UNDER THE CONFEDERACY
57
tenant of artillery in Magruder's battery,
took part in Gen. Scott's campaign, from
Vera Cruz to the city of Mexico, and was
twice brevetted for meritorious conduct at
Cherubusco and Chapultepec. After the
war, he was on duty for a time at Fort Ham-
ilton, New York harbor, and later was sent
ti' Fort Meade, Florida. He resigned in
1 85 1, to accept the professorship of philos-
ophy and artillery tactics in the Virginia
Military Institute. He was noted for the
faithfulness with which he performed his
duties, but he was not greatly approved as
a teacher. He was zealous in religious mat-
ters, was an officer in the Presbyterian
church, and took such a deeo interest in the
slaves, that he led a Sunday school for
them, and which was maintained for many
years after his death. Soon after Virginia se-
ceded, he took command of his troops at
Harper's Ferry, and, under the Confederate
establishment, he was given a brigade under
Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. At a critical mo-
ment, in the battle of Bull Run, he came in
haste and ciiecked the Federal onslaught,
and gave the Confederates an opportunity
to take the aggressive and gam the victory.
This episode was the occasion of Jackson
receiving his sobriquet as "'Stonewall"
from Gen. Bee's exclamation, "See, there is
Jackson, standing like a stone wall : rally
on the Virginians." For his conduct in
this affair, Jackson was promoted to ma-
jor-general. In November, 1861, he was
given command of the district including the
Shenandoah Valley and the Virginia region
northwest of it. He cleared it' of Federal
troops, but winter weather obliged him to
return to Winchester. In March, 1862, with
five thousand men, he displayed masterly
strategy against Gen. Banks, whom, by a
forty miles retreat, he allowed to occupy
Winchester. From there, Banks sent away
portions of his command in various direc-
tions, when Jackson made a forced march,
and made a vigorous attack on the enemy
at Kernstown. In this affair, Jackson was
defeated, but he had crippled Banks' com-
mand so that it returned to the valley. In
April, 1862, he was given command of all
the Confederate troops in northern Virginia
— his own division of 8,000 men, and Ewell's
division, numbering about the same, in all
about 16,000 men. These were threatened by
Banks, with 20,000 men, while Gen. Edward
Johnson's force of 3,000 men was opposing
Fremont's army of 15,000 men. Making a
rapid circuitous march, Jackson joined his
force to that of Johnson, and on INIay 8
struck Fremont a paralyzing blow. Return-
ing rapidly to the valley, he surprised
Banks (who had detached a portion of his
command to the Rappahannock), crushing
his troops at Front Royal, May 23, and two
days later at Winchester, driving the Fed-
erals beyond the Potomac, and taking im-
mense quantities of stores. From this on,
Jackson's movements were rapid, and his
successes brilliant. Stationed at Winchester,
he was almost surrounded by converging
forces, when by an early march, May 31, he
/nade Strasburg, interposing his troops be-
tween McDowell and Fremont, and succeed-
ed in sending his prisoners and stores to a
place of safety. Retreating up the valley,
pursued by Fremont and McDowell, by ex-
ceedingly rapid movements, he defeated
them in turn, and they retreated to the lower
Shenandoah. Jackson now rapidly marched
t'L the aid of Lee, and on January 27, 1862,
in the battle of Gaines' Mills, defeated Gen.
Porter, and then followed the retreating
