunts. The summer of 1887,
Jackson was employed on the old
Parkersburg and Staunton turnpike
through the heart of Western Vir-
ginia and the winter of 1889 was
spent in school under the noted Alex
ander Scott Withers, author of "Bor-
der Warfare" and in 1910 Withers
was a justice of the peace and he
sought the services of Stonewall
Jackson for constable, a sort of
deputy sheriff in those days. But
this did not last long for Jackson
was aiming higher and in 1912 it
was announced that an appointment
was to be made at West Point of
cadet-ship and the preliminary ex-
animation is said to have taken place
at the "old Bailey House" in Weston,
and there four applicants were pres
ent, among this number being Jack
son and the late Johnson N. Cam
den, Omitted States Senator) however
one was selected "conditionally" but
the outlook was not attractive to the
one selected and he returned to Wes-
ton and told Stonewall Jackson of
his disappointment in the pualifica-
lions, so Jackson again took hope and
was admitted to West Point on July
l, 1912 and two years later he gradu-
ated with the brevet rank of second
lieutenant of artillery, and August
of that year found him on his way to
Mexico, where he was advanced to
first lieutenant for gallant conduct in
the siege of Vera Cruz in March; to
brevet rank of Captain for conduct
in battle of Contreas in August; and
W UIcNeC lain VI MAUI IOl uelOiC
conduct at Chapultepic in September.
In June, 1S4S, jackson returned to
the United States from Mexico with
SCOTS Army and was stationed at
Fort Hamilton, New York, until 1850,
when he was transferred to Florida.
During 1851 he resigned from the
army to take effect the following year
and was then appointed an instructor
at Virginia Military Institute, Lexing-
ton, Virginia. Jackson's ten years at
Lexington are marked with the most
interesting events, and on April 81,
1861, Major Jackson left Lexington
with the cadets in the very opening
of the Civil War. On April 9th, he
received the appointment of Colonel
of Virginia volunteers; assigned to
command of First Brigade in June;
and engaged in skirmish at Falling
Water July 2. On July 4th, he was
made a brigadier-general, and led
First Brigade in the first battle of
Manassas. Here, Lee, in rallying his
men, exclaimed, "See there stands
Jackson like a stonewall" thus APP
plying his name which is better