Dr. David T. Crum is an Assistant Professor of History at Truett-McConnell University. In addition to the B.S. degree, Dr. Crum holds two M.A. degrees (Theological Studies and History, respectively) and the earned Doctor of Philosophy degree in Historical Theology.
Not everyone possesses the characteristic of bravery. An examination of the Scriptures underscores that certain people are blessed with the trait, while others may be more timid and filled with fear. Samson, David, and Joshua serve as prime examples of men who faced adversity and battled it straight on. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson undoubtedly embodied the distinguishing marks of a fearless, brave soldier.
From losing both parents at a young age to being raised by a stern uncle, Jackson's childhood played a pivotal role in developing the courageous tenacity for which the world knows him. As a young boy, being forced to say goodbye to his dying mother affected his soul in a way he never forgot. His uncle Cummins reared the young boy into a man, instilling in him discipline, hard work, and confidence. Despite lacking formal education, Jackson's determination led him to success in adulthood. His first genuine test was convincing his local political leaders to sponsor his attendance at West Point, the most prestigious military school in the nation. Jonathan M. Bennett, a lawyer and official from Virginia, was hesitant to recommend Jackson initially but ultimately played a significant role in doing so.
People in the area, including Bennett, thought Jackson was admirable but worried he would not do well in school because he had little education. Convincing Bennett and others was no simple task; being verbally examined for hours, Jackson refused to yield to such concerns and doubts of his intellectual capability. Answering his objectors, he replied, "I know that I shall have the application necessary to succeed; I hope that I have the capacity; at least, I am determined to try, and I want you to help me."[1] He added, "I am very ignorant, but I can make it up by study. I know I have the energy, and I think I have the intellect."[2] Jackson's dedication endured, gaining him a seat at West Point.
At West Point, Jackson did initially struggle. However, his refusal to quit and devotion to studying overcame any academic deficiency. Despite the order to turn off the lights and go to bed, Jackson hid and studied extensively, sacrificing his sleep each night. The young cadet graduated, earned the rank of a first lieutenant, and soon headed to Mexico for immediate military engagement.
It was in the Mexican-American War that Jackson first impressed his superior officers, earning him a reputation as a man of courage on the battlefield. Jackson's composure during his first battle at Veracruz amazed those around him. He moved confidently and gave exact orders. Biographer John Richardson noted:
Apparently, courage was not a difficult virtue for Jackson to acquire. To a large extent he was born with it. With men falling dead all around him and fire growing hotter and hotter, he was always in perfect possession of his faculties and his mind was clear under all circumstances. It has been said that Jackson was at his best when enveloped in fire and smoke.[3]
Jackson later remarked he held no anxiety in battle yet maintained a surreal attitude of calmness and heavenly direction. Such demeanor undisputedly led to a promotion of ranks, impressing high-ranking officials who saw first-hand a unique sense of valor few others possessed. Jackson did not disappoint his superiors, as his time in Mexico gave prominence to his leadership ability and military fortitude. It is said that Jackson flourished during moments of battle and almost enjoyed them. However, during his time in Mexico, he became concerned over his salvation and sought to gain more understanding of his Lord Jesus Christ, which in return challenged his emotions in warfare and gentled his soul.
After the Mexican-American War, Jackson served ten years as a professor at the Virginia Military Institute. During this period, he suffered more losses in his life, losing his first wife, Ellie, and their unborn child. Marrying a couple of years later to Mary Anna, they too lost another child. The devastation brought both pain and endurance to Jackson, shaping him into a stronger and more faithful man. Jackson's faith and understanding of Christianity grew stronger, and he became a role model in his Presbyterian church as a deacon.
Interestingly, Jackson was not the most liked professor, often mocked by cadets as boring; some students despised the late general. One student who was kicked out of the academy per Jackson’s recommendation sought revenge and planned on killing him. A classmate explained the details of the coming attack and urged Jackson not to walk on his usual path. Jackson responded, "Let the assassin murder me if he will!"[4] The event unfolded as follows:
As he approached the spot indicated, he saw the young man standing and awaiting him. He turned and gazed fixedly at him with that look which had fronted, unmoved, the most terrible scenes of carnage upon many battlefields. The youth could not sustain it; he lowered his eyes, and turning away in silence, left the spot, while Jackson calmly pursued his way.[5]
While he may not have been the preferred professor at VMI, he nonetheless garnered respect from most of the students. In fact, in just a few short years after the cadets graduated, several of them found themselves under his command in the Civil War. The majority volunteered willingly to serve him. James I. Robertson Jr. commented, "As often as not, those young cadets who most ridiculed Jackson became officers who begged to serve under his command in War. They laughed at him in one decade; they died for him in the next.”[6]
Perhaps most known for his service in the Civil War, Jackson's fame and reputation continued to develop. The illustrious military leader gained his nickname, "Stonewall," during the battle of Bull Run. The name—given by General G.E. Bee, who died in the struggle—stayed with Jackson for the rest of his life. When troops ran surrendering, Stonewall reinforced the line, held a powerful position, and reengaged the enemy. Filled with emotion, Bee yelled, "'They are beating us back! Jackson, said coolly, 'Sir, we will give them the bayonet.'"[7]
John Esten Cooke supported such accounts of bravery: "In the midst of this hot struggle Jackson's equanimity remained unshaken. He does not seem, during any portion of the battle, to have contemplated disaster or defeat, and opposed to the agitation and furry [sic] of many around him a demeanor entirely unmoved."[8] The following is a description of Jackson's resiliency:
