Thomas Jonathan Jackson

Thomas Jonathan Jackson. January 21, 1824 - May 10, 1863. , Thomas Jonathan Jackson was born in what is now Clarksburg, West Virginia. Jackson and his sister were raised by their mother. She died when he was seven. They were the raised by an uncle, until Jackson left for West Point. He worked his way up from fifty-ninth in cadet standing to seventeenth when he graduated in 1846. He chose an artillery unit to serve out his commitment and was sent to Mexico. Gallantry earned him two field promotions. Achieving the rank of Major. He left the Army to take a teaching position at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in Lexington, VA., While at VMI, he joined the Lexington Presbyterian Church. There he founded a Sunday School for free and enslaved blacks along with founding and directing the Rock Bridge Bible Society. He married the minister's daughter, Elinor Junkin, but in 1854 she died in childbirth. In 1857 Jackson married Mary Anna Morrison. Their first child died as an infant. His second child, Julia was born during the war., When Virginia seceded in 1861, Colonel Jackson took the VMI Cadets to Richmond. He earned the name "Stone Wall" at the battle of First Manassas. His "Stone Wall Brigade" turned the tide that day. In 1862 and 1863 Jackson consistently overwhelmed his opponents. He disliked battles on Sundays but would when pressed. Very religious, he prayed before, during, and after a battle. His actions lead to the "Great Revival of the Southern Army". , He was wounded by friendly fire at Chancellorsville in 1863. As a result of his injury, his left arm was amputated and he later developed pneumonia. While in delirium he cried out battle orders. His final words were "Let us cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees". On May 10, 1863 Thomas Jonathan Jackson passed away. He is buried in Lexington Virginia.