Thomas Stonewall Jackson

Thomas Stonewall Jackson was born in Clarksburg, Virginia, on January 21, 1824. After graduating 17th in his class at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He served in the Mexican War and won two brevets. While he was in Mexico, Jackson became a Presbyterian. A friend said that, "He never smoked, he was a strict teetotaler and never touched a card." In 1851, Jackson was recruited to teach at the Virginia Military Institute. His students called him Deacon Jackson, while others compared him to Oliver Cromwell.

On the outbreak of the Civil War, Jackson was commissioned as colonel and was given the job to organize volunteers for the new Confederate Army. He was promoted to the rank of brigadier general and he took part in the first battle at Bull Run (July 1861) against the Union Army, led by Irvin McDowell. The Confederate troops led by Joseph E. Johnson, Jeb Stuart, Jubal Early and Pierre T. Beauregard defeated the Union troops. It was during this battle that Brigadier General Barnard E. Bee said Jackson stood against

the Union forces "like a stone wall". After this, he was known as “Stonewall” Jackson.

The summer of 1862 the main Union Army under George McClellan was ready to march on Richmond. McClellan and his 115,000 men met the Confederate Army at Williamsburg, in May. McClellan moved his troops into the Shenandoah Valley and surrounded Jackson and his 17,000-man army.

Jackson was ordered by President Jefferson Davis to try and delay the attack on Richmond. First he attacked John C. Fremont at Cross Keys before heading to Irvin McDowell at Port Republic. He then rushed his troops east to join up with Joseph E. Johnston and the Confederate forces fighting George McClellan.

In 1862, Major General John Pope was given command of the new Army of

Virginia. Pope was told to move east to Blue Ridge Mountains towards Charlottesville. They hoped that this move would help George McClellan by drawing Robert E. Lee away from defending Richmond. Lee's 80,000 troops were now fighting two large armies: McClellan’s 90,000 and Pope’s 50,000.

Joined by Jackson , the Confederate troops constantly attacked George McClellan and on June 27, they broke through at Gaines Mill. Outnumbered, McClellan retreated to James River. Abraham Lincoln, frustrated by McClellan's lack of success, sent in Major General John Pope, but he too was easily beaten back by Jackson.

In July 1862, John Pope decided to capture Gordonsville, a railroad junction between Richmond and the Shenandoah Valley. Pope selected