Jackson had held his position for about an hour, and this had enabled General Beauregard to hurry forward troops from the lines along Bull Run. These were at last in position, and taking command of them in person, General Beauregard, about three o' clock, ordered the whole line to advance and make a decisive assault. Jackson still held the centre, and, although wounded in the hand by a fragment of shell, paid no attention to the accident. At the word, his brigade rushed forward, broke through the Federal line in front of them, and supported by reserves, drove the enemy from the plateau.[9]
Later, reflecting on how he could stay so calm during the Battle of Bull Run, Jackson remarked:
Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me.' He added, after a pause, looking me full in the face: 'Captain, that is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave.[10]
The once ridiculed professor became perhaps the most valiant military leader in the whole Confederate Army. His military group, the "Stonewall Brigade," gained fame and attention from Southerners and newspapers in the U.S. and Europe. One soldier later commented on Jackson:
We do not look upon him merely as our commander, we do not regard him as a severe disciplinarian, as a politician, as a man seeking popularity but as a Christian; a brave man who appreciates the condition of a common soldier, as a fatherly protector; as one who endures all hardships in common with his followers; who never commands others to face danger without putting himself in the van.[11]
Jackson found courage in his Christian faith, which gave him peace and understanding in all parts of his life, even during war. The general's favorite word, providence, underscored his Christian worldview. According to Jackson, he did not need to fear battle, as death came at the hands and will of his Lord and Savior. Jackson commented to one soldier who was not a Christian:
Nothing earthly can mar my happiness. I know that heaven is in store for me; and I should rejoice in the prospect of going there tomorrow. Understand me: I am not sick; I am not sad; God has greatly blessed me; and I have as much to love here as any man, and life is very bright to me. But, still, I am ready to leave it any day, without trepidation or regret, for that heaven which I know awaits me, through the mercy of my Heavenly Father.[12]
Death brought forth the bravest moments of Jackson’s life. Friendly fire wounded Jackson, and doctors initially expected him to survive after amputating his arm. Not realizing an infection had developed in his bloodstream, the general commented on the loss of his arm:
You see me severely wounded, but not depressed, not unhappy. I believe it has been done according to God’s holy will, and I acquiesce entirely in it. You may think it strange, but you never saw me more perfectly contented than I am today; for I am sure that my Heavenly Father designs affliction for my good. I am perfectly satisfied that, either in this life, or in that which is to come, I shall discover that what is now regarded as a calamity is a blessing. And if it appears a great calamity, as it surely will be a great inconvenience, to be deprived of my arm, it will result in a great blessing. I can wait until God, in His own time, shall make known to be the object He has in thus afflicting me. But why should I not rather rejoice in it as a blessing, and not look on it as a calamity at all? If it were in my power to replace my arm, I would not dare to do it, unless I could know it was the will of my Heavenly Father.[13]
Sadly, the infection rapidly spread, and his time on earth ended. Unsurprisingly, Jackson joyously awaited his destiny. His wife, Anna, shared the account:
When I told him the doctors thought he would soon be in heaven, he did not seem to comprehend it, and showed no surprise, or concern. But upon repeating it and asking him if he was willing for God to do with him according to His own will, he looked at me calmly and intelligently, and said, "Yes, I prefer it, I prefer it." I then told him that before that day was over he would be with the blessed Saviour in His glory. With perfect distinctness and intelligence, he said, "I will be an infinite gainer to be translated."[14]
Stonewall Jackson died at age thirty-nine. The great military leader showcased bravery and courage, which so few maintain. However, if given the opportunity, Jackson would have proudly asserted such actions came only from his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
While his reputation may be under attack today because of his service in the Confederate Army, few know Jackson did not seek conflict. Yet, he felt it was by the providence of God that he remained at war, in an altercation to him, that was justifiable in defending one's state and land. The Lord knows best, and Jackson, too, acknowledged the will of God would ultimately prevail in the brutal clash of brothers fighting brothers.
Jackson was many things, including a loving husband, delightful father, great military leader, and humble soul. However, it was the Christian title he most earnestly sought. This Christian man exemplified godly traits, some of them being courage and unwavering faith. Bravery came from the hands of his Savior, who unquestionably was with him his entire life.
[1] Mary Anna Jackson, Life and Letters of General Thomas J. Jackson, (1892; reprint, New York: Harper & Brothers, 2019), 29.
[2] Lochlainn Seabrook, The Quotable Stonewall Jackson: Selections from the Writings and Speeches of the South’s Most Famous General, (Franklin: Sea Raven Press, 2012), 29.
[3] John R. Richardson, The Christian Character of General Stonewall Jackson, (Weaverville: The Southern Presbyterian Journal Company, 1943), 7.
[4] John Esten Cooke, Stonewall Jackson: A Military Biography, (New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1876), 30.
[5] Ibid.
[6] James I. Robertson, Jr., Stonewall Jackson: The Man, the Soldier, the Legend, (New York: Macmillan, 1997), 153.
[7] Cooke, Stonewall Jackson: A Military Biography, 67.
[8] Ibid., 72.
[9] Ibid., 73.
[10] John D. Imboden (CSA), "Incidents of the First Bull Run" in 𝐵𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐿𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐶𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑙 𝑊𝑎𝑟, Vol. 1 (1887), 238.
[11] Jackson, Life and Letters of General Thomas J. Jackson, 134.
[12] Robert Lewis Dabney, Life and Campaigns of Stonewall Jackson, (New York: Blelock & Co., 1866), 588.
[13] Jackson, Life and Letters of General Thomas J. Jackson, 293.
[14] Ibid., 301.