Carla Carlson, age 14, of Chattanooga, Tenn., for her question:
WHY WAS HE CALLED 'STONEWALL' JACKSON?
Thomas Jonathan Jackson was one of the leading Confederate generals more than 100 years ago during the Civil War. Because the Union forces were rarely able to get past him, he won the nickname of "Stonewall."
When the War between the States started in 1831, Jackson was an instructor at the Virginia Military Institute. He offered his services to Virginia and found himself at bull Run, the first major fight of the war.
Union forces were just about to take an important position that was being held by Gen. Bernard Bee's soldiers from South Carolina. When bee saw that Jackson's troops were holding firm, he shouted:
"There stands Jackson like a stone wall. Rally behind the Virginians."
Bee's men rallied to help Jackson's men. The Confederates won the battle and the hero was ever after called Stonewall Jackson.
Prior to the war, Jackson had graduated with honors from the United . States Military Academy at West Point. He had also fought in the Mexican War where he earned the rank of major.
After Bull Run, Jackson took a small army to the Shenandoah Valley. The troops soon came to be known as the Stonewall Brigade. They fought up and down the valley, always defeating much larger Union forces.
As the Civil War continued, Jackson came to be known as General Robert E. Lee's most valuable general. No other person was able to carry out Lee's daring plans with the skill and speed that Jackson always displayed.
Time after time, troops led by Jackson were able to defeat larger regiments of Union forces.
Jackson was with Lee when the Confederates defeated the Union troops at Fredericksburg, Va., in 1b62. Then early in 1863, a quick attack by Jackson's men at Chancellorsville brought another victory. But after the battle was won, Jackson was accidentally shot by one of his own men. He died one week later of the wounds.
When Confederate Gen. Lee needed help in June of 1862 as a major confrontation was building with Union Gen. George McClellan's troops, Jackson's men were called. They moved by rail and foot so quickly that they were called "Jackson's Foot Cavalry." They arrived in time for the Seven Days' Battle and helped to save Richmond from McClellan's advancing Union forces.
Jackson was a very religious man. He prayed before every battle.
In the Second Battle of Bull Run, which was held in of 1862, Jackson's quick attack from behind defeated a very large Union brigade.
A few weeks later Jackson captured Harpers Ferry and then with great speed moved to Antietam to save the Confederate forces from a disastrous defeat at the hands of Union soldiers.
Jackson was born in Clarksburg, Va., in 1824. The location is now in West Virginia. He died in 1863 when he was only 39 years old.