Thomas Jonathan
Jackson
"stonewall" Jackson
Born on January 21, 1824 in Clarksburg West Virginia. Jackson was a skilled military tactician, under the general Robert E. Lee in the american civil war. Early Life: Jackson’s father was a lawyer named Jonathan Jackson, and his mother Julia Beckwith Neale. Thomas Stonewall Jackson was the third born of four. Jackson’s dad and older sister died from a fever when he was only 2 years old. Jackson’s mother struggled as a widow as it was difficult to provide for her children. Jackson and his siblings moved to live with some relatives in Jackson's Mill, Virginia due to the fact that they did not get along well with their step father.
Jackson’s mother would later die giving birth to a stepbrother of his who would also die at a very early age. In 1842 Jackson would enroll in the U.S military Academy at West Point, NY. Jackson would begin struggling at school as he was often teased and a large workload, this would fuel him to eventually become a dedicated hard worker.
Jackson would fight in the Mexican-American war as he would join the 1st Artillery while being a 2nd lieutenant. Jackson quickly proved his bravery on the battlefield and by the time the war was over he had been promoted to the rank of brevet major and was considered a war hero. After the war, he continued to serve in the military in New York and Florida. Jackson would retire from the military in 1851 when he was offered a spot to become a professor. In 1853 Jackson met and married his wife, Elinor Junkin. Elinor would die the next year while giving childbirth. Jackson would remarry in 1857 to Mary Anna Morrison. In 1859 Jackson would become a father to his daughter, who would die within a month. Jackson would rejoin the military in 1859 and three years later they would have another daughter named Julia, named after Jackson’s mother. When virginia seceded from the Union Jackson then showed his support to the confederacy. In 1861 Jackson was placed in command of the VMI Corps of Cadets.
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